Ringing noise from drivers cab on 315

[mrmartin]

On tfl rails 315 (and probably others) there's a ringing noise that occurs approx every 30 seconds. Anyone know what that is for?

 

[swt_passenger]

On tfl rails 315 (and probably others) there's a ringing noise that occurs approx every 30 seconds. Anyone know what that is for?

Are you hearing it from behind the cab? I expect it'll be the AWS sounding that the driver has to acknowledge as the unit approaches each signal.

 

[Domh245]

Sounds like it is the AWS clear bell, it means that the signal ahead is showing a green aspect. On most modern units it is a electronic ding instead.

And just to expand on that, if the signal is showing anything other than a green aspect, or there is some other warning, it sounds a warning horn which must be acknowledged by the driver within a period of time otherwise the Emergency Brake is applied.

 

[Mag_seven]

It's the drivers wife trying to ring him.

 

[hexagon789]

On tfl rails 315 (and probably others) there's a ringing noise that occurs approx every 30 seconds. Anyone know what that is for?

As others have said it's the Automatic Warning System All Clear. Older units have a bell ring to signal All Clear, newer units generally have a chime. 314s have the bell.

It's very loud and quite noticeable in the passenger saloon behind the cab on the 314s I find so I would imagine the same applies to 315s considering how similar the two classes are.

 

[Geeves]

It's quite crazy to think that it's only 4 years (1968-1972) between the last steam loco being withdrawn an the 313 being designed. That could be the reason the bell is so loud as they probably didn't do much to the AWS system when they fitted it to the EMU vice steam loco .

 

[30907]

Weren't bells standard on first generation DMMUs anyway (ages since I've been on one for some reason....) so we're talking late 50s/early 60s practice?

 

[Geeves]

Yeah I didn't think of the dmu's. I suppose the bell was just the standard for the time.

 

[hexagon789]

Yeah I didn't think of the dmu's. I suppose the bell was just the standard for the time.

I'm pretty sure the HSTs had bells originally, but the 1980s EMU designs such as the 321 had chimes (I think), so perhaps the change occurred in the late '80s?

 

[a_c_skinner]

Does the bell (clear) demand rapid acknowledgement/cancellation to prevent emergency brake application in the same way as the horn?

 

[baz962]

Does the bell (clear) demand rapid acknowledgement/cancellation to prevent emergency brake application in the same way as the horn?

Nope.

 

[hexagon789]

Does the bell (clear) demand rapid acknowledgement/cancellation to prevent emergency brake application in the same way as the horn?

No, only an AWS warning needs to be cancelled. AWS warnings or "cautions" are given by signals at anything but green and certain 'Morpeth' boards, warnings for severe reductions in linespeed.

 

[Highlandspring]

And temporary/emergency speed restrictions, special speed restriction boards for locally monitored level crossings and at depot test magnets....

 

[Wivenswold]

Whoops, so I've been cancelling the AWS "all clear" bell on the 315s in Train Simulator for no reason.

 

[hexagon789]

And temporary/emergency speed restrictions, special speed restriction boards for locally monitored level crossings and at depot test magnets....

I knew I'd forget something!

Whoops, so I've been cancelling the AWS "all clear" bell on the 315s in Train Simulator for no reason.

Yes, there are some similar systems to AWS where I believe all indications have to be acknowledged but not with AWS, no.

 

[Kneedown]

I'm pretty sure the HSTs had bells originally, but the 1980s EMU designs such as the 321 had chimes (I think), so perhaps the change occurred in the late '80s?

HST's had the, much more pleasant on the ears, ding-a-ling until either TPWS was fitted, or the cab layout was remodelled, I forget which, but it did last at least until well into this century.
Unfortunately all of ours have the boring, generic "Ping" now.

 

[hexagon789]

HST's had the, much more pleasant on the ears, ding-a-ling until either TPWS was fitted, or the cab layout was remodelled, I forget which, but it did last at least until well into this century.
Unfortunately all of ours have the boring, generic "Ping" now.

One of the reasons I like 314s is the pleasant tring-a-ling from the AWS "all-clear", the chime is quite boring. I would also say the bell is easier to hear, though arguably that' not as important as hearing an AWS warning.

 

[MatthewRead]

Sounds like it is the AWS clear bell, it means that the signal ahead is showing a green aspect. On most modern units it is a electronic ding instead.

And just to expand on that, if the signal is showing anything other than a green aspect, or there is some other warning, it sounds a warning horn which must be acknowledged by the driver within a period of time otherwise the Emergency Brake is applied.

What were the first units to get the electronic ding?

 

[700007]

What were the first units to get the electronic ding?

I know that 313s, 315s and 317s have the bell - the 321s have the chime, but I can't remember what the 319s had. So for the EMU front it'll be somewhere between 319 or 321.

 

[Kneedown]

What were the first units to get the electronic ding?

From my own experience 150's. That's not to say that another unit i've no knowledge on didn't get it sooner. LEV1 or Pacers maybe?

 

[hexagon789]

From my own experience 150's. That's not to say that another unit i've no knowledge on didn't get it sooner. LEV1 or Pacers maybe?

I would say 150s are definitely contenders. The AWS systems I've heard on Pacers all seem to be chimes though. So either it was changed on TPWS fitment or they've always had chimes.

 

[D365]

Class 319 uses the ding, which makes sense considering they were designed after the Class 150.

Off the top of my head, the Class 317/1 (original batch) might possibly be a bell?

 

[TRAX]

Now the clear and caution sounds have changed again, I believe due to European uniformisation. The clear sound is still electronic but imitates a soft bell, and the caution sound is still a hard beep but softer. Heard on 395s and 700s, I would think 707s and 800/801/802s have that too.

 

[slick]

Class 319 uses the ding, which makes sense considering they were designed after the Class 150.

Off the top of my head, the Class 317/1 (original batch) might possibly be a bell?

317/1 bell
317/3 bell
317/5 bell
317/6 chime
317/7 bell
317/8 bell

Slightly off note on our LO 315s (tfl 315s too) we got a nice modern aws cancel mushroom instead of the old small button that often gets jammed with all sorts of junk..part of a small update a while back that saw led marker/tails and a headlight akin to the sun..

 

[D365]

317/1 bell
317/3 bell
317/5 bell
317/6 chime
317/7 bell
317/8 bell

Class 317/1 and /3 are the same thing, the designations just got slightly confused along the way.

/5 /7 and /8 are refurbished variants of the original /1 batch.
All /2s (later batch) are now /6.

 

[tom1649]

507s and 508s on Merseyrail still have the bell.

 

[bramling]

Class 319 uses the ding, which makes sense considering they were designed after the Class 150.

Off the top of my head, the Class 317/1 (original batch) might possibly be a bell?

I think you’re right. 317/1s had a bell, 317/2s had the chime, presumably from new.

 

[bramling]

Class 317/1 and /3 are the same thing, the designations just got slightly confused along the way.

/5 /7 and /8 are refurbished variants of the original /1 batch.
All /2s (later batch) are now /6.

I’m sure I remember it being said at the time that the 317/2s actually remained that at refurbishment, in the same way the whole fleet was once 3173XX despite being two subclasses. I’m not sure how true this is, or whether things have subsequently changed - never been that bothered to check it out!

 

[slick]

Class 317/1 and /3 are the same thing, the designations just got slightly confused along the way.

/5 /7 and /8 are refurbished variants of the original /1 batch.
All /2s (later batch) are now /6.

Fully aware. Thank you. Applied subclasses for the purpose of people who might not be farmiliar.

I think you’re right. 317/1s had a bell, 317/2s had the chime, presumably from new.

In a nutshell. GA Have done a refresh of some /6 that includes a slightly different horn also. Very strange when you've been used to a particular sound for so many years!