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Heads Out

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RJ

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Other than the obvious danger of a piece of ballast lodging itself in your face, why would you recommend/not recommend doing it at top speed on an HST?

Would it be physically possible to snap a camera in half, give you a facelift, force your eyelids into your head or break your neck?
 
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jonb

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I would'nt recommend doing it on a HST at full speed won't only f*ck up your camera but anything else hanging out the window!
 

Jordy

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One thing I don't suggest - is heads out in Hail, believe me its really painful!! :lol: :lol:

Jordy
 

Max

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1288gaje said:
joea1 said:
Well, I won't be doing it again!
what had happened?

Probably nothing. Its just common sense that it's dangerous doing it at that speed. Your reaction time is seriously decreased and if anything hit you, it could and probably would result in a serious injury :(
 

bunnahabhain

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It would kill you, you will get killed by anything hitting your head at about 50mph, it will crack your skull, and either completely incapacitate you, or will kill you.

Personally I reccommend not doing it at all, as a Trainee Guard I dont want to have to fill in the paperwork for some lunatic being killed because he leaned out too far and whacked his head on the lamp brackets of the locomotive on the opposite running line, nor do I want to have to walk down the line looking for the peices of fragmented skull either.
 

Jordy

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Jamie C. Steel said:
Personally I reccommend not doing it at all, as a Trainee Guard I dont want to have to fill in the paperwork for some lunatic being killed because he leaned out too far and whacked his head on the lamp brackets of the locomotive on the opposite running line, nor do I want to have to walk down the line looking for the peices of fragmented skull either.

We won't do it on the GCR then ;) ;)

Jordy
 

Techniquest

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Or we'll just do the GCR when Mr. Steel isn't on duty...

Just a word of warning, don't do H-O from a HST at 125 at night. A seriously bad idea. You can't see bugger all. I've done it though, never have to do that again. Exhilarating it may be, but extremely unsafe. Hence the stickers above the windows...

There are idiots who take it too far (this comes under window hanging, an immensely stupid idea), cause accidents and delays, as well as suffering for others.

Anyway, my advice is simple: If you must do H-O (there's at least two others who I can think of here ;) ), then be sensible, for crying out loud. There's no need to have half of yourself out of the window.
 
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I sometimes do a heads out in the car like a dog, even if it's just spitting the rain really hits you hard and really stings.
 

RJ

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1288gaje said:
joea1 said:
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. Doing it for any longer would've messed up my eyes. I did get a video for a few seconds doing it at that speed, glad to report that my camera is undamaged. Then I did a heads out vid of Old Oak Common.

I'm really pi**ed though, after Galvanise and I did the new DLR extension, I lost my phone and my camera corrupted the memory card <(. I had some great HST pics, including 43004 with the new light clusters and the lame sounding engine, plus another HST surrounded in white clag, and a Turbo which to my surprise, let out a substantial amount of filthy brown clag! To top it off, we saw the special mk3 coach, the silver one. All lost :cry:

Hopefully everything'll be the same the same time this Saturday.
 

heart-of-wessex

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well ive done H-O 125 on a HSt many of times, not like some people though who have they're whole self out the window!

Ive taken pics outside the window at more than 60mph, dont find it a problem myself, never lost it out the window or damaged it.

as a trainee guard on the ESR, we allow people to do H-O of course, just keep an eye on them now and again, but theres always one who wants to grab the bushes..



James.
 

Sprog

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! :lol:

Ive yet to try that!!

Done the ECML from KX to Peterbrough behind 66503, first window behind the Loco!! 8) 8) That was fun enough, especially on the slows with 225s/365s 'racing' you! :)

H-O on the GWML at any speed is just about manageable, but it does start to hurt for extended periods and the wind-blast makes it impossible to keep your eyes open for more than a few seconds without blinking, which can be dangerous on bends and in areas where running lines are close to each other - EG WCML. It isnt such a problem on the GW, especially between Didcot and Reading, where the lines are very spread.

But thats just my opinion...i do it, but im carefull
 

heart-of-wessex

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actually me and sprinter done H-O from York - KX via Heartford, was great was at night, black but i could see where i was going, the carridge window lights do help!
 

Sprog

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heart-of-wessex said:
actually me and sprinter done H-O from York - KX via Heartford, was great was at night, black but i could see where i was going, the carridge window lights do help!

Ah yes, thats a point. On that same charters return, i also did a night H-O cummin back down frm Newark (where te charter rejoined the ECML) to the cross. It was a lovley fresh, clear night and the 66 was on the 'slows' topped out at 75mph. Because the south section of the ECML is so straight in many sections i could see at least 3 or 4 signals into the distance and from where we'd came on the fasts and slows, including the flashing green aspects so unique to the ECML after Stoke summit to Peterbrough... I agree, the coach lights do help a great deal!
 

ChrisCooper

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The main thing I would say is if at all possible H-O from the left hand side of the train, so you don't have the risk from trains in the other direction. Other than that I think the risks are slightly overblow, since clearances are very good. The only real risk is trees, but keep your eye out (bit of a pun there) and move in fast if you see any that are likely to hit you, even at low speeds a branch can hurt. Most fixed infrastructure is well clear of the train, and you would have to really lean out of a droplight or reach out to come into contact with them. Another thing, especially at higher speeds, the back of a carriage is much better than the front, since the airflow is much smoother, and in most cases it is no worse than facing into a heavy wind.
One big thing to remember about H-O though. Every year you get hundereds of railtours or other train with manhy enthusiasts with their heads out of the windows, often at fairly high speeds. This year I have done it myself on the Southern Belle, Sussex Slammer, Railfest at Norwich, quite a few miles on Slammers on the SR, and trips on 'one' and MML trains and at worst got a scratch under my chin from rubbing on a window bar during a very harsh stop (personally I think from the point of sensible H-O, window bars are more dangerous, since they stop you pulling your head in as quick), and have not heard of any serious injuriues from anyone. Infact I can't think of a single incident of an enthusiast being injured due to H-O. The rare incidents where people are injured are nearly always 'normals' who are leaning out of droplights, which is different to head out, and is impossible with window bars or quaterlights, and could be prevented by sealing all windows to about 1/3 or 1/4 height (although this would require internal door handles), and whilst I don't have evidance to back it up, I bet 9 out of 10 or more is drunk (as I expect are many of those who fall from slam doors or open platform buses, or even bus emergency exits), and many probably arn't even looking the correct way.
 

Aureol

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Well, I've done heads out at around 95mph behind 67005 Queen's Messenger, it didn't hurt or anything, was in sight of the Pathfinder guard, who didn't seem to mind, and it was simply AMAZING!!! Certainly a must! :lol:
 

91119

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ChrisCooper said:
Infact I can't think of a single incident of an enthusiast being injured due to H-O.
I can think of a few. The most recent of which involved the "enthusiast" receiving concussion and a broken arm after being hit by another train (he escaped quite lightly). At the next station the train was met by paramedics with a body bag because the driver of the other train thought he'd killed the guy...

I can tell you from personal experience, it's not nice to be travelling along and suddenly seeing someone hanging out of a train going the other way :roll:

I suppose you can get away with it at low speeds (at stations and the like), but other than that it's a big no no.
 

Simming

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I recommend doing it on the right hand side, the same as the trains, seeing as passing trains arn't as close as some bridges and other odds and sods on the left.

I dont do "H-O" on HSTs, for the simple reason as its boring, you get a cold face for nothing, wow, exciting! Railtours and decent trains, yes, ill grab a window, and there may be a possible flail if there is a large crowd of fotters. Oh, and dont forget a good bellow now and again
 

traveller1030

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Simming said:
I recommend doing it on the right hand side, the same as the trains, seeing as passing trains arn't as close as some bridges and other odds and sods on the left.

Passing trains aren't as close when first spotted? Hmm, but they do have the additional factor that they are MOVING towards you - get that wrong and look forward to a decapitation. Not for me thanks, if you have to do it then it's ALWAYS out of the left-hand side window, since as ChrisCooper says the clearances are better and you can judge how fast you're approaching a static object far, far better.
 

Sprog

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:lol: :lol: :lol:

That reminds me, on the RHYMNEY gala yesterday, as we where pulling into BARGOED behind 50031 as at the same time the 33/47 formation was pulling out. Someone on the window before me shouted "CR*P" really loadly as the 47 was leaving... :lol: :lol:

.....Made me laugh for a while anyway...really amuses me how passionate some neds are about locos!! :D
 

Aureol

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When I arrived at Bargoed yesterday on the train with 50049 and Caerphilly Castle, I had to sprint over the bridge in order to catch 37425 back to Rhymney in time, it was only because metrocammel was holding the door open for me on the 37s that I got it!

Big thanks to James! :D


Anyway, back to the h-o topic, there were certainly lots of lineside face-smackers after Bargoed! :shock:
 

Techniquest

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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... :lol:

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...
 
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joea1 said:
1288gaje said:
joea1 said:
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. Doing it for any longer would've messed up my eyes. I did get a video for a few seconds doing it at that speed, glad to report that my camera is undamaged. Then I did a heads out vid of Old Oak Common.

I'm really pi**ed though, after Galvanise and I did the new DLR extension, I lost my phone and my camera corrupted the memory card <(. I had some great HST pics, including 43004 with the new light clusters and the lame sounding engine, plus another HST surrounded in white clag, and a Turbo which to my surprise, let out a substantial amount of filthy brown clag! To top it off, we saw the special mk3 coach, the silver one. All lost :cry:

Hopefully everything'll be the same the same time this Saturday.

brown smoke with a turbo = turbo lag

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