Right track - Issue 9

ISSUE 9 // MAY 2014
RAIB REPORT BRIEF:
ARLEY
TELL US WHAT YOU
THINK: RIGHT TRACK
SURVEY
THE LOWDOWN:
DAVID STATHAM
RIGHT
Part of the
operational
safety programme
sponsored by
industry
coupling upTHE SECRET OF SHUNTING AND HOW EVERYONE WORKS
TOGETHER TO GET TRAINS IN THE RIGHT PLACE

In this issue
....we couple up with a
feature on Southern’s
Selhurst depot. The first
of a two-part series on
this vital railway operation
sees our roving reporter
talk to the people on the
ground about marshalling
passenger units ready for
service or maintenance.
We also get the lowdown
with David Statham, MD of
FCC, take a look at RAIB’s
report on the Arley collision
and consider the speed
restriction question. With all
your favourites and more,
we think it’s a pretty good
mix – but are we right? Give
us your view in our easy-
to-fill-in survey. It’s free and
it’s fun!
headlamp
Right Track is produced by RSSB through cross-industry cooperation. It is designed for the people on the operational front-line
on the national mainline railway, yards depots and sidings and London Underground. Their companies are represented on various
cross-industry groups, including the System Safety Risk Group, managed through RSSB, and Right Track is overseen by a cross-
industry editorial group.
RSSB
Block 2 Angel Square 1 Torrens Street London EC1V 1NY
Tel 020 3142 5300 Email righttrack@rssb.co.uk www.rssb.co.uk www.opsweb.co.uk
Designed and printed by Urban Juice / Willsons Group Services.
Right Track is designed to share news and views from individual companies in a positive way. However, the views expressed in Right Track are those of the contributing authors; they
do not necessarily reflect those of the companies to which they are affiliated or employed, the editors of this magazine, the magazine’s sponsors - the System Safety Risk Group - or
the magazine’s producers, RSSB (Rail Safety and Standards Board).
way to the wettest recorded April–June.
The question the industry is now asking itself
is whether today’s extreme weather is going to
be tomorrow’s normal weather? What impact
will this have on the railway? How can we plan
ahead to avoid the point of absolute failure, like
we saw at Dawlish in January?
The issues are taken seriously by rail industry
leaders. RSSB and Network Rail are working
together with the Met Office and others on an
ambitious programme of jointly funded research
under the banner ‘Tomorrow’s Railway and
Climate Change Adaptation’ (TRaCCA). Once
complete, the British rail industry will have
some of the most advanced understanding of
climate and weather resilience on any railway
network in the world.
02 //
RIGHT
Welcome to Issue 9 of Right Track
Up until recently, bits of railway like
embankments, bridges and sea walls would
not be something you’d see leading on the
national news.
The wet and windy winter storms changed
all that, and suddenly everyone realised
how important the railway is to connecting
communities, as well as playing the extra role in
protecting and livelihoods from the elements.
Although the storms caused problems for the
rail network, the response has actually been
a good news story. Engineers and operators
across the land have all worked very hard to
get the railway working again, and ultimately,
they succeeded.
Britain’s climate is perhaps unique with big
variations in climate and weather patterns. In
2012, the driest spring for over a century gave Contents
2-3 // Headlamp /
watch your “Rs”
4-5 // SPADTALK
6-7 // RAIB report brief:
Arley
08 // Speed restrictions
survey
09 // don’t sweat /
Bob Crow tribute
10 // take it to the limit
11-14 // a day in the life...
15-17 // Lowdown:
David Statham
19 // Right Track
reader survey
Right Track can be
downloaded from Opsweb -
www.opsweb.co.uk
Photo: Network Rail

Rule Book
// 03
watch your Rs
Freepost CIRAS Text 07507 285887
Freephone 0800 4 101 101
Call
Your company is serious about health and safety.
They subscribe to CIRAS because it is part
of their safety strategy.
They want your health and safety concern raised and
resolved. Your best first action is to report it internally.
Use all available channels. However if you need to speak
with someone independent confidentially, call CIRAS.
Tried reporTing your HeALTH
& sAfeTy concern inTernALLy?
sTiLL concerned?
need An independenT And
confidenTiAL rouTe?...
The last reissue of Rule Book module
SP (Speeds), which came into force on
7 December 2013, saw a change to the
way a reminder board used beyond a
station or siding connection is set up.
Previously, the speed board was shown
above the ‘R’ board. This confused some
drivers when approaching some platforms,
as they were seeing the speed board first,
and thought the restriction started right
there. As they got closer, they noticed
the ‘R’ board underneath and released
the brake, causing some to approach the
actual speed restriction too fast. Now, the
rail industry has changed the Rule so that
the ‘R’ board goes on top. Even so, don’t
forget to watch your ‘Rs’….
Find out more about the
Rule Book at: www.rssb.co.uk

You SPAD. You stop. Then what?
SPADtalk:
not seeing red
There’s a sort of sickening feeling a driver
gets when a train passes a signal at danger
– even if the TPWS has kicked in and the
brakes are slowing the train such that the
overlap couldn’t possibly be exceeded. It’s
a question of professional pride. No one
wants to do it, and everyone knows the
big accidents – the Ladbroke Groves, the
Southalls…even the Harrow & Wealdstones
if they’re older, or know their history.
Harrow & Wealdstone sped the introduction
of AWS – one of the earliest means
of helping drivers avoid a SPAD; the
latter incidents were instrumental in the
introduction of the aforesaid TPWS, which
has seen the chance of a serious SPAD
fall by more than 80% since rollout was
completed in 2003.
In fact, all train accident risk has come
down since Ladbroke Grove, but even if
the prospect of a fatality is fairly unlikely, a
SPAD is still an indicator of a momentary
breakdown. It’s this tiny chink in the armour
of safety management that makes it so
important to investigate what led to it and
what can be done to prevent it. And tiny it
certainly is: there are 1.5 billion passenger
journeys and 50 million freight train
kilometres travelled every year, nearly all of
them involving signals passed with the right
authority – such is the professionalism and
high levels of competence in train driving.
Yet with risk so low, is it tempting to think of
driving as virtually ‘SPADproof’?
Dominic Morrow, Competence Assurance
Manager at Southern, said that – since
he started on the railway in 1985 – he’s
never met a driver who believes in being
‘SPADproof’. ‘From Day 1,’ he explained,
‘it was drummed into traction trainees
that passing a signal at danger without
authority is something which we all have a
responsibility to prevent.’ That’s something
that’s just as true today. So what if there is
a SPAD? What happens then?
The first thing to remember is that the days
of the instant rocket and hairdryer treatment
are over – in fact, you’re more likely to be
disciplined for covering up than owning
up. The emphasis today is very much on
the learning that can be got from SPAD
incidents, and while we all know that most
SPADs involve only a very short distance
past the signal – perhaps just half a loco
length – it doesn’t mean the industry has
become complacent about them.
Photo: ATOC
04 //
Harrow &
Wealdstone
Just before 08:20 on 8 October
1952, an express passed a signal at
danger in fog and struck the rear of a
commuter train standing at Harrow &
Wealdstone. Shortly after, an express
travelling in the opposite direction
ploughed into the wreckage. There
were 112 fatalities.
Risk ranking
To help in the assessment process,
RSSB has developed a SPAD Risk
Ranking Tool, which considers
train speed, train type, train loading
and potential conflict to work out a
statistical value for each incident.

// 05
Not so long ago, the picture was a little
different. In 1990, the driver of the train
that SPADed fatally at Purley in 1989 was
sentenced to eighteen months in prison.
At the time, signal sighting and ‘multi-
SPADding’ were not really understood.
It transpired that the signal at Purley had
been passed at danger four times before
the accident. Why? Well, whereas drivers
had slightly longer to see the signal while in
motion than the seven seconds considered
acceptable for a 90-mph line, it became
obscured by the station buildings as the
train approached. This ‘new evidence’ was
accepted by the court in 2007 and the
driver’s conviction was overturned. Since
then, our understanding of signals, signal
sighting and the driving task itself has
greatly improved.
Ok, back to the present-day lineside. A train
has passed a signal at danger under what
used be called ‘cat A’ circumstances (the
recent changes to the SPAD categories
featured in Right Track 5). The driver
will call the signaller, trying first the CSR,
GSM-R or reverting to traditional Signal
Post Telephone to report the incident.
The driver will then need to complete an
RT3189 form with the signaller and then
wait for advice on what happens next.
Depending on the circumstances, that
might involve the driver being relieved of
duty on site.
All things considered
Investigation? Yes, all SPADs are
investigated by Network Rail and the train
company involved. Before the process
proper begins, the incident is assessed by
way of a bit of maths devised by RSSB,
which gives a ‘measure’ of the level of risk
associated with the SPAD, highlighting how
close it came to an actual accident.
The investigation team will then try to
work out how the SPAD occurred. Both
evidence from the driver and signaller is
considered to build up a picture of the
event. The voice comms between the
two will be downloaded from the signal
box tape recorders and analysed. Several
questions will also be considered. Was, for
example, low adhesion involved? Or driver
distraction? Or a brake failure?
As the picture unfolds, a folder will be
built up to hold all the findings – the signal
sighting reports, investigation, on-site
response forms, and so on. This will be
kept for a minimum of 40 years, as a
reference.
Sometimes, that’s it – recommendations
are made at the local level, because
understanding and explaining the reason(s)
for the SPAD are relatively straightforward;
sometimes RAIB will conduct an
independent investigation if the incident
is sufficiently serious or it deems there to
be lessons for the wider industry. At other
times, there may be a recommendation
to convene what’s known as a ‘VariSPAD
workshop’, which brings together all the
key players to explore the issues that the
SPAD has raised.
The key is not to work in isolation. After all,
the railway system relies on cooperation.
The VariSPAD workshop is just the same,
and brings everyone – the operator, Signal
Sighting Committee members, Route Asset
Managers, Operational Risk Advisors and
Operational Risk Control Coordinators –
together to discuss what happened and
what might be done about it.
SPADtalk
Recently, such a workshop was held over
WH72 signal, which lies on the approach
to St Albans, between Bedford and St
Pancras, and is not fitted with TPWS. The
SPAD involved a service from Nottingham,
whose driver took it past the signal at line
speed, resulting in an overrun of some 300
metres.
Attendees held a number of competencies
and skills, including knowledge of
the location, signalling design, asset
maintenance and risk. In order to keep a
weather eye on the numbers, a member
of RSSB’s Risk Analysis team was also
present.
In fact, those numbers showed that the
risk from an accident at WH72 was very
low. However, as it protects a platform,
the workshop was concerned about
times when a train might be standing
there for a prolonged period of time with
door problems and a high-speed train
approaching. It was also concerned with
the unexplained driver behaviour that led to
the SPAD.
In this specific case, the driver had
acknowledged the restrictive aspects on
approach to WH72 (two yellows, single
yellow) with the AWS, but did not reduce
the speed of the train in line with them. The
investigation recommended that TPWS
be fitted to the signal, but it was rejected
as WH72 does not fit with the required
risk profile. This shows the value of the
VariSPAD workshops, as it allowed the
operator to put its case, a case which was
supported by all in attendance.
When you come down to it, no one wants
to have a SPAD, but when one does occur,
it’s vital that we learn from it. It’s also
vital to keep a clear head if it happens to
you – the investigation won’t only look at
the incident’s underlying causes, it’ll also
consider the actions you take immediately
afterwards.
Multi-SPAD
A signal is termed ‘multi-SPAD’ if a
SPAD there is followed by a second
one within five years.

06 //
It happened at the end of the shift early
on Friday 10 August 2012, when a
stoneblower – running at 22 mph – struck
a ballast regulator at Arley in Warwickshire.
Perhaps miraculously, none of the four
people on the regulator or the three on the
stoneblower were seriously injured. One
person was treated in hospital for a minor
injury, but was not detained.
RAIB soon launched an investigation, an
investigation that would take them almost
a year to complete, as they picked over the
details of the event. Ultimately, they found
that when the stoneblower driver saw the
stationary regulator, he was driving too
fast to avoid hitting it. The driver’s speed
was probably influenced by a number of
factors which led him to expect that the
line was clear. It’s also possible, say RAIB,
that the driver was distracted immediately
before the collision, which caused him to be
driving faster than he realised.
The Branch also add that the Person in
Charge of the Possession (PICOP) changed
the published possession arrangements
for giving up the possession around the
stoneblower and instructed both the
stoneblower and regulator to travel towards
the exit of the worksite. This set the stage
for the collision, but the chance of an
incident like this was raised by the use of
long worksites, which encourage machine
operators to speed up in order to complete
their work on time.
Although not a factor in this accident, RAIB
observed that, for driving at night, the 40
mph maximum speed of travel permitted in
engineering worksites is incompatible with
the braking and headlight capabilities of
the type of engineering machine involved
in the accident. The report observes a
number of non-compliances with railway
industry rules and company procedures
during the management of the engineering
work. There is also an observation on the
difficulties of maintaining the necessary
discipline in the driving cab, where mobile
telephones are used for communications,
to avoid distracting the driver.
What’s been done?
In November 2012, the contractor – Harsco
Rail – revised its Professional Train Driving
policy to clarify that mobile telephones
should be switched off when driving or
travelling on an on-track machine, whether
under normal running or in possessions.
They may only be turned on when the
machine is stationary with the brakes
applied, and it is safe to do so.
Harsco Rail also adjusted the policy to
emphasise that, when in possessions,
drivers should ensure that they receive the
correct information, including the speeds
and distances of travel, and not to act until
all information is received and understood.
Further, it stipulated that drivers should
drive at a speed from which they can stop
in the distance they can see to be clear
but not exceeding 20 mph. The company
speed limit of 20 mph was supported
by a bulletin headed ‘20’s plenty’. The
revised policy was issued to drivers and
reinforced by a company briefing. However,
the policy was subsequently withdrawn,
because it reportedly caused problems
of inconsistency when working with other
operators. A further revised policy was
subsequently briefed out to drivers.
Photo: RAIB
RAIB report brief:
up too Arley
In August 2012, yellow plant collided at Arley.
So what went wrong?

revised key point cards for engineering
supervisors and to rebrief the driver
community through RSSB’s RED DVD
series.
RSSB drafted a new Railway Industry
standard, RIS-1702-PLT, to address the
issue of on-track machines travelling in
possessions. This standard, published
September 2013, includes a provision
for machine manufacturers to state the
maximum night-time travelling speed in
the operating instructions. This speed is to
be calculated on the basis of the distance
illuminated by the headlights and the
stopping distance capability of the machine
(for a specified co-efficient of friction).
RSSB has also indicated that it is looking at
the handbook for engineering supervisors
to ensure that the rules relating to the
authorisation of maximum speeds in
worksites are clearly explained.
Recommended by RAIB
RAIB has made three recommendations to
Network Rail, relating to:
• Undertaking a fundamental review
of the fitness for purpose of the
current arrangements as part of its
planned review of the management of
engineering work
• Implementing measures to ensure that
train drivers are given all the information
they need to make movements safely
and to address issues on the use
of intermediaries when conveying
information to drivers
• Addressing a recurrence of specific
behavioural issues at its Saltley depot,
which the RAIB noted in a previous
investigation
Network Rail also started a fundamental
review of how it manages possessions and
worksites and to achieve better planning
of worksite activities by improving the
competence of possession planners.
The Supplier Safety Working Group for on-
track machines, which represents Network
Rail and the companies that supply on-
track machines to Network Rail, issued a
briefing reminding all drivers of the Rule
Book’s requirements regarding speed in
worksites.
A poster, sponsored by Network Rail and
its operators of on-track machines, was
issued for displaying on machines, to
remind staff that worksite marker boards
must not be carried on the machine and
that the marker boards must be in place
before the machine arrives on site. This
replaced a similar poster that was issued
some years ago.
Network Rail issued a briefing for PICOPs
and ESs containing learning points from
the accident at Arley. The briefing reminds
PICOPs and ESs that when controlling
movements of trains the PICOP or ES
should instruct the driver to make the
movement ‘at caution’ and be in a position
to stop short of any obstruction, regardless
of conditions. Also, all movements should
be ‘at caution’ unless specific instructions
on the maximum speed to be applied
have been given by the PICOP or ES. The
maximum speed must not exceed 40 mph
and account must be taken of darkness,
fog, low adhesion, curvature of the line or
anything else that might affect a driver’s
ability to stop short of any obstruction.
Network Rail has withdrawn training
material for engineering supervisors which
endorsed the practice of authorising a
maximum speed of 40 mph (64 km/h)
except where agreements on a lower speed
have been reached with other worksite
users. Network Rail’s stated position is
that existing speed limits in the Rule Book
remain appropriate but recognises that
higher speeds in worksites have become
custom and practice. Instead of drivers
defaulting to 5 mph in worksites and
only driving faster if specifically instructed
to do so, the situation has developed
where higher speeds are the norm unless
specifically instructed to run at a lower
speed. It is also recognised that long
worksites have encouraged this behaviour.
Network Rail is also planning to issue
RAIB report Newswire...
US: Metro-North push-pull derails
on curve, kills 4
During rush hour on 1 December 2013,
an eight-coach Metro-North push-pull
service operating in push mode derailed
in the Bronx district of New York.
Four people were killed and 63 were
injured. The driver has been reported
as experiencing ‘a momentary lapse of
awareness’ just before the accident. For
more information, see RSSB’s summary
on Opsweb.
Jakarta: Five killed in collision
between train and tanker at
crossing in Bintaro
At around 11:20 (local time) on 9
December 2013, a commuter train
struck a lorry carrying 24,000 litres of
petroleum at a level crossing in Bintaro.
The train driver applied the brakes,
but the lorry pulled out before it could
stop. The train driver, his assistant, a
technician and two rail passengers were
killed; over 70 people were injured. One
carriage derailed, overturned and burst
into flames.
Greece: Collision with cattle
derails passenger train near
Asopos river
On 10 December 2013, a passenger
train derailed after striking a herd of
cattle at low speed near the Asopos
river, between Lianokladi and Tithorea.
There were no reported injuries. Most
of the 120 passengers continued their
journey by bus.
US: Vandalism suspected in
runaway and collision in Tulsa
yard
December 2013, a rake of wagons
ran away in Cherokee Yard, Tulsa,
and struck a freight train on the main
line. The crew managed to jump free
before the collision. Fire crews fought
to prevent some 3,000 gallons of loco
fuel from leaking into a nearby creek.
It is believed that the couplings on the
runaway rake may have been tampered
with.
South Africa: Collision injures 12
in Durban
December 2013, two trains collided at
Berea Road station in Durban. Twelve
people were injured, including both
drivers. Paramedics said one passenger
was in a critical condition; the rest
sustained injuries.
// 07
Photo: RAIB

If you are a train driver, the speed restriction survey is a great
opportunity to give your honest views.
speed
restrictions –
have your say
RSSB is doing some research into
investigating compliance with permanent,
temporary and emergency speed
restrictions. The aims of the project are
to understand how drivers react to speed
restrictions and the reasons why drivers
may exceed speed limits. The research
will consider the whole process from the
designing of speed restrictions to travelling
through a speed restriction and how all
roles and activities can influence driver
behaviour in response to speed restrictions.
Finally it will aim to identify and evaluate
potential approaches to addressing the
causes that can lead to a driver failing to
comply with speed restrictions.
As part of this project surveys are being
distributed nationwide to train drivers
from both TOCs and FOCs. The survey
is intended for train drivers only in order
to gain an understanding of the process
of introducing and driving through speed
restriction areas and the reasons why
drivers may exceed the designated speed.
Your answers will remain completely
anonymous and the survey should take
between 15 and 20 minutes to complete.
Industry need your view, please visit,
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/
speedrestrictions and complete our
survey. The deadline for completion of the
online survey is Friday 16 May 2014.
If the survey raises any issues you wish to
discuss further please contact
damien.robinson@rssb.co.uk.
Photo: CrossCountry
08 //

The clocks went forward, the days are
getting longer, and the weather (should be)
getting nicer.
And for some of us there’s nothing that can
put us in a better mood than some glorious
warm sunshine and the prospect of some
time off on a beach somewhere.
But every season brings its own challenge
and East Coast has prepared a really good
document specifically aimed at train drivers,
to help us prepare for the risks that the
change in season might bring.
And when you look at what the guide
covers, it can be quite an eye-opener in
terms of how much of a challenge summer
is.
Fatigue and disrupted sleep patterns,
dehydration, drugs and alcohol, and
distraction are all heightened in the warmer
weather, whether it’s yesterday’s barbecue,
tomorrow’s holiday or just plain boiling
outside.
The summer also puts extra risk on top of
the train driving task itself, with the potential
for extra foliage, extra sunlight on signals,
heat stress and unusual bumps, noises and
rough riding as well as the prospect of more
route crime such as trespass during the
long school holidays.
You can download East Coast’s guide from
Opsweb, www.opsweb.co.uk.
Summer driving Newswire...
Russia: ‘Suicide bomber’ strikes
at Volgograd station
A suicide bomb attack at Volgograd-1
station killed 16 people and injured
some 40 more at lunchtime on 29
December 2013. The explosion
shattered windows and sent debris
and plumes of smoke from the station
entrance.
US: Collision leads to dangerous
goods explosion in North Dakota
At 14:00 (local time) on 30 December
2013, a wagon amid a westbound
freight derailed at a set of points near
Casselton, North Dakota, and fouled the
adjacent line. Shortly after, a 106-wagon
train carrying crude oil ran into the
wagons, causing a series of explosions
that sent a fireball into the sky and a
thick pall of smoke across the local
area. There were no reported injuries,
but residents within a five-mile radius
were urged to evacuate. The fire raged
for several hours.
US: Locomotive derails on snow-
covered crossing in Saco
At 10:55 (local time) on 3 January
2014, a locomotive hauling a single
wagon derailed on a snow-covered level
crossing in Saco, Maine. There were
no reported injuries, but the road was
blocked for almost 4½ hours.
US: Buffer stop collision injures
15 in Chicago
At 06:30 (local time) on 9 December
2013, a commuter train struck a stop
block at low speed as it arrived at
LaSalle Street station in Chicago. Fifteen
passengers sustained minor injuries.
The cause has yet to be determined,
but low adhesion has not been ruled
out.
Canada: Oil train derailment near
Plaster Creek
January 2014, a Canadian National
freight carrying crude oil derailed in
Wapske, near the village of Plaster
Creek, New Brunswick. The resulting
fire spread to an adjacent lumber yard
and led to the evacuation of about 45
homes within a two-kilometre radius.
There were no reported injuries. Reports
suggest a sudden wheel failure on the
thirteenth wagon to be the immediate
cause.
// 09
East Coast have prepared a guide for
drivers to help prepare for summertime
don’t sweatPhoto: East Coast’s Spring/Summer guide 2014
Tributes were paid from across the whole
political spectrum and the rail industry
to Bob Crow, following his fatal heart
attack. The RMT general secretary died
in hospital early on 11 March. Bob was
recognised as a man of great character
who fought hard for his members and
his beliefs. He was laid to rest at the City
of London cemetery and crematorium in
Manor Park, East London on 24 March.
Bob Crow 1961-2014
Photo: RMT

Are there plans to include further instructions to
electric train drivers in the Rule Book?
take it to the limit
Getting feedback is the name of the
game for any magazine – which is why
we’ve included a survey at the back of
this issue. However, we also get the odd
email asking about aspects of railway
operation. For example, a question
recently raised about the Limit of
Electrification Boards that remind drivers
to stop at the point where the OHLE
ends in sidings.
‘There’s a similar sign on third rail lines,’ he
goes on. ‘These signs are not included in
Section 9 of RS/521 (Signals, handsignals,
indicators and signs) and do not appear to
be any instructions to electric train drivers
to tell them not to pass the sign in TW1. Are
there any plans to include these signs in the
Rule Book?’
We had a chat to some of the operational
experts at RSSB and found that, while
providing signs of this nature is standard
practice, there’s no standard design of sign
shown in the Railway Group Standard, nor
does there appear to be a requirement in
any Railway Group Standard to provide
such signs.
We also discovered that there has not been
a proposal to include any ‘electric train
stop’ signs within the Rule Book, and there
would be difficulty in doing so in any simple
and straightforward way.
The problem comes with devising an
instruction concise enough for the Rule
Book. It’s easy with a ‘Stop’ board, as
the meaning of a standard sign, and the
need to obey the instructions on it, can
be phrased as an instruction not to pass it
unless the specified conditions have been
met.
The signs on electrified lines do, in some
cases, contain a definite instruction like
‘electric trains stop here’, but in other
cases are more in the nature of information,
such as ‘electric trains no access to down
sidings’. Regarding the latter, the sign does
not convey a definite instruction, and serves
more as a reminder to a driver who may
have overlooked the fact that he/she should
not proceed in that direction. In that case,
it could be argued that the relevant rule is
that concerning a signal cleared for a wrong
route.
If you have any operational questions Right
Track may be able to answer, send them to
righttrack@rssb.co.uk.
10 //
Photo: Network Rail

// 11
Right Track’s Greg Morse heads to Southern’s massive depot at
Selhurst to see how shunting operations are kept safe in a busy
unit train environment
a day in
the life…
I read the news that day at London’s
Victoria station: it was supposed to be
a dreadful one for weather. Yet as my
Southern electric glided effortlessly into
Selhurst station, the sky was grey but
the air was dry – no raindrops falling on
this head, thank goodness. And it was
just as well, for I was to spend several
hours outside…
09:00 and, down the ramp and out of the
exit, I soon spy my guides for the day –
Dominic Morrow, Southern’s Competence
Assurance Manager and Vince Sickelmore,
Fleet Operations Competency and Delivery
Manager. Both are waiting outside the
gates, hi-viz vests donned and ready for
action. No cinder path here, as in train
spotters’ days of yore – all Authorised
Walking Routes are clean, surfaced and
clearly marked. In fact, cleanliness would be
something of a theme – never have I seen
a depot which was so spick, and indeed
span.
Vince started on British Rail in 1976 on
the S&T side, becoming a traction trainee
two years later. He was a driver until 2000,
when he became a driver-trainer. Vince
joined Fleet in 2010. Dominic Morrow
started in BR in 1985. Both have seen more
changes than you can shake a shunter’s
pole at – the abolition of such tools being a
case in point!
In the city
At 38 acres, Selhurst is the biggest
passenger train depot in the country.
There’s a lot of new work going on too, with
bridges being raised, sheds being extended
and so on. It’s like a mini city, yet – sitting in
Vince’s office, chatting about our itinerary
– I happen to glance out at a sea of empty
sidings. All quiet when I arrived at 09:00.
Selhurst Traction & Rolling Stock
Maintenance Depot (T&RSMD) is
located east of the main railway station
and occupies a triangle of land which
was once the Croydon Common
Athletic Ground, where Crystal Palace
played league games between 1920
and 1924.
Reopened after modernisation by BR in
1986, the depot has extensive stabling
sidings, the three main groups being
Chalk, AC (so named as it was here
that stock off the former AC system
used to be stabled) and North. There is
a large maintenance shed, heavy repair
shop, wheel lathe, an AC test rig (for
dual voltage units), two washing plants,
a cleaning shed and a refuelling point
for DMUs.
Operated by Southern, one of its main
claims to fame is the presence of an
unexploded World War Two bomb near
the Norwood end of New Shed!
Photo: Southern’s Dominic Morrow
changes the points ready for a shunt

12 //
‘You wait,’ says Vince. ‘Soon all those
sidings will be full of units.’ It’s a false sense
of security; a lull before the storm. And sure
enough, as we head towards the depot
signalbox – ‘The Panel’ – the first 377 is
soon joined by another, and then another
– from London Bridge, Clapham Junction,
Uckfield, Epsom, Purley…it’s a meticulous
operation, each unit pausing at the stop
board before moving into the relevant part
of the depot for maintenance, cleaning etc.
‘We don’t have any shunters at the three
main Traction Maintenance Depots, as
such,’ explains Vince. ‘They’re all shunter-
drivers – same as at Brighton and Stewarts
Lane, though at the latter they’re also
trained for the main line because of the
stock length of a Class 442 clearing the
entrance points to the depot. Incidentally,
the Orient Express stock is also maintained
and shunted at Stewarts Lane. We do,
however, have shunters at Eastbourne,
Littlehampton, Bognor and Streatham Hill
who do an equally great job.’
To become a shunter-driver, a candidate
spends ten days in the classroom on
shunter rules, after which it’s back to the
depot for ten days’ ‘practical’. Then there’s
another ten days in the classroom on the
shunter-driver rules, followed by ten days
in the cab. Soon I would meet a man who
had only recently completed this course,
but first we key in the code, climb the stairs
and enter the hushed silence of The Panel,
where sit two gentlemen of great skill and
concentration.
The Panel really is the heart of the whole
Selhurst operation. In this world – the
signalling world – comms are paramount.
Most of the points are handpoints, but a
few are power operated and track circuited.
The Panel liaises with Three Bridges
Signalling Centre. It’s vital to get the right
unit in the right place in the depot – not
just a case of putting any old unit in any old
siding.
The Panel is also equipped with GSM-R,
which ‘stops everything’ should an incident
occur – regardless of where it might be.
Because a moment’s delay in the depot
can mean costly delay minutes and
unhappy passengers outside, the Panel
will call Three Bridges if the alarm goes
off, and if the incident does not affect the
yard, authority is granted for operations to
continue.
The Panel is a vital, high-profile job –
without it, all operations would stop. They
are also responsible for planning the
service.
The Panel also shows the bigger picture,
allowing the signallers to plan several
moves ahead – like a game of chess. The
Did you know?
In any given 24-hour period, Selhurst
deals with some 109 booked
services, comprising 182 units (or
684 individual vehicles). However,
this doesn’t take any remarshalling
requirements into account, which
can mean more than 4,000
movements in any one period!
Did you know?
Originally passenger trains were
merely rakes of coaches, shunted
by a tank locomotive and hauled by
larger, more glamorous machines,
like the famous Bulleid Pacifics.
Yet this golden age involved much
more remarshalling and shunting,
as trapped engines had to be
released at terminal stations, or had
to ‘run-round’ and re-couple to the
other end of the train. The Southern
Railway (1923-48), on whose territory
Selhurst once stood, was one of the
first to realise the benefits of unit train
operation, which does away with
many of these movements and helps
make the shunter’s lot a much safer
one.
Shunting
Photo: Ed couples up

// 13
Shunting
phone rings or the radio goes off all the
time. We all agree on the importance of
comms – all shunters carry two-way radios,
and all comms are recorded. The tapes
are regularly monitored to check that all
safety critical communications are up to the
required standard.
I talk to one of the two Panel Supervisors:
‘This is no simple affair,’ he tells me. ‘It’s
more difficult to learn than a complicated
set-up like London Bridge.’
Matt – his colleague – was a shunter-driver
at Brighton. ‘I had the route knowledge,’ he
says. ‘Then I had one year at Selhurst, such
was the complexity.’ But this job done
well does yield a lot of satisfaction, as both
Panel Supervisors readily admit.
‘We use Real-Time display,’ adds Vince.
‘It’s amazing software, and lets us pinpoint
exactly where the trains are at any one
time.’
As we walk along the clean, clearly marked
authorised walking route, Dominic makes
a comment that reaches back into all
our pasts. ‘Essentially,’ he says, ‘driving
and shunting are the same jobs as they
were for our grandfathers.’ It’s a levelling
thought – though the traction may have
changed and mechanical methods maybe
microprocessed, the principles and
practices of train servicing and marshalling
would be familiar to a driver signing on at
Selhurst in 1920, 1950 or 1980.
Cabin fever
I sit in the Shunters’ Cabin, chatting to
Brad, a shunter-driver who used to work
on the buses. ‘This is so much better,’ he
smiles. ‘I just love the work – you really
feel you’re getting somewhere. There’s so
much job satisfaction.’ As I sip my tea,
a chap comes in with whom I would be
spending most of the rest of the day: Ed
Hughes, who started as a train dispatcher
at Clapham Junction and who now couldn’t
wait to be trained on Class 73s at the end
of February, which – at Selhurst – are used
to drag failed 442s, as they both have the
same buckeye coupling arrangement. One
of the benefits of being a shunter-driver at
Selhurst, says Ed, is the variety of traction
– quite apart from the throbbing electro-
diesel coming his way, there’s 313s, 377s,
442s, 455s – not to mention the Class 171
DMUs.
Our first job is to take 455837 from ‘4
Chalk’ to ‘5 New Shed’. As we head to the
sidings, Vince tells me that he wrote the
drivers’ manual for the 455s. ‘Good, reliable
units,’ he says. Ed nods his agreement: ‘BR
stock was good, but there’s just something
about the 455s – a lovely drive.’
We settle into the warm cab, Ed tests the
AWS and we await the ‘Right Away’. Once
given, Ed notches up a touch and we pull
away.
‘We still stop at the Stop Board even
if permission to pass has already been
granted,’ he says. ‘It just keeps a good
habit going.’
Ed always wanted to be a driver. ‘The job’s
one of the best on the railway,’ he smiles.
‘Once you get in the seat and start the task,
all life’s troubles melt away – all that matters
is the job. You’re in a completely different
world.’
As we continue, it becomes clear that
there’s a very good relationship between
the guys and the ones on the ground giving
hand signals. This is partly down to the
way the job is rostered. As Ed explains:
‘We take turns. Some weeks we’re on the
points, liaising with the Panel; other weeks,
we’re in the cab. There’s always something
different – that’s why it’s such an interesting
job.’
Vince reckons that shunter-drivers walk
some 15 kilometres a day, such are the
distances between the cabin, the Panel,
the sidings, the washer or fuel point. ‘You
certainly need to be fit in this job,’ he grins.
Photo: Vince Sickelmore and Ed Hughes (right)

14 //
Shunting
Our next job is to take 377415 through the
washer and then attach to 377446. This
involves the use of Dellner couplers, which
Vince says are ‘very reliable – although
we still use buckeyes on the 442s, and
Tightlocks on the 455s. We also have
emergency equipment to mix-couple if the
need arises.’
We also take 171805 up to the fuel road.
As Dominic points out, ‘at least with a
diesel, there’s no chance of “gapping”,
which is always a problem on the electrics.’
For Ed, it’s all part of the job’s appeal. ‘I’d
rather work here than on the main line,’
he says. ‘There’s so much variety here
– both in the rolling stock types, and the
movements.’
Later, I talk to Depot Manager Phil Somers.
‘The shunter-drivers here – and at Brighton
and Stewarts Lane – are very professional,’
he says. ‘Indeed, shunter-drivers now
take the same psychometric entrance
assessments as main line drivers. Everyone
is trained to the same high standard.
We introduced a new grade of Shunter
Driver Instructor last year, and they assist
in the training of route and traction for
new trainees when required. They also
coach main line drivers on route learning
in the depot, which obviously brings great
benefits.’
The low incident count enjoyed by Selhurst
reminds me of the SPAD situation for
drivers: one SPAD can be big news, but
when you consider how many red signals
are NOT passed at danger, the context
becomes clear. Phil nods: ‘It’s the same
with shunting – you only have to look at
the number of incidents alongside the
number of shunt moves that are actually
made. When you do that, the true picture
becomes clear – the percentage is very
small, and that’s a reflection on the
professionalism and dedication of the depot
team.’
Southern has successfully created a grade
of assessors, known as Competence
Development Managers, who focus on the
assessment of operational staff including
shunter-drivers, and work closely with the
Fleet Department Managers responsible for
depot safety. Ed is proof that the training
system works. The great thing is that there
are lots of others like him.
Photo: Network Rail
London Bridge on a busy morning. Millions of London commuters rely on operators like Southern having trains in the right places at the right time.

// 15
The lowdown
It was a morning so beautiful, you’d
think I made it up. As I walked down
City Road in London, the sky was blue,
the sun was bright and the air had that
exquisite chill that we’ve forgotten all
about this winter.
I was on my way to Hertford House, home
of First Capital Connect (FCC), to meet
Managing Director David Statham, who
took over the helm in May 2013.
A BR management trainee of 1992
vintage, David undertook a wide range of
customer service roles before becoming
the Customer Service Strategy Manager at
First Great Western. He managed First’s
takeover of the ScotRail franchise in 2004
and worked with TransPennine Express
later the same year. Moving to FCC in
2005, he led the team that implemented the
first stage of the Thameslink Programme,
which brought longer trains to the
Bedford–Brighton line and improved
facilities at Blackfriars, Farringdon and West
Hampstead.
As I sit in the reception area, the sunlight
braising my skin as it burns through the
glass, the door opens, and who should
come in but the man himself. A cheery
greeting and a warm handshake later and
we’re soon heading to his office.
When we arrive on the floor, David has a
similar cheery greeting for everyone; it’s
clear that he likes people – and is well liked
by them in turn. ‘I have a balcony, you
know,’ he smiles. It’s an inherited feature
of the building that’s hardly ever used. We
agree to give it a try. Surveying the scene
from this forgotten outpost, David jokes
that he always feels like there should be
a barbeque out here. Yet as we chat, the
sun goes in and it soon becomes too cold
to sit there. We therefore adjust our plans,
come back inside and carry on from where
we left off. Adjusting plans – it’s a feature of
the learning process, and as such, it’s was
an appropriate metaphor for the rest of our
conversation.
The Core question
It’s no secret that, a few years ago, FCC
weren’t having the best of times. It pretty
much boils down to one incident, known to
them as ‘one-whisky-nine-five’, but to the
rest of us – and RAIB – as ‘Kentish Town’.
At around 16:30 on Thursday 26 May
2011, an eight-car Bedford-bound service
left Brighton and headed north. ‘It was an
uneventful journey,’ says David, ‘at least
while it was on the third rail.’ The problems
really only began – or seemed to begin –
when it was nearing St Pancras just before
six. ‘It was when the driver tried to change
from DC to the AC overhead, that the unit
tripped out, giving him little option but to
coast into the station.’
At this point, no one knew if the problem
was with the unit or the traction supply;
what everyone did know, however, was
that there were four trains in the Core
Section behind, each waiting to disgorge
passengers.
‘The driver decided to test each pantograph
in sequence to try to work out where the
problem was,’ David goes on. ‘When he
got to the rearmost one, there was a bang.’
It turned out that foliage had become
trapped in the pan and was stopping it
make contact. ‘Now, we had 800 people
on that train, and it was pretty frightening
for them. Now, it was here that we made a
mistake, in that we could have detrained.
We didn’t – at the time we thought it better
to free up the trapped trains and keep
them moving.’ And so the train left – with
even more passengers who’d jumped on
at St Pancras. But at around 18:26, it lost
power again and got stuck between Dock
Junction and Kentish Town.
David takes a draught of tea and continues.
‘By half-six, we were starting to think about
our options.’ It turned out that there were
two other eight-car units of the same
class as the incident train nearby, which
could have coupled up and dragged it
through. ‘The trouble is, the manufacturer
had told us that two eight-car Electrostars
couldn’t be coupled to work in multiple,
but actually they CAN! Of course, the time
to experiment and find this out was not in
the middle of an incident, so we thought
about pushing from behind with a 319 and
an adapter coupling.’ Unfortunately, though
FCC had a couple of these couplers, none
could be found.
The lowdown:
David Statham
David Statham, MD of First Capital
Connect, talks to Greg Morse
Photo: First Capital Connect

The lowdown
‘We decided to terminate another
Electrostar service at Hendon, detrain and
run it ECS into Cricklewood Carriage Sidings
so we could split it and take one four-car set
forward to rescue the failed one.’
Some 80 minutes passed before the
rescue began – partly because many of
the rescue train’s passengers didn’t want
to get off at Hendon, partly because of a
misunderstanding at Cricklewood about
splitting the rescue train. Its driver also
injured herself during the uncoupling
operation.
By the time it ‘hooked on’ at 20:20,
conditions for passengers became
increasingly uncomfortable, as the train went
into ‘loadshed’, meaning that its various
systems shut down in a predetermined
sequence so it would retain enough power
to re-start. This meant no air-conditioning,
no working toilets, no lighting and no way
for the driver to address the passengers to
keep them updated. ‘Except there was,’
says David. ‘We – and the manufacturer –
didn’t know that there’s a reserve store on
a 377 which would have given the driver an
extra half hour to play with.’
By half-eight, the rescue train was
coupled up and ready to go. Some of the
passengers were moved into the altogether
more comfortable conditions in the rescue
unit, but a vicious circle then came into play,
some passengers opening doors to improve
ventilation. This prevented the driver getting
traction interlock – that train wasn’t going
anywhere. After 50 minutes of frustration
and uncertainty, the driver over-rode a
safety system just to get it moving. At the
same time, some passengers had got so
fed up with the delay and discomfort that
had climbed down from the train to the
track. This was still going on when the driver
undertook the pull-test. When the train finally
moved towards Kentish Town, it did so with
at least two doors open.
‘It was tough for the driver,’ says David,
‘but imagine being a passenger, standing in
the cess, the tunnel wall tight against you
on one side, the train on the other. Then
imagine that train starting to move – very
scary! There isn’t much room down there. I
really feel for those people.’
Eventually, the train managed to run the one
mile into Kentish Town at around 17 mph.
We all know that RAIB reported on this
incident – indeed, we summarised it in
Right Track 2. ‘But,’ as David points out, ‘it
wasn’t just RAIB – we investigated, the ORR
investigated, Network Rail investigated, and
so did Atkins, as we commissioned them to
undertake an impartial review on our behalf.
I see Kentish Town as a set of missed
opportunities. We wanted to make sure we
didn’t miss them again.’
Loop of learning
David explains that some 200 actions came
out of all these investigations, ranging
from questions of kit to training to tabletop
exercises. ‘One of the first things we did,’
he says, ‘is to put light sticks on our trains,
meaning that passengers will never be in
the dark again if power is lost. We’ve also
provided door barriers, which let doors be
opened safely in emergency conditions, and
have re-briefed our staff on the availability
and location of emergency couplers and the
use and location of transboardment bridges.
Another new idea is to have a director on
call at all times, so that there’ll always be a
senior person available to make decisions at
crucial moments.’
Add to this the improvements the company
made to its competence assessment,
training and briefing regime (ensuring that
drivers have the skills to deal with failures)
and you can see how ‘a lot of people’s time
over the 18 months after the incident was
devoted to making things better’.
The associated court case in October 2013
resulted in FCC being fined £75,000 for
breaches in the Health & Safety At Work
Etc Act, but David is justly proud of the
firm’s achievements in the aftermath of the
incident. He spoke very eloquently and
compassionately on the subject at FCC’s
Safety Conference that same month – an
event I also witnessed. This event was all
about learning, something David believes
in very much. ‘You never finish learning,’ he
says. ‘But we’ve reviewed every stranded
train incident we’ve had since Kentish Town
and can categorically say that we have
improved. The dewirement at Hendon in
January 2014 is a case in point: we had five
trains trapped, and within 95 minutes we’d
got everyone off. Success! But you can’t
be complacent in railways and we will go on
testing ourselves and our procedures all the
time.
16 //
Did you know?
The Thameslink re-opened in May 1988
after being closed to freight traffic and
special passenger services in 1969. In
2009, remodelling work at St Pancras
saw the old Kings Cross Thameslink
station close.

The lowdown Newswire...
Australia: Metal bar driven
through carriage floor as train
derails in Sydney
On 15 January 2014, a commuter
train derailed near Edgecliffe, Sydney,
causing a metal bar to pierce the
carriage floor, narrowly missing
passengers. Hundreds were evacuated,
but there were no reported injuries. An
investigation has been launched.
Italy: Landslide derails train,
injures two staff
On 17 January 2014, a landslide near
Andora, north-west Italy, blocked the
line and led to the derailment of a
passenger train. Two members of staff
were injured.
US: Two killed in Illinois level
crossing collision
Just before 18:00 (local time) on 23
January 2014, a car was struck by
a passenger train at a level crossing
in Lake County, Illinois. The driver
was killed instantaneously. The sole
passenger (his seven-year-old daughter)
had not been wearing a seatbelt and
was thrown from the vehicle before
striking a post and suffering a broken
neck. The driver had driven round the
lowered barrier as the train approached
at around 60 mph. Alcohol was later
found in his system.
US: Level crossing collision kills 1
in Freeburg, Illinois
January 2014, a delivery lorry was
struck by a freight train at an open level
crossing in Freeburg, Illinois. The driver
was ejected from the cab and died at
the scene. There were no injuries on
board the train.
Canada: Another dangerous
goods derailment in New
Brunswick
At around 22:30 (local time) on
26 January 2014, an eastbound
freight derailed in Edmundston, New
Brunswick. Of the five wagons that left
the rails, one was carrying liquefied
petroleum, three were carrying motor
cars and one was transporting clay. All
were at the rear of the train. There were
no reported injuries, leaks or fires.
// 17
David and I also discuss the issue of
passenger behaviour. The industry
has invested much time, effort and
money into trying to make the platform-
train interface a safer place, but there
will always be some residual risk
that remains with the passengers
themselves. Says David: ‘We realised
about 18 months ago that we were
not getting good ‘etiquette’ messages
across and that some 70% of
passenger accidents were caused by
inappropriate behaviour.’ What to do?
Inspiration came from Australia, in the
form of Metro Train’s innovative ‘Dumb
Ways to Die’ campaign, which has
‘gone viral’ on YouTube.
‘It’s an amazing animation,’ grins David.
‘And it really set our thoughts racing. I
mean, it’s great, but we didn’t want a
straight copy. We asked: what could we
do that would be different, but equally
effective.’ Enter one Edwin Tickett Esq,
who came to FCC seemingly straight
out of the pages of P.G. Wodehouse,
old bean.
Mr Tickett has been specially created
to engage with passengers in a
humorous way, which doesn’t talk down
to them and gets its message across
memorably. Appearing on a series of
posters and in a spiffing little booklet,
he guides passengers through such
knotty problems as ‘keeping one’s wits
about one’ and ‘making sure all goes
swimmingly’ when partaking of a trip on
the railway.
The touch is light, the tone humorous,
but the message serious. Covering
safety issues like running on the
platform, using the handrails on stairs
and taking care while boarding and
alighting, the campaign also targets
anti-social behaviour like putting feet on
seats and listening to loud music – most
irksome when relaxing after a long day
on the slog, what?
And it works, an FCC customer survey
showed that 77% of passengers would
change their behaviour as a direct result
of the campaign. Though it’s too early to
say with certainty that it has had a direct
result, since its launch in October 2013,
there has been a reduction in incidents
of about 10%. Certainly not to be sniffed
at by any stretch of the old grey matter.
The splendid illustrations speak for
themselves, what? Indeed, Mr Tickett
has proved so popular that he’s
taken on an animated form. A similar
campaign is also being used to convey
staff safety messages.
Why not take a look for yourself at your
nearest FCC station or one of those
marvellous electronic devices?
www.firstcapitalconnect.co.uk/etiquette/
Toodle pip!

18 //
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Part of the operational safety
programme sponsored by OFG
ISSUE 1 // April 2012
A NEW APPROACH TO
ROUTE LEARNING
A FREIGHT OPERATOR’S
TAKE ON POSSESSIONS
DRIVEN TO DISTRACTION
IN CANADA
RIGHT
FIRST ISSUE!
INSIDE:
STATION SAFETY
REGULAR FEATURES
TACKLING SLIPS, TRIPS & FALLS
MIND THE INNER INTER-CAR GAP
UNDERSTANDING DUTY OF CARE
SPADTALK
RAIB REPORT ROUND-UP
INCIDENT NEWSWIRE
THE NEW ANGLE FOR
PEOPLE OPERATING
THE RAILWAY
ISSUE 2 // JULY 2012
ON YOUR MARKS FOR
THE OLYMPICS
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF
A DISPATCHER
HOW TO SAVE A LIFE
RIGHT
INSIDE:
STICKING TOGETHER
ON ADHESION
REGULAR FEATURES
PREPARING FOR AUTUMN
UNDERSTANDING ROLES
MAINLINE, METRO AND TUBE
SPADTALK
RAIB REPORT ROUND-UP
INCIDENT NEWSWIRE
BY THE RAILWAY,
FOR THE RAILWAY
ISSUE 3 // OCTOBER 2012
TROLLEYS
MIND THE CLOSING
DOORS
DAY OF THE CATTLE
RIGHT
INSIDE:
SIGNALLING
ASPECTS
REGULAR FEATURES
PULLING LEVERS
SETTING ROUTES
THE SIGNALLER ROLE
SPADTALK
RAIB REPORT BRIEF
INCIDENT NEWSWIRE
BY THE RAILWAY,
FOR THE RAILWAY
ISSUE 4 // FEBRUARY 2013
MOVING MACHINES IN
POSSESSIONS
LEARNING FROM
FREIGHT DERAILMENTS
DRIVING IN WINTER
RIGHT
INSIDE:
CHANGING
TRAINS
REGULAR FEATURES
THE TRAIN DRIVER ROLE
SITUATION AWARENESS
SPADTALK
RAIB REPORT BRIEF
INCIDENT NEWSWIRE
BY THE RAILWAY,
FOR THE RAILWAY
ISSUE 5 // MAY 2013
TACKLING ‘STOP
SHORTS’
ROAD DRIVING
RISK
RAIB REPORT BRIEF:
JAMES STREET
RIGHT
Part of the
operational
safety programme
sponsored by
industry
safety charter
THE CHALLENGE OF CHARTER TRAINS
AND MANAGING RISKS TO PASSENGERS
ISSUE 6 // JULY 2013
LEAF IT OUT
THE LOWDOWN:
MARK HOPWOOD
OPEN TO ABUSE
RIGHT
Part of the
operational
safety programme
sponsored by
industry
pulp friction
PREPARING FOR THE SEASON OF LEAF FALL TO
KEEP TRAINS RUNNING SAFELY
ISSUE 7 // OCTOBER 2013
VIEW FROM THE CAB NOWT WRONG WITH
HERITAGE
RAIB REPORT BRIEF:
CHARING CROSS
RIGHT
Part of the
operational
safety programme
sponsored by
industry
MOM’s the word
THE INDUSTRY’S BEST KEPT SECRET OF
HOW THE RAILWAY KEEPS RUNNING
ISSUE 8 // FEBRUARY 2014
URBAN EXPLORERS
IN-SERVICE
ADHESION AID
ON TRACK SAFETY
RIGHT
Part of the
operational
safety programme
sponsored by
industry
signalling change
HOW THE CAMBRIAN LINE’S ADOPTION OF ERTMS
IS WORKING OUT IN PRACTICE FOR OPERATIONS
Right Track Reader Survey - give us your feedback

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Right Track - Readers’ Survey
1. Are you made aware when Right Track comes out?
2. How do you know when Right Track comes out? 3. Do you read Right Track?
4. How do you normally read RightTrack? 5. Where do you read it?
Yes - go to question 2
This survey can also be completed at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Righttracksurvey
Colleagues or managers let us know in formal safety briefings
People let each other know informally
I see a copy in my pigeon-hole / on my desk
I see a copy in the mess room / signing on point etc
I get the email alert
Colleagues or managers brief us via internal communication
– eg company or team email/briefing, or via our intranet
No - go to question 3
Yes - I try to read every issue cover-to-cover
The paper copy of the magazine
Yes – I usually read it, maybe not absolutely everything in it
The web version on Opsweb
No – I don’t have time – go to question 6
On my company intranet
No – I don’t think it’s worth reading ----- Why not? – go to question 6
Email attachment
Combination of the above (specify)
Yes – I flick through the magazine to see if there’s anything interesting
or relevant
In the office / at the place where I work
In the mess room
At home
While travelling
6. How far do you agree with these statements about Right Track?
Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree
The stories and features are easy for me to understand
It’s made me think about safety in a different way
I’ve taken away safety learning and applied it to what we do
The editors clearly take the time to talk to rail staff for news
It’s too chatty, I just want straightforward instructions
The magazine does not talk down to me
It doesn’t tell me anything I didn’t know before
The magazine looks great, good design and easy to read
It shows me that others face the same issues as me
I don’t always agree with what’s written but it’s good to read others’ views
There’s nothing in there that relates to my work on the railway
I don’t have the time to read it
I don’t have access to a copy of the magazine because I don’t have web
access
I don’t read it because I’m never told to or advised to by colleagues or
managers
I don’t agree with the tone or content of the magazine
It’s just more stuff to read from management and I’ve got a job to do
7. Please add any more comments that you feel would help us to improve Right Track for you.

righttrack@rssb.co.uk
Right Track is available to
download from Opsweb -
www.opsweb.co.uk
RIGHT
Right Track Team

Right track - Issue 9

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