England Railway Journey

[OMGitsDAVE]

It's nice to see you enjoyed yourself and received only minimal disruption!
Trust us though, it's not always as it seems!

Glad to see you enjoyed yourself though!

 

[Yew]

Im going to guess the disruption was on the ECML?

 

[northwichcat]

Im going to guess the disruption was on the ECML?

The 40 minute delay was in Kent if you look at the pdf which sbbcffffs attached.

 

[sbbcffffs]

It was the 12.50 train from Ramsgate to Dover. Basically I could say I was glad it was late because I went down to the town to eat something and I dind't reckon the station was as far away as that. So when the staff saw me running to the platform they told me they couldn't find a driver and a conductor. After 20 minutes we had a driver but no cunductor. So I had a talk with the driver and in fact he could run the train without a conductor. He has buttons to open and shut the door in the driver cab as well.

What's strange is: The conductor always open the door. Sometimes passenger have to wait quite a long time till the door open.
People in Switzerland activate the emergency button if the train doesn't open the door just after its arrival.

Why cannot the driver open the door??

 

[WestCoast]

What's strange is: The conductor always open the door. Sometimes passenger have to wait quite a long time till the door open.
People in Switzerland activate the emergency button if the train doesn't open the door just after its arrival.

Why cannot the driver open the door??

It depends on the route. Most trains in the UK operate with a driver and commercial guard, who is expected to open and close the doors and check/sell tickets. Outside of the South East of England, the vast majority of routes are ran like this (there are a few exceptions e.g. Glasgow). The driver may physically be able to open the doors, but they are not permitted to do so.

In some areas, trains can operate without guards and they are called DOO routes, Driver Only Operation, the driver opens/closes doors. There is no guard, but there may be a ticket inspector.

There are also a few companies where the driver is allowed to open the doors but a guard must close them. Virgin Trains is a prime example.

People are used to waiting for doors on most routes. The guard is usually busy, and then has to travel to the rear cab (or any door on more modern units), to open the doors.

Guards opening doors is a very sensitive issue in the UK.

 

[sbbcffffs]

Cheers for your annotation.

However it would be much faster if the driver open the doors and there's no degradation in the security.
I sat in a Virgin Train though, but didn't notice that one.

 

[EltonRoad]

That's a pretty impressive itinerary!

I'd be interested to see photos between Glasgow / Oban / Fort William / Mallaig, and any between Inverness and Kyle and up to Wick.

Cheers.

 

[WestCoast]

However it would be much faster if the driver open the doors and there's no degradation in the security.

That is probably true, and on most modern trains it is possible (but not allowed). Any change to guard's roles would probably lead to staff and union uproar though.

 

[sbbcffffs]

Elton Road, could you give me your mail address per PM, because the photos have a larger size than 2 MB.
(Unfortunately) I did more photos of the landscape, but there are some photos with DMU as well.

 

[the sniper]

It was a real adventure! Sometimes I felt as I was in the 1950. On some lines they securise it with token. Between Par and Newquay (I really love this line) two times the train stops to give the token to the signal box.
Or even on the Carlisle - Grang over Sands line there is someone who closes a gate instead an automatical barrier. Such things I've seen many times. I really like this, that's still neat railway.

The only upside to nearly 50 years of under investment in our railways is that little bits of stuff like this still exists around the country!

I'm glad you enjoyed your trip, and quite a trip it was too! I don't think I'd have been up to such a grand journey abroad when I was 19. I don't think I'd be up to it now I'm 21 either.

What did you make of places like Birmingham New Street station, as it's not very popular here...? Did you get to enjoy the delights () of a 'Pacer' on your trip? If so, how does it compare to units you have in Switzerland?

 

[sbbcffffs]

Hi sniper

In Birmingham I visited the a bit the city. I also had to walk through Birmingham from Moor St. (with an old steam engine in the station) to N.S.

I had such a Pacer Class 142 between Leeds and Lancaster. They seem to be old but in fact they aren't as old as that.

Ouuhhh yes we've got still old EMU like the RBe 540 (ex RBe 4/4) is.
Here an example who it vibrates inside, the worst is, when the engine starts. But more old the vehicels are more I like them. So the RBe is my favourite in Switzerland built in the 60's you'll see the vibration in it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOIOAU65zss further information on wikipedia: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/SBB_RBe_4/4

 

[WestCoast]

I had such a Pacer Class 142 between Leeds and Lancaster. They seem to be old but in fact they aren't as old as that.

No, they aren't that old, but they are cheaply built out of bus parts! Very bouncy and terrible for any standing passengers. They act as a commuter train for rail travellers in Northern England, South Wales and South West England.

 

[33056]

Glad that you enjoyed yourself over here, however I think that an RBe 540 is the height of luxury compared to a Pacer