West Somerset Railway General Discussion

Sorry but I disagree. If someone is close enough to your train to get knocked over by it you are not going to stop in time to prevent that happening whether they are wearing HV or not. Why do I need a yellow vest on when I am alighting from my loco to attach/detach it from my train? Or for getting down to change points? What I need is adequate PTS training which is far more pertinent than the assumed protection of a yellow jacket. Within reason lets at least try to keep a heritage feel about what we do and where possible dispense with unnecessary HV wear.

Peter James

 

In total agreement, Peter. Hi-viz is not a magic shield to protect you. It helps the driver see you at a distance and sound a warning but when trains are close it is 100% down to you to be in a safe position.

 

This might be true but there is NO evidence that I am aware of that Hi Vis clothing has the magical properties assigned to it.

 

Yeah, sorry about that. The guy with the black camera bag and shapeless hat is me!

 

I am certain that no one posting here seriously believes that there are magic hi-vis jackets.
What is really under discussion - or should be - is how you maintain the safety of people when they are often to be found is a place that can be dangerous.
The safety record seems pretty good for most heritage lines, probably due to good training and judgement.
Even so it is worth remembering that many visitors to these lines are having a (hopefully) relaxing day out and may well not be quite alert as they could be.

 

Yes, but this issue isn’t about visitors - it is about shunting operations within a yard.

Tom

 

Matt Green, Swanage GM, calls high-vis vests 'train scarers'.



How about...



Robin

 

So are you planning to get the WSR converted to 2'6" then, to stop these people who are wanting to have the WSR returned to the national network due to the problem of different gauges.

 

I was fortunate to enjoy a footplate ride on 6960 at last years Spring Steam Gala.

I was issued with a Footplate Safety Requirements leaflet and in the section on dress, as well as requiring the participant to
wear cotton rich fire retardant overalls and safety boots or strong shoes, it states:

"Furthermore, when visiting or walking in areas not open to the public, high visibility vests must be worn".

To be honest, I was a little surprised that I wasn't required to wear high vis whilst on the footplate.

Stef.

 

What protection would doing so have afforded you?

Tom

 

That loco looks rather smaller than 2'6" gauge.

 

The wearing of HV is in the main so you are visible to loco crews so they can warn you of their approach. They are not a magic suit of armour and only need to be worn where neessary. Why would you need them on the footplate, you are not going to get run over by your own loco are you. As for loco crew not wearing HV when coupling up remember my first sentence. The driver knows where you are because you have come to a clear understanding that you are going between and he wont move the loco untill you are out.

Similarly when fetching my tail lamp from the non platform side it is more important that I remove the vac bag from its dummy to stop vac being created ensuring the train will not move before reaching up for the lamp .

When I am on the ground doing a train examination I will wear HV as arriving loco crew need to see me and as my attention is on checking the train I might not be aware of their arival

There is no need for HV on the platform or on an authorised walking route, ones concentration is entirely devoted to being aware of train movements .

 

It was a livery suggestion.

Robin

(Close on 40 years' association with heritage railways has taught me that if you want to distract folk from any serious / embarrassing / difficult question, the thing to do is to start a livery debate .... its irresistible.)

 

High viz ON the footplate is completely unnecessary as you are in a place of "safety" from a trackside point of view. There are of course other hazards to be aware of but high viz affords no protection from those.

Footplate staff are discouraged from wearing high viz whilst on the footplate as synthetic materials are not the best things to wear in hot areas from a safety point of view, it looks most unprofessional & certainly detracts in photographs.

 

None at all, of course, Tom.

There were three crew on the footplate and I felt that, if nothing else,
they would be better able to keep an eye on me and ensure that I was
behaving correctly in what is a very hostile environment for those not
used to it.

Stef.

 

When you are examining your train do you not get a block on the adjacent line? At Pickering we regularly sit outside the station while the guard and C&W do their stuff. We are only allowed into the station when they have notified New Bridge that they are finished, by which time the opertunity for a cup of tea and a bacon butty has gone. There really should not be any need for operating staff to wear HV clothing in a station area.

Peter

 

Peter - it depends where you are on SVR. At Kidderminster you have an island platform with greater than normal 6ft between the platform lines and the engine lines so you are working in a relativly safe area and would wear HV as locos arrive from Bewdley. At Bridgnorth the 6ft is sub standard and you do take a block on the opposite platform line. There are special arrangements if you are there before the bobby. I would still wear HV for train prep.

If I found an issue when doing prep, anywhere on the line I would ask the bobby for a block

 

I'm not sure I would describe the 6' at BH as "sub-standard", just that it is the normal double track 6' and with platforms either side has no "escape route". You do also have the point rodding runs down the 6', carriage watering hoses lying on the ground, and no steps in the platform face. Hence, we have the line block procedure to maintain safety.

 

It is also quite dangerous. In the event of a blowback, the nylon melts and sticks to the skin.

Best avoided.

 

SVR steam footplate crews do not wear hi-viz clothing for any part of their rostered duties. There is no requirement for any staff, paid or volunteer, working within the confines of Bridgnorth locoshed and yard to wear hi-viz clothing. None of our footplate crew are issued with hi-viz clothing, and very few indeed even possess hi-viz clothing of their own.

Hi-viz is mandatory for P-way, S&T or any others working on SVR running lines.

At the end of the day, it is down to each railway's safety management system to determine what is required.

Andy