Beef causing Delays at Nailsea

[Tomnick]

Stopping and cautioning minimises the risk of collision though, whilst allowing some sort of service to be maintained. Swans in the fourfoot are treated in the same way, as are more than six sheep!

 

[bezzer]

Stopping and cautioning minimises the risk of collision though, whilst allowing some sort of service to be maintained. Swans in the fourfoot are treated in the same way, as are more than six sheep!

Now sheep. Where does the number 6 come from?!

Driver - Hello signaller there are sheep on the line near Tottenham
Signaller - can you count how many sheep?
Driver - 1 sheep, 2 sheep, 3 sheep, asleep!!!

 

[BestWestern]

It is an interesting thought! Presumably it was considered than your average train can withstand six or so, but not double figures! Who knows!

Regarding swans, it is surely high time that the frankly silly business of stopping mainline trains because one wanders into the fourfoot was scrapped, 'royal' birds or not?! Bl**dy things. The current rule seems to have been written as best it can be to keep within the legal technicalities whilst, perhaps, offering a little room for interpretation, in that trains only need be cautioned if the thing is actually in the fourfoot (nudge, wink...), but really it needs scrapping. 'Tis fine to pulp a small flock of sheep at full tilt but not a solitary swan.

 

[455driver]

Now sheep. Where does the number 6 come from?!

Driver - Hello signaller there are sheep on the line near Tottenham
Signaller - can you count how many sheep?
Driver - 1 sheep, 2 sheep, 3 sheep, asleep!!!

a driver that can count to 3, hell he is clever!
The number of sheep has been the subject of much discussion, is it more than 5 sheep or is it 5 or more sheep, do the sheep have to be 'on the line' or do the ones 'near the line' count as well.

I think the numbers making a difference is a baaaaad idea!

 

[Tomnick]

Now sheep. Where does the number 6 come from?!

Driver - Hello signaller there are sheep on the line near Tottenham
Signaller - can you count how many sheep?
Driver - 1 sheep, 2 sheep, 3 sheep, asleep!!!

I was once told that it's all to do with the value of the animals potentially being bowled over*. Whether there's any truth in that, I don't know, but it makes some sense as the railway's usually liable. Especially with sheep though, where one goes...you can probably expect the rest to follow!

* - obviously with large animals, there's a safety of the line issue - I suppose the same might apply to a sufficient number of smaller animals?

 

[6Gman]

I recall going up the South Wales valleys in the 1970s sheep on the line were a standard feature (and in the gents at Treherbert if I recall correctly).

 

[anthony263]

I remember there being a case where one of the Rhymney class 37's had to do an emergency stop because of sheep. Luckily the train stopped shortly before the sheep.

I think the train did scare the sheep off the line however allowing it to carry on to Rhymneny

 

[Tomnick]

I recall going up the South Wales valleys in the 1970s sheep on the line were a standard feature (and in the gents at Treherbert if I recall correctly).

Sheep in the gents? Best not to ask .

 

[tsr]

Talking of swans, there was one in the Bedford area this evening. Delays of up to 15mins, so at least FCC weren't up to their necks in the delay minutes

 

[Tomnick]

Talking of swans, there was one in the Bedford area this evening. Delays of up to 15mins, so at least FCC weren't up to their necks in the delay minutes

Over two hours of delay minutes...the first train on the scene had to be set back to run over another line past it!

 

[tsr]

Over two hours of delay minutes...the first train on the scene had to be set back to run over another line past it!

Ah sorry - I hadn't investigated properly - I was just going by the estimate they put out to the public. Perhaps if I had been more in a flap* about it I would have looked it up.

*Sorry.

 

[Tomnick]

Stop it . 15' sounds about right for informing punters of the delay to their journey, but I thought the total 'cost' of the incident might be enlightening!

 

[Northerner]

I was cautioned for a swan a good few months back, but as soon as it wandered into the 10 foot, the signaller was- "great that'll do then, normal running"
I believe that swans land on the railway mistaking the shine on the rails for water

 

[wrmorrell]

Via Facebook


Let the puns commence

Was a PICOW deployed to the scene?

 

[starrymarkb]

With Sheep there was a case where a large flock managed to derail an ICE at full speed (German HSLs are Unfenced) as it entered a tunnel, it did a LOT of damage!