Paddington Station 24/7 - Channel 5

[Llanigraham]

Network rail just being Network Rail.......useless!!

And of course, you being an expert in all manner of electronics, interlocking and railway procedures could have done better?

:roll::roll::roll:

 

[Nippy]

I'm certain that it wasn't NR that installed the stuff along there, it was either BR or Railtrack and as such NR have been put in the unfortunate position of having to pick up the pieces when that kit goes kaput.

Anyone know who installed the kit in Slough IECC?

To be fair Slough IECC was, in the main, pretty reliable. It's been since the move to TVSC that there have been big issues, mainly with the data links.

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

And of course, you being an expert in all manner of electronics, interlocking and railway procedures could have done better?

:roll::roll::roll:

If it was my job to repair these things. Yes I would hope I would have at least ensured the same thing didn't happen again but worse 24 hours later.

Or I would expect some repercussions.

 

[dangie]

To us it may seem a bit annoying but to the general public they have no idea and it doesn't really cause too much issue.

There's always 'anoraks' who like to point out every bit of inaccuracy in a documentary, but what we should all be grateful for is that there is a television documentary about railways. Just enjoy it.

 

[Geezertronic]

I did find it hilarious, and extremely annoying, when the cockwomble motioned the camera towards him to he could have it out with the poor member of staff about why "he" didn't fix the signalling issues and that he pays £5000 for a ticket etc.... whilst his frustration is understandable, his attitude just made him look like an idiot and was definitely for the cameras

 

[Tooktook]

I did find it hilarious, and extremely annoying, when the cockwomble motioned the camera towards him to he could have it out with the poor member of staff about why "he" didn't fix the signalling issues and that he pays £5000 for a ticket etc.... whilst his frustration is understandable, his attitude just made him look like an idiot and was definitely for the cameras

I had similar thoughts. I sympathise with his frustration but it did seem very contrived. I wonder what he thinks now the program is being shown.

It reminded me of a time I saw a train guard being told off for the alleged failings of the toc i travel on. I guess people just like to vent no matter if the person they are venting at had no real involvement in the cause of the issue....

Quite impressed with the station guy from the previous episode who speaks Chinese I believe?!

 

[SpacePhoenix]

With the data links is it something like a network card in each point (set of blades) and signal connected to a network switch, connected to a network switch, then connected to a high speed data link to the signalling centre?

 

[Marklund]

With the data links is it something like a network card in each point (set of blades) and signal connected to a network switch, connected to a network switch, then connected to a high speed data link to the signalling centre?

Read this

If it was my job to repair these things. Yes I would hope I would have at least ensured the same thing didn't happen again but worse 24 hours later.

Or I would expect some repercussions.

Easy to see you don't work in the railway and/or in a fault finding capacity.

 

[plymothian]

I did find it hilarious, and extremely annoying, when the cockwomble motioned the camera towards him to he could have it out with the poor member of staff about why "he" didn't fix the signalling issues and that he pays £5000 for a ticketetc.... whilst his frustration is understandable, his attitude just made him look like an idiot and was definitely for the cameras

£5,000 divided by 365 days of validity = £13.70 a day for unlimited travel.

 

[Llanigraham]

If it was my job to repair these things. Yes I would hope I would have at least ensured the same thing didn't happen again but worse 24 hours later.

Or I would expect some repercussions.

Thank you, confirms my original thought, you don't work for the railway and you don't know or understand anything about the systems used.
:roll::roll:

 

[Kite159]

Poor lady going to Reading, didn't she fancy a trip to Waterloo for a SWT service, either direct or via Basingstoke

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

Thank you, confirms my original thought, you don't work for the railway and you don't know or understand anything about the systems used.
:roll::roll:

What is your problem? Seriously?

It doesn't make a difference what I do for work or whether I understand these particular systems or not.

If I went to work made a mistake / didn't fix something that was my job to fix, which caused as much financial and general unrest and chaos as this did and then let it happen or didn't prevent it happening again causing even more chaos less than 24 hours later there would be consequences for me / my company.

I dont understand why you take issue with that.

I look forward to your next post with rolling eyes. It seems to happen a lot in your posts.

It must be wonderful to be you.............:roll::roll::roll::roll::roll:

 

[jimm]

What is your problem? Seriously?

It doesn't make a difference what I do for work or whether I understand these particular systems or not.

If I went to work made a mistake / didn't fix something that was my job to fix, which caused as much financial and general unrest and chaos as this did and then let it happen or didn't prevent it happening again causing even more chaos less than 24 hours later there would be consequences for me / my company.

I dont understand why you take issue with that.

I look forward to your next post with rolling eyes. It seems to happen a lot in your posts.

It must be wonderful to be you.............:roll::roll::roll::roll::roll:

So what do you suggest? Sack all the signal technicians working for Network Rail in West London? That'll help when something else goes wrong...

Sack Network Rail...? We could privatise it all, and call it something like Railtrack... oh, we already tried that idea...

There were consequences for Network Rail - it had to foot the bill for all the disruption/compensation. Not exactly cheap.

 

[Lrd]

That Kevin (Irish guy who speaks Chinese) has such an odd accent :confused:

 

[Steve14]

I find it bizarre how on one of the days where they faced upto 5,000 minutes worth of delays; the issue with the data links between Airport Junction and West Drayton wasn't fixed as this is what caused delays again the second day, even more worse delays. Now if that isn't down to poor negligence and prioritising issues that need to be fixed instantly then I don't know. If they neglect issues where it causes a huge delay to passengers then surely Network Rail should either fix it first.

 

[LAX54]

Network rail just being Network Rail.......useless!!

somewhat unfair maybe ? I have not seen the documentry, but are we certain the fault was exactly the same fault again ? and as for these season ticket holders that think they own the railway, as PLYMOTHIAN states they get the cheapest travel of all, but do not like to have that bit pointed out to them it seems !

 

[Lrd]

somewhat unfair maybe ? I have not seen the documentry, but are we certain the fault was exactly the same fault again ? and as for these season ticket holders that think they own the railway, as PLYMOTHIAN states they get the cheapest travel of all, but do not like to have that bit pointed out to them it seems !

Yeah it was the same fault. There were two devices inside a data link - A and B. Both failed due to heat, they removed B and then A came back online which then failed the next day. Or something to that extent

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I hate that man who yells down the camera "ITS A JOKE!"

Well, bud, yell what you like, but the whole world knows what a nasty old codger you are...

 

[Marklund]

It doesn't make a difference what I do for work or whether I understand these particular systems or not.

It actually does. It's the crux of the matter for fault finding. Your lack of knowledge, while spouting this or that should happen is a problem.

If I went to work made a mistake / didn't fix something that was my job to fix, which caused as much financial and general unrest and chaos as this did and then let it happen or didn't prevent it happening again causing even more chaos less than 24 hours later there would be consequences for me / my company.

I dont understand why you take issue with that.

Because your lack of knowledge of the subject is very good reason to take issue with.
Try fault finding a complex system, that presents varying symptoms, while the phone is ringing constantly from control looking for updates.
As soon as the fault has cleared, but not necessary been rectified, trains are running again, and further access to work on that equipment has gone.
Would you rather they have held all services until the fault was fully rectified, or get services back running again?

Keep in mind that the night shift Techs may well have other time critical work to attend to during the no train period, would you suggest that that work is cancelled, possibly causing further delays if S&T attendance at P-Way work doesn't happen, and they go back and look for a fault that may not actually be there any longer?

I've (and I'd bet every other Tech) have spent hours looking for something, that may only ever happen very, very briefly, only for it to disappear, all while the readings appear to be in spec.
Trying to find that, in very small gaps with trains running is a difficult job, and there is only a finite number of staff to attend.

If you are not happy with why there is a lack of staff to fault the equipment, address your complaints to NR management, the Phase 2bc reorganisation, and not the Techs.

 

[LAX54]

Yeah it was the same fault. There were two devices inside a data link - A and B. Both failed due to heat, they removed B and then A came back online which then failed the next day. Or something to that extent

we have two systems here on our gear A & B, and as said if one fails the other should take up the slack straight away, however as with all mechanical and electrical stuff it does not always do as it should, no doubt we will just have to get used to this in the coming years, as more and more stuff is technology heavy and reliant.

It may well have been fixed, but a 'new' part simply failed, not much you can do about that really, we had some new LED recessed light installed, one of them failed, so bought a new 'branded' one, worked a treat for 1 day they went pop ! replaced again with another, been fine ever since

 

[Marklund]

It may well have been fixed, but a 'new' part simply failed, not much you can do about that really, we had some new LED recessed light installed, one of them failed, so bought a new 'branded' one, worked a treat for 1 day they went pop ! replaced again with another, been fine ever since

Been there, done that!
And yes, the LEDs that were supposed to be the answer to all filament signal lamps problems have done that too!

 

[alxndr]

I'm yet to watch the most recent episode, and I'm far from an expert on SSI/datalinks, but I do know that faults on them are quite often intermittant, which is a royal pain when it comes to fault finding. It all starts working again, and you're left wondering whether it's fixed for good, or if it's going to decide to stop working again a couple of hours down the line.

 

[Trainfan344]

Tried to watch the latest episode, only to find My5 catchup has not uploaded it.

 

[LAX54]

What is your problem? Seriously?

It doesn't make a difference what I do for work or whether I understand these particular systems or not.

If I went to work made a mistake / didn't fix something that was my job to fix, which caused as much financial and general unrest and chaos as this did and then let it happen or didn't prevent it happening again causing even more chaos less than 24 hours later there would be consequences for me / my company.

I dont understand why you take issue with that.

I look forward to your next post with rolling eyes. It seems to happen a lot in your posts.

It must be wonderful to be you.............:roll::roll::roll::roll::roll:

Another train of thought, A electronic system 'fails' yet when you arrive it is up and running again, all the fault finding in the World will not find something that is not there, so you have to say OK go back to normal working, it may stay like that for months / years, but then again it might just 'fail' again 2 hours / 12 hours / 24 hours later !

 

[GusB]

Tried to watch the latest episode, only to find My5 catchup has not uploaded it.

I finally caught up with the series last night, but having looked at the My5 app again, it would appear that episode 4 has disappeared.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Will much of the current signalling equipment around Paddington be redundant once the electronic signalling eventually gets brought in?

 

[Pshambro]

It actually does. It's the crux of the matter for fault finding. Your lack of knowledge, while spouting this or that should happen is a problem.



Because your lack of knowledge of the subject is very good reason to take issue with.
Try fault finding a complex system, that presents varying symptoms, while the phone is ringing constantly from control looking for updates.
As soon as the fault has cleared, but not necessary been rectified, trains are running again, and further access to work on that equipment has gone.
Would you rather they have held all services until the fault was fully rectified, or get services back running again?

Keep in mind that the night shift Techs may well have other time critical work to attend to during the no train period, would you suggest that that work is cancelled, possibly causing further delays if S&T attendance at P-Way work doesn't happen, and they go back and look for a fault that may not actually be there any longer?

I've (and I'd bet every other Tech) have spent hours looking for something, that may only ever happen very, very briefly, only for it to disappear, all while the readings appear to be in spec.
Trying to find that, in very small gaps with trains running is a difficult job, and there is only a finite number of staff to attend.

If you are not happy with why there is a lack of staff to fault the equipment, address your complaints to NR management, the Phase 2bc reorganisation, and not the Techs.

A very good explanation of the situation the technicians and managers find themselves in. Given that there are thousands of people stranded across the network and the datalink was back up after replacing the card, I can't believe many people would think "what if replacing the card hasn't fixed the fault. Lets keep the network closed for a few more hours while we do exhaustive tests, just in case"

 

[londonbridge]

How many episodes is the series meant to run for?

Eight according to Network Rail.

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/new-documentary-series-begins-tonight-paddington-station-247/

I thought I'd read somewhere there were four, been recording them, my Sky box described this weeks episode as 'season 1 episode 4', saw series link had added another episode in next week which is described as 'season 2 episode 5'!...Mostly enjoying the series so far.

 

[jimm]

I finally caught up with the series last night, but having looked at the My5 app again, it would appear that episode 4 has disappeared.

I think there's something not quite right with the way My5 has set up the series - I had a lot of grief last week trying to watch episode 3 - forget what I did in the end that succeeded, perhaps going back to the TV guide and selecting it there, rather than in the My5 player.

 

[Elecman]

I was half way through watching episode 4 on My5 when the link died, tried to restart and Episode 4 has been removed. One wonders if the Its a Joke man has complained and they've pulled the episode in its entirety?