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The Christmas Cheshireman 30/11/2013

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by BillR, Nov 24, 2013.

  1. david1984

    david1984 Resident of Nat Pres

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    If a SPAD had occured, why didn't the TPWS intervene then ?, If the suggestion is that what the stop outside Chester was about, why did it take until Shrewsbury for that to get though ?.
     
  2. 45305

    45305 New Member

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    Adding to 6029’s comments on the tour,

    Regarding the inclusion of the 37 in yesterday’s run it was understandable and certainly didn't ruin the day due to excessive assistance. I was in the rear coach on the outward and mainly it was only carrying its own weight, providing further assistance only when really required.

    There certainly was a sharp stop on the approach to a red light at Chester South Jn but I'm 99% sure that there was no SPAD at that location. As for the comment that we ran over a detonator I certainly didn't hear anything to suggest that.

    Regarding the suggestion of the driver being over hours I very much doubt that is the case. There was certainly a different driver in charge of 70013 on both the outward and return journeys.

    There was also some problems on the outward not mentioned regarding passenger pick ups. It seems someone at First Great Western got the Filton Abbey Wood passengers to travel Bristol Parkway, and on working out their mistake and returning to Filton they had missed the tour. They then travelled via Newport to Cwmbran and joined the train there. Also Hereford passengers had to travel to Ludlow where an additional stop was made due to us using the Up Relief instead of P3.

    All in all it was a good tour even with the late running and having the 37 take the train back from Shrewsbury. The sound from 70013 up Gresford Bank on the return was certainly something special.
     
  3. gwalkeriow

    gwalkeriow Well-Known Member

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    David 1984 said
    "If a SPAD had occurred, why didn't the TPWS intervene then ?, If the suggestion is that what the stop outside Chester was about, why did it take until Shrewsbury for that to get though ?. "​


    Not every signal is equipped with a TPWS loop, they were only located where a SPAD could have very dangerous consequences.​
     
  4. Neil_Scott

    Neil_Scott Part of the furniture

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    Sigh, not everywhere has GSMR nor does every signal have a signal post telephone.
     
  5. david1984

    david1984 Resident of Nat Pres

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    No need for the attitude Neil, not everyone works with GSMR and knows it inside out y'know.
     
  6. Neil_Scott

    Neil_Scott Part of the furniture

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    Well perhaps don't pretend you know everything about signalling equipment then - see your comments about TPWS too.
     
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  7. david1984

    david1984 Resident of Nat Pres

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    I think you'll find that's called a question, which you generally learn from the answer, your the one who started with a condescending tone.
     
  8. Neil_Scott

    Neil_Scott Part of the furniture

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    I'm just explaining David, but you do tend to jump to conclusions very quickly (see your comments on another forum about WCRC overloading its trains when the owner of the 44871 said that it slipped to a stand rather than stalled through overloading).
     
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  9. david1984

    david1984 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Are they not one and the same ?, whether it chuffed to a halt or the drivers spun for England, it still failed to make the hill where a lighter load would have stood a better chance.

    Still no need for the attitude regardless, I disagree with plenty of posts, but don't post something provoking unless already provoked by them.
     
  10. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Neil
    If that 'pop' at David over 44871 is to do with the Parkstone incident, then that was overloading for the climb given the standing start. If something else then I stand corrected and apologise. SPADs, GSMR, signal phones etc - that's your knowledge base so thanks for extra info.
     
  11. 6029 King Stephen

    6029 King Stephen Member

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    I was one of the Filton Abbey Wood passengers, and the farce there is one reason why I think I will never travel with RTC again.

    There was a large number of people joining there, I estimate about 40 - 50. There was no-one from RTC at the station.

    There was a person hit by a train at the next station towards Bristol, I believe this happened early morning, but I'm not sure of the timing. Anyway, the line was not taking any trains in either direction by the time we got to the station. Real Time Trains showed our train not moving from BTM. Some time after 8, a shuttle train to Bristol Parkway pulled in and we were told by one of the train staff that we were all to be taken to Parkway to join up with our service, despite the fact it was not due to go there. She said our train would not be able to come via Filton that morning.

    At Parkway we were trying to find out what was going on but no-one knew anything, and offered no help at all. Some of the group at the that point got on a bus back to Filton, but the bus was only big enough for about half the group.

    I tried to call RTC, only to get the "call back Monday when we're open" message. There was no other contact number on the paperwork or website.

    At this point RT Trains showed our train on the move and approaching Filton, then soon showed it was stopped there. The bus had just departed carrying half the group. From the window at Parkway, we then had the galling sight of our train steaming past the junction and disappearing north.

    Some of those left at Parkway started trying to find out about trains to catch it up at some point, the only possibility was going via Newport in another 40 minutes time and changing there for Cwmbran and Hereford, but the timings did not look good to actually catch the train up as we assumed it would now be trying to make up time with fast running, short water stops etc.

    My wife and I decided to try and catch it at Abergavenny by driving there - in which we were actually successful. Others in the group gave up and decided to go home. Some decided to try the Newport train, and in addition it's clear the people who got the bus back to Filton got an earlier Newport train that did overtake 70013 before Cwmbran.

    When we explained what had happened to the coach manager, he said "oh yes we know all about that, we are making an extra stop at Ludlow for the people who are coming up on the service train behind." He was nice enough but clearly not bothered about the situation.

    My issue is this. Whenever I've been with Steam Dreams, wherever I've boarded there has been a Steam Dreams person on the station with information and contact numbers. There was no-one from RTC to take charge of a bad situation, which then descended into farce, in my opinion. And the provision of no emergency contact info at all is pathetic. We had no way to get in touch with anyone, and as mentioned you can't get any help from the railway staff.

    The return shenanigans just rounded off a poor day. It was a shame because it was a great route and 70013 put on a brilliant performance. The diesel did not detract from it at all. But that's it for us, never again with RTC as they clearly do not think passenger service on the day is important enough to put any effort into. Mainline steam will be a lineside-only pastime for me from now on, and I'll go to GCR or WSR or MHR or Bluebell when I have the urge to travel.
     
  12. Neil_Scott

    Neil_Scott Part of the furniture

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    If the loco owner says that it's adhesion then I'm inclined to take his word for it, he does know a few things about steam engines and railway operation in general.
     
  13. Bifur01

    Bifur01 Member

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    But you cannot deny it was overloaded for the conditions.
     
  14. buseng

    buseng Part of the furniture

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    Sorry, but got to say something here. Not everyone knows all the in's & out's of railway operation. Us mortal "thicko's" know it's mandatory for traction equipment to have various "gizmos" fitted & could only assume the associated track equipment is installed all over the network. Because N_S is a signalman & obviously knows all the about the signalling equipment, he can't expect everyone else to. To have the attitude he has is completely ignorant & uncalled for. Yes explain, but in a polite manner. Not in an ignorant put others down way. Saying that, reading comments on here & other railway forums, railway workers are an ignorant & nasty bunch anyway & don't like being argued with..
     
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  15. Neil_Scott

    Neil_Scott Part of the furniture

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    I don't expect everyone to know the ins and outs of signalling equipment but I don't expect people to demand to know why the driver didn't use GSMR or why the TPWS didn't kick in in a presumptive manner either. If people want to ask questions then that's fine, but trying to assume things beyond their knowledge is unimpressive.
     
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  16. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    I've been around railways long enough to know enough to be dangerous . I can ask an educated question but I'm not competent enough to really know the answer, nor even if I'm asking the right question

    We are also fortunate on the forum that people like Neil are on here who can and do share some of the more technical answers which all helps improve our understanding . Without that the forum would be poorer
     
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  17. ADB968008

    ADB968008 Guest

    can we get over it please and move on.

    does anyone actually know what went wrong and where on the return ?
    as for the outbound 6029 does raise a very good point.. not having someone available to answer a passengers phone in an emergency is a pretty important lesson to learn.

    If a mobile number for an on train contact isn't practical, maybe having someone "in the office" who can relay a message, even if it's a recorded answer phone message, tweet, facebook post, or even a post on this forum would help a lot of passengers in this situation.
     
  18. alastair

    alastair Well-Known Member

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    Agreed,that really was a major shambles not to have someone from RTC at Filton if that number of people were getting on. Particularly inexplicable in that it should have been so easy for one of the many on-train RTC people to have been stationed there(obviously with the train managers mobile number available!). Hopefully RTC will learn from this,I do hope the unfortunates who gave up will get prompt refunds. RTC like to present themselves as a professional company and they should do better than this.
     
  19. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    I would just like to point out that Compass Tours do list an emergency number on their paperwork issued with the tickets, this is a mobile carried on the train, I'm surprised that RTC do not do this.
    Having a contact at every pick up station would logistically be difficult.
     
  20. malc

    malc Part of the furniture

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    Vintage Trains and Steam Dreams also provide a contact phone number on the ticket letter. (The VT one proved very useful yesterday when my train to Nuneaton was delayed by signalling problems and arrived after the VT advertised departrure time, but before the NR departure time).

    Steam Dreams do this.
     

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