T Key sockets on Class 166

[jj95419]

Hi guys,

Small technical question - I’ve noticed that on the 166s (and I believe the 387s) there is a small socket for a T key next to the exhaust stack on the outside between the carriages. What is this used for?

Many thanks in advance!

 

[thelongestroad]

It's a porter switch, so you can close and lock doors one carriage at a time. Particularly good at closing doors at terminus stations.

 

[jj95419]

It's a porter switch, so you can close and lock doors one carriage at a time. Particularly good at closing doors at terminus stations.

Brilliant, thank you very much for the swift answer! That was bugging me for a while so it’s good to finally know what it’s used for. Thank you very much

 

[II]

Brilliant, thank you very much for the swift answer! That was bugging me for a while so it’s good to finally know what it’s used for. Thank you very much

They used to be just buttons as on some other types of stock. I guess having a T key needed stops any passengers from having a 'I wonder what happens if I press that button?" moment.

 

[Bletchleyite]

They used to be just buttons as on some other types of stock. I guess having a T key needed stops any passengers from having a 'I wonder what happens if I press that button?" moment.

Most stock does just have them as buttons of the same type as used to open the doors (but usually not embossed), I don't think I've ever seen someone prat with one on the WCML.

They are particularly useful, so it surprises me they're just a South East thing.

 

[JN114]

They are particularly useful, so it surprises me they're just a South East thing.

Outside of the South East there’s a guard on board to do detraining.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Outside of the South East there’s a guard on board to do detraining.

Inside the South East there often is as well. LNR have porter buttons and guards.

 

[JN114]

Inside the South East there often is as well. LNR have porter buttons and guards.

Yes, the provision of porter buttons and guards is not a mutually exclusive thing; however DOO stock is required to have them fitted. The 16x fleet were designed as a primarily DOO suburban DMU; thus they have them. The pacers and sprinters that are so ubiquitous outside of the South East were never designed for DOO so don’t.

As the 350s are a derivative of the DOO-designed 360s that came before them I suspect it was more hassle to remove them from the design than maintain them.

 

[Bletchleyite]

As the 350s are a derivative of the DOO-designed 360s that came before them I suspect it was more hassle to remove them from the design than maintain them.

They are well used, however.

 

[dgl]

As the 350s are a derivative of the DOO-designed 360s that came before them I suspect it was more hassle to remove them from the design than maintain them.

Surely it's the other way round as I believe the SWT 450's came first and the original 350's were part of that order (they were going to be 450's but the government stuck their oar in).

 

[pdeaves]

Surely it's the other way round as I believe the SWT 450's came first and the original 350's were part of that order (they were going to be 450's but the government stuck their oar in).

The 450s are not the 360s that JN114 was talking about.

 

[ComUtoR]

Yes, the provision of porter buttons and guards is not a mutually exclusive thing; however DOO stock is required to have them fitted.

Do you have a source for that please ?

Cheers in advance.

 

[185]

They are well used, however.

Allegedly. I hear they ain't actually signed off by o/s.

 

[scotraildriver]

All our Scotrail class 314,318 and 320s have them.

 

[jamieP]

Do you have a source for that please ?

Cheers in advance.

Class 700s don't have them.

 

[jon0844]

Class 700s don't have them.

Different shut down procedure on the newest trains. On a 700, you close all doors and walk though - releasing people via guard panels in the middle, or out via the cab. On the 717s you go into shut down mode and close each door from inside, one by one, which stays locked once closed.

The 717 method is arguably the best method for a fast shutdown, without the hassle of having to use a small number of doors to let people off.

External buttons are hopefully a thing of the past on new stock.

 

[Bletchleyite]

External buttons are hopefully a thing of the past on new stock.

They work well, so why "hopefully"?

 

[jon0844]

I should have said for open gangway stock, which a lot of new trains are likely to be (not Intercity type trains obviously). Far easier to walk through inside than getting out and walking to a button, then back on the next etc.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I should have said for open gangway stock, which a lot of new trains are likely to be (not Intercity type trains obviously). Far easier to walk through inside than getting out and walking to a button, then back on the next etc.

True.