Whistle devices

[lb001]

weird question, primarily during covid, i remember seeing the dispatchers at leeds station using a kind of device that made a whistle like noice, like a high pitched shrill?

does anyone know what the name of this thing is? i feel like i managed to find it at the time, and i just cannot remember what i searched for.

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

An electronic whistle perhaps? I seem to recall these being used by guards on South Western Railway too.

Alas, I was never given one as I only joined after COVID.

 

[lb001]

An electronic whistle perhaps? I seem to recall these being used by guards on South Western Railway too.

Alas, I was never given one as I only joined after COVID.

ah bloody hell, absolutely right. thank you!

surprised they haven't kept them to be honest, i'm guessing they'll just have been a whole lot more expensive that just the general issue whistle stocks toc's were using pre covid

they didn't half make a noise though!

 

[greyman42]

You can't beat a traditional whistle.
A good example of the paranoia that some people got caught up in during covid.

 

[Ashley Hill]

At my TOC we’re not allowed to blow whistles except in an emergency. Current thinking suggests passengers will upon hearing a whistle run for a train which could lead to a slip,trip or fall. Yes,I know…….

 

[Edsmith]

Southeastern guards have had some hand held device for a while now.

 

[transportphoto]

surprised they haven't kept them to be honest

Some individuals, such as a few Peterborough dispatchers, choose to continue using theirs.

 

[Melancholia]

At my TOC we’re not allowed to blow whistles except in an emergency. Current thinking suggests passengers will upon hearing a whistle run for a train which could lead to a slip,trip or fall. Yes,I know…….

They also haven't clarified what constitutes an "emergency".

Such a poor implementation of a policy.

 

[Krokodil]

At my TOC we’re not allowed to blow whistles except in an emergency. Current thinking suggests passengers will upon hearing a whistle run for a train which could lead to a slip,trip or fall. Yes,I know…….

To be fair, they may have a point. Many passengers treat the door warble as "run and stick your arm in" rather than "stand clear".

As a guard I don't use my whistle often, preferring to yell "stand clear" if someone is in a stupid place. When a whistle blows it's not necessarily clear what it's being blown for. Obviously not everyone has a Windsor Davies sized gob though.

 

[REO Nate]

Southeastern guards have had some hand held device for a while now.

You can use either with SE; I still prefer my whistle though.

 

[TEW]

At my TOC we’re not allowed to blow whistles except in an emergency. Current thinking suggests passengers will upon hearing a whistle run for a train which could lead to a slip,trip or fall. Yes,I know…….

And at another TOC whistle use is mandatory for guards at every stop.

 

[yorkie]

Edit: [TOC removed] I take it?

Not having a go, but for clarity, I'll just point out that it's good practice to say vague things like "my TOC" or "my employer" and to avoid revealing who that TOC is, and indeed I would encourage people to not divulge their employer and would never expect anyone to divulge it on the forum.

To be fair, they may have a point...

...When a whistle blows it's not necessarily clear what it's being blown for...

True; I've seen people start hurrying when they heard whistles for other trains, when there were still a few mins prior to departure (though trains leaving early doesn't help there either!)

Many passengers treat the door warble as "run and stick your arm in" rather than "stand clear".

We had a thread dedicated to that topic!

 

[Melancholia]

Not having a go, but for clarity, I'll just point out that it's good practice to say vague things like "my TOC" or "my employer" and to avoid revealing who that TOC is, and indeed I would encourage people to not divulge their employer and would never expect anyone to divulge it on the forum.

Noted, makes sense. I've taken it out of my post now.

To add to the discussion, what looks silly is when dispatchers from one TOC have a different policy to a train operated by another TOC, and vice versa. Either only the dispatcher uses the whistle, or the guard. Just looks silly in my opinion.

There should be some standardisation on this matter.

 

[Deafdoggie]

Obviously not everyone has a Windsor Davies sized gob though.

You're showing your age there!

 

[Krokodil]

You're showing your age there!

I'm not actually! It's all over Youtube

 

[Deafdoggie]

I'm not actually! It's all over Youtube

OH! In that case, I'm showing my age!

 

[sir_gummerz]

At my TOC we’re not allowed to blow whistles except in an emergency. Current thinking suggests passengers will upon hearing a whistle run for a train which could lead to a slip,trip or fall. Yes,I know…….

I believe I work for the same TOC as you, started as a dispatcher and this really seemed odd to me. Standards are really on it and I got in trouble for using a whistle while dispatching

To make things more complicated, there's a 2nd operator that calls at my station, and the TMs on those trains use a whistle when closing doors and departing, so we can't whistle for safety reasons, but the on board crew are allowed too.

 

[Deafdoggie]

I believe I work for the same TOC as you, started as a dispatcher and this really seemed odd to me. Standards are really on it and I got in trouble for using a whistle while dispatching

To make things more complicated, there's a 2nd operator that calls at my station, and the TMs on those trains use a whistle when closing doors and departing, so we can't whistle for safety reasons, but the on board crew are allowed too.

This has long been a problem on Britain's Railways. They get an idea in their head that's "safe" and nothing will shake them from that view "safety firat" Until it causes an accident. They are only reactive and not proactive about safety.