IETs into passenger service from 16 Oct 2017 and subsequent performance issues

[whole diary]

[Clan Line]

I do however always have a torch with me on public transport.

Definition of a torch: "A cylindrical tube, usually made of plastic or metal, used for storing dead batteries"

[broadgage]

I do however always have a torch with me on public transport.

Definition of a torch: "A cylindrical tube, usually made of plastic or metal, used for storing dead batteries"

Often true, but not in my case.
Torches likely to see regular use are fitted with new batteries at the beginning of December, or earlier if needed.
I almost always have a torch with me if away from home. If I have any reason to doubt the reliability or availability of electric lighting, then TWO torches and spare batteries.
Reserve supplies of torches and other battery lights are NOT fitted with batteries, these are stored separately in the sealed packages in which they are supplied.

[IndustryInsider]

Hands up who’s surprised by that belt and braces approach!

[Clan Line]

Hands up who’s surprised by that belt and braces approach!

That's a belt, braces and a length of binder twine approach !!  Actually, I've got a wind up torch in the boot of the car, that seems pretty good.

[stuving]

Having had a good look round in one this morning, I can confirm:

* All vehicles have six safety information posters within the saloon (three in the shorter end vehicles), as well as pictograms showing nearest exits, nearest fire extinguisher and SOS points.
*  All vestibules have an emergency equipment poster showing details for that carriage.
*  All emergency equipment cupboards (there are eight on a 9-car unit) have stocks of glow sticks (at least ten in each), along with a whole host of other stuff.

Looking at the new Rail Industry Standard RIS-2730-RST "Vehicle Fire Safety and Evacuation" (and issue  one is dates June 2020!), there do not seem to be any requirements for safety equipment for unaided passenger use. There are lists of loads of suggested stuff to carry, but for crew use and, as you can see, mostly of the most traditional kind:

G 2.8.3 Clause 4.2.9.4 of the LOC & PAS TSI sets out minimum requirements for emergency equipment accessible to the driver.

G 2.8.4 It is good practice to ensure that storage space is provided to accommodate any of the additional emergency and safety equipment as determined on the basis of risk.

G 2.8.5 Additional equipment that is currently provided on GB^▸ (Great Britain) trains, for use by traincrew only (that is, not available to passengers) is as follows:
a) In each operative driving cab:
i) At least ten detonators.
ii) Two sets of track circuit operating clips (except that only one set of such clips is required in the cab on multiple unit type trains operated with a guard, where an additional two sets are located in the guard’s accommodation).
iii) Two red flags with sticks (one in each cab on a multiple unit train).
b) Readily available to the driver (preferably in the driving cab):
i) One brake stick on locomotive hauled trains comprising vehicles fitted with manually operated 'lever' type hand brakes such as those installed on freight vehicles.
ii) One spare portable tail lamp on locomotive hauled driver-only trains.
iii) Four wheel scotches in trains where electric parking brakes are provided.
c) Available to the guard, within, or adjacent to, accommodation provided for a guard on passenger trains:
i) Two sets of track circuit operating clips.
ii) Six wheel scotches on air-braked locomotive-hauled trains.
d) Available to members of the traincrew for use in passenger and other crew areas:
i) One ladder or step ladder made from non-conducting material.
ii) One defibrillator.
These items may be made accessible for passengers’ use as well as that of traincrew if desired.
G 2.8.6 For operation on dc electrified lines, the following additional equipment is currently provided, preferably located in the operative driving cab, or otherwise easily and quickly accessible to the traincrew:
a) One conductor rail short-circuiting bar.
b) One conductor rail hook switch pole.
c) Shoe fuse key (where applicable).
d) Shoe paddles: the number of shoe paddles carried shall be the greater of:
i) One paddle for each track short-circuiting bar carried.
ii) For vehicles with non-retractable shoe gear, the number of current collector shoes plus one.
iii) For vehicles with retractable shoe gear, a minimum of two paddles.
e) One roll of insulating tape.
f) 8 m of stout cord.

G 2.8.9 GB practice has been also to provide the following equipment as personal issue to train crew:
a) A three-pointed screwdriver for vehicles with toilet compartments;
This is unlikely to be useful for new vehicles.
b) A hand lamp capable of showing red, green and white aspects.
The inclusion of a green aspect contradicts the requirement in clause 4.2.9.4 of the LOC & PAS TSI.

And the list in the LOC and PAS TSI is:

4.2.9.4. On board tools and portable equipment
A space shall be available in or near the driver’s cab to store the following equipment, in case they are needed by the driver in emergency situation:
— Hand-lamp with red and white light.
— Short circuiting equipment for track-circuits.
— Scotches, if the parking brake performance is not sufficient depending on track gradient (see clause 4.2.4.5.5 ‘Parking brake’).
— A fire extinguisher in accordance with HS^▸ (High Speed (short for HSS^▸ (High Speed Services) High Speed Services)) RST TSI:2008 clause 4.2.7.2.3.2.
— On manned traction units of freight trains: a respirator, as specified in the SRT TSI (see SRT TSI clause 4.7.1).

[broadgage]

The above sounds like a reasonable provision of safety equipment.
The only potential deficiency that I have noticed is the lack of tools for emergency rescue in the event of serious accident.
Crowbar ? Hacksaw ? axe ? Serious accidents are now very rare, but still best to be prepared.

[stuving]

The above sounds like a reasonable provision of safety equipment.
The only potential deficiency that I have noticed is the lack of tools for emergency rescue in the event of serious accident.
Crowbar ? Hacksaw ? axe ? Serious accidents are now very rare, but still best to be prepared.

RIS-2730-RST has appendices that give specifications (mostly BSEN standards) for those requirements  lists, and also for some things that might be added to them by local decisions:

B.4 The following list provides examples of acceptable specifications for additional items of safety or emergency equipment which may be required by section 2.8 of this document:
a) Straight pein 3.2 kg (7 lb) sledgehammer to BS 876:1995 Table 8, with a total length of 762 mm.
b) Fireman’s axe to BS 2957:1958 Fig. 1.
c) 11 metres of 18 mm nylon rope to BS 4928 Part 2 Table 1 (or equivalent).
d) Multi-purpose saw (British Rail Catalogue No. 39/52800).
e) Long crowbar: 1500 mm long, 32AF hexagonal, with one pointed and one chisel/ lever end (with no stress raisers), made from 0.4% plain carbon steel to PD 970 080M40. The ends are to be heat treated to condition R.
f) Insulated rubber gauntlets to BS 697:1986 Table 3, red up to 1 kV; green up to
3.3kV (or equivalents to BS EN 60903:2003).
g) First aid equipment. It is established practice to:
  i) Clearly identify the equipment, with a label listing contents on the container;
  ii) Seal the container with a security device to indicate when it has been opened; and
  iii) Ensure that the contents follow the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 (updated 2018) approved code of practice (ACOP).

Remember, absence of a requirement is not a requirement for absence.

[Celestial]

The above sounds like a reasonable provision of safety equipment.
The only potential deficiency that I have noticed is the lack of tools for emergency rescue in the event of serious accident.
Crowbar ? Hacksaw ? axe ? Serious accidents are now very rare, but still best to be prepared.

Would a nailfile count? I usually carry one around with me, and it doesn't need batteries either.

[SandTEngineer]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NSogkVQJhwg

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6yhf1VSdWxw

[IndustryInsider]

The above sounds like a reasonable provision of safety equipment.
The only potential deficiency that I have noticed is the lack of tools for emergency rescue in the event of serious accident.
Crowbar ? Hacksaw ? axe ? Serious accidents are now very rare, but still best to be prepared.

Remember, absence of a requirement is not a requirement for absence.

Indeed.  There are two emergency equipment cupboards on each 5 or 9-car IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) that each carry a hammer, axe, ladder, crowbar, and saw.

[broadgage]

That is reassuring, thanks for the update.
Such equipment is most useful, not just in case of serious accident, but also for removing the remains of shopping trolleys, gazebos, sheds, trampolines and the like that have been blown onto the line, or placed thereon by vandals and then struck by the train.

[broadgage]

The ban on the carriage of surfboards on IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) continues to be a cause of complaint.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-54162329

I can remember the good old days, when passengers could take up to 50 kilos of luggage, or 75 kilos in first class.

[grahame]

The ban on the carriage of surfboards on IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) continues to be a cause of complaint.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-54162329

I can remember the good old days, when passengers could take up to 50 kilos of luggage, or 75 kilos in first class.

From that article:

Surfers are calling on Great Western Railway to review its policy banning surfboards on trains.

It comes after one surfer said police were called when he was told to leave a train travelling from London to Bristol because he had a board with him.

Jamie Monson said the policy was 'crazy', especially when rail travel is being encouraged.

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) changed its policy early last year stating surfboards were not be allowed on its intercity express trains.
The company said the new trains no longer had space behind the engine, where boards had previously been stored, to enable them to provide extra seating.

Mr Monson was bound for surfing lake The Wave, a 180m long lake, which opened in Bristol in November, before the coronavirus lockdown saw it shut for more than four months.

So let me get this right ... he was travelling to a surfing venue that was being heavily advertised on the turbos in the Bristol area shortly before lockdown and was asked to leave the train because he was taking surfing equipment on it?   Does that strike you as ironic?

For those of you unfamiliar with "The Wave" - although the article says it's "in Bristol", the nearest (and only realistically walkable) station is Pilning - about a mile away as the seagull flies.  The Wave's website says (at https://www.thewave.com/about/ )

Explore how The Wave is putting community and sustainability at the heart of its operation.

but I'm not seeing anything there about reaching them sustainably. Perhaps something in the offing, perhaps it could be useful to see if a few ideas could be joined up.

[didcotdean]

The ban on the carriage of surfboards on IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) continues to be a cause of complaint.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-54162329

I can remember the good old days, when passengers could take up to 50 kilos of luggage, or 75 kilos in first class.

You can still bring "three items of luggage". Although if everyone did it would be a problem so this is qualified as 'unless there is not enough room for it". Plus two dogs.

[broadgage]

My understanding is that "three items of luggage" are indeed allowed, but that only one "large" item is permitted, such as a suitcase or rucksack, with two small items such as plastic shopping bags.
I recall a case shortly after the then Virgin Cross Country introduced new shorter trains. A passenger was turned away for carrying four supermarket shopping bags "the rules limit you to three items, you have exceeded that"
In the good old days, four shopping bags would have been fine if less than 50 kilos in total weight.

For long distance services likely to convey holiday makers, the carrying of bulky luggage is part of running a railway, even if not directly profitable.