Your dad had the best job in the world, always wanted to be a train driver as a kid & especially to drive the HST, so sad to think they are now a thing of the past & that valenta sound y is just so awesome! Closest I ever get to driving a hst is on a train simulator on my pc.
I thoroughly enjoyed watching this video. I am a former Midland driver and had the pleasure (until I retired) of driving HST's from St. Pancras to Leeds via Derby and Sheffield. The Valenta built its amps so quickly, and the sound of one under full-chat was a thing to behold especially as the turbo spooled up. Make no mistake, to drive an HST was not only my dream come true from childhood but also a skill that took many years to hone to perfection. Everything about them was special. Happy days.
@@BibTheBoulderTheOriginalOne look for my other video in the engine room 🙂. Also not sure of your age, but I used to work in Derby at the old Engineering school - in my team we had an ex driver instructor from 4-shed called John Sumner , lovely fella . Worked for us part time . I also used to be Technical Training Manager in ‘Midland Mainline ‘ days based at NL but worked a fair bit in Midland house too - happy days. 👍🏻
I’m sure that’s the first time I’ve seen this! I worked at Holbeck and Leeds, where Bob was a driver, but I don’t recall actually working with him on the iron road. He was a decent bloke, that I do remember!
Under BR, driving trains was as good as it got, not just HST’s. Under PR, have to admit, it was a totally different ball game, and not something I miss. Never knowingly met Bob, but he sounds like a ‘typical driver’ of his era…
@@derektaylor2941 Obvs it all depended on where you were. KX station in those days was 15 max all lines and certain other stations have/had 15/20/25/30 pointwork. But starting away from the rest of them (as shown at 05:30)...drivers could pile it all on if they needed to make up a bit of time😊
@@ChangesOneTim are you a HST driver? I'm not and I admit it. But I did work at KX assisting the area Traction Inspectors with admin work and I distinctly remember one case of a driver disciplinary for using excess power even though the speed wasn't exceeded. As I understand it there was a risk with a HST set that if it went over slow speed P&C under high power that it could push it off the rails. But what do they know- they were only Traction Inspectors working under the operating instructions of Derby.
@@derektaylor2941 Me neither. Never heard that one before; it's not as though the track geometry was so tight as to cause buffer-locking as HSTs don't have them.
@@ChangesOneTim I am not an engineer but as I understand it: For any curve there will be a safe speed and a speed at which derailment is possible/ likely. The reason for this is well understood- the train has inertia and inertia means it wants to go in a straight line; the track guides it around a curve and the force is called centripetal (that's the force of the wheels resisting the rails). Too much energy (speed) and over it goes. The same principle applies on points and crossings- remember that KX (until recently) had a 15MPH limit, so that's fairly tight trackwork* again the same principle if there's too much energy present (in this case drawbar HP rather than speed) and the rails cannot counter it with centripetal force then over it's going to go. * In fairness, not all roads out of KX were so restricted. I think platform 6 or 5 COULD- though not allowed- provide the sort of departure you're thinking of. HTH
British Kid is correct , specifically its a Westinghouse DW2 control unit that uses 3 wires (from the brake controller) to vary the pressure in the auto air brake pipe that subsequently applies or releases the brake cylinders on all the vehicles in the set. 👍🏻
The Davis and Metcalf E20 PBL was the quiet one. Discharged the brake at both ends for a rapid, uniform brake application, but recharged the brake only from the front E20. Also if memory serves, by placing the brake control past step three, or the rivet on the indicator, would cause the brake cylinder pressure to be above 2.1 bar and close the AC intakes, which stopped the pad smell from entering the passenger Coaches.... at 127 she normally automatically cut power, and on some power cars, I believe the first batch, the red wheel slip light illuminated. Just loved the Paxman Vallenta as well. What a piece of kit.
@@213twinkle8 it was the drop in brake pipe pressure that operated the FAD (Fresh Air Damper) on the Air Cons. This remained closed for 120 seconds after brakes were released. They stuck open a lot ... :) (ps it was E70 for the control unit :) )
@@robertmorley9748 my Dad was a KX based Traction Inspector and he knew your Dad; he had a very high regard for him. Like him he had a long career on BR, actually starting work for the original LNER not long before Nationalisation. He said the same thing- working conditions were changing and that is why I didn't follow him onto BR. But it brings back memories of time in the back of the cab leaving Kings Cross- even years later there was something special about the start of that particular journey that no other journey- be it UK or the Orient Express or any of the long distance Amtraks- nothing can beat a HST out of KX. Thank you for sharing the video.
@derektaylor2941 I am a Driver on XC at Cambridge. I knew a few KX Drivers in the early 90s when I was a Trainman D on the RES cl47s. I was into Aviation back then and ask your Dad if he remembers D Neville, M Humberstone and L Chung? D Neville long retired but I believe the other two are still Drivers? Cheers
But was it? Speedo’s were not guaranteed as spot on - wonder what the back end speedo was showing? EMU’s can often be found with speedo’s showing different figures at each end - only about 5mph, but between back and front could amount to a 10mph difference 😮
Your dad had the best job in the world, always wanted to be a train driver as a kid & especially to drive the HST, so sad to think they are now a thing of the past & that valenta sound y is just so awesome! Closest I ever get to driving a hst is on a train simulator on my pc.
He did indeed :) - if you like the Valenta sound, look for the other video I took on the same trip in the Engine room !
I thoroughly enjoyed watching this video. I am a former Midland driver and had the pleasure (until I retired) of driving HST's from St. Pancras to Leeds via Derby and Sheffield. The Valenta built its amps so quickly, and the sound of one under full-chat was a thing to behold especially as the turbo spooled up. Make no mistake, to drive an HST was not only my dream come true from childhood but also a skill that took many years to hone to perfection. Everything about them was special. Happy days.
@@BibTheBoulderTheOriginalOne look for my other video in the engine room 🙂. Also not sure of your age, but I used to work in Derby at the old Engineering school - in my team we had an ex driver instructor from 4-shed called John Sumner , lovely fella . Worked for us part time . I also used to be Technical Training Manager in ‘Midland Mainline ‘ days based at NL but worked a fair bit in Midland house too - happy days. 👍🏻
@@robertmorley9748 What a small world...John Sumner was my trainer. He taught me (and 10 others) on a full driver rules & traction course.
Great footage thanks for sharing 👍
Great video Rob. Thanks for sharing, takes me back to the good old days
I read this as “Driver Bob Marley’s last HST Drive😂”
I’m sure that’s the first time I’ve seen this! I worked at Holbeck and Leeds, where Bob was a driver, but I don’t recall actually working with him on the iron road. He was a decent bloke, that I do remember!
Great sound
Listen to that beautiful Valenta engine, great video, thanks for sharing.
Kevin, look for the other video where i go in the engine room :)
This is it: ua-cam.com/video/sqZKSEHu43Y/v-deo.htmlsi=kU6LUrwXVCd0FHwu
Great Video, thank you for sharing.
Absolutely brilliant 👍
Under BR, driving trains was as good as it got, not just HST’s. Under PR, have to admit, it was a totally different ball game, and not something I miss. Never knowingly met Bob, but he sounds like a ‘typical driver’ of his era…
Legend.
That valenta sounds like a washing machine with a Rodgered bearing.
Beautiful! Yet absolutely awful at the same time ❤
@@Hrossey look for my other video taken in the engine room 😉
Great video.
Cheers, There's another video I took in the engine room too somewhere on my channnel :)
Best job in the world
Aah, the days when you could put them in notch five before the rear power car had cleared the platform! 😂
You wouldn't want to do that out of Kings Cross- unless you wanted most of the wheels in the dirt.
@@derektaylor2941
Obvs it all depended on where you were. KX station in those days was 15 max all lines and certain other stations have/had 15/20/25/30 pointwork. But starting away from the rest of them (as shown at 05:30)...drivers could pile it all on if they needed to make up a bit of time😊
@@ChangesOneTim are you a HST driver? I'm not and I admit it. But I did work at KX assisting the area Traction Inspectors with admin work and I distinctly remember one case of a driver disciplinary for using excess power even though the speed wasn't exceeded.
As I understand it there was a risk with a HST set that if it went over slow speed P&C under high power that it could push it off the rails. But what do they know- they were only Traction Inspectors working under the operating instructions of Derby.
@@derektaylor2941
Me neither. Never heard that one before; it's not as though the track geometry was so tight as to cause buffer-locking as HSTs don't have them.
@@ChangesOneTim I am not an engineer but as I understand it:
For any curve there will be a safe speed and a speed at which derailment is possible/ likely. The reason for this is well understood- the train has inertia and inertia means it wants to go in a straight line; the track guides it around a curve and the force is called centripetal (that's the force of the wheels resisting the rails). Too much energy (speed) and over it goes.
The same principle applies on points and crossings- remember that KX (until recently) had a 15MPH limit, so that's fairly tight trackwork* again the same principle if there's too much energy present (in this case drawbar HP rather than speed) and the rails cannot counter it with centripetal force then over it's going to go.
* In fairness, not all roads out of KX were so restricted. I think platform 6 or 5 COULD- though not allowed- provide the sort of departure you're thinking of.
HTH
what is the high pitch scream noise heard near the end?
Brakes coming on. Sounds like they had the door open to the engine room, cause you wouldn't hear that with it closed as normal
British Kid is correct , specifically its a Westinghouse DW2 control unit that uses 3 wires (from the brake controller) to vary the pressure in the auto air brake pipe that subsequently applies or releases the brake cylinders on all the vehicles in the set. 👍🏻
The Davis and Metcalf E20 PBL was the quiet one. Discharged the brake at both ends for a rapid, uniform brake application, but recharged the brake only from the front E20. Also if memory serves, by placing the brake control past step three, or the rivet on the indicator, would cause the brake cylinder pressure to be above 2.1 bar and close the AC intakes, which stopped the pad smell from entering the passenger Coaches.... at 127 she normally automatically cut power, and on some power cars, I believe the first batch, the red wheel slip light illuminated. Just loved the Paxman Vallenta as well. What a piece of kit.
@@213twinkle8 it was the drop in brake pipe pressure that operated the FAD (Fresh Air Damper) on the Air Cons. This remained closed for 120 seconds after brakes were released. They stuck open a lot ... :) (ps it was E70 for the control unit :) )
Where's The Emirates? :) Thanks for the video, proper blokes driving proper trains.
I feel I should know the relevance of the ‘Emirates’ comment … but can’t think 🙂
... the Football ground !! - Im not as sharp as i used to be 😆
The Emirates wasn't built until about 9 years later.
It needs proper blokes to drive trains, of course
His last ever drive probably just wanted to drive it on his own tbh.
How many years service i wonder? Must be really sad to end a career on the foot plate?
He had 50 yrs service in to the day . He was happy to finish as working conditions had changed a lot over his career. 🙂
Good to know thanks .
@@robertmorley9748 my Dad was a KX based Traction Inspector and he knew your Dad; he had a very high regard for him. Like him he had a long career on BR, actually starting work for the original LNER not long before Nationalisation. He said the same thing- working conditions were changing and that is why I didn't follow him onto BR. But it brings back memories of time in the back of the cab leaving Kings Cross- even years later there was something special about the start of that particular journey that no other journey- be it UK or the Orient Express or any of the long distance Amtraks- nothing can beat a HST out of KX.
Thank you for sharing the video.
@derektaylor2941 I am a Driver on XC at Cambridge. I knew a few KX Drivers in the early 90s when I was a Trainman D on the RES cl47s.
I was into Aviation back then and ask your Dad if he remembers D Neville,
M Humberstone and L Chung?
D Neville long retired but I believe the other two are still Drivers? Cheers
@@davee4508 Sadly my Dad passed away in 2000 at the age of only 70 . A life well lived though ... :)
how old were you at the time
I’d guess @30 ish
130 lush!
But was it? Speedo’s were not guaranteed as spot on - wonder what the back end speedo was showing? EMU’s can often be found with speedo’s showing different figures at each end - only about 5mph, but between back and front could amount to a 10mph difference 😮
@@andrewbrown6786 So it could even be 140.
@@TrenyCwm yes - that is also true…