Train fails to stop at Pilning

[ATW158Xpress]

Yesterday Saturday 22 September 1500 2C81 Cardiff to Taunton failed to call at Pilning and was on time.

The passenger doing the Pilning challenge had to get off at Patchway and get a taxi to Pilning which is unacceptable.

What’s the TOC policy regarding drivers who fail to stop at a station?

 

[jamesst]

It's called being human, anyone can make mistakes. And the driver,if it was his mistake, would be subject to internal disciplinary procedures, none of which would be revealed on here

 

[ATW158Xpress]

Seen it on Twitter yesterday evening about rail enthusiast waiting to catch the one of two trains a week. 1536 train to get them to Bristol saw it coming and realised it’s was climbing the hill out of the tunnel fast and knew it wasn’t going to stop.

 

[tsr]

Whilst failing to call at any station isn't good news and will be investigated internally... despite enthusiast interest, the TOC will have little interest in anything called the "Pilning challenge" and a taxi would seem a perfectly reasonable alternative to anyone who actually wants to go to Pilning. So long as they organise it promptly, that should cover any complaints from legitimate users.

You couldn't get a train in the other direction to stop if there's no footbridge available, anyway.

(BTW... I'm entirely comfortable with saying that I quite enjoy visiting obscure stations and promoting their usage. But sometimes trains miss stops, that's life!)

 

[gazthomas]

It shouldn't be. Booked should mean booked.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

It was human error, end of story. No doubt someone local will start bleating about a corporate conspiracy though!

 

[Esker-pades]

It was human error, end of story. No doubt someone local will start bleating about a corporate conspiracy though!

Closure of Pilning by stealth! Angry noises.

Seriously though, human error happens. Given the vast number of booked stops per day, it is inevitable that someone, somewhere will miss a station once in a while. And, if it's a station that is usually bypassed anyway than it makes it slightly more likely.

 

[FOCTOC]

It shouldn't be. Booked should mean booked.

Lots of things happen in life that shouldnt or are unexpected, particularly where human beings are concerned. Are you trying to insinuate that you are the one 'perfect' human being walking the planet?

 

[DarloRich]

Yesterday Saturday 22 September 1500 2C81 Cardiff to Taunton failed to call at Pilning and was on time the passenger doing the Pilning challenge had to get off at Patchway and get a taxi to Pilning which is unacceptable. Surely what’s the TOC policy to drivers that fail to stop at a calling even if the train is on time?

Human error. Internal investigation. Meeting with manager. Stern words. Contrition. Next one is a booking son. Play on.

I assume the pilning challenge is something spottery and pointless. The offer of a taxi was entirely correct in the circumstances.

 

[robertclark125]

Driver could have been given the wrong datacard. This lists the stops the driver has to make. Happened once on an east coast service, which failed to stop at Durham.

 

[bnm]

Driver under instruction, so two people with questions to answer.

No great shakes though. There'll be another train along next week!

 

[Hadders]

Human error, these things happen.

Move along, nothing to see here.

 

[bnm]

Let's not be too dismissive of human error.

In the majority of serious incidents (acknowledging that this one wasn't) it is human error that's the primary cause.

 

[Esker-pades]

Let's not be too dismissive of human error.

In the majority of serious incidents it is human error that's the primary cause.

That's a very easy cop-out.
However, there are usually underlying causes. I remember an air crash investigator talking to the BBC on one of the various investigative pieces on the World Service who said (I paraphrase) "when one looks deeper or re-creates the crash, for example, the layout of the cockpit leads the person to make the error or training means that they think that their actions were appropriate".
IE: Failures by other things make human error more likely and there are things that have to change.

 

[bnm]

Cockpit layout and training are the responsibility of humans. In those cases they may be either primary or contributory factors. Still human error.

 

[Esker-pades]

Cockpit layout and training are the responsibility of humans. In those cases they may be either primary or contributory factors. Still human error.

They don't fall into the same category though.

 

[PHILIPE]

This sort of thing does happen but because of it being Pilning and the next train is in a week's time, it stands out moe

 

[33017]

Must be the easiest station to forget to call at. There are what, 350+ GWR services in both directions between Cardiff and Temple Meads each week and only two stop at Pilning? Most drivers who work the line will go months between calling there.

 

[uww11x]

Will also go to DAPR as it's a Reliability event. TOC will end up paying NR

 

[Llanigraham]

It shouldn't be. Booked should mean booked.

Agreed it should have stopped but being as the train is being driven by a human being sometimes mistakes happen. Funnily enough it's called "Human error" and I've no doubt you've personally made similar errors.

 

[Joe Paxton]

Yesterday Saturday 22 September 1500 2C81 Cardiff to Taunton failed to call at Pilning and was on time the passenger doing the Pilning challenge had to get off at Patchway and get a taxi to Pilning which is unacceptable. Surely what’s the TOC policy to drivers that fail to stop at a calling even if the train is on time?

I understand current policy is that they're taken out the back and put out of their misery with a shotgun. Re-education camps were tried, but not deemed effective enough. However some TOC managers are watching the latest developments in mind control techniques with interest.

 

[Dieseldriver]

Let's not be too dismissive of human error.

In the majority of serious incidents (acknowledging that this one wasn't) it is human error that's the primary cause.

This industry is more than aware of the potential consequences of human error thank you. Even 'minor' incidents such as a fail to call are dealt with and treated seriously. I've failed to call and was absolutely gutted, we all try our absolute hardest to avoid such incidents but we are not infallible.
These incidents are fully investigated, Driver is interviewed (in some cases taken off driving) and moved into a higher risk category for monitoring. It goes onto a Drivers record which is permanent.
If I have a fail to call tomorrow, I will have to declare it for the rest of my career for any other companies I apply to work for.

 

[bnm]

This industry is more than aware of the potential consequences of human error thank you

You're welcome.

Do take note of the preceding post that I was responding to.

 

[Bevan Price]

The best solution might have been special stop order on the next Cardiff to Bristol line service ???

 

[Parallel]

Must be the easiest station to forget to call at. There are what, 350+ GWR services in both directions between Cardiff and Temple Meads each week and only two stop at Pilning? Most drivers who work the line will go months between calling there.

I think it's happened at Pewsey a couple of times too, probably aggravated by the infrequent stops and the non-standard timetable in the evenings.

 

[Parallel]

The best solution might have been special stop order on the next Cardiff to Bristol line service ???

Not sure that'd work, the passengers would have probably had to travel to Filton Abbey Wood, wait 20 minutes (or 30 if it was yesterday due to a delay) or Patchway for just shy of an hour, travel through to either Newport or Severn Tunnel Jcn and by then, they would've missed the following train!

 

[ComUtoR]

Driver under instruction, so two people with questions to answer.

Ultimately there is just the one person with 'questions to answer'. The Instructor is in charge of the train and will/should take full responsibility.

 

[DarloRich]

I understand current policy is that they're taken out the back and put out of their misery with a shotgun. Re-education camps were tried, but not deemed effective enough. However some TOC managers are watching the latest developments in mind control techniques with interest.

Shooting is too good for them. Dig out their heart with a spoon. That'l learn em

 

[Mag_seven]

the Pilning challenge

What is that?

 

[bearhugger]

What is that?

Here is a link for one of the challenges http://www.pilningstation.uk/challenges/pm