I recall when, as a young secondman at Watford, one of our (or Willesden's) English Electric Type 1's was fitted with an experimental "Detonator Amplifier" at the nose end.
This took the form of an upturned funnel (something like that used for pouring oil), fitted just above the leading wheel, connected to a tube (part flexible) which came onto the foot-framing and made its way along and into the cab, where it terminated in another funnel. The idea of course was that it would transmit the noise of any exploding detonator (or, as Stevie correctly points out "shot"), right into the drivers ear - well almost.
Not sure how successful it was, and as far as I can recall only one locomotive was ever fitted with the device, but blowed if I can remember the engines number; something like D8006.
John C.
Correct name for Detonators
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