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Buttons on inner ends of 317s

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talltim

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As built, the 317s had a button on the inner end of the some of the coaches. This was a rubber covered button of the same design (but only a single, not a double) as the door opening/closing ones next to the doors. Does anyone know what this was for?

Edit: actually, I may be misremembering, it may have been the 319s. As built they had light up buttons, but the button in question was definitely rubber like the 317 ones.
 
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Southern Dvr

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Same as provided on Class 455 or Class 456 stock. The button is closes the doors on the vehicle. It is used by platform staff when a train leaves passenger service and is either berthed or its next working is ECS. Later stocks have a T-Bar/Carriage Key switch to prevent miscreants using it.
 

talltim

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Thanks. I assume it locks the doors/disables the door buttons until reset? Or is it for when the driver is not present?
Finally found a pic of an inner end to illustrate it. People all take the same shots of trains.
This is a 455
ozz_455end-3.jpg
 
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hassaanhc

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As built, the 317s had a button on the inner end of the some of the coaches. This was a rubber covered button of the same design (but only a single, not a double) as the door opening/closing ones next to the doors. Does anyone know what this was for?

I believe they are to close all the doors on that coach only, usually to prepare for an empty stock working after arriving at a terminus and prevent people from opening the doors and boarding. LUL call them "porter buttons", and they still appear on all stock with powered doors.

EDIT: Beaten while posting! :lol:
 
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Carlisle

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Wasn't the button originally known as a parcel switch as one of its intended origional main purposes was to be able to lock a coach out of use for the cartridge of parcels or mail bags etc
 
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A-driver

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Wasn't the button originally known as a parcel switch as one of its intended origional main purposes was to be able to lock a coach out of use for the cartridge of parcels or mail bags etc


The parcel switch is only on one coach (often the A end driving coach) of most units built around then. It locks off the set of doors behind he drivers cab and cuts the heating to that Section so that it can carry mail without passengers accessing it.

The rubber buttons on all coaches are to lock down that coach, as said mainly used for empty sets. All units have them, not just 317s
 

30 common

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Desiro have a button in situ but AFAIK they don't do anything. And the same applies for 458-458/5's
 

Carlisle

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The parcel switch is only on one coach (often the A end driving coach) of most units built around then. It locks off the set of doors behind he drivers cab and cuts the heating to that Section so that it can carry mail without passengers accessing it.

The rubber buttons on all coaches are to lock down that coach, as said mainly used for empty sets. All units have them, not just 317s

Ok cheers , I'd obviously confused the two types
 

40129

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Desiro cl-350 porter buttons do work

Not all power door stock has these buttons, cl-170 and cl-323 are two classes that don't
 

edwin_m

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The process is for someone to walk down the train checking in each coach in turn that nobody is still on board, when the train is about to go out of service or to a depot or siding. When they finish that coach they press the button to make sure nobody else gets on while they are checking the rest of the train.

Seems to be a SE and Underground thing - perhaps trains elsewhere were/are short enough that there is less chance of someone sneaking on unnoticed.
 

tsr

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You can also use the buttons to close the doors as part of the train dispatch process if there is no other practical way of doing so. This is rare but does occasionally happen.

Not all power door stock has these buttons, cl-170 and cl-323 are two classes that don't

As might be expected, 171s also don't have them. Which is very annoying on the last Down direction Uckfield services of the day.
 

whoosh

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Voyagers and Meridians don't have them, and neither will Class 700s. An irritating omission.
 

Mojo

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Seems to be a SE and Underground thing - perhaps trains elsewhere were/are short enough that there is less chance of someone sneaking on unnoticed.
Or maybe places elsewhere they don't check? I nearly got carried away to the depot in Scotland a few years ago as I had my bike I was waiting for everyone else to alight. Then the doors closed without warning. Luckily I got off just in time (with my back tyre getting caught in the doors).
 

40129

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Don't understand why the cl-700 won't have them when other Siemens stock does. Does this mean they will also be absent from the cl-707? Personally, I think all power door stock should have these buttons as pressing them is pretty much the only way of guaranteeing passengers cannot board ecs trains
 

lewisf

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Don't understand why the cl-700 won't have them when other Siemens stock does. Does this mean they will also be absent from the cl-707? Personally, I think all power door stock should have these buttons as pressing them is pretty much the only way of guaranteeing passengers cannot board ecs trains

What would be the point of them on the 700s? They have wide walkthrough gangways so locking the outside doors would serve little purpose anyway.
 

Tracky

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175s have had them covered up. I believe members of the public were pressing them causing door trappings.
 

Mojo

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What would be the point of them on the 700s? They have wide walkthrough gangways so locking the outside doors would serve little purpose anyway.
Don't all NR trains currently in service offer the ability to walk between carriages?

On the S-Stock which has gangways in a similar style to the new 700s this "function" is still required. The Train Operator sets up in the cab, and the outside door open button for customer use is used by staff to close the doors.
 

bluegoblin7

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On the S-Stock which has gangways in a similar style to the new 700s this "function" is still required. The Train Operator sets up in the cab, and the outside door open button for customer use is used by staff to close the doors.

Or inside. ;)
 
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