I'm afraid that I've come over all "Bill Oddie" after yesterday, having spent the day on our suburban lines.
A combination of the good weather and slower trains meant that I got to see some of the wildlife that makes it's home along the verges of the railway. Chief amongst these was the urban fox. Normally I don't much care for them as I don't consider them as noble as their rural cousins. Somehow I can't believe that ransacking people's bins for leftovers is not an honest way to earn a living. However, on this particular day they were at leisure and variously playing with their cubs in the cess or just lounging around sunning themselves (including one particularly bold individual lazing on the platform at Highams Park in the middle of the day).
Unfortunately, the day was not a complete oasis of tranquility, as there were two springs that I evidently weren't watching closely enough. I was just leaving Liverpool Street when the spring that I thought was pushing the rubber door stop onto the floor decided it needed a break and allowed the cab door to swing in towards me. As it wasn't something that I'd expected to happen it caught me a little off-guard and, as an impulse, I stuck my hand out to stop it slamming shut on me. However, in doing so I must have momentarily released the DSD allowing the spring to break the circuit. Being as I was driving a Class 315 at the time, it had me in an instant as the brakes jammed on hard. So, there I was stuck like a lemon half in and half out of Liverpool Street station and blocking up all the trains on that side while waiting for the two minute time-out to expire so that I could get the brakes off and be on my way. I felt so embarrassed that I just wanted the ground to open up and swallow me.
All of this was quite enough for one day, so I was glad that I'd already finished by the time that torrential rain hit. It apparently caused a fair bit of chaos because the line flooded at various points. In the meantime, I was having my own problems trying to find a parking space in the shallow end of Tesco car park.
Wednesday 14 June 2006
Tuesday 6 June 2006
Dispensing the unpleasantries
Well, it's been an unusual day for me today. The job I was on today required me to travel as a passenger on almost as many trains as I had to drive. However, the sun was out and I was in a good mood, so everything went swimmingly. Perhaps it was the weather that put everyone in a better mood than normal and made them better disposed towards everyone else, as more people were seen to be smiling and taking the time to stop and talk. I even had a few "thank you's".
The first train I worked was what I jokingly call "the school bus", as it is used heavily by children on their way home from school. They had obviously invented a little game to see who was the bravest and could stay off the train the longest at each stop without getting left behind. They must have had a great deal of practice, as they evidently knew exactly how long the door hustle alarms sound for before the doors themselves start to close. No matter how far they had strayed from the train when I made to close the doors, they always managed to get back on.
Of course, when the weather's hot we begin to feel the heat. Driving around with the windows open can be tricky, as it makes the cab very noisy. Two trips like that and I realised that the hearing in my left ear had been temporarily deadened. It wasn't a problem when in the train as I could still hear all the cab systems, but it became noticeable the moment I sat down in a quiet spot for a break (although everything returned to normal within a few minutes). So, it was cab vent only after that. These are generally brilliant when you're belting along, but they have no filters on them. Consequently anything that gets scooped up from the outside is spat straight into the cab. It is for this reason that they are sometimes referred to as "wasp dispensers". Wasps weren't my problem today, but midges were. Each time I swatted one another would appear as if by magic. On the return trip, I made sure I kept everything closed so that at least one cab remained a mozzie-free haven. Thankfully by then the evening was beginning to cool down.
The first train I worked was what I jokingly call "the school bus", as it is used heavily by children on their way home from school. They had obviously invented a little game to see who was the bravest and could stay off the train the longest at each stop without getting left behind. They must have had a great deal of practice, as they evidently knew exactly how long the door hustle alarms sound for before the doors themselves start to close. No matter how far they had strayed from the train when I made to close the doors, they always managed to get back on.
Of course, when the weather's hot we begin to feel the heat. Driving around with the windows open can be tricky, as it makes the cab very noisy. Two trips like that and I realised that the hearing in my left ear had been temporarily deadened. It wasn't a problem when in the train as I could still hear all the cab systems, but it became noticeable the moment I sat down in a quiet spot for a break (although everything returned to normal within a few minutes). So, it was cab vent only after that. These are generally brilliant when you're belting along, but they have no filters on them. Consequently anything that gets scooped up from the outside is spat straight into the cab. It is for this reason that they are sometimes referred to as "wasp dispensers". Wasps weren't my problem today, but midges were. Each time I swatted one another would appear as if by magic. On the return trip, I made sure I kept everything closed so that at least one cab remained a mozzie-free haven. Thankfully by then the evening was beginning to cool down.
Sunday 4 June 2006
Left hand - Right hand
I've been quite a busy bunny of late. I have now "signed" all the routes with the exception of Cambridge, and have been back out driving again. As promised, I have been enjoying a much more varied workload, with trips out to Stratford, Ilford and Hertford East. I do still get the occassional Airport turn, but it's no longer my staple work.
Of course, being back in the cab means that I've been directly involved with the fun and games that have been going on. By far the most amusing incident involved an emergency speed restriction that has been put in on the 'Down' Suburban line at Bethnal Green station. Once Network Rail knew that it was required, it should have been a simple matter of putting out the relevant lineside signs on each line, but oh no. What started off as a single board facing the wrong way on the 'Down' Main soon escalated into a farce of huge proportions.
When I called it in to the signaller, he informed me that he'd already been told and that someone was going out to sort it. Sure enough, as I left London I saw a track worker doing the honours. I did feel a little sorry for him as I went by, as he was stranded out in the middle of a six track stretch of line with trains whizzing by on all sides. I don't suppose that it helped that me on the 'Down' Suburban and an Anglia driver on the 'Down' Main both whistled him up at exactly the same time while another train approached in the other direction along the 'Up' Suburban. For the lack of anywhere better to stand, he just flattened himself against the boards he was adjusting and hoped for the best. Even though he was obscuring them, I wasn't sure that he hadn't made matters worse by turning all three boards on that post around. As I passed by the same spot again almost two hours later I could see that this was exactly what had happened, so I called it in for a second time. The signaller was incredulous and sounded not a little pissed off with the news, but I had no idea why. I only learned yesterday that the reason for this was that it had taken six attempts to get these boards facing the right way, and even then this only happened because they sent out a different bloke at the sixth attempt.
That's not to say that I've been above such matters myself. I almost had a stand-up row with the signaller on the Harlow workstation because I had convinced myself that I had the wrong headcode. He was right of course, but I was out of his area before I'd realised my mistake. I blame the 5am start and the similarity between the "6" on my outbound headcode and the "9" on my return trip, so skipped ahead to the headcode of my next working. What a twit...!! I've not heard anything more about it, so I presume he had a laugh about it with his colleagues but did nothing more about it.
Of course, being back in the cab means that I've been directly involved with the fun and games that have been going on. By far the most amusing incident involved an emergency speed restriction that has been put in on the 'Down' Suburban line at Bethnal Green station. Once Network Rail knew that it was required, it should have been a simple matter of putting out the relevant lineside signs on each line, but oh no. What started off as a single board facing the wrong way on the 'Down' Main soon escalated into a farce of huge proportions.
When I called it in to the signaller, he informed me that he'd already been told and that someone was going out to sort it. Sure enough, as I left London I saw a track worker doing the honours. I did feel a little sorry for him as I went by, as he was stranded out in the middle of a six track stretch of line with trains whizzing by on all sides. I don't suppose that it helped that me on the 'Down' Suburban and an Anglia driver on the 'Down' Main both whistled him up at exactly the same time while another train approached in the other direction along the 'Up' Suburban. For the lack of anywhere better to stand, he just flattened himself against the boards he was adjusting and hoped for the best. Even though he was obscuring them, I wasn't sure that he hadn't made matters worse by turning all three boards on that post around. As I passed by the same spot again almost two hours later I could see that this was exactly what had happened, so I called it in for a second time. The signaller was incredulous and sounded not a little pissed off with the news, but I had no idea why. I only learned yesterday that the reason for this was that it had taken six attempts to get these boards facing the right way, and even then this only happened because they sent out a different bloke at the sixth attempt.
That's not to say that I've been above such matters myself. I almost had a stand-up row with the signaller on the Harlow workstation because I had convinced myself that I had the wrong headcode. He was right of course, but I was out of his area before I'd realised my mistake. I blame the 5am start and the similarity between the "6" on my outbound headcode and the "9" on my return trip, so skipped ahead to the headcode of my next working. What a twit...!! I've not heard anything more about it, so I presume he had a laugh about it with his colleagues but did nothing more about it.
Thursday 25 May 2006
A to Z
Since last I wrote, I've been engaged in almost continual route learning and one by one ticking off each of the routes that I shall be required to drive. Unlike some of my colleagues, I've not been taken off from time to time to cover driving jobs, which is both good and bad. On the good side, it means that I can concentrate on the job in hand without any distractions and will hopefully be able to rattle off all the routes in short order.
On the negative side, I am beginning to feel that the pace is perhaps a little too fast for my own liking. My preference would be to learn a route and then, having "signed" it, get a chance to drive over that route a few times on my own so that I can start to become properly familiar with it before moving onto the next one. Admittedly I do already have the advantage of having driven almost all of our routes several times when out with my minder. In addition, not everyone feels the same way as me, with a few mentioning that they are perfectly happy with the pace of learning.
Even so, I have raised this as an issue with the managers and, to their credit, they are taking my request seriously. I have already had one day next week when I was rostered to be learning the line north to Cambridge changed to a driving job which will see me out on my own at Hertford East and at Ilford depot, and I have been promised that there will be more before I have to knuckle down again to learn Cambridge.
Beyond that, there's not been much to report. I've only had a handful of driving jobs since my last entry, and those that I have had have passed relatively uneventfully. That's not to say that things have been quiet on our lines. Our unlucky streak has continued over the past few weeks with repeated issues affecting the overhead electrification. By my reckoning there have been four cases of "dewiring" and one failed booster transformer, all of which have required the current to be isolated for varying periods of time. There has also been a freight train derailment to contend with, together with the usual problems that plague us from time to time. Thankfully there have been no further fatalities.
On the negative side, I am beginning to feel that the pace is perhaps a little too fast for my own liking. My preference would be to learn a route and then, having "signed" it, get a chance to drive over that route a few times on my own so that I can start to become properly familiar with it before moving onto the next one. Admittedly I do already have the advantage of having driven almost all of our routes several times when out with my minder. In addition, not everyone feels the same way as me, with a few mentioning that they are perfectly happy with the pace of learning.
Even so, I have raised this as an issue with the managers and, to their credit, they are taking my request seriously. I have already had one day next week when I was rostered to be learning the line north to Cambridge changed to a driving job which will see me out on my own at Hertford East and at Ilford depot, and I have been promised that there will be more before I have to knuckle down again to learn Cambridge.
Beyond that, there's not been much to report. I've only had a handful of driving jobs since my last entry, and those that I have had have passed relatively uneventfully. That's not to say that things have been quiet on our lines. Our unlucky streak has continued over the past few weeks with repeated issues affecting the overhead electrification. By my reckoning there have been four cases of "dewiring" and one failed booster transformer, all of which have required the current to be isolated for varying periods of time. There has also been a freight train derailment to contend with, together with the usual problems that plague us from time to time. Thankfully there have been no further fatalities.
Friday 5 May 2006
No news is good news
It's gratifying to say that things have been very quiet of late. I completed the last of my twenty solo turns without incident and am now out learning the rest of the routes that will eventually make up my workload.
So far I've been learning the Enfield Town and Hertford East branches, which are both pretty straightforward. However, from Monday I shall be starting to learn the routes around Stratford which will culminate the week after with the hefty stretch of line from London Liverpool Street to Seven Kings, which I'm assuming will include Ilford depot. However, on Wednesday of next week I shall have the mother-of-all route exams, as I attempt to sign three routes in a single day. Admittedly it's far from ideal, but it's just happened that way because of the way that rest days and annual leave has fallen.
In the meantime, I've been kicking back and enjoying the sunshine whilst on my rostered week of leave. It's a bit inconvenient that it's fallen where it has, but it's been nice to have a long lie-in and catch up on those niggling little jobs that I've been studiously ignoring whilst at work.
So far I've been learning the Enfield Town and Hertford East branches, which are both pretty straightforward. However, from Monday I shall be starting to learn the routes around Stratford which will culminate the week after with the hefty stretch of line from London Liverpool Street to Seven Kings, which I'm assuming will include Ilford depot. However, on Wednesday of next week I shall have the mother-of-all route exams, as I attempt to sign three routes in a single day. Admittedly it's far from ideal, but it's just happened that way because of the way that rest days and annual leave has fallen.
In the meantime, I've been kicking back and enjoying the sunshine whilst on my rostered week of leave. It's a bit inconvenient that it's fallen where it has, but it's been nice to have a long lie-in and catch up on those niggling little jobs that I've been studiously ignoring whilst at work.
Wednesday 19 April 2006
Company man
Looking back over the past few entries, it seems that all I've done is whinge about how rotten my luck is and all the things that have gone wrong. Since then, things have been very quiet and I've just got on with my booked jobs with little in the way of incident. The problem with this (if it can be called such) is that there's very little of interest to report.
That said, today was another one of "those days". A fire overnight at Hackney Downs had knocked out the signalling in the immediate vicinity of the station which meant similar arrangements being put in place to when the wires came down at the same location a fortnight back. As I still don't "sign" the Stratford route, I was almost left on the sidelines after the first part of my job was cancelled. This deficiency on my route card means that when such diversions are in force I am, as the supervisor put it, "as much use as mudflaps on a tortoise". So, for the first hour or so I sat spare in the messroom. Unbelievably this was the first time ever that I've had to do this, and I was looking forward to getting away early. Typically, this state of affairs didn't last as I was called on to relieve another driver and, by the time I'd got to London, there was enough signalling back on for me to continue with my booked job.
Prior to all this excitement, I have been getting stuck in with the punters. Mostly it's been pointing out which train goes where or just confirming that the train with the orange "Stansted Express" branding is in fact the Stansted Express and that, yes, it does indeed go to London. However, there have been a few more challenging queries that I despatched with aplomb. Although it isn't really part of my job I actually enjoy the contact with people, especially as the driving itself can be fairly solitary experience. If only the managers who took my induction last year could have seen me, their little hearts would have burst with pride.
My workload should be getting more varied soon, as I've been informed that I have almost completed my twenty solo turns and will be out route learning next week. In some respects, I'm surprised that I've not yet done the twenty turns as it seems to have taken ages. Admittedly, taking a little leave after qualifying plus the previous unpleasantness at Clapton has padded things out a fair bit, but even so. By the summer I should have completed my route card and will be a fully fledged driver, albeit still a probationer. However, route learning does mean that I shall be away from the cab for a little while until it's completed. I shall just have to make sure I make the most of the last few core route jobs while I've got them.
That said, today was another one of "those days". A fire overnight at Hackney Downs had knocked out the signalling in the immediate vicinity of the station which meant similar arrangements being put in place to when the wires came down at the same location a fortnight back. As I still don't "sign" the Stratford route, I was almost left on the sidelines after the first part of my job was cancelled. This deficiency on my route card means that when such diversions are in force I am, as the supervisor put it, "as much use as mudflaps on a tortoise". So, for the first hour or so I sat spare in the messroom. Unbelievably this was the first time ever that I've had to do this, and I was looking forward to getting away early. Typically, this state of affairs didn't last as I was called on to relieve another driver and, by the time I'd got to London, there was enough signalling back on for me to continue with my booked job.
Prior to all this excitement, I have been getting stuck in with the punters. Mostly it's been pointing out which train goes where or just confirming that the train with the orange "Stansted Express" branding is in fact the Stansted Express and that, yes, it does indeed go to London. However, there have been a few more challenging queries that I despatched with aplomb. Although it isn't really part of my job I actually enjoy the contact with people, especially as the driving itself can be fairly solitary experience. If only the managers who took my induction last year could have seen me, their little hearts would have burst with pride.
My workload should be getting more varied soon, as I've been informed that I have almost completed my twenty solo turns and will be out route learning next week. In some respects, I'm surprised that I've not yet done the twenty turns as it seems to have taken ages. Admittedly, taking a little leave after qualifying plus the previous unpleasantness at Clapton has padded things out a fair bit, but even so. By the summer I should have completed my route card and will be a fully fledged driver, albeit still a probationer. However, route learning does mean that I shall be away from the cab for a little while until it's completed. I shall just have to make sure I make the most of the last few core route jobs while I've got them.
Wednesday 12 April 2006
Won't they learn...?
Well folks, it's the early hours of Wednesday morning and I've had a very rare occurrence. Today's shift went almost entirely without hitch. I say almost entirely, as things didn't go precisely as planned. However, given the dramas that I've suffered recently, being swapped off one pair of units and onto another was hardly dramatic.
The same couldn't have been said about Sunday evening's job, though. The first pair of units I took over were dreadful. The London-end unit was on half power only due to a traction motor fault suffered earlier in the day, while the country-end unit leaked like a sieve into the driving cab. Because the driving desk was awash with water and contains circuits energised at 110 volts DC, I refused to take the units back to the airport on the grounds of safety. Being a Sunday I had hoped that this would get me out of a round, but they had other ideas for me and asked if I could shunt the units seperately into a vacant platform so that the formation would be reversed and the leaky cab "boxed-in". This was all new to me, but the signaller talked me through the move so that it went smoothly. Sadly, I only managed to get halfway through the shunt when I was asked to take just the single unit that had been at the London end for my next working rather than completing the shunt. I agreed to this, but informed them that the unit was only on half power to which their response was "half power is better than no power". It was by far the slowest run to the airport that I've ever done, which wasn't helped by a lack of grip due to wet rails.
It seems that the spate of fatalities on our lines has not impressed on people just how dangerous the railways are. I had a terrible feeling of foreboding yesterday that there would be another one that evening, and that it could happen to me. This wasn't helped any when I saw two young lads on the Up side cess by Sawbridgeworth not more than a few metres from my train. Although I'm pretty poor at judging ages, I would have to guess that they couldn't have been aged more than 10 and 8, and were probably brothers. Imagine what their mother must have felt if the Police had to go and break the news to her that her two boys had been killed because they had been trespassing on the railway. This, together with the number of fatalities and other mischief that we have experienced of late, is why I have chosen to display prominent links to the excellent Track Off website which aims to educate children and young people about the dangers posed by the railways.
The same couldn't have been said about Sunday evening's job, though. The first pair of units I took over were dreadful. The London-end unit was on half power only due to a traction motor fault suffered earlier in the day, while the country-end unit leaked like a sieve into the driving cab. Because the driving desk was awash with water and contains circuits energised at 110 volts DC, I refused to take the units back to the airport on the grounds of safety. Being a Sunday I had hoped that this would get me out of a round, but they had other ideas for me and asked if I could shunt the units seperately into a vacant platform so that the formation would be reversed and the leaky cab "boxed-in". This was all new to me, but the signaller talked me through the move so that it went smoothly. Sadly, I only managed to get halfway through the shunt when I was asked to take just the single unit that had been at the London end for my next working rather than completing the shunt. I agreed to this, but informed them that the unit was only on half power to which their response was "half power is better than no power". It was by far the slowest run to the airport that I've ever done, which wasn't helped by a lack of grip due to wet rails.
It seems that the spate of fatalities on our lines has not impressed on people just how dangerous the railways are. I had a terrible feeling of foreboding yesterday that there would be another one that evening, and that it could happen to me. This wasn't helped any when I saw two young lads on the Up side cess by Sawbridgeworth not more than a few metres from my train. Although I'm pretty poor at judging ages, I would have to guess that they couldn't have been aged more than 10 and 8, and were probably brothers. Imagine what their mother must have felt if the Police had to go and break the news to her that her two boys had been killed because they had been trespassing on the railway. This, together with the number of fatalities and other mischief that we have experienced of late, is why I have chosen to display prominent links to the excellent Track Off website which aims to educate children and young people about the dangers posed by the railways.
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