Goods guard's vans - how were they lit, if at all?

[33C]

4 hours ago, Jeremy Cumberland said:

To you professional guards and shunters: are you able to deftly flick from white to red (or green) using the hand that's holding the Bardic? I have never acquired the knack (if there is one), and have always used two hands to change from white to red.

If it's stiff, your not working hard enough!

[Jeremy Cumberland]

21 minutes ago, 33C said:

If it's stiff, your not working hard enough!

I like it. Unfortunately, never having been a BR guard or shunter, I've never had my own personal Bardic. Those I've been issued with for particular night time jobs have invariably been infrequently used, and stiff.

[Wheatley]

23 hours ago, The Johnster said:

 
 

That’s not a Bardic, there’s nothing in the middle.  No use at all when it gets a bit lively after a Cardiff-Newport derby (‘sorry, bwt, was that the back of your skull, fares please…).  Where’s the heft?

 

In the early days of privatisation I sat in on a presentation by a very nice salesman trying to sell us an LED Bardic replacement. It was basically a cheap plastic torch with changeable red and green lenses. The lenses killed it stone dead as they had to be screwed on and off and were kept in a separate tin, the chances of them lasting more than a week in the possesion of even the most diligent guard before being left in the bag, left in the 'other'  jacket or just lost were minimal. 

 

But we listened politely and then came the questions at the end. 

 

"Can you use it to knock point scotches in ?"

"What about fending off drunks ?".

 

Poor bloke.

 

7 hours ago, Jeremy Cumberland said:

To you professional guards and shunters: are you able to deftly flick from white to red (or green) using the hand that's holding the Bardic? I have never acquired the knack (if there is one), and have always used two hands to change from white to red.

 

Yes if the movement is nice and free. Either push it with the thumb or second finger (I think, it's a long time since I've used one !) or hold the switch with the thumb and finger, loosen the grip on the other fingers and sort of flick it using the weight of the lamp to change it. 

 

This is the replacement at one TOC:

 

https://www.businessimage.co.uk/products/toclite/toclite-safety-signalling-torch

 

As well as being robust but light, using normal batteries and actually being useful as a torch (lets face it, Bardics were OK for not bumping into things in the dark but that's about it) it's also bright enough on the emergency setting to be used as an a proper 'line speed'  emergency headlight, albeit only for long enough to get you out of trouble. The 'bullet' or bracket to mate it to a lamp iron is on the train in the emergency cupboard. 

Edited May 9 by Wheatley

[manna]

G'Day Folks

 

I had to hand my Bardic back in when I left the Railways in '91, but my son has found a Bardic lamp in the UK and shipped it out to me in Oz, only last week I remembered to buy a pack of batteries to get it going again.  I can remember quite a few Guards having to defend themselves with a Bardic lamp late at night, a few broken bones, but never a broken Bardic.

 

manna

[Michael Hodgson]

31 minutes ago, manna said:

I can remember quite a few Guards having to defend themselves with a Bardic lamp late at night, a few broken bones, but never a broken Bardic.

 

manna

 

Bardics helped the villains see the light.

[The Johnster]

Some of my victims probably saw stars…

 

Incidents were rare, fortunately, but the heft of a Bardic was reassuring if things did cut up rough.

[uax6]

On 09/05/2024 at 13:11, 45655 said:

Mine are modified to take a LED bulb and 3x AA cells.  In this form they are ridiculously light and (in heritage railway use) still seem to go on for years.  The only issue with LED bulbs is that the green aspect can look a bit washed out.  I'm told that the remedy is stained glass paint although I haven't tried that.

 

As has been said, pretty much bomb proof and much more robust than the modern alternatives.

 

Keith

Alton.

 

 

Yes stained glass paint is the way to fix it. I've used it on the green and yellow aspects for the conversions I've done in work...

 

Andy G

[uax6]

On 09/05/2024 at 15:44, Jeremy Cumberland said:

To you professional guards and shunters: are you able to deftly flick from white to red (or green) using the hand that's holding the Bardic? I have never acquired the knack (if there is one), and have always used two hands to change from white to red.

 

What lever does your Bardic have? I've refurbished many of the NR ones and I have discovered at least four different styles of switch lever/knob. The easiest to flick was a cast ally long handle, which I presume was the earliest type. Most Bobbies 4 aspect lamps have a small crucifix style one, which with my sausage fingers is a bit difficult to grip.

 

Andy G

[KeithMacdonald]

On 09/05/2024 at 00:09, The Johnster said:

 That’s not a Bardic, there’s nothing in the middle.  No use at all when it gets a bit lively after a Cardiff-Newport derby (‘sorry, bwt, was that the back of your skull, fares please…).  Where’s the heft?

 

Does this qualify? I'm a bit worried by the brand name. There were Unipart parts in my Dad's Austin All Aggro, along with the Lucas (Prince of Darkness) Electrics.
 

Quote

The Unipart Dorman LED Railwayman’s Handlamp is a fully approved direct replacement for the Bardic Lamp and is used extensively across the rail network. 50% lighter than the Bardic lamp, the lamp is much more compact but still provides the same light output by using the latest LED and lens optic design.

 

https://www.unipartdorman.co.uk/lineside-safety/

Edited May 14 by KeithMacdonald

[MattR]

On 10/05/2024 at 01:28, The Johnster said:

Some of my victims probably saw stars…

 

Incidents were rare, fortunately, but the heft of a Bardic was reassuring if things did cut up rough.

 

Ooh! Another post for the "Confessions" thread?

[KeithMacdonald]

Has Oxford Rail just released this in honour of @The Johnster
 

Quote

Oxford Rail BR Toad 4 Wheel Bala 56449

Weathered in Wales

 

https://www.oxforddiecast.co.uk/products/copy-of-oxford-rail-br-toad-4-wheel-bala-56449

[Steamport Southport]

3 minutes ago, KeithMacdonald said:

Has Oxford Rail just released this in honour of @The Johnster
 

 

https://www.oxforddiecast.co.uk/products/copy-of-oxford-rail-br-toad-4-wheel-bala-56449

 

Wrong part of Wales!

 

I doubt anything labelled Bala would be going anywhere near "the mean streets of Cardiff"....

 

 

 

Jason

[45655]

On 14/05/2024 at 14:48, uax6 said:

 

What lever does your Bardic have? I've refurbished many of the NR ones and I have discovered at least four different styles of switch lever/knob. The easiest to flick was a cast ally long handle, which I presume was the earliest type. Most Bobbies 4 aspect lamps have a small crucifix style one, which with my sausage fingers is a bit difficult to grip.

 

Andy G

I think the earliest type was a cruciform black plastic knob with four equal sides. (Very early Bardics can be identified by the absence of a cast sleeve around the switch shaft.)  This was succeeded by a version with one longer side.
 

The alternative cast metal finger type came in two versions: a short version for lamps which could show a yellow aspect and a long version for lamps restricted to showing white, red and green aspects.  This last would certainly be easier to flick over.

 

Keith

Alton.