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Trowres
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« on: September 29, 2018, 00:14:00 » |
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I was fortunate to visit Swindon Panel before it closed. Although the panel itself has been preserved at Didcot, I was more fascinated by the relay interlocking contained in the large room below the panel. Those clattering relays had more charm than modern electronics, and, although heard by relatively few people, relay interlockings produce one of the gradually disappearing railway sounds. (pedants may query whether or not a sound can disappear, what is the audio equivalent word?) Not Swindon, but a representative example: http://www.soundsofchanges.eu/sound/relay-based-interlocking-for-railway-operation/How many evocative sounds are there on the railway, long-gone or going fast? Jointed track Loose-coupled freights having the coupling slack taken up one-wagon-at-a-time. Unsecured handbrake levers jumping up and down The creaking and groaning of the wagon-wheel interface during low-speed movements Block bells The movement of semaphore signals and the associated wire runs Solari drop-flap departure indicators A line of BRUTES being towed by an electric tug DC▸ traction motors on an accelerating EMU▸ What stirs your memory? |
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grahame
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« Reply #1 on: September 29, 2018, 05:41:57 » |
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What stirs your memory?
Goodness ... many of those. I so fancy a poll with those options ... yet just a poll for fun with no particular outcome. Anyone with me? |
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Coffee Shop Admin, Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, TravelWatch SouthWest Board Member
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Electric train
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« Reply #2 on: September 29, 2018, 08:03:41 » |
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What stirs your memory?
The growling noise of a Quad-zig-zag transformer rectifier unit under load. Quad-zig-zag's originally had mercury arc rectifiers, another sound and sight long gone from the railway, these were (for the electonerds) half wave rectification usually 6 pulse but could be 12; there were retrofitted with silicon rectifiers and are gradually being replaced with new poly phase transformers 12 pulse bridge rectifiers ………….. they just don't make the same noise |
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Starship just experienced what we call a rapid unscheduled disassembly, or a RUD, during ascent,”
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grahame
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« Reply #3 on: September 29, 2018, 08:22:55 » |
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And soon to be lost ... that re-assuring crulunk as the door of an HST▸ is closed, together with the demi-crulunk of a door being incompletely closed and the sound of the bolt going in as the train manager locks the doors.
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Coffee Shop Admin, Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, TravelWatch SouthWest Board Member
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Fourbee
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« Reply #4 on: September 29, 2018, 09:05:06 » |
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The resistors cutting out as various tube stock accelerates.
Pretty much everything on 'heritage' DMUs▸ .
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CMRail
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« Reply #5 on: September 29, 2018, 09:08:59 » |
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The faveroute ghing about the HST▸ is the sound of it arriving and departing the platform and the rattling when it hits some speed.
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Umberleigh
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« Reply #6 on: September 29, 2018, 09:10:12 » |
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Valenta engines on HSTs▸
The ‘grumble’ of first generation DMUs▸ (okay, 143s still have a bit of this)
The clank-clank of 08 shunters
The throaty exhausts of 60s-built locos
The clatter of those old large rectangular station clocks
Stations are very ‘calm’ nowadays but I do miss the goings-on of the past
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Umberleigh
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« Reply #7 on: September 29, 2018, 09:13:12 » |
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“The Express Cafe is now open for hot and cold snacks and licensed bar. Located between First and Standard class”
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Surrey 455
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« Reply #8 on: September 29, 2018, 10:36:20 » |
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This one has already disappeared - When the old Metropolitan Line trains were stationery, you would often hear some machinery starting up underneath lasting maybe a minute or so then shutting down. I also remember it on the old Central Line trains.
A Google search suggests the noise came from a compressor.
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Lee
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« Reply #9 on: September 29, 2018, 11:17:24 » |
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"This train will now call at Trowbridge, Melksham, Chippenham and Swindon."
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CMRail
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« Reply #10 on: September 29, 2018, 12:11:51 » |
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Sunday announcements at Swindon to Cheltenham.
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eightonedee
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« Reply #11 on: September 29, 2018, 12:43:51 » |
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The clanking of unbraked freight wagons being started and stopped - a sound of my childhood growing up alongside the mainline west of Reading when they were laying the first continuously welded track
The sound of a first generation DMU▸ going up and down through the gears as it worked between stations (still available on heritage lines).
The unmistakable note of an ex-GWR▸ steam whistle.
The incredible combined noise of everything on a slam-door high density (ie - doors by every row of seats) EMU▸ stock rattling combined with the rythmic noise of it hunting from side to side when they ran at speed. Who needs a diesel engine to make noise?
A real person at Paddington reading out the list of stations on the Cotswold line or in Cornwall when announcing trains. Pure poetry!
The irregular thump thump thump of slam doors being closed down a train by platform staff prior to departure.
The noise of old-fashioned level crossing gates opening and closing.
Mechanical destination boards turning over (are these the solari boards Trowres refers to?)
and for those of us for whom Pacers are only a very rare experience when we are travelling by rail away from home, the incredibly loud "detonation" noises when they travel at speed over jointed track, although I can perfectly understand why regular users will not miss them.
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4064ReadingAbbey
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« Reply #12 on: September 29, 2018, 20:05:15 » |
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Standing at the country end of platform 5 at Reading late in the afternoon in summer and then hearing the clunk-crash of the Up Main Home and the Distant for the Up Main Starter clearing followed a few minutes later by the shriek of the whistle of a Landore Castle as it ducked and rolled over the Westbury Line Junction pointwork and passed at speed on the Up evening South Wales Pullman...
Then the smell of hot oil and coal drifting on the summer airs...
...followed by the crash and thud as the signals were set back to Danger, the cantilevered post shaking.
The clank of the motion of a 61XX as it braked to a stand on the Down Relief with one of the Paddington Residentials.
The school-mistressy announcer saying 'Reading, Reading, this is Reading...'
The scrape-y sound of the fireman's shovel as he added a few shovelfuls around the back of the firebox and the clang as he lifted the deflector plate back into place.
The roar of the big ejector as the driver lifted the brakes...
...oh dear! I could go on, and on and on...
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JayMac
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« Reply #13 on: September 29, 2018, 20:48:04 » |
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The doppler effect of a train sounding its horn as it passes at speed.
Well, that is a disappearing sound!
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"A clear conscience laughs at a false accusation."
"Treat everyone the same until you find out they're an idiot."
"Moral indignation is a technique used to endow the idiot with dignity."
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