Track incidents at Southend and Whyteleafe

[whole diary]

[trainer]

Perhaps I rushed to (a wrong) judgement about Oxman's posting.  Apologies are in order and I give them here. Hoist with my own petard, I fear.   

I was most concerned about Bob Crow's apparent judgement that nothing was wrong, before the inquiry was completed.  Actually, I hope he's right and I think it's wonderful that railway personnel can be so committed as to risk themselves for the public - which I suspect they do more than we know.  But the company isn't automatically wrong anymore than the employee.  So neutral I remain.

With that, I now fall silent on the matter.

[eightf48544]

This incident has raised a question I've been pondering for a long time. It was mentioned about contacting the signal man who may be many miles away. So how  do platform staff contact the signalman in an emergency?

I've also condsidered what I would do if I was at Taplow when it was unmanned and  somebody or something fell on  the track. You could call the emergency help point but that's not to the signalman so would add delay.

My solution would be to use the signal telephone and risk being procescuted afterwards.

[Network SouthEast]

Network Rail have a telephone number for emergency calls from members of the public, which is staffed 24 hours a day.

08457 11 41 41

Store it on your mobile phone now! 

[thetrout]

As a side, from 8f's conundrum. I would probably also use the signallers telephone and risk a prosecution. Failing that I would either morse code an SOS with my Maglite or Assist light on my mobile. Ideally try and make that a red light. Nearby rear bike light could also work and wave frantically at the driver of any approaching train.

To be honest I'm loathed to recommend that 0845 number considering how much they cost to call from mobiles. Upwards of 40p per minute on some networks!

[bobm]

To be honest I'm loathed to recommend that 0845 number considering how much they cost to call from mobiles. Upwards of 40p per minute on some networks!

The Say No to 0870 app on my phone translates the number to 020 7557 8000.  For fairly obvious reasons I have not tested it!

[thetrout]

Thanks Bob. I was going to suggest that. (Great Minds think alike ) However I did not have access to the App at the time.

[stuving]

To be honest I'm loathed to recommend that 0845 number considering how much they cost to call from mobiles. Upwards of 40p per minute on some networks!

The Say No to 0870 app on my phone translates the number to 020 7557 8000.  For fairly obvious reasons I have not tested it!

020 7557 8000 is NR^» (Network Rail - home page)'s main switchboard.
08457 11 41 41 they describe as their 24-hour "helpline", but do also say it is for emergencies.
For speed of contacting a signaller, I wonder how well it works.

[grahame]

For speed of contacting a signaller, I wonder how well it works.

I had to call it once; think I just went for the 0845 (who cares about 40p if it's life critical?)  I'm trying to recall the metrics of the call sequence (more remember the incident), but I was quite impressed at the speed with which the line was closed.

[anthony215]

Reading about this inccident here and on other forums I do agree that Bob crow is rushing into this a bit. I think there is more ot this than we know about which we will most likely find out in the next few months

C2C 's managment are  following the procedures which states that any member of staff should be suspended after a incident while an investigation is carried out which is fair enough.

In hindsight perhaps we can say this member of staff could have done things differently but I have to wonder what would anyone else have done had they been in his shoes. If he had stood back and something more serious had happened I think the press would have had a field day

[ChrisB]

THe TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) needed to get out there the fact that suspension *on full pay* is a neutral act, to enable investigation to be completed, and *not* a negative - and done is most professions. Poor PR^▸ (Public Relations), both on TOC & RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers)/Bob Crow

[ChrisB]

Sorry, I'd use the signal telephone & take the risk eather than 999....

[Network SouthEast]

What if there's no SPT^▸ (Signal Post Telephone) though? There are a few stations out there with no signals at the end of platforms.

[ChrisB]

Hmm, Southend Central?.....

[Oxman]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-24041055

The worker has been reinstated.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Thanks for posting that, Oxman.

Purely for those who read this forum on equipment which may not make it easy to follow links, here is the news item, from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Southend station wheelchair rail rescue man reprieved

A railway worker suspended after going on to a train track to help a disabled woman who had fallen off the platform edge has been reinstated.

The customer service assistant at Southend Central station in Essex was one of a number of people who went to the elderly woman's aid on 28 August.

The Rail Maritime and Transport union (RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers)) said the c2c employee would now return to work. RMT general secretary Bob Crow said it was a "victory for common sense".

The worker had faced a disciplinary hearing after suggestions he had not followed correct health and safety procedures.

The woman suffered a fractured hip in the fall.

A c2c spokesman said: "A c2c employee has returned to full duties following our investigation into the incident at Southend Central station. While the employee helped members of the public to remove the passenger from the track, he accepted his immediate duty was to ensure all trains were stopped. This is to protect the safety of all involved, including those who were already on the track aiding the passenger."

Mr Crow added: "Our member is a hero who should never have been facing the sack for saving a disabled woman from a life-threatening situation. Our member has thanked the union, his work colleagues and the public for all of their support. This incident has shown once again how important station staff are to passenger safety and security."

Interesting use of the words 'reprieved' and 'reinstated' by the BBC, if the suspension was indeed a 'neutral act'.