On Tue, 22 May 2007 23:06:11 +0100 someone who may be "Niall
Wallace" <
[email protected]> wrote this:-
>> Things become more interesting if they are to run on the big
>> railway. A number of bits of safety equipment are now necessary and
>> have to be fitted somewhere, does this mean they are no longer
>> "authentic"?
>
>Wot like ERTMS paranoia?
Preserved locomotives now have to be fitted with high intensity
headlights. At the moment this can be a portable battery operated
unit, though even this might be considered to spoil photographs.
They are now being fitted with train air brakes, which are not
authentic for most preserved steam locomotives and some preserved
diesels. Usually space is found on the tender of steam locomotives,
so as not to spoil the appearance (and sound) by fitting a
traditional air pump.
For some years they have been fitted with AWS and now TPWS. The
former is again not something some preserved steam locomotives had
fitted in their "working" lives, while the latter was obviously
never fitted.
Those locomotives working on particular lines have to be fitted with
RETB equipment. Those only making occasional forays just have
portable units, but I understand that those working on the lines
regularly have been fitted with RETB equipment permanently. Although
an electronic box of tricks with glowing displays is not authentic I
think this is very sensible.
When the ETCS part of ERTMS is introduced preserved locomotives will
at some point have to be fitted with it if they are to work over
lines where it is installed. That strikes me as very sensible.
Preserved locomotives are not toys by large machines capable of
causing death and injury, just like unpreserved ones. Some years ago
I saw a full size version of one of these
http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?i...s+pacific+locomotive&svnum=10&um=1&hl=en&sa=N
at Tamworth Low Level. She was having the water in her tender
replenished and, after some passenger trains had passed, set off
along the main line towards Stafford. Having something like that
crashing into the rear of another train, even at ISTR the speed
limit for such preserved locomotives of 75mph, would be just as
serious as if it was an unpreserved locomotive.
While all these things are I think necessary they can also be seen
as not being authentic if one takes a purist opinion.
--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54