Why the T-key for West Croydon terminators?

[Railcar]

Twice an hour, a 2x5 car 377 terminates in Platform 4 at West Croydon, having come from Victoria via Crystal Palace.

Before it can move into the reversing siding, a member of the platform staff walks the length of the platform from back to front, stopping each time where two cars join (apart from the centre join). He/she inserts and turns a T-Key in a hole in the carriage-end, before moving on to the next.

Why do they do this? is it something to do with doors?

I'd ask he/she direct, but asking while they are working would delay the departure into the siding, and when they have finished they are far, far away at the other end of the platform.

 

[Bletchleyite]

They are checking each coach is empty before closing/locking the doors on that coach.

 

[Horizon22]

The T-key locks the carriage from the outside. Normally one individual is walking through the inside to the other end too, although this practice differs by TOC.

 

[_toommm_]

Some of the older EMUs such as 319s had black buttons where the coaches joined for this purpose:

 

[swt_passenger]

Some of the older EMUs such as 319s had black buttons where the coaches joined for this purpose:

Were they known as “Porter buttons”? If so presumably from when station porters did the job of clearing a train?
Still there on the Desiro UK range, but usually bodyside coloured so not that visible.

 

[Class2ldn]

Dont have the luxury of locking individual coaches on 700's so all the doors have to be closed then a sweep by staff to see if anyone is locked in lol.

 

[Horizon22]

Dont have the luxury of locking individual coaches on 700's so all the doors have to be closed then a sweep by staff to see if anyone is locked in lol.

Is there not a way to do it from the inside coach by coach? 345s have an similar locking up procedure whereby for each coach you can stop people boarding, but you then have to shepherd stragglers to the front/rear!

 

[Fincra5]

Dont have the luxury of locking individual coaches on 700's so all the doors have to be closed then a sweep by staff to see if anyone is locked in lol.

Yet... there is a mod in the works...

 

[Class2ldn]

Is there not a way to do it from the inside coach by coach? 345s have an similar locking up procedure whereby for each coach you can stop people boarding, but you then have to shepherd stragglers to the front/rear!

You can lock each door on the hmi screen but you can't close individual doors up.

Yet... there is a mod in the works...

Well they haven't said anything to us yet lol

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

They are checking each coach is empty before closing/locking the doors on that coach.

Do they do that on the LO terminators (378s)?
I have the honour to have unintentionally visited the reversing siding at West Croydon on an LO service (must be a decade ago, just after ELL reopening).
Seeing a train in the platform I ran from the tram stop onto the train just as the doors were closing.
It then headed west and I realised my mistake!
I got a raised eyebrow from the driver as he walked through the train in the siding, but of course he took the train straight back into the station and I wasn't stranded for more than 5 minutes.
Easily done.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Some of the older EMUs such as 319s had black buttons where the coaches joined for this purpose:

350s do as well.

 

[Kite159]

Do they do that on the LO terminators (378s)?
I have the honour to have unintentionally visited the reversing siding at West Croydon on an LO service (must be a decade ago, just after ELL reopening).
Seeing a train in the platform I ran from the tram stop onto the train just as the doors were closing.
It then headed west and I realised my mistake!
I got a raised eyebrow from the driver as he walked through the train in the siding, but of course he took the train straight back into the station and I wasn't stranded for more than 5 minutes.
Easily done.

These days the LO services tend to use the bay platform at West Croydon to avoid such issues

 

[Ashley Hill]

165/166s also have the porter switch (as we know it) too.

 

[Bletchleyite]

165/166s also have the porter switch (as we know it) too.

One thing I've always found odd is how kids and vandals haven't found out their purpose and started locking out coaches for a laugh. Perhaps "security through obscurity" works!

(On quite a lot of stock e.g. 350s they are just pushbuttons like the door open button, but unmarked, so technically anybody could press one)

 

[Efini92]

One thing I've always found odd is how kids and vandals haven't found out their purpose and started locking out coaches for a laugh. Perhaps "security through obscurity" works!

(On quite a lot of stock e.g. 350s they are just pushbuttons like the door open button, but unmarked, so technically anybody could press one)

The best kept secret is one in plain sight.

 

[zuriblue]

One thing I've always found odd is how kids and vandals haven't found out their purpose and started locking out coaches for a laugh. Perhaps "security through obscurity" works!

(On quite a lot of stock e.g. 350s they are just pushbuttons like the door open button, but unmarked, so technically anybody could press one)

When they came in Networkers (465/466) had the porter buttons but they were replaced with T-key switches, primarily due to the local youth messing around.

 

[Bletchleyite]

When they came in Networkers (465/466) had the porter buttons but they were replaced with T-key switches, primarily due to the local youth messing around.

I suppose I've said before that we are all very well behaved here on the civilised south WCML!

 

[Skoodle]

Do they do that on the LO terminators (378s)?
I have the honour to have unintentionally visited the reversing siding at West Croydon on an LO service (must be a decade ago, just after ELL reopening).
Seeing a train in the platform I ran from the tram stop onto the train just as the doors were closing.
It then headed west and I realised my mistake!
I got a raised eyebrow from the driver as he walked through the train in the siding, but of course he took the train straight back into the station and I wasn't stranded for more than 5 minutes.
Easily done.

No, the 378s don't have the external option. Platform staff walk through and give all clear to the driver, then the driver closes the doors from the cab.

 

[Horizon22]

You can lock each door on the hmi screen but you can't close individual doors up.


Well they haven't said anything to us yet lol

You can physically at the doors though.

 

[uvarvu]

The best kept secret is one in plain sight.

Sadly not on the Underground. I’ve seen people press the buttons in the middle of rush hour on the Central Line which caused a little confusion.

 

[Alex27]

I went through a train with the dispatcher whilst they were locking it out a while ago, the 345 had a sort of 'offline' mode (can't remember what it was called) that the driver activated, meaning that the doors could only be opened from the inside. We walked through closing any open doors and making sure nobody was onboard before pressing the close button on the last door and stepping out quickly so we didn't get stuck ourselves (I think that's how it worked anyway, it was a while ago now)

 

[Horizon22]

I went through a train with the dispatcher whilst they were locking it out a while ago, the 345 had a sort of 'offline' mode (can't remember what it was called) that the driver activated, meaning that the doors could only be opened from the inside. We walked through closing any open doors and making sure nobody was onboard before pressing the close button on the last door and stepping out quickly so we didn't get stuck ourselves (I think that's how it worked anyway, it was a while ago now)

Could be “off-peak mode” which is a common term?

 

[Alex27]

Could be “off-peak mode” which is a common term?

Ah that was it!

 

[357]

Some Electrostar units have termination mode, where inside door buttons work but external ones don't.

Class 345/Aventra termination mode does this, but also has a feature where a member of staff can hold the door open button for five seconds and the doors on that carriage close and lock, in the same way as using a porter button on a classic train would.

S stock has the same system.

 

[Fincra5]

Some Electrostar units have termination mode, where inside door buttons work but external ones don't.

Class 345/Aventra termination mode does this, but also has a feature where a member of staff can hold the door open button for five seconds and the doors on that carriage close and lock, in the same way as using a porter button on a classic train would.

S stock has the same system.

That's basically the mod that's coming to 700s.

 

[RJ]

Dont have the luxury of locking individual coaches on 700's so all the doors have to be closed then a sweep by staff to see if anyone is locked in lol.

That's a bit of a design bumpf. The S-Stock on the Underground has a mode where the doors can be locked out from the inside using the button on the opposite set of doors to aid detraining.

 

[ComUtoR]

That's a bit of a design bumpf.

I don't mind it. One less system to go wrong and it doesn't cause much of an impact.

With walkthrough coaches we have to adapt and overcome.

 

[Deepgreen]

Yet... there is a mod in the works...

Those 700s really were a design planning triumph weren't they!

 

[Alteran Ancient]

Those 700s really were a design planning triumph weren't they!

For a while, there was a Thameslink service that would terminate at Bromley and then run empty to Bellingham Sidings, so the platform staff would need to assist in de-training any stragglers. The driver would close the doors with a member of staff on board at the back, walk through the train towards the front, and then another member of staff would use the external egress handle to let the staff off at the front. The drivers didn't always like them doing this, as if the egress had been used too many times that day, the computer would apparently throw an exception code and shut down, requiring a power down and reboot, which could take quite a long time.

I think at some point they realised they can open the local door from the inside with a door key, and this doesn't cause the computer to throw a tantrum.

 

[Deepgreen]

I don't mind it. One less system to go wrong and it doesn't cause much of an impact.

With walkthrough coaches we have to adapt and overcome.

It may suit some crews, but the fact that there's yet another modification pending is a reflection on the apparent lack of design foresight applied to these units. Seat-back tables, wi-fi, first class de-classified at one end (meaning you can be 11 cars away from it if not aware!) - all rather a mess.