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Cab Rides

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  #31  
Old 22nd January 2011, 03:50
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Originally Posted by ccmmick View Post
Cab rides used to go on a lot in the 70s and 80s i dont think i would do it now with today's railways.
I remember one day we took five or six young men from Bodmin Road to Wenford Bridge in the brakevan a full day and they all had a great time, some weeks later it was published in a rail magazine with photos we all had a bit of a telling off back at the depot St Blazey.
If it was done today i think you would be looking at the sack.
Agree,you would be out of a job......


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  #32  
Old 22nd January 2011, 12:02
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family cabride

Family Cabride
When we worked the last train of the day from Enfield to Liverpool Street we would run back to Enfield light engine. One night when the last train 12.15 AM had left for Enfield a couple with two small boys just missed it.
The next train to Enfield was about 5AM. My driver Chris Chapman went over and asked where they were going. The man told Chris they were going to Enfield Town, Chris asked if they would like a ride on the engine and he said yes. so they climbed aboard husband wife and two kids plus suitcases. When we got to Enfield they were so pleased they tried to give Chris some money but he would not take it.
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  #33  
Old 22nd January 2011, 12:06
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Of course cab rides can be done officially. When I was on the Southeastern they used to take passengers who'd recently retired from jobs in the city. These guys would write in and say that they'd commuted from Hastings to Cannon St every day for the last 50 years, and could they see it for the last trip from the driver's view ?

The DSM would produce a Red Cab Pass and escort them in the cab. Without exception the city gent would be dewy eyed and awed as all the complexities of the traction and fast commuter route were explained were explained to him. They always said they had no idea how involved the driver's job was.

I often think that if we gave the public a chance to ride in cabs officially they wouldn't treat us like something they'd stepped in so much. But it ain't gonna happen....

They don't do it anymore now. I recently asked my DSM if my father-in-law who'd just retired could come with us to Charing Cross when I had an FDA. He said he wished he could but he didn't want to set a precedent. Which is b******s, he was just being lazy. So of course the next time the company begged me to come in on a restday to help out the DSMs, guess what I told them.
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  #34  
Old 26th January 2011, 12:10
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I've only had one cab ride in the UK - in a Class 73/0, hauling VSOE stock from Stewarts Lane TMD to London Victoria, but had LOADS on the continent. In Belgium, after enquiring at stations how to get to the loco depot, I've been bundled into the cab of units and locos and been taken there, also lifts BACK to the station. In France, I surmised that anyone armed with a camera, and showing sufficient interest in the loco/unit could travel the length & breadth of the country without a ticket. Myself & a friend visited the loco depot at Nantes (north-west France), and were offered a lift back to the station in the cab of a pair of light Class 67 diesels; talking to the driver en route, it became clear that he was going to be driving this pair of diesels to Bordeaux (south-west France), so after breakfast at Nantes station buffet, we had another cab ride all the way to Bordeaux. We got out there, and I asked the driver if there was a quicker way to the depot than the road route, he picked up our bags, threw them back into the cab, and we got a lift there as well. Now that's what I CALL door to door service! I've been given a cab ride from Mohon depot (north-east France) to the station at Charleville-Mezieres, then ALL the way to Paris Gare du Nord. Even at loco depots, drivers have INSISTED that we get into a loco, where we've been shown the engine compartment, given a lecture (in French) on how it all works, then driven up and down the depot yard - on quite a number of occasions, I may add. Mind you, this is going back around 20-22 years ago, it's probably a different kettle of fish these days.
I've also had a cab ride in a Spanish EMU.

Last edited by Dave Rowland; 26th January 2011 at 12:13. Reason: forgot something
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  #35  
Old 26th January 2011, 15:36
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Talking Didn't even request it !

Whilst on the station at Chur last September my son and I were waiting for the train back to Zurich and we were suspicious that the extra was going to be worked by a class540 with coaching stock, so we let the one on the plarform and waited to see what was going to work the extra. True to our expectations a class 540 pulled in along with inter city coaching stock.
A class 540 is a rail car which normally works in multiple with suburban coaches between.
We took several photos from various angles before boarding the train, just before departure the driver and guard, who had been chatting in the cab of the railcar walked down the train and shortly after I was touched on the shoulder and invited to ride with gentleman who was at my side, this gentleman of course was the driver, so we both went along with him into the cab.
On arrival at Landquart we were to be joined by a third member who had been out with us so we gave him the royal wave as we passed him on the platform. The driver then asked us if was with us and also gong through to Zurich, which he was, so he also was duly invited to join us in the cab.
As per the title we didn't even have to request this ride we were invited to be the drivers guests.
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  #36  
Old 26th January 2011, 17:05
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Originally Posted by Wakey spotter View Post
Has anyone ever had a ride on the Cabplate of a locomotive ?
If so what was it like ?
Kris
Walter K Whigham 1959 circ, what an experience. I even got to shovel the coal in.
Regular on class 03s I was an apprentice at the railway workshops and if there was any work to do at remote facilities in the sidings, we were sent on a 03.

I also regularly went to North Road Workshops when they were empty to do essential maintenanace. It was a bit ghostly all the workshops were totaly empty except for the night watchman, me and the jouneyman plumber.

I was sent to the old Darlington Bank Top Shed to strip out some equipment for Shildon workshops. Again it was quite an experience at 17yrs old.
I drift on of the old days!
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  #37  
Old 26th January 2011, 23:18
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Great posts Davat and Dave Rowland. Makes you wonder doesn't it The nearest I can come to either of them was when I was scratching my head in front of a route map and info board in Munich and a woman came up to me, realised I was English and was trying to fathom my way round the network and she helped me on my way. I think the knotted handkerchief on my head gave it away. I don't speak any German mais Je parle le Francais tres bien. Over the top helpful. I would do the same for a tourist in the UK.

Last edited by whitemoor66; 26th January 2011 at 23:23.
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  #38  
Old 26th January 2011, 23:47
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Originally Posted by whitemoor66 View Post
Great posts Davat and Dave Rowland. Makes you wonder doesn't it The nearest I can come to either of them was when I was scratching my head in front of a route map and info board in Munich and a woman came up to me, realised I was English and was trying to fathom my way round the network and she helped me on my way. I think the knotted handkerchief on my head gave it away. I don't speak any German mais Je parle le Francais tres bien. Over the top helpful. I would do the same for a tourist in the UK.
It is amazing how some people put themselves out to help; in my previous post, I mentioned a cab ride in Spain; it all came about like this.
We were travelling from Orense Empalme to Leon, and our plans were a day late owing to a rail strike the previous day; we WERE to have visited the loco depot at Orense, but couldn't. The train passed through Ponferrada, where a number of narrow-gauge steam locos were dumped some distance from the station, and as I got up in a rush to try (unsuccessfully) to photograph the steam locos, I knock my Metro European Pocket Book onto the floor of the train; a chap gave it back to me when I returned to my seat, and pointed to the cover, on which was a photo of a RENFE Class 277 English Electric loco, and started yabbering away in Spanish. After a bit of bi-lingual tosh on my part, it appeared that he was a train driver, and that he drove these locos. With a subject to centre some sort of vague conversation around, I told him of our recent travels, and plans to visit a couple of RENFE depots, including Leon the following day. Jackpot! It turns out he was the Spanish equivalent of the Shed Foreman at Leon depot, and arranged to meet us early the next morning at Leon station, and would take us to, and around the depot personally! Naturally, we were thoroughly blown away by our good luck, which just got better, as he invited me into the cab of the unit for a cab ride.
We met him the following morning, and he showed us around the depot, inside cabs etc, but not before stopping at a cafe/bar on the way, where he insisted on buying us breakfast, coffee, and beer! Funny how things work out sometimes!
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  #39  
Old 27th January 2011, 00:17
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Dave Rowland, I must explain I was in Munich to watch The Arsenal and not on a railway jolly, in fact the continent has never crossed my mind even though I've travelled by train in France, Germany Spain and Holland. In Holland I caught a train from Amsterdam to Eindhoven and it caught fire on the way home due to a mechanical fault. Again this was watching The Arsenal so my memory is a bit foggy. I was half interested but I was half pŁ$%^d so never took a lot in. All my football mates know I am a rail enthusiast so I wouldn't have been embarrassed.
I did quite a few trips between France and England on staff trains for Eurotunnel possibly about Spring '94. I "lived" in France at the time and it was nice to pop back and get some fish and chips. Over there, if you asked a waiter to have your steak well done and could I have some tomato sauce, they looked at you as if you'd ask permission to sleep with their wife. 20 odd miles away but completely different. I actually got to like the French people I met and worked with.
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  #40  
Old 27th January 2011, 11:12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by whitemoor66 View Post
I "lived" in France at the time and it was nice to pop back and get some fish and chips. Over there, if you asked a waiter to have your steak well done and could I have some tomato sauce, they looked at you as if you'd ask permission to sleep with their wife. 20 odd miles away but completely different. I actually got to like the French people I met and worked with.
ROFLH

Steak well done is sacrilege to the French and tomato sauce is heresy I can just imagine what the waiters and Chef's called you.


To keep on topic the only cab rides I've had were at either works open days or on Preserved lines so I can only say I've been in 03066 (at BH) an 08 (at Crewe) and 3F 16440 at the Midland Railway
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