A new face on the footplate.

[whole diary]

[TonyK]

By the way, your signature has had me singing along to the Lennon/McCartney song of the same name ever since I read it!  (From the 'Revolver' album, for the benefit of all you youngsters out there)  I'm sure they weren't the inspiration for your signature though!

For the even younger, I should explain that Lennon / McCartney were two members of a popular music combo called the Beatles, formed during the Prime Ministership of Harold Macmillan. You will know a third member from "Thomas the Tank Engine".

[Chris from Nailsea]

I'm posting this here somewhat mischievously, as I'm sure ReWind will be learning about such differences ... :

11.  Arriving into Westbury from the Frome direction.

Yes, it is Westbury. But the train is not arriving. It's just departed Westbury heading for Taunton

CfN 

[ReWind]

Just a little update on the progress one is making.

Currently completed all corporate courses which included;

- Putting Customers First
- Conflict Management
- First Aid
- PIDD^▸ (Passenger Information During Disruption) ( gold star for whoever knows this abbreviation )
- Safety & Evacuation
- Disability Awareness
- Fire Training

Then we completed a 2 day PTS^▸ (Personal Track Safety) course around SPM^▸ (St Philip's Marsh (Bristol depot)) which finished off with a track walk to North Somerset Junction and back.

We then had 2 weeks called "Safe Railways" which is a basic introduction to all aspects of the train driver role covered in the rule book.  It gives you an insight into the content you go into in much further detail in Core Rules.

I am now in week 4 of Rules, with one more week of topics left to cover next week before Feedback, Revision and Interim 1 in week 6.

A brief snapshot of topics covered so far in rules includes;

- Absolute Block Signalling
- TCB^▸ (Track Circuit Block) Signalling
- Passing Signals at Danger
- Signal irregularities
- Wrong Route Movements
- Single Line Working
- Working of a Single Line
- Pilotman Working
- Train Working
- Station & Dispatch duties
- AWS^▸ (Automatic Warning System) & TPWS^▸ (Train Protection and Warning System)
- DRA^▸ (Driver's Reminder Appliance )
- DSD^▸ (Driver's Safety Device) and DVD devices
- Tiii Possessions
- Shunting
- Propelling
- Depot Working
- Fixed Signals
- Shunt Signals
- Hand Signals
- Level Crossings
- Degraded Working from Level Crossing Failure
- Cab Discipline
- Mobile Phone Discipline

and more plus more to do in week 5 (next week) which is many Protection. 

A long way to go still before I am let loose with a DI.  As expected, a very intense and thorough course but understandably so.

[bobm]

- PIDD^▸ (Passenger Information During Disruption) ( gold star for whoever knows this abbreviation )

Passenger Information During Disruption 

[TonyK]

Is there Passenger Information Standing Sideways (On Front Foot)?

[JayMac]

- PIDD^▸ (Passenger Information During Disruption) ( gold star for whoever knows this abbreviation )

Passenger Information During Disruption 

Now added to the Acronyms/Abbreviations page. 

ReWind, am I right in thinking that DSD^▸ (Driver's Safety Device) is Driver's Safety Device? Aka, the dead man's handle? Most often in British rolling stock a pedal which must be kept depressed otherwise the emergency brake will kick in.

[ReWind]

That is correct BnM.

Like you said, a pedal (known as the Dead Mans Pedal) that must be kept suppressed at all times unless no other control of the train has been activated for 60 seconds, when a DSD^▸ (Driver's Safety Device) alarm will sound which requires you to reset it by taking your foot off and back on again.

[Super Guard]

That is correct BnM.

Like you said, a pedal (known as the Dead Mans Pedal) that must be kept suppressed at all times unless no other control of the train has been activated for 60 seconds, when a DSD^▸ (Driver's Safety Device) alarm will sound which requires you to reset it by taking your foot off and back on again.

The reset of the DSD is known as the Vigilance system (DSD & vigilance are 2 separate systems integrated together).

[JayMac]

Am I right in thinking that some older stock/locos only have DSD^▸ (Driver's Safety Device) with no additional 'vigilance'? Or is it the case that any stock operating scheduled passenger services in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) now has to have the 60 second (if no other control input) 'foot off, foot on, reset'?

I'm sure I've read of incidents in the recent past where it was surmised, or proved, that the DSD had been over-ridden by the simple expedient of a driver placing something heavy on the pedal or wedging it down.

[Super Guard]

It used to be the DSD^▸ (Driver's Safety Device) on its own, but as you say, circumstances introduced the vigilance system, which stopped anyone who may have thought it was a good idea to place a bag/other object on the pedal.

143's were retrofitted with the vigilance system, before they were released back into the wild a few years ago.

[ReWind]

Another update then.

Finished rules!   Yay!!!!!!!!   

Sat Interim 1 (of 3) last Wednesday and passed with a modest score of 97%.  Known as the easiest of the 3 Interims, was still a paper that one had to concentrate and take time doing.  99 questions altogether.

Now commencing the first of 4 weeks of traction.  Had my first drive of a Class 150 unit today, just back and forth in the siding on SPM^▸ (St Philip's Marsh (Bristol depot)).  Good to get a feel of the brake though. 

Now starting to learn the whole set up underneath the solebar.

I never new the mechanical set up of a Class 150 unit was so complicated (for a non mechanically minded person like myself anyway).

Going through step by step the many different components from underneath the solebar including;

The Auxiliary Battery
The Starter Battery
The Coolant pipes and uses
The Fuel Tank
The Cummins 6 Cylinder Engine
The Westabo pre heater
The Turbocharger
The BSI^▸ (British Standards Institute) coupling
The AWS^▸ (Automatic Warning System)/TPWS^▸ (Train Protection and Warning System) receivers
The Splitter
The Driving Bogie
The Running Bogie
The Sander
The Alternators (2 on 150/2's, 1 on 150/1's)
The TCA^▸ (Track Circuit Actuator)
The Voith Hydraulic Transmission Box
 
There are some other, German named things but they have already gone out of my head for now.  Also, we had a brief look at door operation and passenger saloon equipment including the Toasting Fork, Uncoupling Rod and Air Pipe.

Lots to learn for such a small train.  Loving it but it certainly is a very challenging course.  Looking forward to August 18th when my handling starts and I'll be driving trains on the main line (under DI supervision of course).

You have been warned! 

[JayMac]

Toasting Fork? Please do explain. 

[GBM]

Likewise TCA^▸ (Track Circuit Actuator) & BSI^▸ (British Standards Institute) please..
What a difference between the rubber & metal wheel drivers (hence the pay differencial, of course!).
We are required to drive, with no, or minimal knowledge of how the engine works.

Keep up the good work, and thank you for the updates, very interesting.

[ReWind]

The TCA^▸ (Track Circuit Actuator) is the Track Circuit Activator.  To put it briefly it is a small pulse box under each driving cab that sends a pulse down to the track circuit to boost the track circuit signal, which alerts the signaller to the exact presence of your train.

The BSI^▸ (British Standards Institute) is the coupling system used on all 15* series DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit)'s.  It is a German named system which I won't attempt to spell right now. 

As for the Toasting Fork, it is a "nickname" for a tool used to isolate the transmission box.  I can't recall the official name for it again, I will revisit again later today and inform.  It is used by RST's to isolate the air supply to the transmission box. Basically it is a large spanner type tool found in a cupboard behind the driving cab that reaches across to a cock and turns it to isolate the transmission box.

[paul7575]

The BSI^▸ (British Standards Institute) is the coupling system used on all 15* series DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit)'s.  It is a German named system which I won't attempt to spell right now. 

'Bergische Stahl Industrie', subsequently taken over by 'Faively'...

Needless to say there's a significant minority who think that coupler type has some kind of British Standard Institute designation.   Usually just before they blame the Dellner/Scharfenberg style used on EMUs^▸ (Electric Multiple Unit) on those pesky foreigners...   

Paul