Right to Left hand controls

[trainplan1]

Bit of a unusual question but wonder if someone can help my curiosity.

A lot of older units and locos have their power controller on the right hand side of the desk and the brake handles on the left and thus would normally be controlled with respective hands.
With the move to combined power/brake controllers on multiple units in particular, most newer stock has this on the left hand side.
Was there any particular thinking behind this? Drivers more used to braking with their left hands and thus the "safer" side for it to be on?

Having driven a few TOC simulators and being right handed it doesn't feel unnatural to me but more curious as to why it ended up that way.

Also how many units/locos have the combined handle on the right? I know some of the London Underground trains are/were so but not familiar with many on the main line. This is were I find there's a lot more than I realise...

 

[700007]

I want to say most newer ones are on the left as there is a higher chance that the platform will be on the left hand side. In the event of shutting doors namely when DOO the good old stick your head out the window to look behind you tends to make the job that little bit easier.

 

[hooverboy]

I want to say most newer ones are on the left as there is a higher chance that the platform will be on the left hand side. In the event of shutting doors namely when DOO the good old stick your head out the window to look behind you tends to make the job that little bit easier.

I think the OP means the control position relative to the driver(who is seated LHS of the cab in most units)

in the older MU'S and locos the power control was operated with the right hand and the parking/service brakes with the left.

 

[Elecman]

In 1st generation DMUs the Brake Handle was on the Right Hand Side

 

[hexagon789]

In 1st generation DMUs the Brake Handle was on the Right Hand Side

Generally on the mechanical units.

Though the Southern DEMUs and Blue Pullmans had the Auto Air/EP brake controller on the left and power handle on the right.

Possibly it was arranged the other way on the DMMUs because of the addition of a gear selector?