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The human side of the railway...


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21 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

Consternation at St Davids, as the lunchtime trip to Exmouth is terminated with door problems, empty to depot. 7.7.2022.

 

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Forget the doors. Look at those brand new bullhead chairs and sleepers. Bullhead track is alive and well and living in Exeter. 🙂

 

Martin.

 

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5 hours ago, martin_wynne said:

 

Forget the doors. Look at those brand new bullhead chairs and sleepers. Bullhead track is alive and well and living in Exeter. 🙂

 

Martin.

 

Exeter is a long way from Network Rail HQ. Man with message in forked stick re flatbottom has yet to arrive. 

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5 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

The London District line trains had manual sliding doors up to about 1960. They could often be seen running with all doors open especially in hot weather.

I can remember experiencing that bit worrying and most passengers could have not given a dam.

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22 hours ago, 30368 said:

 

Door problems were (probably still are) a top ten reason for unit/train failure. Even when the correct maintenence practices are carried out they still failed.

I recall a trip to India a few years back when the guide took us to the main railway station in Chennai (I think) and pointed out how efficient the suburban trains were. They were absolutely packed, I pointed out that one of the major causes of train failure in the UK would be solved by applying Indian Railway practice. The suburban units had no doors!

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

There was a documentary about the main terminus in Mumbai a few years ago. As well as no doors, they have platforms both sides of the tracks, and a fresh driver and guard waiting ready for each train, with the result that the dwell time for an incoming commuter train is about 30 seconds...

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On 23/02/2023 at 09:03, martin_wynne said:

 

Forget the doors. Look at those brand new bullhead chairs and sleepers. Bullhead track is alive and well and living in Exeter. 🙂

 

Martin.

 

The siding in Dorking Main station was relaid with brand new bullhead chairs and track a few years ago.  

Peterfgf

 

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51 minutes ago, peterfgf said:

The siding in Dorking Main station was relaid with brand new bullhead chairs and track a few years ago.  

Ah, Dorking North as was in my time as a booking clerk, straight from school in 1966. 

 

There was undoubtedly a Human Side to the job. The Chief Clerk was a war-widow, poor dear, and she and the SM spent a great deal of time in his office - door locked - apparently finalising the accounts. His office windows were all obscured. At lunchtime he would then set off for home, walking up Ashcombe Road past my old skool to his tied railway cottage by Dorking Town station, where wifey no doubt fed him and mopped his fevered brow. 

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On 25/02/2023 at 11:08, Oldddudders said:

Ah, Dorking North as was in my time as a booking clerk, straight from school in 1966. 

 

There was undoubtedly a Human Side to the job. The Chief Clerk was a war-widow, poor dear, and she and the SM spent a great deal of time in his office - door locked - apparently finalising the accounts. His office windows were all obscured. At lunchtime he would then set off for home, walking up Ashcombe Road past my old skool to his tied railway cottage by Dorking Town station, where wifey no doubt fed him and mopped his fevered brow. 

That sort of thing seems to be something of which no photos appear to have been published.  This is probably due to the lack of digital cameras and mobile 'phones back in the day when such activities were something  - how shall I put it? - you came across more frequently.

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