Don Coffey cab ride video discussion

[bengley]

Be that as it may, these are not TOC rules and therefore not the sort of thing that a local manager can authorise.

As I work for the same company as Don and my videos have also been linked in this thread I can confirm that it wasn't just local management involved in the approval process. It was all above board (hence Don's videos from that company are still available)

 

[sw1ller]

The videos could be used as route learning videos, there could be some changes that can’t be updated quickly enough. It’s a safety issue and it’s right that don has taken measures to ensure all our safety. Just be thankful for the good that don has done. The charity donations are something to be proud of.

 

[the sniper]

The videos could be used as route learning videos, there could be some changes that can’t be updated quickly enough. It’s a safety issue and it’s right that don has taken measures to ensure all our safety.

If this was a problem, I dread to think how many other responsibilities we can't trust Drivers to manage.

 

[Tom Quinne]

If this was a problem, I dread to think how many other responsibilities we can't trust Drivers to manage.

Front line railway professionals aren’t trusted at all.

 

[43066]

It’s a safety issue and it’s right that don has taken measures to ensure all our safety.

It really, really isn’t.

If this was a problem, I dread to think how many other responsibilities we can't trust Drivers to manage.

Quite.

 

[Railwaysceptic]

Another cab ride channel I enjoy Is freight rambler

I used to and I still re-watch his original videos made when he had a fixed and stable camera. I've given up since he changed to his current style.

As I work for the same company as Don and my videos have also been linked in this thread . . . .

I think I can guess which are your videos. They are excellent and I very much hope you will not delete them.

 

[GB]

The videos could be used as route learning videos, there could be some changes that can’t be updated quickly enough. It’s a safety issue and it’s right that don has taken measures to ensure all our safety.

I find it very hard to believe that is a legitimate issue. If it were then better ban all these train simulators, cab videos from 125 studios, 225 studios etc etc.

 

[Evolution]

I work out of the same depot as Don, whilst I don’t know him personally, I have seen him a few times and from what I hear he’s a great guy who goes above and beyond his duty.

As others have said he got authorisation from management at an high level at TPE so all was good. It seems like the issue is with one of the other TOCs he’s recently been filming as the TPE videos are still up.

I drive over some of the routes filmed and whilst I don’t use them for route learning purposes they are a fantastic tool for entertainment value, certainly for people outside the industry.

The sad thing is the fact that the charities will be the ones who lose out as he was donating all the ad revenue from YouTube.

 

[Tomnick]

Be that as it may, these are not TOC rules and therefore not the sort of thing that a local manager can authorise.

I'm pretty sure that they are all TOC rules, given that each TOC has its own (often quite widely varying) policy for electronic devices. Local management might not be able to authorise it, but someone within the TOC ought to be able to. After all, is a suitably risk-assessed device quietly sitting in the secondman's window any different to a manager with an iPad for assessment purposes or a company-issued tablet intended for the driver's use?

 

[O L Leigh]

I'm pretty sure that they are all TOC rules, given that each TOC has its own (often quite widely varying) policy for electronic devices. Local management might not be able to authorise it, but someone within the TOC ought to be able to. After all, is a suitably risk-assessed device quietly sitting in the secondman's window any different to a manager with an iPad for assessment purposes or a company-issued tablet intended for the driver's use?

Yes of course, I am aware that as part of the rail industry's endless decentralisation a lot of stuff has been devolved to the TOCs/FOCs and as such each will have it's own policy on certain matters which can vary from place to place. However, the ORR/RSSB will have a view on this also and exist to lead on policy through research, etc. While the focus has been on unauthorised use of mobile phones, there is concern over other devices that are not authorised.

For example, there was some concern about the level of cab noise where I worked before so I used a borrowed sound meter to monitor and report back. This meter, not unlike Don's camera, sat on the desk and gave me a reading of the maximum decibels at the end of each trip. At the end of the time I submitted a report to my managers who sent it on to RSSB (I think). Their response was "That's very interesting, thank you. Now please tell your driver to stop using an unauthorised device in the cab".

 

[Bevan Price]

Yes of course, I am aware that as part of the rail industry's endless decentralisation a lot of stuff has been devolved to the TOCs/FOCs and as such each will have it's own policy on certain matters which can vary from place to place. However, the ORR/RSSB will have a view on this also and exist to lead on policy through research, etc. While the focus has been on unauthorised use of mobile phones, there is concern over other devices that are not authorised.

For example, there was some concern about the level of cab noise where I worked before so I used a borrowed sound meter to monitor and report back. This meter, not unlike Don's camera, sat on the desk and gave me a reading of the maximum decibels at the end of each trip. At the end of the time I submitted a report to my managers who sent it on to RSSB (I think). Their response was "That's very interesting, thank you. Now please tell your driver to stop using an unauthorised device in the cab".

Unfortunately, I think a lot of organisations (not just in the railway industry) have a quota of pen pushers and control freaks who think they know better than the people actually doing the real work, and like to make rules that tell people what to do -- even when people are doing nothing to interfere with job efficiency or safety, and nothing that is illegal.

 

[O L Leigh]

Unfortunately, I think a lot of organisations (not just in the railway industry) have a quota of pen pushers and control freaks who think they know better than the people actually doing the real work, and like to make rules that tell people what to do -- even when people are doing nothing to interfere with job efficiency or safety, and nothing that is illegal.

Perhaps so. But if you know that stepping outside of these boundaries, arbitrary or otherwise, is going to land you in hot water, you learn to stay inside of them if you value your living. We all know that there are rules and instructions that come down the chain which make little sense, so we just shake our heads and get on with it. We all know it’s just a game.

 

[Envoy]

I see that Avanti West Coast have uploaded some videos from the cab called ‘Tales From The Tracks’. I have only had a look at one section and unfortunately they have some silly music going rather than the noise of the train. I also cannot get it to work in full screen mode. Perhaps they used a low definition camera? Not upto Don’s standard!

Tales from the Tracks | Avanti West Coast

Sit back and enjoy the cityscapes and scenery seen on the trip from London Euston to Glasgow Central, with narration from Avanti West Coast drivers Dave Egerton and Darran Townsend. These unique videos are loaded with fun facts, fascinating landmarks and personal memories. Come and enjoy the ride!

www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk

 

[Deepgreen]

Thanks. That's sad.
Sounds like a victory for one of the many over promoted clerks and other cant do people who seem run things these days.
Could this be the end of all cab rides including the excellent Video 125 DVDs you can buy.
K

However, if a driver had relied on an unofficial video, and it had been noticed, but not acted upon, by an "over promoted clerk" then we know who would have been among those answering questions in the event of an incident. Extremely unlikely, I know, but that is the industry/world today. Common sense and a disclaimer should be adequate to prevent the scenario, but...

It also brings to mind a recent TV offering which showed the entire West Highland extension in HD from a camera mounted on the buffer beam of a 'Black Five'. No commentary and almost no music - could easily have been construed as a route-learning opportunity by those so minded!

 

[High Dyke]

As others have mentioned, a real shame that some of Don's content has been removed. I too have watched various journeys he has filmed. As for using them for route learning purposes I take an example from the Scarborough - Leeds journey. It mentioned about the number of level crossings between Scarborough and York. It didn't name every crossing, be it User Worked , Manned or Automatic/Controlled, but did state that driver's needed to know the name of every crossing. Well I sat there from Scarborough to York enjoying the view from the front window and the historical notes that were mentioned, but there's no way I know how to drive a Cl.68, know every level crossing on that particular route or information required to competently drive a train over that section.

 

[Howardh]

I see that Avanti West Coast have uploaded some videos from the cab called ‘Tales From The Tracks’. I have only had a look at one section and unfortunately they have some silly music going rather than the noise of the train. I also cannot get it to work in full screen mode. Perhaps they used a low definition camera? Not upto Don’s standard!

Tales from the Tracks | Avanti West Coast

Sit back and enjoy the cityscapes and scenery seen on the trip from London Euston to Glasgow Central, with narration from Avanti West Coast drivers Dave Egerton and Darran Townsend. These unique videos are loaded with fun facts, fascinating landmarks and personal memories. Come and enjoy the ride!

www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk

And also the camera behind a very dirty spot on the window!!

 

[the sniper]

I see that Avanti West Coast have uploaded some videos from the cab called ‘Tales From The Tracks’. I have only had a look at one section and unfortunately they have some silly music going rather than the noise of the train. I also cannot get it to work in full screen mode. Perhaps they used a low definition camera? Not upto Don’s standard!

Tales from the Tracks | Avanti West Coast

Sit back and enjoy the cityscapes and scenery seen on the trip from London Euston to Glasgow Central, with narration from Avanti West Coast drivers Dave Egerton and Darran Townsend. These unique videos are loaded with fun facts, fascinating landmarks and personal memories. Come and enjoy the ride!

www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk

Poor picture quality due to being recorded with a potato, to get around having an electronic device in the cab?

 

[Crossover]

I see that Avanti West Coast have uploaded some videos from the cab called ‘Tales From The Tracks’. I have only had a look at one section and unfortunately they have some silly music going rather than the noise of the train. I also cannot get it to work in full screen mode. Perhaps they used a low definition camera? Not upto Don’s standard!

Tales from the Tracks | Avanti West Coast

Sit back and enjoy the cityscapes and scenery seen on the trip from London Euston to Glasgow Central, with narration from Avanti West Coast drivers Dave Egerton and Darran Townsend. These unique videos are loaded with fun facts, fascinating landmarks and personal memories. Come and enjoy the ride!

www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk

Looks like they're uploaded in Full HD (1080p) but fullscreen is barred, I believe as part of the embedding code (there are various tricks that can be employed within the embed code)

Clicking on the title of the video will take you to YouTube itself where there are no such restrictions and the video can be fullscreened (no help for the dirty window, however!)

Here is a link to the first video, for reference:

https://youtu.be/EudVYXDT-NI

 

[QueensCurve]

From his Youtube channel.

This is sad and dare I say easilly solved. A simple warning that "This is not official materials and must not be taken as up to date for the purpose of drivers' route learning" would surely suffice.

 

[malc-c]

I see that Avanti West Coast have uploaded some videos from the cab called ‘Tales From The Tracks’. I have only had a look at one section and unfortunately they have some silly music going rather than the noise of the train. I also cannot get it to work in full screen mode. Perhaps they used a low definition camera? Not upto Don’s standard!

Tales from the Tracks | Avanti West Coast

Sit back and enjoy the cityscapes and scenery seen on the trip from London Euston to Glasgow Central, with narration from Avanti West Coast drivers Dave Egerton and Darran Townsend. These unique videos are loaded with fun facts, fascinating landmarks and personal memories. Come and enjoy the ride!

www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk

I've not looked at all the clips, but in fairness it doesn't appear to be a full cab ride, more a selection of 10 minute sections from points along the route. Dons videos on the other hand were often hours long and covered the journey in full.

It's a real shame that Don has had to remove the videos, but I can see both sides given some of the points raised in this thread. Sadly I feel this is trend. One channel I used to subscribe to was a dutch paramedic who used to video the blue light run of the shouts he got, always fading to black as he approached the location of the call. It seemed that someone in the service reported his videos to the "powers that be" stating two factors, one that trainees could use his videos as training media, and that in some cases it showed poor judgement or the service in an unprofessional manner. Granted it's different to train cab rides, but just highlights the issues when people record and put up such videos in the public domain

 

[Llama]

I shouldn’t think so. No one should be using unofficial material for route learning anyway.

That's all we've got at some TOCs!

 

[Envoy]

Looks like they're uploaded in Full HD (1080p) but fullscreen is barred, I believe as part of the embedding code (there are various tricks that can be employed within the embed code)

Clicking on the title of the video will take you to YouTube itself where there are no such restrictions and the video can be fullscreened (no help for the dirty window, however!)

Here is a link to the first video, for reference:

https://youtu.be/EudVYXDT-NI

Many thanks for the tip - so much better to see it in full screen. How could they have been so stupid as to not have a clean windscreen - even at the start from Euston!

 

[43066]

Many thanks for the tip - so much better to see it in full screen. How could they have been so stupid as to not have a clean windscreen - even at the start from Euston!

That was clean (you’ve clearly never tried to clean the windscreen of a train in summer ).

 

[Trainfan2019]

After reading this thread I was intrigued and had a look at some of Don's videos on Youtube. Excellent productions from start to finish and such great 4k quality. There were more videos of his on Youtube as I thought I'd read it was just TPE ones that were left on there. I definitely watched 2 of his Northern rail ones this morning.

 

[Envoy]

After reading this thread I was intrigued and had a look at some of Don's videos on Youtube. Excellent productions from start to finish and such great 4k quality. There were more videos of his on Youtube as I thought I'd read it was just TPE ones that were left on there. I definitely watched 2 of his Northern rail ones this morning.

I know of two Transport for Wales ones that have been removed:> Chester to Holyhead and Chester to Liverpool via Runcorn.

 

[the sniper]

I know of two Transport for Wales ones that have been removed:> Chester to Holyhead and Chester to Liverpool via Runcorn.

Wasn't another Chester to B'ham New Street, taken down not long after it went up?

 

[Ianno87]

Wasn't another Chester to B'ham New Street, taken down not long after it went up?

Chester to Birmingham International via Shrewsbury in fact.

And very good it was too - real shame to lose it after only a couple of weeks.

 

[Serathor]

Chester to Birmingham International via Shrewsbury in fact.

And very good it was too - real shame to lose it after only a couple of weeks.

Yes... I never got to finish it.

 

[Envoy]

Chester to Birmingham International via Shrewsbury in fact.

And very good it was too - real shame to lose it after only a couple of weeks.

So, yet another Transport for Wales one removed!

 

[Dynamonic]

All the EMR ones went too, sadly. The St. Pancras one he did was shown off earlier in the year on the official EMR Facebook page with credit to Don, as part of a series they did about life in the Driver’s cab.

I’m saddened to see so many of his great videos disappear.