Do you actually remember all of the rulebook?

[NewChew]

I know as a train driver you are expected to remember the rulebook and your company polices, but do you ever find yourself in a situation while driving and think "how am i supposed to handle this" and have to have a quick flick through it to refresh your memory while stopped for whatever reason?

 

[Bigfoot]

You remember every part of every module that is relevant to your role. Your competency is your own and your employers' to check if it is up to standards, that's why there are so many periodical assessments, we are professionals after all.

It's healthy to have a flick to refresh the memory periodically but there is rarely time when you find yourself in a situation to wait to deal with it by having a look first.

 

[WirralLine]

It is surprising how much of it you can remember. You may think youve long forgotten something, but then when it comes to having to follow it/use it, or get assessed on it you find you actually remember it all.

The hardest part for me is having had things drummed into me during training, only for certain things to then change during a later revision. Hard to throw the old version out of my brain.

(Im a guard, not a driver, but still share a lot of the same)

 

[king_walnut]

Once you've been out driving for long enough, you just know how things are supposed to be.

So for example, sat here right now I couldn't quote word for word what the rulebook says about rescuing another train but I've done it a few times so I know exactly what to do. Same with single line working.

 

[Ploughman]

Not just Train Staff or Drivers.
I had the same thing with my position in Track Renewals (PTO, Site Engineer) not desk bound either.

 

[Gloster]

I was a signalman long ago and had read and understood all parts of the Signalling Regulations, Rule Book, General Appendix, Sectional Appendix and Local Instructions that applied to me. I knew everything that might require immediate action and could carry out all that was necessary in such cases without further ado. However, if I had ever had to carry out one of those jobs that didn’t come at you in rush and were rarely done, such as moving an Out of Gauge Load, I would get out the book to refresh my memory.

 

[TheVicLine]

There are obscure parts that you will never need to know and therefore don't remember. However every time my rules exam comes around and I get out my rule book and notes I always realise to my astonishment that I actually know it all.
It's the same with traction faults, there is so much that can go wrong on a train that you couldn't possibly know everything, but you know the stuff that does sometimes go wrong and how to fix it.
If you are unsure of anything just ask someone, another driver, the signaller, control, everyone will help you.

 

[MoraleSponge]

Although the rule book isn't particularly easy to read, once you understand it then most rules are actually fairly logical actions to take. In reality, there are very few situations where you actually have to act purely on your own initiative. Often your initial actions will involve contacting the signaller/control/maintenance and they usually help you out.
Even with a fault on the train, many tocs want you to speak to maintenance before doing much. As stated by @TheVicLine if you are ever in doubt, ask for help and make sure you have that clear understanding of what to do.

 

[The exile]

There’s an anecdote in ? Adrian Vaughan’s memoir about the elderly signalman being quizzed on the rules by the District Inspector. He’s about to be relieved of his duties as he is unable to answer questions about a particular rule when that precise situation arises in the box. Signalman performs the necessary actions perfectly “by the book” but was unable to do it in theory/ recognise the inspector’s scenario.

 

[AverageJoe]

The difficult comes when a slight change in rules come, especially when it’s a change to something you have been repeating and memorising for years.

When I passed out I could answer anything, as I’ve been driving a while now there is some stuff what I would consider vital that I know and some stuff that I have written down and can refer to. I still know it but not quite as quick to answer as I was when I passed out.

Often drivers have cheat sheets, simple things like distances, speeds when running with certain defects, bell buzzer codes and things like that, that if necessary can be quickly looked at. But as others have said it’s all up there, just sometimes if it’s not been used in a while it needs encouraging out of the brain.

It’s handy to pick up the rule book now and then when on spare as a refresher but it’s not always the easiest thing to do especially when tired.

 

[Stigy]

You find you remember a lot of it without even realising. I’ve just changed TOCs and had to do a rules course (of sorts) and I was surprised I committed so much to long term memory I didn’t realise I had.

 

[bluesfromagun]

I've always found that when the chips are down and you really find yourself in a strange situation, if you think about it logically in a safety first manner, you'll work out the correct answer even if you can't verbatim repeat what the rulebook says.
I don't carry a rulebook with me and I never have, likewise track maps.

 

[NewChew]

Thanks for your responses everyone. Another question; As a driver do you also need to remember the parts in the rulebook that are aimed at the signaller in detail (and vice versa), or do you just have a quick read so you have a basic understanding of those tasks to give you a better picture? Thanks again

 

[AverageJoe]

Thanks for your responses everyone. Another question; As a driver do you also need to remember the parts in the rulebook that are aimed at the signaller in detail (and vice versa), or do you just have a quick read so you have a basic understanding of those tasks to give you a better picture? Thanks again

I try to understand the signallers role and rules as much as possible.

For example, I like to know the instructions i get to pass a signal at danger are correct. Or if authorised to pass 2 at danger, does it meet the parameters.

Also a new rule regarding controlled test stops, the signaller now has to make sure if it is towards a speed reduction the line must be treated. That isn’t in the drivers rules.

When i am just scrubbing up for a rules exam though I will just focus on the drivers parts.

 

[Stigy]

Thanks for your responses everyone. Another question; As a driver do you also need to remember the parts in the rulebook that are aimed at the signaller in detail (and vice versa), or do you just have a quick read so you have a basic understanding of those tasks to give you a better picture? Thanks again

We generally learn all rules relevant to driving during initial rules training, but don’t delve in to the intricacies of the signallers’ duties in terms of their section of the rulebook. For example, we’d need to know what hand signals etc they need to display in any given circumstance,And what “tickets” we need to be given for things like Temporary Block Working, but don’t need to know what the signaller does when setting this method of working up behind the scenes.