975686

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Your comments

• Bill McTavish

  10 December 2009, 10:06:43

  wheres the "roof access"? is it just a trapdoor hatch>?

• Phil Hetherington

  10 December 2009, 13:09:12

  The ladder up the end, perhaps?

• Bill McTavish

  10 December 2009, 17:51:14

  they all have those? but only some are specifically referred to as "roof access"?

• kev

  10 December 2009, 19:02:24

  the roofs access & ladders stay locked ...for the obvious reason !!

• peter Cummings

  10 December 2009, 21:22:15

  I've always took it to mean that the roof was converted as it was for the access it gave to what was above, i,e, access FROM the roof, not TO it.

  You'd only be accessing the roof itself within a possession anyway, so presumably you used the nearest convenient ladder.

• Dave Carson - Rail Audit Services Ltd

  10 December 2009, 21:41:06

  Some 'Roof Access' vehicles had a drop-down ramp to floor level moving equipment from stores to work area. When not in use the ramp was pushed back up (probably by counterbalances) and lock up at roof level.

• Rob Morel

  15 December 2009, 18:19:29

  I don't think this is a roof acces coach, back in the day each OHLM depot ran a six car formation (plus one or two cable drum wagons)

  The scottish set allocated to Portobello had

  975 681 pantograph coach

  975 685 stores and generator

  975 686 stores

  975 687 stores and roof access

  975 688 staff office

  975 920 cable drum carrier

  so I think the caption is wrong this is just a stores coach.

  From my memories of working these an internal staircase with slide back roof was used on the roof access coaches with only one of these coaches per set.

  the end ladders were seldom used and had a safety hinged plate fitted (lockable) to prevent misuse. The staircase being similar to that found in your house but wider (wooden construction)

  The above caption then should just read OHLM stores coach.

• Ben Williams

  16 December 2009, 13:12:54

  Thanks Rob - now amended. The lists will also be amended soon.

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