Discussion
I work in a signal box, I'm at work at the moment actually. The line has been blocked overnight for engineering work, and I've had a train delivering new rail to the worksite sat ticking over for nearly 3 hours whilst they send another train driver down from Crewe in a taxi to replace the current one who has currently worked his limit of hours in a shift (10 hours I beleive)
Just wondered if people knew this sort of thing went on, I certainly didn't before joining the industry.
Just wondered if people knew this sort of thing went on, I certainly didn't before joining the industry.
The hours train operators can work are highly regulated compared, for example, to railway station staff, who can work up to 18 hours at a time in exceptional circumstances.
Quite correct too, IMO. Tired train drivers ain't a good thing safety wise.
Hours of pilots have similar restrictions and a fully loaded passenger train carries a lot more people than a jet.
Quite correct too, IMO. Tired train drivers ain't a good thing safety wise.
Hours of pilots have similar restrictions and a fully loaded passenger train carries a lot more people than a jet.
Edited by Saied on Sunday 27th April 06:37
reaper668 said:
I used to get a lot of those jobs when I worked for a local taxi firm. I could get a job to the other end of the country. The main problem for me was the company quoted so low for the job every run I did I lost money.
Really?When the 'taxi' turned up in the end it was a 56 reg Astra van so not sure what was going on there.
sniff petrol said:
reaper668 said:
I used to get a lot of those jobs when I worked for a local taxi firm. I could get a job to the other end of the country. The main problem for me was the company quoted so low for the job every run I did I lost money.
Really?When the 'taxi' turned up in the end it was a 56 reg Astra van so not sure what was going on there.
Taxi bills for frieght operating companies are over 100k per month.
Eric Mc said:
Any idea when all this engineering work obn the UK railways will be finished?
It seems to me that Victorian man built the whole (and originally larger) network in less time than 21st Century man is taking to fix it.
Thats because BR sat back and never really made any major investment in to the future of the railway and and let it all go to ruin, we are now around 25yrs behind everyone else. It seems to me that Victorian man built the whole (and originally larger) network in less time than 21st Century man is taking to fix it.
Eric Mc said:
Any idea when all this engineering work obn the UK railways will be finished?
It seems to me that Victorian man built the whole (and originally larger) network in less time than 21st Century man is taking to fix it.
Never. I work in the Industry and the UK is exceptional in that it was the first system to be built therefore the oldest, it's also incredibly complex. I look after similar trainborne equipment to that used all over Europe and we experience shock loadings far and above that seen anywhere else, our tracks are completely shagged.It seems to me that Victorian man built the whole (and originally larger) network in less time than 21st Century man is taking to fix it.
We are introducing (at last) ERTMS which, once fully up to speed, will allow us to remove trackside signalling, can you imagine how long that will take?
Apache said:
Eric Mc said:
Any idea when all this engineering work obn the UK railways will be finished?
It seems to me that Victorian man built the whole (and originally larger) network in less time than 21st Century man is taking to fix it.
Never. I work in the Industry and the UK is exceptional in that it was the first system to be built therefore the oldest, it's also incredibly complex. I look after similar trainborne equipment to that used all over Europe and we experience shock loadings far and above that seen anywhere else, our tracks are completely shagged.It seems to me that Victorian man built the whole (and originally larger) network in less time than 21st Century man is taking to fix it.
We are introducing (at last) ERTMS which, once fully up to speed, will allow us to remove trackside signalling, can you imagine how long that will take?
Apache said:
Eric Mc said:
Any idea when all this engineering work obn the UK railways will be finished?
It seems to me that Victorian man built the whole (and originally larger) network in less time than 21st Century man is taking to fix it.
Never. I work in the Industry and the UK is exceptional in that it was the first system to be built therefore the oldest, it's also incredibly complex. I look after similar trainborne equipment to that used all over Europe and we experience shock loadings far and above that seen anywhere else, our tracks are completely shagged.It seems to me that Victorian man built the whole (and originally larger) network in less time than 21st Century man is taking to fix it.
We are introducing (at last) ERTMS which, once fully up to speed, will allow us to remove trackside signalling, can you imagine how long that will take?
chris-ST220 said:
I work in the industry myself. (S&T Department for Network Rail)
It happens quite regularly to be honest, if the engineering trains arent breaking down there is no one to drive them
Which signalbox do you work mate?
Several mechanical boxes around Shrewsbury: based at Wem but also cover Harlescott, Dorrington, Marshbrook and Crewe Bank.It happens quite regularly to be honest, if the engineering trains arent breaking down there is no one to drive them
Which signalbox do you work mate?
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