• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Train Horn Changes

Status
Not open for further replies.

Trainfan96

Member
Joined
26 Sep 2019
Messages
7
Location
Cornwall
What would be the reason/reasons behind all trains now sounding their horns when previously they haven’t? (Remote location). Sometimes even 2 tone?
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

ComUtoR

Established Member
Joined
13 Dec 2013
Messages
9,399
Location
UK
Any specific location in mind ? I haven't seen any rule book changes regarding the horn.
 

Tomnick

Established Member
Joined
10 Jun 2005
Messages
5,827
Is there a foot crossing nearby? Is it possible that a new whistle board has been provided? It'd make sense, especially if it's only occasionally both tones.
 

Trainfan96

Member
Joined
26 Sep 2019
Messages
7
Location
Cornwall
Is there a foot crossing nearby? Is it possible that a new whistle board has been provided? It'd make sense, especially if it's only occasionally both tones.

No, no crossing, that’s why I found it so intriguing. 95% seem to use both tones.
If there has been several incidences of livestock or even trespassers there would that warrant the change? Only thing my limited knowledge seems to think!
 

Trainfan96

Member
Joined
26 Sep 2019
Messages
7
Location
Cornwall
For how long has this increase in use of the horn been ongoing? in the last few days, weeks, months?
I’ve been in hospital that last 5 months and only been home a week and have noticed it daily but not sure how long prior to that it had been occurring.
 

bionic

Member
Joined
8 Nov 2013
Messages
883
Aslef were advising members to use both tones at whistle boards so you will routinely hear both low tone and two tone horns at these locations depending on the driver.
 

daveswest

Member
Joined
10 Jan 2013
Messages
21
Vegetation clearance been going on heading west of Liskeard for quite a few weeks now
 

HOOVER29

Member
Joined
26 Mar 2009
Messages
482
Incidentally do drivers have to do a horn test. I know they do a brake application.
What about other things like washers & wipers.
Could the horns heard be a horn test?
 

Tomnick

Established Member
Joined
10 Jun 2005
Messages
5,827
Incidentally do drivers have to do a horn test. I know they do a brake application.
What about other things like washers & wipers.
Could the horns heard be a horn test?
Horn, washers and wipers are normally tested as part of a (static) prep at the start of the day, not like a running brake test.
 

irish_rail

Established Member
Joined
30 Oct 2013
Messages
3,813
Location
Plymouth
Can you give me the precise location as I sign that road? I have been blowing horn alot past few weeks at the huge numbers of pheasants that have emerged recently in Cornwall (I don't like killing things!) . An exact location would help.
 

boxerdog

Member
Joined
23 Apr 2016
Messages
62
Can you give me the precise location as I sign that road? I have been blowing horn alot past few weeks at the huge numbers of pheasants that have emerged recently in Cornwall (I don't like killing things!) . An exact location would help.

Think you may be in the wrong job:lol:
 
Joined
31 Aug 2019
Messages
341
Location
IW
There would be a good reason.
The amount of tones is not fixed. If you want to warn at a whistle board then a single tone or two, three even, but by the time you sound out the third you might have already cleared the crossing.

When you see a track worker you must sound the horn to make them aware, you will give as much advanced warning as possible, two three tones sounding so they are aware of your presence.
The more tones the more likely they will hear you and knowledge your warning.
 

Trainfan96

Member
Joined
26 Sep 2019
Messages
7
Location
Cornwall
Can you give me the precise location as I sign that road? I have been blowing horn alot past few weeks at the huge numbers of pheasants that have emerged recently in Cornwall (I don't like killing things!) . An exact location would help.
Ah yes pheasants..the bane of my life! They breed them near me, there’s thousands of the things!
Between Liskeard and Menheniot is the most accurate I can be. Much closer to menheniot that Liskeard though. Sorry I can’t be more accurate, can’t quite pin point the location exactly.
 

irish_rail

Established Member
Joined
30 Oct 2013
Messages
3,813
Location
Plymouth
Ah yes pheasants..the bane of my life! They breed them near me, there’s thousands of the things!
Between Liskeard and Menheniot is the most accurate I can be. Much closer to menheniot that Liskeard though. Sorry I can’t be more accurate, can’t quite pin point the location exactly.
Having not been over there in past week I can't say for sure but with you saying about the pheasant breeding I'd say it's the likely cause. Pheasants in large numbers can knock out air tanks etc so there are plenty of drivers like me who will blow the horn at a group of them on the line ahead. Indeed I once got stuck on the b and h behind a train that had lost all it's air having hit several pheasants.
 

irish_rail

Established Member
Joined
30 Oct 2013
Messages
3,813
Location
Plymouth
Although something in back of my mind is also saying there were people clearing trees along there a couple of weeks ago so it may still be going on.
 

Trainfan96

Member
Joined
26 Sep 2019
Messages
7
Location
Cornwall
Thank you for your help. I quite like hearing it to be honest!
Likely conclusion seems to be the pesky pheasants or vegetation clearance.
If it is a whistle board could I ask when is one put in place having previously not had one?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top