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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2010 0:41:17 GMT
Hello
I'm wondering is anybody can answer this question.
Just east of East Ham, behind the IMR, there's what appears to be a large red whistle mounted on a concrete post. What is this for (if anything now)? It's one of those small details that I see every day when travelling on the District, but unsure of what it is. I'm presuming it is signalling related. Haven't seen any others like it either.
Thanks
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mrfs42
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Big Hair Day
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Post by mrfs42 on Jul 15, 2010 0:49:26 GMT
I suspect it is the IMR whistle - perhaps the last one left.
These could be operated remotely off the air main.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2010 0:58:13 GMT
And what is the IMR whistle for?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2010 4:09:40 GMT
In fact all LT signal cabins (and some IMRs) had an external whistle at one time.
It was used for attracting the attention of members of staff.
There used to be a code for the number of blasts sounded attracting a response from a particular grade.
I think that 4 blasts on the cabin whistle meant that the signalman wished to talk to the car examiner.
(incidentally it was also 4 blasts on the train whistle fro a car examiner) which could all get very confusing.
The cabin whistles were much louder and in some locations could sound like ships horns.
The siganlman at Queens Park used to use the whistle if a southbound Bakerloo train was hanging around in the platform too long.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2010 4:27:36 GMT
Thanks for that. Could it have been used to communicate with what was then Little Ilford depot (if it was installed when it was around)?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 29, 2010 2:34:47 GMT
Turnham Green's IMR whistle is still extant. I have seen others around as well.
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Post by railtechnician on Jul 29, 2010 4:45:47 GMT
The Whistle at South Harrow was certainly extant and working when I retired, the one at Hounslow Central was extant but not working as I had to 'borrow' the fuse to keep the signal telephones working and it never got replaced! I'm pretty certain the Northfields whistle remains and probably those at the east end of the Picc too.
Whistles were used to draw the attention of staff as already mentioned and that included calling the signal lineman to the cabin or IMR too.
These days the whistles don't see a lot of use for several reasons i.e. many former lineman and car examiner depots are no longer manned but more than anything else due to noise abatement orders as a result of local residents making complaint about noise pollution. This latter reason also affects PA systems as well and has led to some stations having speaker chains reduced by disconnecting those speakers nearest to adjacent residential property and/or forbidding the use of PA after a certain hour in the evening.
One had to be careful working the signal operator desks in the control room when remote testing signalling at night not to accidentally push the whistle push for a site. All too easily done when working in the dark by torchlight!
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