What a Driver

[Lee_Again]

Have been to Brighton today with the family, on the train of course.

I don't want to give too much away in case it's 'against the rules' but the driver of our train back from Kings Cross had his door open, before we left, that joins the first class section to his cab. My 5 year old spotted this instantly so I took him up to take a look. The driver was very polite and welcoming and explained what all the controls did. Upon departure he left the door open so my son could see out in front. Seeing how excited he was (ok, and his dad too ) he left the door open for the remainder of our trip back to Stevenage; and via the Hertford Loop, too!!

What a guy. He didn't need to do this but I can tell you that my son loved every second of it. He'll never forget this ride in a hurry.

If, driver, you're reading this I'd like to say a BIG thank you. You have made him the happiest little boy in the world. He won't be back down for days.

What a Driver

 

[dk1]

As a driver myself days like this give most of us the greatest pleasure. Unfortunatly as you are probably more than aware the PC & H&S brigade make us appear unapproachable & unhelpful. This could not be farther from the truth.

Glad the little fella had a great time & i am sure the driver in question enjoyed it just as much.

 

[Bittern]

Reminds me of the time a driver brought me in his cab to set up his train for London at Glasgow Central. I believe it was a DVT of a 225.

 

[mumrar]

I remember having a cab ride from Birmingham International to Coventry on an NSE livery 50, what a way to use a Midline Rover!

 

[Nightrider]

Have been to Brighton today with the family, on the train of course.

I don't want to give too much away in case it's 'against the rules' but the driver of our train back from Kings Cross had his door open, before we left, that joins the first class section to his cab. My 5 year old spotted this instantly so I took him up to take a look. The driver was very polite and welcoming and explained what all the controls did. Upon departure he left the door open so my son could see out in front. Seeing how excited he was (ok, and his dad too ) he left the door open for the remainder of our trip back to Stevenage; and via the Hertford Loop, too!!

What a guy. He didn't need to do this but I can tell you that my son loved every second of it. He'll never forget this ride in a hurry.

If, driver, you're reading this I'd like to say a BIG thank you. You have made him the happiest little boy in the world. He won't be back down for days.

What a Driver

Brill.

 

[Anvil1984]

Sounds like you got a good ol old school guy. I remember going up front on a 156 from Newcastle to Carlisle as a nipper must have been about 10 at the time (so about 1994ish) I remember having a traction pocket guide with Networkers and WY Metro 321s in anyway and well now I sit in the back of them (obviously between usual duties)

 

[jimrbrobinson]

Sounds like a great day was had by all concerned. I'm sure it probably made the driver's day, too. I confess to being rather envious of you and your little 'un!

Nearest I've ever got to a cab-ride was noseying at the Watercress Line at Alresford in Hampshire, and getting invited to look in the cab of the steam loco, and then the driver moving it about 5 feet while I was there!!! Still, I was there on holiday and it made my week!!!

 

[Anvil1984]

Little interactions like that can help a shift pass quicker, its like I remember when I was catering staff at XC one of the TMs let the kid accompany him on a ticket check and stamp tickets and also make some PA announcements, just things like that if the kid shows an interest helps a lot

 

[Skimble19]

Ahh, I must admit I've had this myself a couple of times on the GN route, the drivers are always friendly, never met one yet who hasn't been..

 

[route:oxford]

It's great that drivers still do this kind of thing.

Thirty years ago, I got a cab ride in one of the "Saints". It was the summer holidays and my best mate and I used to "trainspot" at the local station - we were both pre-teen - I happened to be there by myself one morning.

No point doing the full story, but I was offered a "shot" in the drivers cab of the the 47 for the turnback run.

So we drew forward from platform 2, past the signal box, then the driver left me in the cab by myself as he walked the length of the train to the DBSO and took the train back to platform 1. The guard helped me out the loco at the other end.

It was brilliant!

 

[Aictos]

Glad to hear you and the family had a great day, reckon you've got a railwayman in the making there then?

 

[Benbo]

Sounds like the driver concerned is a true gentleman. With all the health & safety nonsense that the railway staff have to deal with these days, it's stories like this that must surley make all railway drivers feel proud about the job that they do. If any drivers fancy letting me (ages 26) have a ride on either the Settle & Carlisle line, or along the Looe Branch in Cornwall, the I will happily take you up on your offer (s) for now though, I shall just go back to dreaming about having a ride in the cab of a class 60!

Cheers

Ben

 

[boing_uk]

I shall just go back to dreaming about having a ride in the cab of a class 60!

I got to shunt one of those up and down the yard at Immingham TMD for my 13th Birthday... all those years ago. 60007 Robert Adam (as she was known then) IIRC There was a strike on that day (signallers?), so there was nothing going on at all.

What a shame to see them being treated the way they are now :cry:

 

[David Dunning]

What a nice bloke , ur kid will remember that forever (u too I expect)
I got a cabride once on the East Coast Mainline on the old 0140 Newcastle to York train . Used to use that train a few times a week and on this occasion I was the only passenger .
The driver asked me to duck down at Durham and Darlington in case I was spotted .

 

[Benbo]

I got to shunt one of those up and down the yard at Immingham TMD for my 13th Birthday... all those years ago. 60007 Robert Adam (as she was known then) IIRC There was a strike on that day (signallers?), so there was nothing going on at all.

What a shame to see them being treated the way they are now :cry:

I have a friend who works @ Toton, he has been in the 60's when he worked as a shunter many years ago. Sais he much prefers them to 66's.

 

[anonymous0101]

I'm not a train spotter but I see would like to chat with the train spotters I see at the end of station platforms or travelling on trains but they won't talk to me

 

[Geezertronic]

Have been to Brighton today with the family, on the train of course.

I don't want to give too much away in case it's 'against the rules' but the driver of our train back from Kings Cross had his door open, before we left, that joins the first class section to his cab. My 5 year old spotted this instantly so I took him up to take a look. The driver was very polite and welcoming and explained what all the controls did. Upon departure he left the door open so my son could see out in front. Seeing how excited he was (ok, and his dad too ) he left the door open for the remainder of our trip back to Stevenage; and via the Hertford Loop, too!!

What a guy. He didn't need to do this but I can tell you that my son loved every second of it. He'll never forget this ride in a hurry.

If, driver, you're reading this I'd like to say a BIG thank you. You have made him the happiest little boy in the world. He won't be back down for days.

What a Driver

Sounds like a top bloke, unfortunately drivers seem reluctant to do this now due to stupid rules (or stupid interpretations of rules)

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I'm sure loads of drivers would love to do this , but if they get caught/found out it wont be nice for them , so thsts why they probs dont do it often If you go to places like Euston or Padd before the journey the driver ,may invite you in and show you the cab etc

 

[talltim]

Saw a kid being shown the cab of a XC HST at Sheffield last week. One of the on-train staff took him to the cab and the driver showed him round. Gave a good feeling seeing nice things like that happening

 

[E&W Lucas]

The fact is, that if this driver had been caught, he would have been in a livelyhood threatening situation, and you've got to admit, one entirely of his own making. I've one friend, who drove for a short distance along a low speed branch line with his cab door open, so that he could answer a question from a passenger. Some idiot in the train was straight on the mobile, and shopped him.

Drivers were little boys or girls once, and many of us remember the magical experience of being invited to look in a loco cab, but times have changed. We've got families of our own to support. I do not want to have to tell my child that Xmas is canceled this year, because Daddy has let someone in his cab when he shouldn't have done.

If you get a "treat" like this, it might be best to keep quiet about it. You can bet that someone from FCC management has seen this thread. Probably untraceable, but there's so much CCTV about these days....

 

[Benbo]

The fact is, that if this driver had been caught, he would have been in a livelyhood threatening situation, and you've got to admit, one entirely of his own making. I've one friend, who drove for a short distance along a low speed branch line with his cab door open, so that he could answer a question from a passenger. Some idiot in the train was straight on the mobile, and shopped him.

Drivers were little boys or girls once, and many of us remember the magical experience of being invited to look in a loco cab, but times have changed. We've got families of our own to support. I do not want to have to tell my child that Xmas is canceled this year, because Daddy has let someone in his cab when he shouldn't have done.

If you get a "treat" like this, it might be best to keep quiet about it. You can bet that someone from FCC management has seen this thread. Probably untraceable, but there's so much CCTV about these days....

You probably have a good point there, without sounding like a 'killjoy' there is always going to be a 'jobsworth' ready to drop someone in it. Still say the driver is a top bloke regardless.

Ben

 

[RPM]

I have to say I'm not aware of any rule that says you can't drive with the door through to the pasenger saloon open. Its not the same as having someone in the cab.

 

[142094]

Always nice to be shown around somewhere you normally don't see, a lot of drivers seem to be friendly enough to show you the cab, especially on rail tours where I guess it is more acceptable to the company running the service. However all it would take is one spiteful person to take a photo or write a complaint and the driver could be out of a job.

 

[scotsman]

I have asked Drivers for looks in cabs while they are sat in Termini and aren't busy - most are more than happy to oblige and quite often answer any questions or show me the controls.

One suggested the other week that my mate took a picture of me in his seat (and, for the record, he was accompanied by an off-duty guard, secondman and manager)

 

[googolplex]

Sounds like a great experience, and a great bloke.
When I was about 5 I got to spend an afternoon helping open and close the gates on the level crossing across from our house which was thoroughly enjoyable. I think it probably helped fuel my interest in railways!
It's a shame things like that don't happen more often with the H&S Brigade etc - I seem to recall words were had with the crossing operators and the practice was stopped not long after (a couple of operators were happy to allow supervised children to help)

 

[jopsuk]

Boarding a Javelin at St Pancras one quiet Saturday morning, I noticed the internal cab door was open, and was peering out the front from halfway down the carriage, when the driver spotted me and invited me for a look around.

I've also been sat watching out the back of a turbostar, when the guard (the only other person in the carriage!) left the cab door open south of Cambridge. An interesting view.

 

[CarterUSM]

I have to say I'm not aware of any rule that says you can't drive with the door through to the pasenger saloon open. Its not the same as having someone in the cab.

No local instruction either RPM? We do up here due to a level crossing incident a few years ago. Not related to anything like this though i might add! I bet the bairn loved it!

 

[CallySleeperKid]

I remember the guard leaving the door of the rear cab of a 158 open last year on the Kyle to Inverness line, I didn't have the balls to ask if I could take a few pictures out the back, If I get the chance again when im up there in December I won't hang back this time. The view looked stunning.

 

[TDK]

The fact is, that if this driver had been caught, he would have been in a livelyhood threatening situation, and you've got to admit, one entirely of his own making. I've one friend, who drove for a short distance along a low speed branch line with his cab door open, so that he could answer a question from a passenger. Some idiot in the train was straight on the mobile, and shopped him.

Drivers were little boys or girls once, and many of us remember the magical experience of being invited to look in a loco cab, but times have changed. We've got families of our own to support. I do not want to have to tell my child that Xmas is canceled this year, because Daddy has let someone in his cab when he shouldn't have done.

If you get a "treat" like this, it might be best to keep quiet about it. You can bet that someone from FCC management has seen this thread. Probably untraceable, but there's so much CCTV about these days....

Agreed, it is poor when a driver lets an enthusiast into the cab and he/she decides to put it on a forum with the time and date, this happens far too often, it's these who spoil it for the rest. I can't see the harm showing a youngster the cab of the train and I would hope most managers wouldn't mind a driver doing this either but unfortu
nately there are power crazy driver managers out there who would discipline a driver for such acts.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I have to say I'm not aware of any rule that says you can't drive with the door through to the pasenger saloon open. Its not the same as having someone in the cab.

It is a security risk though and if someone unsavoury decided to enter the cab the driver won't have a leg to stand on unfortunately, this is the world we live in i'm sorry to say

 

[asylumxl]

I feel, reading these posts, alot of RailUK members suffer from paranoia.

I really do hope that the folk at TOCs have something better to do than trawl through a forum full of enthusiasts...