Footplate crew training manual - does your railway have one?

I'm intending to put together a training book for prospective footplate trainees (ie cleaners) at my railway, and wondered if such a thing exists already at other heritage railways? I know all the information can be found in various publications including Rule Books and the Handbook for Steam Loco Enginemen, but if any railway has already put something together I'd be grateful for any information to save me reinventing e wheel. My intention is to write it in logical order, from booking on, through lighting up, prep, operating and disposal.
Thanks!

 

Hi,
I don't think the IOW Steam Railway has a formal training book as these things are usually taught by practical lessons. Many railways that offer training through to an NVQ will have to have a much more formal structure to their training, so perhaps they will have such a book (or will do that is completed as part of the NVQ process).

There have been many books over the years though, you mention the 'black book', there is also the Engine Driver's Manual by Brian Topping, one shorter book produced by the Sian owners group, not to mention various other 'official' books published by railway companies themselves over the years. The KESR website has a few good 'how it works' documents on it too.

 

On the K&ESR we issue cleaners with a log book which contains various elements and modules which all have to be signed off by assessors before a firing test can be taken. We've found that it makes sure anyone taking a firing test has no surprises and is generally competent in all areas of the job. The log book covers all aspects of the fireman's job including health and safety, customer service (an area often seen as unimportant) shunting, working groundframes, crossing gates etc, etc as well as the stuff more associated with the locomotive. PM me if that's the sort of thing you're interested in.

 

We do something similar for cleaners at Foxfield and I'm working on something similar to progress firemen to driver. In the one for cleaners each competance has to be signed by three drivers on seperate occasions before the individual is put forward for a firing test.

 

DSR has no written book but of course we do have a written competency frame work that we work to. However with such a small operating department there are not many people doing the training nor being trained. The various grades of loco crew work to very similar standards making it easier to train people, from one hymn sheet as it were.

 

Swanage have an A4 Logbook (can't remember how many pages) that gives information of what cleaners need to learn before they can be passed out, and they hold regular MIC that issue associated handouts.

 

The GCR has a modular training book for the cleaners to progress to firemen I think