the end of overcrowded trains?
 

Britain's railway infrastructure owner Network Rail has unveiled ambitious plans for an advanced digital signalling system that will allow 40% more trains to run on existing lines without building more track.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-36359210

Thanks for that info. For a while it looked like NR had quietly dropped ERTMS/ETCS. From this it seems like they're trying to keep it alive.

The original schedule was for In-cab signalling equipment to be operational and running at level a basic level on the southern part of the ECML by 2021 following trials on the Hertford line, though that date's getting awfully close now. New trains being introduced onto the network now (eg Class 700s) have to be ETCS compatible.

Two things spring to mind though;

1) Where on earth is the enormous amount of money for this going to come from. AFAIAA it's not contained in the next control period forecast ? Though correct me if I'm wrong.

2) The first 'E' in the two expressions stands for European. It's they who are pushing this along. So if we did do the Brexit thing, the political pressure for the Uk to be compatible with the continental railways would disappear. Would that cause it to be delayed or even cancelled in this country ?

Who knows ? But although this is a great idea it's not going to happen overnight.

BW

Does buying a ticket give you a seat or just a space in a carriage?We cannot all book in advance and as an OAP I object to standing all the way from Reading(for example) to Plymouth.Have Health and safety no input on this?I mean a carriage full of standing passengers and an emergency stop would be a catastrophe,

No I'm afraid the passenger gets a very raw deal. Very old bylaws state that unless you have made a reservation you have no right to expect to get a seat, or even to travel on a particular train.

Many TOCs have placed stickers which state that some seats are "Priority Seats". In principle people in these seats should give them up for pregnant women, people with mobility issues, and elderly people. However with the current government-lead drive to remove on-train staff, in many instances you won't have any traincrew onboard to appeal to if the seat occupants won't do the 'decent thing'.

With regard to crush loading - it's more bad news. Unlike a bus where there IS a stated maximum of people who are allowed to be standing, on the railway there's no limit. If you can force your way onto a train you're allowed to travel.

HTH, BW

I am a now retired railway employee and a senior citizen so Do sympathise with any Senior Citizens trying to get a seat, especially with some of the rude/ignorant younger people who have Not been taught to give up their seat for somebody elderly or infirm.

Sadly, according to the Conditions of Travel, your fare only gives you a journey from A to B, by any means the railway uses, including buses, aircraft, or any other form of transport, with No guarantee of a seat regardless of age, or any disability.

Hope this is of help.

Health and safety should be involved then,as I see it any passenger can carry any type of articles in their luggage and it could be inflammable.So if a fire started in a carriage then getting out would be a priority and there would be an almighty stampede .I don't think carriages have much in the way of firefighting equipment ,do they?

Not usually nowadays. A while ago every carriage had extinguishers, but the scrotes either stole them or set them off. In many TOCs it's only the cabs that have extinguishers now. This is partly because the water or foam extinguishers that are provided (which are great on wood/paper/cloth fires) could kill you if you use them near high voltages. They mustn't be used until the train has been cut out (shut down) - which we can only do from a cab. Additionally most carriages use fire-retardent material.

Also the modern concept is that we don't want passengers staying on the train and fighting a fire. If you see a fire you should move away from it as far as possible...ideally to an adjacent carriage where you should pull the emergency handle.

Obviously if the train is crush loaded and you can't move then get someone to pull the nearest handle.

Hope this helps, BW