Double-Heading
 

I've got an ancient photo of a Black 5 double-heading with a Standard Class 5 through Accrington in the last days of steam.....going like the clappers, actually so God knows what speed they were doing when they negotiated the facing points just off the viaduct! What experiences of driving/firing double-headers does anyone have - especially London Midland? How did the work get shared between the locos (e.g. as in the case above, elderly Black 5 and relatively young Standard?) Were both drivers responsible for checking the signals and could the lead engine operate the brakes on the second one? (forgive my ignorance on this point!):o

The drivers agree between them before they start as to how much work each will contribute to the overall effort. The train engine has its brake set to the running position and the ejector's small jet turned on, but other than that it takes no part in the braking of the train – the pilot engine has command of the brakes. The pilot engine's driver also has responsibility for sighting the signals, but the train engine crew will normally watch out and of course take any necessary action if the pilot driver misses one!

Hi! Thanks for that. Just a couple of 'riders' on that one if it's not too cheeky: did bankers have the same type of protocol....i.e. how much 'nudge' to give the back of a train up Camden Bank out of Euston, for example? I've got an old LP with a train engine and banker whistling to each other but couldn't deduce what they were 'saying' to each other.
Also, if a loco was travelling tender first, did the fireman become solely responsible for sighting the signals or were the driver and fireman constantly crossing sides of the cab?