Heads Out

[Watcher In The Rye]

Just as a permanent reminder, it's pronounced 'Bar-goid', not 'Bar-go-ed', as some of the residents here were using yesterday...Made me laugh how no-one I asked could pronounce Ystrad Mynach...

Back to the topic, basically all I'll add is to reinforce my point yesterday, in that you've GOT to be exceptionally careful. heart-of-wessex and I know why. A trip to Swansea from Newport on a HST involved an unexcepted change to a 158 on an all-stopper at Cardiff...

y = u so u call it "Ustrad Munack". too much rotten veg around for me. didn't bother with caerphilly.

 

[Sprinter]

I rarely do H-O on the left side of the train, I mainly do H-O on the track side mainly because you only have to put your head in when a train is approaching and not worry about overhanging branches/vegetation.

My advice is that when doing H-O at high speeds (such as on HSTs) do invest in some glasses, so that you are able to keep your eyes open in order to properly see the line ahead. I also only put my head out of window and check the clearance with the top of the droplight opening so I can quickly get my head in, without hitting the bodywork of the train.

 

[AlexS]

If you see a red and white square 'Limited Clearance' sign it isn't worth the risk. Also, definately try and keep away from passing trains - on the WCML where the fast and slows and very close together, a surprise could net you an impact at a combined speed of about 200mph, leaving you with not much left above your neck.

 

[Tomnick]

It's not so much the marked areas of limited clearance (though it's probably sensible to take care, there's usually more than enough clearance if you've just got your head poking out) as the vegetation in other areas, that causes the problem! In daytime at reasonable speeds, it's normally quite possible to see what's coming up; at night, or when you're going fast, it's not quite so easy to see what's encroaching onto the lineside - and I doubt being whacked in the face by a branch is a very pleasant experience!

 

[AJP]

Being wacked at 125mph would not be fun IMO

 

[Jim]

Well, I won't be doing it again!

what had happened?

Nothing, but I could only do it for a second or two at a time.

That is the most dangourous form off Head's out, if a HST was coming the other way, you wouldn't know. To do H-O safley (like me {only 1 near miss in my life!!![6 years of h-oing]}) I reccomend


Route Knowledge
TT knowledge
Line speed
Tree knowledge
Once your out (on the right) don't pop in or out, unless a train is coming, esspecially at High Speed. Of course, we shouldn't recomend H-O at all.

On the Gala point, those leaves were annoying between YM & Bargoed

 

[David]

To do H-O safley (like me {only 1 near miss in my life!!![6 years of h-oing)

And I know where that was If memory serves me correctly, it was caught on camcorder as well

 

[Jim]

To do H-O safley (like me {only 1 near miss in my life!!![6 years of h-oing)

And I know where that was If memory serves me correctly, it was caught on camcorder as well

was it :lol

 

[evil_hippo]

I once dared to do heads out in Blea moor tunnel despite the fact it's one thign you really, really shouldn't do.

 

[Aureol]

One of the dirtiest form of heads-outing is at speed behind 6233, and the most painful! That is because she's been fitted with self-cleaning and a spark arrester, and because of that she chucks out loads of ash, on our timetables it warnes you this:

DO NOT LEAN OUT OF THE WINDOWS!
This loco has been fitted with a spark arrestor, giving the effect of standing in the middle of a sandstorm when travelling at speed!

Think that says it all really, though at near enough every window I walk past when selling stuff, there's someone doing h-o, though they think it's ok if they wear goggles for some reason. It's so funny to see their faces when they come in, you can tell where the goggles have been! I certainly wouldn't recommend it at all, especially from the staff coach when it's at the rear of the train!

 

[David]

was it :lol

Yes it was. Rhys was carrying the camcorder....

*cough*Pembroke Dock*cough*....Does that remind you

 

[Julian G]

Jim did heads out at King's Cross on the HST
while idle

 

[RJ]

That is the most dangourous form off Head's out, if a HST was coming the other way, you wouldn't know. To do H-O safley (like me {only 1 near miss in my life!!![6 years of h-oing]}) I reccomend


Route Knowledge
TT knowledge
Line speed
Tree knowledge
Once your out (on the right) don't pop in or out, unless a train is coming, esspecially at High Speed. Of course, we shouldn't recomend H-O at all.

On the Gala point, those leaves were annoying between YM & Bargoed

I was doing it on the left hand side on the GWML, I'm not gonna do it on the right! That's just plain daft (no offence). As for clearence, it's mainly a straight line, so Turboes are easily visble from a distance.

I rarely do H-O on the left side of the train, I mainly do H-O on the track side mainly because you only have to put your head in when a train is approaching and not worry about overhanging branches/vegetation.

That is the good thing about doing it on the GWML, no vegetation, just the slow lines.

heads-out = freaking idiot who has a fit when they see a train.

I'm not even going to bother with this person. I agree that heads out isn't a wise thing to do, but I think that this guy is in a different league of enthusiasm, if he hangs around with people who have fits when they see a train!

 

[devon_metro]

Word of warning: do not do heads out on a steam railway with the wind blowiong the smoke fumes towards the carriages! Get ash in your eye and it's not nice!

 

[Techniquest]

I had that behind 7802 last year. It was worth it, I got to see just how tough Talerddig was to climb with a steam loco! It was the steam version of 'Hellfire!'.

Oh, and for the benefit of the chap who reckons a branch at 125 hurts, it's painful enough at 50 or so.

But the worst thing for doing H-O? In the middle of summer, in the peak hayfever season. Horrid isn't the word.

 

[Dave A]

I've been doing H-O whenever possible since I was 9, and not once have I been hurt doing it. Maybe once or twice I've made a bad judgement on hanging branches, by a centimetre or two, but nothing more!!

Heads out means exactly that, heads out! These morons who put half their body out are asking to have their heads chopped off! The best time to do it is through a station, as a train picks up speed after slowing down/stopping and when entering the terminus, which is usually slow anyway.

 

[Aureol]

Slightly off topic, but oh well:

Word of warning: do not do heads out on a steam railway with the wind blowiong the smoke fumes towards the carriages! Get ash in your eye and it's not nice!

You think that's not nice? Try climbing on top of the brick arch of any steamer and scraping the 'barnicles' off the roof stays without wearing goggles! Trust me, I've done it on 6233, and it don't half hurt when a fairly large piece of ash falls in your eye! I was just lay on the arch for about 5 minutes in pain trying to get the damn thing out! :?

 

[Watcher In The Rye]

h-o is for ppl who froth at the mouth at the sight of a train or being on board a train. i don't do it because i choose nto to be associated with "rotten veg".

 

[Aureol]

I'll just say one thing which I'm sure everyone'll agree with: if you have not once done h-o, then you are not a real rail enthusiast. To show that you are, then you need to be enthusiastic about it, and actually do heads out, where apropriate.

 

[devon_metro]

I'll just say one thing which I'm sure everyone'll agree with: if you have not once done h-o, then you are not a real rail enthusiast. To show that you are, then you need to be enthusiastic about it, and actually do heads out, where apropriate.

Agreed, unless of course you are about 3 foot tall and can't reach the window

EDIT: athough it doesn't define an enthusiast.

 

[AlexS]

Don't be stupid. There is no definable way to be a rail enthusiast. You could be someone who is an armchair enthusiast who just puts a quantity of his money a month into a loco fund, or a drooling basher who spends half their life on trains. I personally hold very little interest outside of actual knowledge, and the internet. I don't recall having often made any specific plans to ride the rails for no reason at all, in fact I don't think I ever have!

 

[Simming]

I'll just say one thing which I'm sure everyone'll agree with: if you have not once done h-o, then you are not a real rail enthusiast. To show that you are, then you need to be enthusiastic about it, and actually do heads out, where apropriate.

That, honestly is a load of tosh. my dads an enthusiast, and the only reason he may possible stick his head out the window is to open the door

 

[voyagerdude220]

I'll just say one thing which I'm sure everyone'll agree with: if you have not once done h-o, then you are not a real rail enthusiast. To show that you are, then you need to be enthusiastic about it, and actually do heads out, where apropriate.

Agreed, unless of course you are about 3 foot tall and can't reach the window

I can remember on Aug 1st when I was on a GNER HST between Edinburgh & Inverness. The station had a roof over the train, and I was in FC. So.. I deliberately go to the door right next to 43111, and do H-O at a few stations. The one particular one (sorry can't remember name), was fab, because the driver applied full-thrash, and the sound echoed all around. Even just being sat/stood in the doorway directly behind the engine was realllly good.

 

[RJ]

h-o is for ppl who froth at the mouth at the sight of a train or being on board a train. i don't do it because i choose nto to be associated with "rotten veg".

Whatever you say. If you hate enthusiasm so much, why are you here?

I'll just say one thing which I'm sure everyone'll agree with: if you have not once done h-o, then you are not a real rail enthusiast. To show that you are, then you need to be enthusiastic about it, and actually do heads out, where apropriate.

That's an OTT statement as well.

 

[David]

I don't recall having often made any specific plans to ride the rails for no reason at all, in fact I don't think I ever have!

*ahem* GCR? *ahem*

 

[117305]

i used to do a lot of heads out but i recken this saturday will be the last time for me when the rhymneys finish thats of course if i can get near a window then after that i throw in the towel and give up

 

[ChrisCooper]

One of the ones I really miss is H-O on the WCML behind or infront of (if propelling) a loco at night, with the blue flashes off the pantograph lighting up everything outside. You get it best when speed picks up though, but can sitll see it by standing next to the open window, and get the scream of the traction motors aswell. You can still get this on 'one' loco hauled trains, but to get next to the loco you have to go First Class, in which case its odd to pay the extra then spend most of the journey standing up. One thing I like to do, is to stand with the window open as the world flies past at 100mph+, especially at night I think it is really nice, even peaceful and calming (actually, I often do it when I am having a bad journey, with delays etc, and hate similar journeys on coffin stock without opening windows), just the fresh air is nice. At least we still have the HSTs and 'one' loco hauled sets, as well as railtours to enjoy heads-out. Then again, I have managed it on an electrostar once, since when coupling two units, someone not only left the seconds mans side door open, but also left the window down (or someone else had opened it when I got to it), so since the train was very busy, even though it was a coaches on a Sunday, I spent most of the journey sitting on the seconds mans seat in the centre cab, and naturally had the guard or anyone come along, I would have been a normal passenger who thought this was an extra seat . That was early on though, and these days they seem much better at remembering to shut and lock that door.

 

[Tom B]

Word of warning: do not do heads out on a steam railway with the wind blowiong the smoke fumes towards the carriages! Get ash in your eye and it's not nice!

Indeed - I hate to speculate how much soot has gone through my eyes over the years.

 

[Beaker]

h-o is for ppl who froth at the mouth at the sight of a train or being on board a train. i don't do it because i choose nto to be associated with "rotten veg".

Well said. I generally shout abuse at people when people window hang or flail. Because most of the time im in a field photting stuff at swanage. Or they end up on stoat face.

 

[bunnahabhain]

One thing I like to do, is to stand with the window open as the world flies past at 100mph+, especially at night I think it is really nice, even peaceful and calming (actually, I often do it when I am having a bad journey, with delays etc, and hate similar journeys on coffin stock without opening windows), just the fresh air is nice.

I agree with you there! Though it's not the same, I've stood by the window on the GCR on the Night Dining Trains, and it's absolutely wonderful to hear nothing but a Steam Locomotive working hard and chucking sparks out of the funnel, and having them float past the window, it's not too bad sitting in a compartment with the lights off either.

Railways always seem a lot better at night, and Heritage Railways seem a hell of a lot more atmospheric when it's night.