Dispatch of guard operated trains at Reading

atraindriver · 7 May 2019

RailUK Forums

craigybagel · 8 May 2019

Mojo said:
I’ve always wondered why Pendolinos seem to be dispatched using RA indicators at stations where all other trains use their bell/buzzer.

I used to be a dispatcher for Virgin. I asked that question. Nobody knew the answer! 9 car Pendolinos had to use RA, 10 car Voyagers had guards using the buzzer. Very odd.

And if a a Pendolino was using the one platform at the station that for reasons unknown didn't have RA equipment, you had to ask the driver first what they wanted to do as they all seemed to have different opinions and it caused many an argument.

Mind you, that was better then the situation with a certain charter company who's guard on a loco hauled, non CDL fitted slam door set got very angry with us when we refused to activate the RA until he'd shut his own door. Took a few minutes of negotiations to sort that one out.

atraindriver said:
It's how trains were despatched from Birmingham New Street throughout the 1990s (and for years before that, too), the flag thing coming in during the early 90s and being the source of various "discussions" over whether or not a green flag was properly visible in that gloomy subsurface rathole, and whether or not handlamps should be used instead.
Regardless of flag or lamp, RA was used at New Street for at least 20 years that I know of.

At my own TOC it's a specific instruction that we MUST use green lamp at all times at Birmingham New Street, rather then green flag. Conversely, at Manchester Piccadilly we MUST use green flag at all times, and not green lamp.

nuts & bolts · 8 May 2019

craigybagel said:
I used to be a dispatcher for Virgin. I asked that question. Nobody knew the answer! 9 car Pendolinos had to use RA, 10 car Voyagers had guards using the buzzer. Very odd.

And if a a Pendolino was using the one platform at the station that for reasons unknown didn't have RA equipment, you had to ask the driver first what they wanted to do as they all seemed to have different opinions and it caused many an argument.

Mind you, that was better then the situation with a certain charter company who's guard on a loco hauled, non CDL fitted slam door set got very angry with us when we refused to activate the RA until he'd shut his own door. Took a few minutes of negotiations to sort that one out.

At my own TOC it's a specific instruction that we MUST use green lamp at all times at Birmingham New Street, rather then green flag. Conversely, at Manchester Piccadilly we MUST use green flag at all times, and not green lamp.

Are the platform dispatch staff using lamps or bats at these two stations.

craigybagel · 8 May 2019

nuts & bolts said:
Are the platform dispatch staff using lamps or bats at these two stations.

Lamps at New Street, bats at Piccadilly.

Bletchleyite · 8 May 2019

craigybagel said:
Lamps at New Street, bats at Piccadilly.

Presumably this is because Nyaw Stroight can be a bit dark whereas Picc is open to natural light and has very bright lighting?

Is the preference for using RA where fitted because it avoids "ding ding and away" because it can't be shown against a red signal?

LowLevel · 8 May 2019

Bletchleyite said:
Presumably this is because Nyaw Stroight can be a bit dark whereas Picc is open to natural light and has very bright lighting?

Is the preference for using RA where fitted because it avoids "ding ding and away" because it can't be shown against a red signal?

Historically it has been used to relay the RA on trains without driver guard communications or DOO services to reduce the obvious issues there but yes at places like New Street and Man Picc with complex layouts and sub standard signalling overlaps it's used as a SPAD mitigation measure.

Dispatch of guard operated trains at Reading

atraindriver

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craigybagel

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nuts & bolts

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craigybagel

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Bletchleyite

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LowLevel

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