Route conducting for drivers: what actually happens?

[adc82140]

I see lot of mention of route conducting for drivers on various threads.

I know the purpose- to guide drivers on routes they don't sign, for unusual stock moves etc.

But what does route conducting actually involve? Does the route conductor have to verbally draw attention to speed limits, braking points, signal aspects etc or is it more answering queries from the driver as they crop up?

 

[dk1]

I see lot of mention of route conducting for drivers on various threads.

I know the purpose- to guide drivers on routes they don't sign, for unusual stock moves etc.

But what does route conducting actually involve? Does the route conductor have to verbally draw attention to speed limits, braking points l, signal aspects etc or is it more answering queries from the driver as they crop up?

The route conductor Would advise of everything from braking to signal sighting, speeds and even gradients. The rule book also used to state that if the route conductor signed the traction then they should drive. Lots of chitty chatty too.

 

[whoosh]

But what does route conducting actually involve? Does the route conductor have to verbally draw attention to speed limits, braking points, signal aspects etc or is it more answering queries from the driver as they crop up?

I've been route conducted quite a few times when they drove, but have only been route conducted once when I didn't sign the route but they didn't sign the traction, so I had to drive and follow their instructions.

You've summed it up pretty well there - its all of those things!
To clarify about signal aspects - it's also route indications needed or mustn't have at various locations.

 

[Boilinthebag]

The route conductor Would advise of everything from braking to signal sighting, speeds and even gradients. The rule book also used to state that if the route conductor signed the traction then they should drive. Lots of chitty chatty too.

It still does...TW1 29

conductor driver

If you are the conductor driver, you must:
-take responsibility for the safe working of the train
-observe all signals and speed restrictions
-drive the train if authorised and competent to do so

 

[dk1]

It still does...TW1 29

conductor driver

If you are the conductor driver, you must:
-take responsibility for the safe working of the train
-observe all signals and speed restrictions
-drive the train if authorised and competent to do so

Cheers!!

 

[800301]

It still does...TW1 29

conductor driver

If you are the conductor driver, you must:
-take responsibility for the safe working of the train
-observe all signals and speed restrictions
-drive the train if authorised and competent to do so

When GWR were doing Euston, despite the GBRF drivers signing the traction and route they weren’t permitted to drive, despite the fact they took the same trains back to the depot and stabled them in various places

 

[Pete_uk]

It's a bit old and maybe not very representative for today, but here is a cab ride and interesting chatter with a HST driver being guided from Gloucester down to Severn Tunnell Jn.

 

[PudseyBearHST]

When GWR were doing Euston, despite the GBRF drivers signing the traction and route they weren’t permitted to drive, despite the fact they took the same trains back to the depot and stabled them in various places

Surely that was ASLEF imposing that rather than an operational restriction? Otherwise GBRf could drive passenger trains on behalf of GWR which wouldn’t go down well with GWR drivers. Or do some GBRf drivers not have category A(?) on their license to operate passenger trains.

 

[800301]

Surely that was ASLEF imposing that rather than an operational restriction? Otherwise GBRf could drive passenger trains on behalf of GWR which wouldn’t go down well with GWR drivers. Or do some GBRf drivers not have category A(?) on their license to operate passenger trains.

No idea but either way it was nice to have some company in the cab for a change

I don’t think all of them signed the traction but the 3/4 drivers I had in my cab all did

 

[adc82140]

Thank you for the responses. All very educational.

 

[Harpo]

Route conducting is certainly way more professional than in previous generations where uncomplicated traction meant the ‘who will drive’ was a mutual agreement and locating the cancel button for the AWS could be the only temporary job-stopper. You might even have found yourself with a one shot route learning session from your ‘pilot’ (old term) ending with a cheery ‘be alright on your own next time?’

 

[lineclear]

In my experience, it is the conductor drivers who speak to the signaller.

 

[godfreycomplex]

In my experience, it is the conductor drivers who speak to the signaller.

I’m pretty sure that’s a rule. Driver with route knowledge speaks to signaller, driver with traction knowledge speaks to fleet

 

[RiverDon]

In my experience, it is the conductor drivers who speak to the signaller.

My TOC driving handbook has a whole section on route conducting and says in a big red box at the end of it:

"Remember that as conductor driver YOU are responsible for the safe working of the train and YOU are required to communicate with the signaller"

 

[norbitonflyer]

Very different from 1962. A conductor driver was driving a Class 40 on a sleeper service diverted by the "Joint Line", and approached Lincoln at 55mph - nearly four times the speed limit. He was not passed to drive diesels, although he had occasionally driven diesel shunters. It did not end well.

 

[Western Lord]

Very different from 1962. A conductor driver was driving a Class 40 on a sleeper service diverted by the "Joint Line", and approached Lincoln at 55mph - nearly four times the speed limit. He was not passed to drive diesels, although he had occasionally driven diesel shunters. It did not end well.

The other major accident involving a conductor driver was Sutton Coldfield in 1955, a York-Bristol express diverted via Lichfield. The train driver left the footplate at Burton and took a seat in the train as he was feeling unwell. The conductor driver obviously knew the road and was familiar with Black Fives but entered the sharp curve at Sutton Coldfield at greatly excessive speed. Often regarded as an inexplicable mistake, I have often wondered if the driver had never previously driven a non stop train on the route (there were presumably not many) and therefore had never had to think about the speed restriction.