Red star on stock

[RobertRoche]

Does anyone know what the red star seen on railway stock mean? (Just finished applying over 200 decals to 4 autoballasters...) Thanks!

Edited October 25, 2018 by RobertRoche

[Glenderg]

Something to do with static electricity build-up, that the wagon is earthed, I think. Open to correction. 

I only work here. 

[jhb171achill]

Its couplings are compatible with the Tardis.

[RobertRoche]

41 minutes ago, Glenderg said:

Something to do with static electricity build-up, that the wagon is earthed, I think. Open to correction. 

Thanks, I had seen them on the Mark 2s at Whitehead also, just interested!

[sayhall27]

If it's the same as the whitehad Mk2s then the star is to show a shunter or any person who is about the train. Where the "chain" to manually dump each brake cylinder is. Number 68 also has these fitted as is common. 

For the ballast wagon you have shown you can see above the star what looks like a moulding shape of a handbrake lever.

Must have been a way to move a few coaches if a nonbrake piped vehicle is between the loco and coach.

For the ballast wagon you have shown you can see above the star what looks like a moulding shape of a handbrake lever. So slightly different than the Mk2 use

Answer is from my experience shy ring both 68 and the Mk2s.

Edited October 26, 2018 by sayhall27

[snapper]

It generally denotes a point from which you can manually release any residual brake application.

Different locomotives exhauster (vacuum) or compressors (air pressure) can work slightly differently depending on condition ect. Let say loco 1 hauls some coaches and creates 24” of vacuum (that’s 24 inches of release), you then change to a different loco 2 but this loco can only create 21” of vacuum, you now have 3” of a brake application. You can use these valves to release any remaining vacuum and effectively reset to 0 so that when loco 2 creates 21” of vacuum the brakes are fully released.

The same principal applies to air brakes I just used vacuum as I am more familiar with that system.  

[flange lubricator]

Usually called " pulling the strings " by crew

[RobertRoche]

Really informative, everyone!

[Mayner]

I remember watching the driver of the 12:00 Cork Liner walking along the 6' "pulling the string" when his train was checked at Island Bridge Junction in June 2004. His explained that his 201 Class took a long time to release the brakes and he needed to manually release the brakes so that his train could move off immediately it got a clear signal and presumably avoid blocking the approaches to Heuston