Hail All! 
Hi. Great to hear that you keep to the limits on the roads
As for speeding on a Pendolino, its practically impossible as the system that controls the tilting system (TASS - Tilt Authorisation and Speed Supervision) would have your nose against the windcreen if you went above 130mph as it brought you to a grinding halt!!
Ahh...I forgot that any modern design of train would most likely have a speed restrictor fitted!
Does that 130mph still restriction apply on the Trent Valley section though? Personally, if I was driving a train along there I'd be aimimg to meet the 140mph limit - Provided the prevailing conditions (Good visibility and nothing more than light rain/wind) meant that it would be perfectly safe to do so.
On the other hand though; If there is one train that I would
love to have a bash at driving along as fast as I could, it would be 370006 (The last remaining APT) with both power-cars along the WCML from Euston to Glasgow Ctl. From what I remember, they once got her up to about 165mph along that route...And if I had a fully cleared line at the time, I reckon that I could get her going well over the 200mph mark!
(Indeed: I'm dreaming of the day when she'll be up and running again...And in a race between her and a Pendolino from Euston to Glasgow (With me driving the APT!
), she'll reach Glasgow first...With the Pendo still chugging it's merry way through Wolverhampton as I arrive in Glasgow!
)
As far as I know...Although the 370s had C-APT (Control: Advanced Passenger Train) fitted, because most - If not all - Of the C-APT "plates" will have been removed by now, the system would not limit train speed at all, mainly because (I think) the C-APT system was designed in such a way that the train would still be able to run normally if diverted onto lines without C-APT fitted.
I wouldnt let your learning difficulty stop you applying though, but you know yourself best - do what your heart tells you!
To be perfectly honest; I'm in the mind that if I can legally and safely drive a motor vehicle up to 3.5t on the public highway (I've had no accidents yet - Touch wood!
), then I should be perfectly safe with a train as they don't require steering, and the route is selected by the signalling/routing systems already in place.
To roll it up into a very basic (And uncomprehensive) summary: All I'd need to do is make sure that my train is travelling at a
safe speed, and that it's running along the roads that it's been booked to run on. Meaning that if my train was to go off-route (Say I'm driving a Waterloo - Alton service, but the points at Pirbright Jct are set to route me towards Farnborough Main as I approach) all I'd need to do is bring the train to a safe halt and call up the local signal box to inform them of the problem and request further instructions.
I've already tried to get into driving once before...I was joining SWT as booking office staff for a couple of years, then do an internal transfer to driving - Possibly via non-commercial Guard - Once the time was right. However, although I managed to pass SWTs aptitude and written tests fine, I wasn't selected for employment for some reason!
Although, dare I ask...How would ye all feel about taking a train that was driven by "Death"?
hock:
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I wouldn't bother getting your hopes up. FL moved the goal posts a few days ago....
Freightliner said:
Thank you to everyone who applied, and if you haven't yet received your application packs, please be patient as due to the high demand you may not receive your pack immediately. Those who live more than an hour from the stated depots will also be filtered in the application process.
You now have until Thursday 27 March 2008 to return the completed application form and questionnaire to Freightliner.
Basically, if you don't live in NW London, the West Midlands or Cheshire, you've no chance .....
When they say "Those who live more than an hour from the stated depots...", what method of transport are they basing their timings on?
After all: I guess that it'd take me a good two hours or so to drive into outer London from Milton Keynes, but a Pendo going at normal speed can often do the same journey (To Central London) in about 20-40 minutes, depending on how clear the line is.
hock::roll::?
Do they automatically
assume that everyone will be driving into work? After all, I'm sure there are plenty of fully-qualified and long-standing train drivers out there who've never ever held a car driving licence or taken the driving test, and probabally never intend to! :roll:
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If You're scottish, FSR always want drivers if IRRC
They do, but won't consider anyone who lives south of the border though :roll:
Isn't that effectively racism on FSRs part?
hock:
ad:
Although I could well understand them refusing to take me on at the moment (As Farnborough is a fair old commute from Glasgow Central!
) I wouldn't accept such a rejection
at all if I was willing to move up to somewhere within reasonable reach of my "home" depot!
hock::roll::?
Farewell...
>> Death <<
) and after seeing a programme last night that went into detail about how poor adherance to design and safety standards caused the 
