Don Coffey cab ride video discussion

[Envoy]

I note that Don responded to a lot of the comments. I think this would have ended up being an impossible task as the number of videos increased. If it had been me, I would have done the important thing that brought pleasure to lots of people - simply film, edit and upload.

 

[Chris Hamilton]

Seems a bit odd to me, this route learning issue. Sounds like the kind of thing some genius in the messroom or divvy manager would come up with to discourage his enthusiasm, 'ya know, if some Driver watches your out of date videos and has an incident, they'll blame you and the HM Rail Inspector will be knocking at your door!'.

Can't blame him if he doesn't want to put the work into them though.

Bothy lawyers. I’ve worked on the railway for 16 years across two employers and 4 different locations, and every bothy and depot has two things, 1) Know-it-all staff members, spreading their own brand of morale boosting knowledge, complete with binding legal opinions and new methods to avoid doing any tasks themselves and 2) Jumped up office staff who couldn’t spell ”Railway” let alone do the job on track (Whether collecting tickets, behind the controls or on the ballast), out to make a name for themselves and will report you for having too many sugars in your tea.

NB - I started with my current employer in an office based role, and jumped at the chance to take a pay cut and go out on track 12 years ago because I couldn’t tolerate the office politics and constant attempts to undermine each other. Haven’t looked back, and the thought of an office based role (as I cant go any higher on track) is terrifying.

 

[Eloise]

Please bear in mind that some can’t be frontline or track based due to not being able to pass the medical. Not necessarily their fault or their choice that they may be stuck in the office.

 

[Chris Hamilton]

Please bear in mind that some can’t be frontline or track based due to not being able to pass the medical. Not necessarily their fault or their choice that they may be stuck in the office.

I didn’t refer to all office staff, just the wannabe manager types. We all know who they are. As I stated, I was in the office myself to begin with.

 

[Railwaysceptic]

Railmart's latest YouTube video has a disclaimer pointing out that the video is for entertainment purposes only and not for route learning. None of Railmart's previous videos has any such disclaimer so it seems Don Coffey's predicament has been noted by others.

 

[DorkingMain]

I do despair that any TOC thought it was acceptable to use some (not at all in date) videos made for enthusiasts as route learning materials. Then again nothing really surprises me these days...

I didn’t refer to all office staff, just the wannabe manager types. We all know who they are. As I stated, I was in the office myself to begin with.

From experience the ones that try too hard to be all-knowing are usually the ones that get it wrong the most. I don't regret leaving the rails to work in the office (my health was never amazing anyway) but I'd never let anything leave the office with my name on it if I wasn't certain it was watertight.

 

[Grumpy Git]

Bothy lawyers. I’ve worked on the railway for 16 years across two employers and 4 different locations, and every bothy and depot has two things, 1) Know-it-all staff members, spreading their own brand of morale boosting knowledge, complete with binding legal opinions and new methods to avoid doing any tasks themselves and 2) Jumped up office staff who couldn’t spell ”Railway” let alone do the job on track (Whether collecting tickets, behind the controls or on the ballast), out to make a name for themselves and will report you for having too many sugars in your tea.

NB - I started with my current employer in an office based role, and jumped at the chance to take a pay cut and go out on track 12 years ago because I couldn’t tolerate the office politics and constant attempts to undermine each other. Haven’t looked back, and the thought of an office based role (as I cant go any higher on track) is terrifying.

Hear hear.

 

[jfowkes]

Don Coffey has put an update on the Community page on his YouTube channel:

Don Coffey

www.youtube.com

In the post, he asks that the members of railforums are thanked for their kind comments and that they are linked back to his post. So that's me doing that.

 

[Crossover]

Here's a link to the post directly

Don Coffey

Sorry I’ve not been in communication for so long but for various reasons, as anticipated, I’ve simply not had chance. I said I’d update you on the reasons as...

www.youtube.com

Sorry I’ve not been in communication for so long but for various reasons, as anticipated, I’ve simply not had chance. I said I’d update you on the reasons as to why I’ve stopped posting videos. I’ve had some really nice comments from you guys, many of which I now consider friends and it was the subject of quite a lot of discussion and speculation on UK Railforums. There were some really nice comments over there too. If any of you are members, would you pass on my sincere thanks and link them to this message.

 

[jfowkes]

Here's a link to the post directly

Don Coffey

Sorry I’ve not been in communication for so long but for various reasons, as anticipated, I’ve simply not had chance. I said I’d update you on the reasons as...

www.youtube.com

Thanks, I couldn't do that from the YouTube mobile app.

 

[js1000]

Don't work in the railway industry but in my profession we are always told never to aspire to learn information to know them off-by-heart, but to look them up as the regulations change so often now. Whenever I saw Don's videos (which were great) I couldn't help but thinking they would inevitably have to be taken down as they grew in popularity for this reason. Having said that the "politics" between TOCs and unions is dismaying.

 

[fflint]

Thanks Don for low down on what's been going on. Can I thank you for all the videos you have posted for both me and thousands others who have enjoyed them. If you don't manage to put anything else on, your existing videos will stand as a testament of high quality filming and insider comments on the railway.

Best wishes Don from me and,I'm sure, all your fans would agree.

 

[Railwaysceptic]

Don't work in the railway industry but in my profession we are always told never to aspire to learn information to know them off-by-heart, but to look them up as the regulations change so often now. Whenever I saw Don's videos (which were great) I couldn't help but thinking they would inevitably have to be taken down as they grew in popularity for this reason.

Why? No other provider of in-cab videos has felt the need to remove them. The prolific Railmart is adding a few each week.

 

[malc-c]

To be honest, his statement gives an indication as to what happened, or why, but doesn't go into any specifics or sets it out in clear black and white bullet points, so I'm guessing that there is more to it in these discussions between TOC and Unions, and a public forum or media platform is not the place to document them. I doubt that we will fully know the finer details, and we all have to respect that.

Hopefully whatever the finer points are, a compromise can be found and we will see return of Dons videos in the near future

 

[sw1ller]

It really, really isn’t.



Quite.

soooooo, I was exactly right?? Weird that eh!

 

[QueensCurve]

I am particlarly looking forward to Sheffield to Picaddily or vice versa via Hazel Grove. I hope this is planned.

 

[Darandio]

I am particlarly looking forward to Sheffield to Picaddily or vice versa via Hazel Grove. I hope this is planned.

From Don Coffey? The whole subject of the thread is that he is no longer doing them.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

From Don Coffey? The whole subject of the thread is that he is no longer doing them.

His new statement indicates that some of the removed videos may return following negotiations and that some other routes may even appear in due course.

 

[Darandio]

His new statement indicates that some of the removed videos may return following negotiations and that some other routes may even appear in due course.

Silly me, I thought the statement was only the four lines quoted above.

 

[Railwaysceptic]

I am particlarly looking forward to Sheffield to Picaddily or vice versa via Hazel Grove. I hope this is planned.

There is already a Sheffield to Piccadilly via Hazel Grove video but not from Don Coffey and, sadly, with poor picture quality.

 

[bramling]

His new statement indicates that some of the removed videos may return following negotiations and that some other routes may even appear in due course.

Great news.

 

[Mollman]

I am particlarly looking forward to Sheffield to Picaddily or vice versa via Hazel Grove. I hope this is planned.

You could always buy Video125's Manchester - Cleethorpes cab ride

 

[Requeststop]

I'm a huge fan of cab ride videos from all over the world. If you have the right programme (app) you can copy the videos very easily. Presently on Youtube RailMart has some excellent videos. They start with an announcement that the videos are not for training or route learning purposes. Today I found a great ride from Barnetby to Gainsborough Central via Brigg. RailMart's videos are silent which takes away some of the pleasure but is a rare treat to find. Hopefully Don will come back to give us all Cab Ride fans some new treats.

 

[Railwaysceptic]

I'm a huge fan of cab ride videos from all over the world. If you have the right programme (app) you can copy the videos very easily.

Please enlighten us. I'd love to be able to save the best of these videos to future-proof myself against them being removed.

 

[nlogax]

Presently on Youtube RailMart has some excellent videos.

Indeed, and their preview footage of a 47 run up the WCML looks and sounds great. Looking forward to it.

 

[Trackman]

Please enlighten us. I'd love to be able to save the best of these videos to future-proof myself against them being removed.

It depends what browser you use.
I use Firefox so I just search for You Tube downloader in the add-ons section.

 

[Railwaysceptic]

It depends what browser you use.
I use Firefox so I just search for You Tube downloader in the add-ons section.

Thank you. I'll try that.

 

[Trackman]

Thank you. I'll try that.

No Problem.
Some are better than others, so try a few first.

 

[Railwaysceptic]

His new statement indicates that some of the removed videos may return following negotiations and that some other routes may even appear in due course.

Last night I noticed that the freight movement from Wakefield Kirkgate to Knowsley has returned.

 

[A.Butler]

...the return trip from Warrington BQ to Wakefield is now back! ... 3hrs 45mins of "Covid relief"!

Lets hope there will be more on the way