We are required to carry a torch. Maybe the Driver didn't feel that it was required. I don't think I would have taken one either. They would of had lighting from the coaches.
-
Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
Dispatching a train in the dark under DOO
- Thread starter mrbouffant
- Start date
- Status
We are required to carry a torch. Maybe the Driver didn't feel that it was required. I don't think I would have taken one either. They would of had lighting from the coaches.
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
Yes, I’m quite surprised they don’t have IR illuminators. For the driver they’d turn night into day on the cameras, even quite low powered illuminators would be enough. IR wouldn’t cause problems by dazzling the pax either or annoying locals as high powered white lights could.
And what about some poor sod left stranded in the dark because the train didn't stop?
TheSel
Member
You mean guards walk quicker than drivers?
Surreytraveller
On Moderation
- Joined
- 21 Oct 2009
- Messages
- 2,810
A guard can despatch the train from more locations than the driver can drive the train from. The driver needs to get back to the front
Surreytraveller
On Moderation
- Joined
- 21 Oct 2009
- Messages
- 2,810
Trouble is, once the train has stopped, it needs to be despatched even if the doors haven't been released. There will be intending passengers on the platform trying to open the doors
Upper Warlingham is in the middle of nowhere with no street lights, housing or anything to provide ambient light
Also doesnt the driver have to "lock" or whatever the correct term is, before leaving the cab?
Where there's a will, there's a way as witnessed at Paddington this month - surprised I didn't notice copious references to the same already.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-46804914
Appreciate closing a terminus is significantly different to an individual station but power outages happen.
I'm pretty sure IR lighting powered by batteries and IR capable cameras is a good option in these circumstances. Pretty sure the tech exists even if not widely deployed.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-46804914
Appreciate closing a terminus is significantly different to an individual station but power outages happen.
I'm pretty sure IR lighting powered by batteries and IR capable cameras is a good option in these circumstances. Pretty sure the tech exists even if not widely deployed.
Passengers shouldn't be using stations which are in total darkness. If the station has no lighting at all, the operator of the station should endeavour to restore it as soon as possible. If this cannot be done e.g. because there's a widespread power cut, they should provide temporary lighting. In the time that it takes to get this into place (or possibly until the sunrise, if the station isn't all undercover) there probably will be some trains cancelled. There will be disruption whatever happens. If trains have to be cancelled for an extended period of time, alternative transport should be provided. It seems that the disruption was that great on this occasion.
The power could fail at a station when there's a train or trains at the platform. It could be an unstaffed station too, and the driver can't get everyone to leave the station (but can and will report it to control).
Degraded dispatch would mean locking each carriage one by one, or in one hit with a 700. Then checking each coach one by one.
Degraded dispatch would mean locking each carriage one by one, or in one hit with a 700. Then checking each coach one by one.
Elecman
Established Member
In my early railway career in the 1980s if a station had no light the trains didn’t stop but ran through till some form of lighting could be arranged ( on one occasion that was me with my Bardic lamp and a personal lantern torch of my own
I mean, he could have just leaned out of the window and shouted, "Hello. This is the driver. Is anyone trapped in the doors?" but sure, waste 15 minutes walking around in the dark to make a point when people just want to get to work, sounds pretty much par for the course with trains.
Surreytraveller
On Moderation
- Joined
- 21 Oct 2009
- Messages
- 2,810
You're not going to hear someone shouting at you 12 coaches away.
Well, there isn’t really much point in discussing this is there.
OxtedSignaller
Member
- Joined
- 31 Jul 2010
- Messages
- 360
Following the correct laid down procedure and checking the train is safe to depart is better than being sent down and serving time for manslaughter when somebody is trapped in the doors.
Panupreset
Member
- Joined
- 8 May 2015
- Messages
- 173
How many people commenting on here have actually ever dispatched a DOO train?
So when I’m up in front of the judge at crown court for dragging someone underneath my train because I just shouted down the platform some 200+m away “is anyone trapped” and the person who is was trapped couldn’t respond for whatever reason I’m sure the judge would give me free bed and board at the local prison for a few years for my troubles of not checking the dispatch corridor correctly.
Don't they dispatch themselves....
bunnahabhain
Established Member
- Joined
- 8 Jun 2005
- Messages
- 2,070
That entirely depends upon the location itself, at some locations I have to walk forwards or backwards to check my entire train is safe before departure, and if I'm working a HST set then again location specific I may have to walk the length of the train to check all doors are secured before dispatch.
It could well be that as Drivers are not generally on the platform to dispatch and they're in a degraded working situation they may have to walk the length of the train and manually shut the doors using the porters buttons on the ends of each coach that are commonly found in DOO land.
Bat and Ball (Thameslink) did not have trains stopping for about 3 hours yesterday due to a fault with the station lighting.
Thameslink Twitter
Thameslink Twitter
theageofthetra
On Moderation
- Joined
- 27 May 2012
- Messages
- 3,504
Which is quite correct. I have a duty of care to my passengers and if they fell down an unlit underpass as my own local station has then I'd rather not be explaining to a judge led enquiry why I did open the doors.
I sincerely hope you don't have job that requires any form of safety training or a duty of care to others.
You do sound like someone that proves the need for others to have said training and look out for people who can't help themselves.
frediculous
Member
- Joined
- 23 May 2017
- Messages
- 110
A few months back Rainham station had no power.
Trains continued to stop (the level crossing still had lights, I presume these were from the same feed as the signals, which were also still on) and the station staff used torches to help people. They also used their phones and shouting in the building to provide train information (one of them who is a bit of a joker added "International" to every stop on the high speed service).
I don't know how the trains were dispatched, as all would have had a guard. There's often other staff there in the morning catching trains so perhaps they are trained and helped.
Would have been chaos if the station has been closed.
Trains continued to stop (the level crossing still had lights, I presume these were from the same feed as the signals, which were also still on) and the station staff used torches to help people. They also used their phones and shouting in the building to provide train information (one of them who is a bit of a joker added "International" to every stop on the high speed service).
I don't know how the trains were dispatched, as all would have had a guard. There's often other staff there in the morning catching trains so perhaps they are trained and helped.
Would have been chaos if the station has been closed.
londonteacher
Member
- Joined
- 10 Aug 2018
- Messages
- 672
Surely the driver did the right thing, necessary or not, so that they felt safe leaving the station. Whether policy dictates that he should walk the platform or not is irrelevant - did the train dispatch safely? I'd rather be traveling on a train that was safe than one that caused injury/killed a passenger.
Aictos
Established Member
- Joined
- 28 Apr 2009
- Messages
- 10,403
Words fail me! Sounds like a one way ticket to prison for Manslaughter so well done!
If you're going to hear someone from 8 coaches away then you def will not hear someone from 12 coaches away.
Indeed, First has their If it's not safe then don't do it policy which is quite right and what everyone regardless of their job should emulate.
If anyone has any qualms about doing it safely as @OxtedSignaller has posted above, I recommend you read up on the Merseyrail guard who got 5 years at Her Majesty's Pleasure after he got found guilty of manslaughter.
The procedure is there for a reason and not to waste time.
I have with over a decade of doing so with various types of both DOO and non DOO services so I am very much aware of what happens in the process both from a passenger POV and a staff POV.
Some DOO services have the driver complete the dispatch duties solo while other call at stations which have dispatchers provided to instruct the driver when it is safe to close the doors and to instruct the driver when it is safe to depart using CD/RA equipment, flag and bat or a LED bat.
But you knew that?
Indeed, same here.
A little obvious from the first post but yes, I play choo choos too.
PS. I sign 700s
bengley
Established Member
- Joined
- 18 May 2008
- Messages
- 1,843
The signaller talks to the TOC's control. A signaller wouldn't authorise anything until they've spoken to control. I would still speak to the signaller in this situation even if I spoke to control too, so why not cut out the need to speak to two people myself by just going through the signaller?
Quite a lot of passengers barely listen , and some wear headphones . Even today about an hour and a half ago , I pulled into s station and all but one passenger got on . Hadn't heard the train , turned round and ran before I left . I could have had a megaphone and not been heard.
Sparky much lol.
- Status