3:24 I love the aesthetics of industrial engineering from this era, whether it was a loco cab, power station control panel, recording studio mixing desk or whatever... everything was always hand-painted in some shade of teal/olive/beige. Round gauges, embossed labels, metal, wood, glass... and no plastic in sight!
Indeed, your right. When i look at all the shit we have here now, makes me realise just how good these were! I must have had a trip behind every 33/1 up Parkstone bank 3 times over when I was a young spotter back in the late 70's. Seems like a whole lifetime away now but in away, i spose it is LOL.
I remember the 33's when I was a kid they used to thunder past my home in Poole on the London to Weymouth line back in the 70's love this loco great video
Great video,very interesting.Thanks for sharing.I did a painting of these locomotives.As an avid train enthusiast in the mid eighties had to travel to Crewe to see these locomotives.Brilliant thrill when i spotted my first one of these at Crewe. Great memories.Thanks again for sharing very imformative kindest regards...
Back in 1972 I was working for Penn Central working a switcher at Palmer, Massachusetts using an ALCO RS-2. We were still using the crew room in the single stall brick engine house, one of only two Boston and Albany railroad engine houses left and the only one that was still in use. Unlocked the locker room turned on the coffee maker and wondered why it was so quiet......then realized the engine which was outside was shut down. In mid February! It was 5 degrees below zero that morning. At that time we didn't use antifreeze in the cooling systems. Climbed into the cab to discover the kids had been at play and shut her down. Engine water temperature was7 degrees F. Checked the water sight glass and was surprised it still was full as it was equipped with a dump valve if the coolant got to cold. Back in the cab and as the fuel pump was still running ( solinoid had burned out so the electrician used a block of wood to hold the relay closed to keep the engine running as a new one wasn't available. Closed all the switches, rotated the engine control switch to the start position then grabbed the start switch which is a one inch by 1/2 inch lump of stainless steel and rotated it to the start position where it came to compression on the first cylinder and stalled. Did this 4 times then finally said ok burn out the starter fuse, see if I care. After about 8 seconds it went through compression and very slowly went burgh, burgh, burgh, then to my great relief started V12 244G series engine and I t yanked god the governor move red the fuel rack into start position as soon as you hit the starter then with the low oil alarm bell ringing waited for the oil pressure to reach 20 pounds at which point the alarm shut off. It used a 10 kilowatt auxiliary generator for charging the batteries and powering the low voltage electric's. This engine had two options a low voltage voltmeter and an amp meter. I after I released the starter switch heard both contactors drop out which allowed the auxiliary contactor to close. Normally the engine would roll slightly at idle but this time the volt meter buried itself at over 300 amps as far as the meter would go and the engine dropped to a dead smooth idle. Checked the water tank and all was well turned the cab heater on closed all the windows and back in the locker room waiting for my crew. My engineer complained what happened to the heat? I told him what happened. His reaction was oh, ok soon as we tie onto the interchange drag it will warm up fast. 117 freight cars up a 1/2 percent grade to the entrance to the yard where we would run around 12 cars ( that's all we could run around ) switch them out until the interchange was done. At just a mile and a half from the interchange she warmed up quick having to use full throttle to get the interchange to the yards entrance. It wasn't till just past one pm that the amp meter finally came off the 300 amp mark indicating the batteries were just about fully charged. Engine was rated at 1500 horsepower. I miss the old days. Sigh! Cheers
That compressor sounds like the same ones the class 1700 (or 1800, I always forget) electric loco's have on board... The same deafening 'scream' was most likely to be emitted from the sides just after coming to a stop on a station...
LOL no carriage key or cab key then! Hmmm I spy a WESTERN hiding there, Prince or Lady?? D104?......where is this please? LOVE the sound of big diesels!
When he plays with the horn you hear the spoil sport driver tell him to 'grow up'....doesn't he realise that trains are a big boys toy and if I was there, I'd sound the horn too....followed by a cheeky flick of the V's :)
I think you are right there dpfilms as the horn is part of the startup test and a loco can't be moved without operating horns I seem to remember but there are long held strict rules about frivolous whistles and horns in built up areas especially as no one wants a load of horns going off at 4am lol.
No it wouldn't be a T key or carriage key (which are the railway names for what you describe) at all. It would be a driver's master key (known in the former southern region as an EP key)
Electrostars have a piece of wood in their cab (shaped like a hockey stick crossed with a paddle) which is used during manual coupling of units so this might be something similar? Or perhaps it's to discourage train robbers! ;)
The 'change end switch' and 'max speed' writing seems to be in a different font to most BR locos, and I have seen a lot of 33's with the same text font. Can anyone explain why this is, or is it just one of those BR things?
It's only the lock that stops the reverser, the lever he moves, from moving which in turn stops the power handle moving. It essentially locks the desk up
yes... lol frustrating to see how railway worker film... missing all the interesting details... like: show the gauges!!! not a finger pressing the start button!..lol if it is not asking too much !! thanks for sharing anyway.
Oh, dear - opening the desk with a screwdriver would rightly be a Form 1 offence; most un-professional so why not just do it right? There's never a Traction Inspector lurking when you want one.
You are way too close to show the subject, this is pretty bad video work on what promises to be an interesting subject, hope you improve greatly in future, for now you have my sympathy!!!!
