UK diesel query
 

This is my first post and I ask your patience. I am curious as to the hoses, lines and fittings on the end of UK diesels. Could someone give me brief outline of theses connections and their application?

North American locomotives are "m.u.'d" by connecting the train air line, the main res. line, the actuating line, the sand activating line and a multiple point electrical connection cable. 4 of the lines are air supply or pneumatic and the one cable is the sole electrical connection between the locomotives. Is your system similar?

If there is a forum member who would not mind answering more detailed questions about brake design and operations, I would certainly enjoy corresponding with them.

Thanks for the opportunity to ask my question,
Joe

Hi Joe and welcome to the forum.
We have a number of professional railwaymen on the forum and hopefully one of them will be along soon.

Hello,
Red is the train(air brake) pipe, Yellow is the main reservoir pipe.
In addition to those will be on various classes of varying vintages, vacuum brake pipe, eth jumpers, and possibly ep brake fittings and compensation lines, steam heat pipe and connectors.
I have bound to have forgotten some however , especially those that were not fitted to the locos that I worked with in the early 80,s until 1990ish.
All EMU,s after that I am afraid.
Cheers
Russ

Thanks for the greetings to all.

Rough Tor, is a compensating line a brake line? We have an actuating line. If I apply the brakes to the train, I actuate or "bail" to release the brakes on the locomotives. The actuating line releases all brakes applied on the locomotives and every time I make a brake application I must "bail" to once again release the brakes on the locomotives. Is that similar to your compensation line?

Finally do UK locomotives have sanders?

I can,t remember quite what the compensating line did, ( I was a Guard in those days) but not all locos had them.
Most locos are fitted with sanders yes.

Thanks for your replies.
Joe

This thread reminds me of a story I once heard, and I'd be grateful if any members can confirm whether there's any truth in it, or whether it's just a good story. It's supposed to have happened at Waveley about 20 years ago when a disgruntled shunter, who had just been sacked by BR went all the way along a London Express, disconnecting only the main coupling between each carriage, without anyone noticing. Apparently it was quite a sight as the loco accelerated away ... 'like the biggest accordion you ever saw!'

?True story... ?Wind up? :)

Hmm.
Sounds daft enough to be true doesn,t it?
I suspect it is a gentle leg pull though.
It would not take much to part the hoses.

uk diesel query
 

Hello gents, a lot of locos,had a regulating air pipe for controlling the engine rpm of the rear loco, when in multiple 0 to 50psi depending on the position of the power handle in the leading loco.for example classes 20,25,26,27,31,33,37,40,56,58.and probably a few i have forgotten about.

That,s the one!
I remember the secondman having trouble with one between a 33 and 73
Thanks for refreshing my memory:)