Jim’s “out and about with GBRf” thread

[Siggie in the east]

Signalling centres, ROCs, PSBs and single man boxes (in essex anyway) are all minimum staff currently. All trainees have been told to stay at home and revise/learn rules and regs, no visitors at all, only signalling staff are permitted to enter the premises, all workstations and panels are to be sanitised before and after each handover. All office staff are working from home and MOMs arent allowed on the ops floor and must call the workstation/panel regarding any incidents. That's the same for COSS/PICOPs, they're not permitted to enter. 

Most probably the same all over the country.

Hope that answers any questions.

 

Thanks

[ajwffc]

12 hours ago, Siggie in the east said:

Signalling centres, ROCs, PSBs and single man boxes (in essex anyway) are all minimum staff currently. All trainees have been told to stay at home and revise/learn rules and regs, no visitors at all, only signalling staff are permitted to enter the premises, all workstations and panels are to be sanitised before and after each handover. All office staff are working from home and MOMs arent allowed on the ops floor and must call the workstation/panel regarding any incidents. That's the same for COSS/PICOPs, they're not permitted to enter. 

Most probably the same all over the country.

Hope that answers any questions.

 

Thanks

Scotland is the same but I think some trainees are still working (in Edinburgh at least) as one was on duty when i took a possession last weekend. 

[big jim]

Some from earlier

 

crewe with the TFW MK4 set on test 

 

 

Light engine 67 passing it

 

 

Colas 66 on a long marsden to Carlisle wagon move, new logos on it too

 

Pendolino

 

And later in the evening in Leamington spa my train back to crewe 66744 leading 

 

 

[Chris116]

Thank you for your very interesting photos on this thread. It is a ray of sunshine in the situation we find ourselves dealing with. Stay safe Jim, we need you more than ever at present. 

Edited April 8, 2020 by Chris116

[big jim]

Only one from last night, ballast bescot to rugby, first time I’ve had this loco I think 

 

 

back in Saturday to do the opposite trip and move a couple of locos from hams hall to bescot 

 

 

[big jim]

Just a couple from this morning, rugby back to bescot 66759 this time, another first time loco for me 

 

 

[virginhst539]

On 07/04/2020 at 20:31, ajwffc said:

Scotland is the same but I think some trainees are still working (in Edinburgh at least) as one was on duty when i took a possession last weekend. 

We are having trouble with vans now the new guidelines are out, imagine the hire company's have not got a lot left to hand out. Meanwhile in Edinburgh life goes on... albeit a slightly stranger life than we are all use to. Missing the pre shift Kababs however. 

[big jim]

Yes, hire cars are becoming few and far between, the companies are struggling to deliver and collect them apparently 

 

 

[ajwffc]

5 hours ago, virginhst539 said:

We are having trouble with vans now the new guidelines are out, imagine the hire company's have not got a lot left to hand out. Meanwhile in Edinburgh life goes on... albeit a slightly stranger life than we are all use to. Missing the pre shift Kababs however. 

The SWGR possession staff are getting encouraged to use our own cars to minimize the number of van swaps.  

[big jim]

Just one from this morning, did a trafford park and got off at Tamworth just before sunrise 

 

 

same Job again tonight 

[big jim]

One for the album, new st at 18:00 on a weekday, barely a soul in sight!

 

 

 

 

[newbryford]

Another mate of mine is a driver who works out of Charing Cross and London Bridge.

He's sent me some spooky photos of those locations that are nothing but "post-apocalyptic"

 

Not a single soul to be seen.

 

[CovDriver]

I did a New St - Redditch and a New St - Wolverhampton shuttle yesterday and it's the most odd feeling walking across the main concourse at New St with not a soul around. 

It's very surreal running around almost empty ferrying the key workers to and from work.

Jim just a quick one how much PPE have you been provided with such as gloves, sanitizer etc.... 

As we've been given nothing at all apart from cabs being sanitised overnight and if your lucky a squirt of hand sanitizer when we book on duty, staysafe Jim. 

 

Cheers 

 

Colin

[JohnDMJ]

2 hours ago, CovDriver said:

Jim just a quick one how much PPE have you been provided with such as gloves, sanitizer etc....

 

I've heard that gloves 'hold' (as do many other materials) the virus and thus are not effective in preventing its spread. Hand sanitizer is way more effective.

[The Stationmaster]

1 hour ago, JohnDMJ said:

 

I've heard that gloves 'hold' (as do many other materials) the virus and thus are not effective in preventing its spread. Hand sanitizer is way more effective.

Gloves should be used for a single task and then disposed of - and not worn for ages touching numerous different surfaces and places (although that is unavoidable as you shop in a supermarket of course).  In the hospital wear my daughter works they have to dispose of their gloves after dealing with each patient and put on a new pair before they deal with the next patient to avoid spread of any sort of germs and infection let alone the virus - which explains why the NHS needs huge quantities of gloves, without 'wasting' them.

[JohnDMJ]

 

2 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

Gloves should be used for a single task and then disposed of - and not worn for ages touching numerous different surfaces and places (although that is unavoidable as you shop in a supermarket of course).  In the hospital wear my daughter works they have to dispose of their gloves after dealing with each patient and put on a new pair before they deal with the next patient to avoid spread of any sort of germs and infection let alone the virus - which explains why the NHS needs huge quantities of gloves, without 'wasting' them.

 

Agreed!

 

I have seen ambulance crews wearing their gloves in the local shops! (This was pre 2012!).

 

All due respect to Bill Bishop of this parish, some of your colleagues MAY need a wake up call in this respect! Bacteria and viruses love warm, body temperature and stick to gloves like there's no tomorrow! Bare hands and sanitiser are proven more effective! Protective clothing also may fall into the single use category! Once it's infected, it can infect! It ain't just you it's intended to protect.

 

Edited April 18, 2020 by JohnDMJ

[big jim]

7 hours ago, CovDriver said:

 

Jim just a quick one how much PPE have you been provided with such as gloves, sanitizer etc.... 

As we've been given nothing at all apart from cabs being sanitised overnight and if your lucky a squirt of hand sanitizer when we book on duty, staysafe Jim. 

 

Cheers 

 

Colin

I’ve only had one loco with Disposable gloves carried in the cab however we have them at strategic points such as fuel plants and terminals etc

 

thete are wipes in the cabs though, every loco has those so we can wipe down the controls etc when we get on or off, similarly I carry some in my bag for the hire cars 

 

Loco cans are being deep cleaned and disinfected with a solution that supposedly lasts a month, don’t think I’ve had one of those locos yet either as I’ve been stuck with the same few over the last month

 

anyway, a couple more from yesterday

 

deserted crewe

 

unique avanti voyager passing landor st

 

and my train to manchester

 

possession tonight between crewe and Nantwich, no doubt I can annoy @Iron Horse by trundling past his house at 5mph dropping ballast 

 

 

 

[Phil Mc]

1 hour ago, big jim said:

 

possession tonight between crewe and Nantwich, no doubt I can annoy @Iron Horse by trundling past his house at 5mph dropping ballast 

 

 

 

 

Do me a favour, give him a blast on the tones from me !!

 

Cheers,

Phil.

[big jim]

Oh I fully intend to! 
 

he’ll probably be out in his shorts anyway

[Phil Mc]

6 minutes ago, big jim said:

Oh I fully intend to!  GOOD !!
 

he’ll probably be out in his shorts anyway  Yeah, he's always been weird like that !

 

Cheers,

Phil.

[Iron Horse]

What time Jim???? Do you want a brew?

Edited April 18, 2020 by Iron Horse

[big jim]

I leave basford hall at 00:20ish and trundle to Nantwich at 5mph from there 

[Iron Horse]

1 hour ago, big jim said:

I leave basford hall at 00:20ish and trundle to Nantwich at 5mph from there 

 

Thanks Jim, I look forward to it, I'm right next to the black 45 on the yellow background sign 

[newbryford]

6 hours ago, big jim said:

 

Loco cans are being deep cleaned and disinfected with a solution that supposedly lasts a month, don’t think I’ve had one of those locos yet either as I’ve been stuck with the same few over the last month

 

 

 

I guess the way it's going, you could each have your own loco - no need to wipe down before/after other drivers!

[big jim]

I’ll bagsy a class 47 then