Jim’s “out and about with GBRf” thread

[Nick C]

1 hour ago, CovDriver said:

We are given 5mins walking time from messroom to platform and if they're obstructing our way the train goes late. It'll only get worse now the Christmas Market is underway. 

Last time I was stopped going down to the platform because of overcrowding I tried to explain I was the driver for the train to remove this overcrowding problem but the security staff still refused = simply train departed 16mins late even though it arrived on time.

Any BTP staff on the station? You could point out that by failing to let you through they are, by wilful omission, endangering the passengers (by prolonging the overcrowding) - a serious criminal offence...

[iands]

12 minutes ago, big jim said:

It’s nothing about ‘biting’ Simon and I know your as passionate about your job but some of these new signalling schemes are terrible, it really does feel like lip service has been given to those on the ground, assurances made then ignored, sorry I’d that sounds harsh but that’s how it feels (even though deep down I know it’s far from the truth and they wouldn’t just plonk signals Willy nilly for the sake of it)

 

with regard the signals in question the line speed is only 10mph so as you say the sighting could probably be less than 7 seconds but why replace a simple gantry that’s served it’s purpose effectively for x number of decades with 2 easily visible signals with this monstrosity with a poorly sighted signal? (I’m struggling to find a pic if it’s predecessor on my phone)

 

Would the sighting spec have taken into consideration a train parked on an adjacent line? 

Couldn’t 2 simple signal posts have done the job or even just move the existing signal up the gantry to match the other, or a co-acting signal? 

 

to be honest my original post was a lot longer and a lot more critical of a lot of things wrong with the railway at the moment but i scaled it back somewhat! 

Mmmm...... Can't comment on the 'sighting' questions you raise Jim (without seeing the SSF), or why the original gantry needed to be replaced (I suspect it became unsafe in some way), but on another completely different issue, it would be interesting to see how RAMS (Reliability, Accessibility, Maintainability and Safety) is complied with when maintenance is required on the signals - I can't see any access from the gantry to the signal suspended from the gantry, so I assume access will have to be from a MEWP - which would require (in my opinion) a possession of the two lines in question. From an 'access' safety aspect probably a good point, but to require a possession of two lines to 'maintain' the signals seems to be a backward step in terms of 'operations'.

[big jim]

9 minutes ago, iands said:

I can't see any access from the gantry to the signal suspended from the gantry

that’s the first thing that struck me, I thought maybe it was replaced to make access easier but the picture shows otherwise hence my question about having those simple hinged signal posts at ground level?

[St. Simon]

1 hour ago, big jim said:

It’s nothing about ‘biting’ Simon and I know your as passionate about your job but some of these new signalling schemes are terrible, it really does feel like lip service has been given to those on the ground, assurances made then ignored, sorry I’d that sounds harsh but that’s how it feels (even though deep down I know it’s far from the truth and they wouldn’t just plonk signals Willy nilly for the sake of it)

 

with regard the signals in question the line speed is only 10mph so as you say the sighting could probably be less than 7 seconds but why replace a simple gantry that’s served it’s purpose effectively for x number of decades with 2 easily visible signals with this monstrosity with a poorly sighted signal? (I’m struggling to find a pic if it’s predecessor on my phone)

 

Would the sighting spec have taken into consideration a train parked on an adjacent line? 

Couldn’t 2 simple signal posts have done the job or even just move the existing signal up the gantry to match the other, or a co-acting signal? 

 

to be honest my original post was a lot longer and a lot more critical of a lot of things wrong with the railway at the moment but i scaled it back somewhat! 

Hi Jim,

 

I totally understand your frustration and I will freely admit that I’ve done what I think is a good design and takes into account everything, but then it turns out we’d overlooked something by accident and drivers don’t like it or (most of the time) we spot a problem, but have been prevented from fixing it fully by other factors and opinions which is intensely annoying!

 

We would like to get as much feedback from people on the ground as we can, but we have to limit it somewhere unfortunately we are limited to people’s personal opinions when we do that, which makes it look as though we’ve ignored Drivers, Signallers etc.

 

I would agree with you that on the face of it that gantry isn’t needed, but it looks like it mostly there to carry the cables to the heads, so there must be some reason that the can’t be but in a UTX.

 

Yes, sighting does take into consideration a train on an adjacent line, structures, people and any sort of distraction.

 

Simon

[Dunsignalling]

5 hours ago, big jim said:

It’s nothing about ‘biting’ Simon and I know your as passionate about your job but some of these new signalling schemes are terrible, it really does feel like lip service has been given to those on the ground, assurances made then ignored, sorry I’d that sounds harsh but that’s how it feels (even though deep down I know it’s far from the truth and they wouldn’t just plonk signals Willy nilly for the sake of it)

 

with regard the signals in question the line speed is only 10mph so as you say the sighting could probably be less than 7 seconds but why replace a simple gantry that’s served it’s purpose effectively for x number of decades with 2 easily visible signals with this monstrosity with a poorly sighted signal? (I’m struggling to find a pic if it’s predecessor on my phone)

 

Would the sighting spec have taken into consideration a train parked on an adjacent line? 

Couldn’t 2 simple signal posts have done the job or even just move the existing signal up the gantry to match the other, or a co-acting signal? 

 

to be honest my original post was a lot longer and a lot more critical of a lot of things wrong with the railway at the moment but i scaled it back somewhat! 

 

What a monstrosity.

 

Living proof that the converse of the old engineering adage that what looks right is right, is equally valid.

 

John

 

 

[corneliuslundie]

I don't think that this conversation about those signals should continue without the formal paperwork being revealed, to show why they are the way they are. Otherwise, each "side" is just stating opinions. And please don't try telling me that it is confidential. This is a safety matter of some importance.

Jonathan

[St. Simon]

4 hours ago, corneliuslundie said:

I don't think that this conversation about those signals should continue without the formal paperwork being revealed, to show why they are the way they are. Otherwise, each "side" is just stating opinions. And please don't try telling me that it is confidential. This is a safety matter of some importance.

Jonathan

Hi Jonathan,

 

I doubt you’ll get that I’m afraid, Signal Sighting Forms won’t be released to the public.

 

They aren’t confidential as you put it, but they simply aren’t generally released to the public because there isn’t a reason to 99% of the time. 

But, I agree, let’s put this conversation to bed and get back to Jim’s great pictures (which I do enjoy looking at!)

 

Simon

Edited November 3, 2022 by St. Simon

[big jim]

Just 3 from tonight, possession at nuneaton again, taking ballast to site this time 

 

bescot ready to depart 

 

class 88 

 

And a backlit shot on site 

 

RHTT rugby to bescot tonight then a weekend off before a mixed bag next week 

[big jim]

Just 2 from last night, rostering error meant I only worked the train from rugby to nuneaton instead of back to bescot! 
 

Top and tail 66s in the RHTT 

rugby

 

nuneaton

 

That’s me until Monday then intermodal, MOD, stone and possessions next week 

[big jim]

Todays job had a ‘can you just’ at the start, due to the bridge bash in Ketton one of the intermodals was stuck in hams hall and was potentially blocking the arrivals road so in was asked to come in and move it to birch coppice 

 

loco for the train needed shunting onto the front

 

Into position

 

And away to birch coppice, stopping at kingsbury to throw the points 

 

split and stabled in birch

 

Taxi to nuneaton for my booked job to trafford park 

 

freightliner 70

 

And 66

 

those services had a shunter/trainee driver on board called Bess Matthews who has a small column in rail express mag as well as being a published author, she writes and illustrates ‘Arlo’s  adventures’ which is a rail safety book aimed at kids

 

https://www.railwaychildren.org.uk/news/2022/07/arlo-s-adventures/

https://twitter.com/bessbbe?s=21&t=DinGwZm8AfpRwHkRkAWWKA

 

 

turned out my train was some 100 or so minutes late leaving Southampton but had gained a bit of time en route, arriving in about 40 late due to slack timings 

 

a good run to crewe saw us about 10 late and 4 late at Alderley edge but that meant the local stopper went in front of us, knocking us for 10-15 minutes again by the time we got to trafford park 

 

 

 

An 08 called ‘Rambo’ next to the man united ground 

 

 

Taxi home from there as my hire car is now stranded in hams hall! 
 

part of the old MSC tracks into trafford park on the exit to the terminal 

 

 

Donnington job tomorrow 

 

Edited November 7, 2022 by big jim

[big jim]

Donnington today, met it at landor st 

 

Running round in Donnington

 

About to set back 

 

And getting off it at abbey Forgate 

 

couple of days off but may be on the east west link on Thursday 

 

 

[big jim]

Today was a job in the east west link again

 

train down to Bicester 

 

and over to the site, the train was at ‘the cottage’ the old launton crossing

 

i then set back about 3/4 mile to the drop site, getting closer to Claydon by the week, I could see the chimney at the incinerator from the cab 

 

 

 

And back to the site access at Bicester 

 

Then away to the timbers ready to depart

 

The signal in the distance is the one protecting ‘Aldi junction’ 

 

and away to hinksey where the shunt driver took it off me 

 

doncaster to toton tomorrow (maybe)

[big jim]

Job cancelled today so just pass back from Oxford to Birmingham international where I went over to hams hall for my car 

 

 

 

 

 

Arrived into Birmingham international at 11am just as the 2 minute silence was about to happen, nice to see the trains in the platform waiting until the silence was over 

 

change of job tomorrow now, crewe to carlisle instead of small heath 

[big jim]

Crewe to Carlisle intermodal today

 

walked down to basford hall to meet it 

 

LSL locos 

 

DRS 68s under the new signal gantry 

 

My train 

 

Stopped in Preston for a few minutes 

 

And into carlisle 

 

Toton to coleshill tomorrow 

[big jim]

Quite a long day today, seemed to do a lot of sitting round rather than actually doing anything 

 

first bit was an MOD from Leamington to bescot, caught quite an apt Pendolino to coventry on Remembrance Sunday 

 

Leamington 

 

Into bescot face to face with a freightliner 66

 

An unusual formation, one flat wagon and 2 vans 

branded VGA

 

I picked up a couple of Bachmann lovatt spring VGAs at the Stafford show the other month as I’d remembered seeing them in the mod formation before

 

I then had to wait for my loco to come in from toton and be fuelled 

 

before taking it over to my train 

 

Departed over 2 hours late but managed to get it routed into crewe station rather than basford hall which helped gain a bit of time back for the onward driver 

 

Got to crewe and discovered I’d left my hire car key for the car I’d left at the station in the cabin at bescot so had to get a taxi home, getting the driver on one of the trains later in the day to bring it up to basford hall for me otherwise I’m knackered for getting to and from my east west jobs later in the week!! 

[adb968008]

4 hours ago, big jim said:

 

 

Departed over 2 hours late but managed to get it routed into crewe station rather than basford hall which helped gain a bit of time back for the onward driver 

 

Is there grills in the door of 66712 or is that a trick of the light ? - see top and next picture down..

[Phil Mc]

3 minutes ago, adb968008 said:

Is there grills in the door of 66712 or is that a trick of the light ? - see top and next picture down..

I reckon in the top pick the door is open and you can see the radiator/air filter ( or whatever it is ! ) inside the loco.

 

cheers,

Phil.

[big jim]

1 hour ago, Phil Mc said:

I reckon in the top pick the door is open and you can see the radiator/air filter ( or whatever it is ! ) inside the loco.

 

cheers,

Phil.

what he said!! ^^

[jpendle]

Hi,

 

On you journey from Preston to Carlisle in 66730 why did the bright headlight (sorry, I don't know the correct terminology) switch from right to left? 

 

Regards,

 

John P

[Bloodnok]

Just now, jpendle said:

On you journey from Preston to Carlisle in 66730 why did the bright headlight (sorry, I don't know the correct terminology) switch from right to left? 

Day and night settings. The day headlight is on one side, the night one is on the other.

[big jim]

1 hour ago, Bloodnok said:

Day and night settings. The day headlight is on one side, the night one is on the other.

what he said ^^
 

i switched them over at Lancaster as it was getting dark 

[newbryford]

3 hours ago, big jim said:

what he said ^^
 

i switched them over at Lancaster as it was getting dark 

 

It's grim up north.....................

[Phil Mc]

16 minutes ago, newbryford said:

 

It's grim up north.....................

 

It is on the WCML side......😜

 

Cheers,

Phil.

[jpendle]

So as I have no clue.

 

What's the reasoning behind switching the lights over?

 

Regards,

 

John P

[big jim]

the night light is under the driver so the beam is concentrated in the eyeline better and supposedly brighter, not so good in the fog though as they can blind, a lot of new applications are dual lights with a high and low beam, high for daylight so as not to blind on coming trains but if theres nothing about i sometimes use the day beam at night for added visibility, they are like daylight, shocking when you get one of the ex EWS 66s afterwards as they have rubbish headlights 

 

as it happened my loco tonight had a dodgy night light so i used the day beam but it wasnt really that much different!

 

coleshill with an XC 170 and class 70 

 

Over to Leicester for a taxi to toton

 

60s in the yard

 

the big pink one lurking in the bushes 

 

And into coleshill (day headlight lit)

 

 

and off in my hire car to lodge in Oxford for another east/west train later today 

 

Edited November 15, 2022 by big jim