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headlights on British steam locomotives

  • Pardon what must be a naive but sincere question:  When I look at pictures of British steam locomotives I almost never see any sort of headlight.  What's up with that?  Were they put on and off and not fixed in position as they were in American use?  Who knows about headlights on British steam locomotives and can educate me on a question I've harbored for years?
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  • They have removable oil lamps that slot on to brackets on the buffer beam. They are more
    for a visual warning rather than for seeing where you are going. I was always told this was
    because all (or most) tracks over here are fenced and that US locos have headlights as a lot of track is unfenced.  
     Its a good question.
     
    Regards
     
    Nick
  • I have noticed in videos of some high speed trains in the UK that they have strobe lights, and still, no headlights! The 'Brits must not be as lawsuit crazy as we are!Confused [%-)]
  • As a driver on British Railways I can tell you that the front lights on train are not for the driver to see with but so that the train can be seen by workers on the track. In steam days oil lamps were used as markers and the position of these on the front of the locomotive indicated to signalmen what class of train it was, for example, a lamp above each buffer signified an express passenger train. Modern trains are being fitted with brighter headlights but it is still not easy to see the track ahead with them. Remember that all track in Britain must, by law, be fenced so the chances of people or animals straying onto the line is considerably less than in the U.S.  

    Malc. 

  • I very much appreciate these answers that I'm reading.  But do you mean to say that British steam locomotives were operated without the engineer being able to see far down the track?  The thought of running at speed in the dark just sends shivvers up my spine, fences or no fences!  I never assumed that headlights on American locomotives were simply to see in time to stop before striking the errant cow; I assumed they were also a warning to whatever is up ahead that a locomotive is approaching.  In any event, you cleared up the mystery of a lifetime and gave me added reason to admire the courage of British engine drivers.
  • I've been on the footplate now for 37 years and have never hit anything yet (apart from one suicide) and have no qualms about driving trains at 100mph in total darkness as long as I can see the signals. In fog or poor visibility we have the Automatic Warning System which rings a bell in the cab 200yds before a signal displaying a green (clear) aspect or causes a horn to sound in the cab if the signal is displaying a restrictive aspect (double yellow, single yellow or red). The horn continues to sound until the driver presses and releases a button on the control desk. If the button is not pressed and released in about 7 seconds, power is automatically cut off and an emergecy brake application initiated. The train must come to a stop then before the brakes can be released.

    Malc.