1968 BR training course for instructors on Freight Train Loads

[BR traction instructor]

Having been fortunate enough to recently obtain, via Ebay, period BR Faverdale house (Darlington) training course documents (from the first course) for the depot instructors that went on to train freight guards/shunters at local traincrew depots, it is clear from reading through them that they are also a window on the period BR thinking/structure/modus operandi. I'll add a few scans regularly until the documents are completely shown below. A nice extra touch with the complimentary sketch map is that it is reproduced on the reverse side of another document to make use of waste paper. This shows how the trains shown in the period Working Timetables are subject to weekly amendment according to demand. I have a feeling that the 7Z61entry at the bottom is the special daily flow of plate wagons carrying limestone boulders to South Wales for construction of the harbour/breakwater at Port Talbot...

 

BeRTIe

Edited July 13, 2023 by BR traction instructor

[43110andyb]

We had a family friend whom I believe worked in the training school at Faverdale - Ronald Davis Evans (also a local football referee and I believe he ran the line in an FA cup final). He put in a good word when I applied for my (still) job in the S&T department back in 1989.

[BR traction instructor]

I've not noticed his name amongst these documents Andy but it could yet turn up.

 

BeRTIe

[BR traction instructor]

[BR traction instructor]

[BR traction instructor]

The 7Z61 Margam to Tunstead empties mentioned above reminded me of a cracking period picture by the late Barking Bill on his Flickr site. The headcode on this loaded working at Newport suggests that it was a WTT working by this time but still adds much to the written document by supporting it with a period image...

 

BeRTIe

[D7063]

Thanks for these fascinating scans BeRTIe!!

I like the written instructions about which bus to get and where to get off, and even how to hold the chalk when writing on the board etc :)

 

[BR traction instructor]

Too good to keep to myself...they need to be aired to make the pleasure and insight available to all.

 

BeRTIe

Edited July 14, 2023 by BR traction instructor

[The Stationmaster]

Darlington had a fearsome repi utation as a training grond for Course Instructors although those were clearly short course by Darlington standards - the usual Methods of Instruction was four weeks.

 

The fascinating thinga about those course notes is justjhow much of what the mention doesn't seem to have been mentioned on the actual training itself which concentrated very much on explaining what the system was meant to do ('make things a lot easier') and then how it would do it.  Then, after time for questions, progress to  practical exercises in the training venue to put together calculations,  check them against Load Tables, and  check that the Brake Force was sufficient for theClass of train which could take that load.

 

The instructirs I came avcross were either existing Traffic grades Inspectors or people who had been selected to act as trainers and had presumablyy been sent to the Darlington course to prepare them for the job.  I think the chap who did the course I attended was one of the latter and aome might well have been among those who went on to the Freight Train Incentive Bonus Scheme investigation and assessment team.  Hwhoever it was a good one day course, plus a free linch in the canteen at Reading Signal Works.

 

That list of train alterations above Bob Arnott's name is an amendment to the LMR (Freight Train) Marshalling Instructions  anfd nota timetable amendment.  At that time, and for many years after, the WTTs were amended  by printed supplements issued several times during the currency of the timetable plus any changes made between Supplement dates which were usually published as part of Weekly Notices or occasionally as separate amendment notices.    Weekly notices included programmed alterations, cancellations, and specials for the following week, plus out-of-gauge load transit conditions (and timetanbe alterations when needed).  weekly Notoces were then amended as necessary by the daily Notice - when time allowed. or were wired out, or were altered at short notce by Control.  In addition a Special Notices would be published for  any particular additional fl;ose such as Channel islands spuds or tomatoes ior banana traffic from docks and so on..

[The Stationmaster]

1 hour ago, D7063 said:

Thanks for these fascinating scans BeRTIe!!

I like the written instructions about which bus to get and where to get off, and even how to hold the chalk when writing on the board etc :)

 

I think all the BR trai ing schools included that somewhere or other with the paper work they sent out in advance.  Certainly the case in all of those I attended at various times - Derby School of Transport (as it originally was);  Harrogate Work Study School;  Webb House at Crewe;  The Grove.a few miles outside Watford,;the old West Signal Box training school at Cardiff;  the WR Restaurant Car training school near Windsor (I went there for an interview and the food was superb, .and even the WR Training Centre at Westbury where the instructions said - 'Turn left out of the station entrance and the Training Centre is in front of you just across the road'.

 

They even sent you the same instructions if you were going there to lecture to a course  but not if you were going there to a meeting to put a course together.

[BR traction instructor]

[D7063]

Really enjoying these - Interesting that they have used 'code' in the Diesel loco description, obviously to avoid confusion with 'class' when describing they freight train type. 

[SED Freightman]

Thanks for publishing these old documents, interesting to see that Jack Ilett was on the course, he was Station Manager, Maidstone East when I started in 1978.

[BR traction instructor]

11 hours ago, SED Freightman said:

Thanks for publishing these old documents, interesting to see that Jack Ilett was on the course, he was Station Manager, Maidstone East when I started in 1978.

Most of the course participants are probably no longer with us, 55 years is a considerable time ago.

 

BeRTIe

[BR traction instructor]

13 hours ago, D7063 said:

Really enjoying these - Interesting that they have used 'code' in the Diesel loco description, obviously to avoid confusion with 'class' when describing they freight train type. 

The various period Freight Train Loads books that I have do show a code for each class of loco...maybe this is associated with that.

 

BeRTIe

Edited July 15, 2023 by BR traction instructor

[BR traction instructor]

[BR traction instructor]

[The Stationmaster]

On 14/07/2023 at 17:46, D7063 said:

Really enjoying these - Interesting that they have used 'code' in the Diesel loco description, obviously to avoid confusion with 'class' when describing they freight train type. 

It isn't actually 'code' but the class designation number.  The first operational use of the standardised Class designation nubers was introduced with the new Freight Train Loads system in 1968 and began appearing on loco data panels from that year.  It made things far simpler because all you needed from then on to get loco information for load and brake force calculation was the Class Identifier number and not all sorts of reference to loco running number groups and having to know what a Brush Sulzer Type 4 was etc.

 

Previously if uyou moved from one Region to another locos were usually identified in a completely different way, even going so far as different class identifier numbers, in the Load Book of your new Region from the way they had been identified in the Load Book of your previous home Region.  The new stem had the huge advantage of being national.

 

The Class designators finally made it into loco running numbers some years later when the M&EE people finally got the necessary funds to renumber the fleet and identify various sub-groups (v which had already been created for M& EE use)within the running number.  What many people call 'TOPS numbers-

[BR traction instructor]

Edited July 17, 2023 by BR traction instructor

[BR traction instructor]

Edited July 17, 2023 by BR traction instructor

[BR traction instructor]

[The Stationmaster]

And to think we had to learn all of that on a one day course!!  (with a lunch break)

[BR traction instructor]

[BR traction instructor]

[The Stationmaster]

Incidentally one little known side effect of the new Freight Train Loads system was that those who planned it recognised the need to compile loads in all weathers.  and of course details had to be written down as the Guard or train Preparer progressed along a train.  

 

So BR  managed to obtain a stock of biros which could write in wet weather and on damp paper and they acr tually did what it said on the tin,  In outwards appearnce they were just like any other BR biro - with a wooden outer shell instead of the more usual plastic;o much nicer to hold that a plastic biro.