Important Message RE Dangerous working Methods on the Railway.
 

http://www.raib.gov.uk/publications/...in_01_2011.cfm

The above link is from RAIB and should be read as a matter of urgency.
The contents of this report is a daming expose of slack working on the railway.
In all my time as a guard, union rep and safety rep have I seen such slackness as shown in this report.
If you do not know what you are doing, you should not be playing at trains.
No rule book, no safety critical records the list is endless.

How times have changed I have a film taken I think in the 1960 s at a yard it may have been tinsley, the shunter is running along the side of moving wagons coupling them with a pole he then runs accross the path of wagons rolling down the hump to pin them down and apply the brakes
I viewed I and thought how were people allowed to take such risks

This report has already been widely circulated round Heritage Railways and I can assure you that it has been widely read and acted on. It is causing railways to review their training schemes and paper work. Foxfield have had to make major changes to training, assessment and documentation and review all aspects of opperations.

Everyone needs to understand that Heritage Railways can no longer "Play Trains." They are run under the same rules and regulations as Network Rail and if they do not reach the standards required they will feel the full force of the law!

Best wishes,

John H-T.

I have seen that film, and when I started on the railway such things were still in go.
It takes many years to get rid of this culture of working praticies that were dangerous, all competencies have got to be on paper written down so folk can see what is required.
Such things as spectacles have to be checked and provided for train crews and a spare pair carried whilst on duty.
No more trainers when on duty, no drinking as was the norm.
I have been drugs tested at 0300hrs before I went onto the railway.
If you have a SPAD, you have to provided a sample to ensure you are clear of drugs of abuse or achol, the list goes on.

As has been said, this particular report has been arround the movement. Sadly there are several railways under improvement notices at the moment.
Richard

I posted a link to this two weeks ago http://www.railwayforum.net/showthread.php?t=9239

Regards, 62440

I'm sorry that I have duplicated the post, as i did not see your post.

HM181

Hi guys,and Colchesterken,putting wagon brakes down can be a work of art so to speak, i did this on a regular basis coming down Miles Platting bank,putting ones full weight on the brake stick is highly dangerous as one has to put your whole weight across the brake stick by being a sort of pendulum,i would put 6 down on the coal wagons,and the guard would do the same,at Manchester Vic the loco would have to drag the train clear of East Junctions stop and take them off again,then whistle the Bobby for right away. Torquay.+5

All the matters requiring attention in the report were already in hand at Foxfield prior to the accident, the improvement notice just meant that the process had to be accelerated. What this report does highlight is that one of the most important things to bare in mind when working on any railway, or in any industry come to that, is communication. The accident was not caused by people not having a piece of paper to say they were competent, it was caused by the people involved not communicating fully to each other their intentions prior to and during the move.

This is probably true in 100's of employment scenario's where something is being undertaken by more than one person not just Preserved Railways where it has the potential to become deadly.

People in general NEED TO TALK to one another more