Hi,
This is a brief report of some of the more interesting parts of my work experience with Network Rail Train Planning in Birmingham – a full report will follow...
On Tuesday, I got a Cab Ride with CrossCountry Trains, from Birmingham New Street to Bristol Temple Meads and return. Accompanied by a Traction Inspector and a Network Rail representative, I awaited 1V46 0912 Birmingham to Plymouth, an HST service. It was strangely exciting waiting at the HST Stop sign at New Street! The Derby driver left, and we were joined by a Bristol driver for the run to Bristol. The XC Traction Inspector chose to drive, and I acted as secondman. We were routed via Five Ways and Selly Oak, but were behind a late running Cross City train, so the start was rather subdued. However, we opened out once we passed Kings Norton and got onto the Fast Lines – once at Blackwell you can really see where the Lickey Incline starts, the line just drops away! There was a steel train with a banker in the loop at the bottom. We proceeded onwards with a stop at Cheltenham Spa, reaching a maximum speed of 100mph, although the driver said that some sections could be increased to 125mph without too much hassle. Whilst on the Gloucester Triangle we were slowed to a standstill, an SWT Class 158 working a FGW service to Swindon pulled out in front of us, although this was timetabled, so we didn’t lose any time. However, whilst approaching Winterbourne Tunnel, we received a yellow. The red signal is just outside the tunnel, but is not visible to the driver, so we had to slow right down to around 10mph. It was amazing that the tunnel was not lined, only bare rock was visible. However, in my duties as secondman I could see a green before anyone else in the cab, so we speeded up again. The reason for the delay became clear; an Oil Tanker train for Westerleigh. By Bristol Parkway we were around 7 minutes late, and this continued to Bristol, where we arrived at 1048 (against a 1041 booked arrival time).
I was due to proceed back to 1M37 1100 to Manchester Piccadilly, a Super Voyager. We relieved the booked driver, who sat in First Class, and I again acted as secondman. We left Bristol on time, and the acceleration felt much faster than on an HST. One thing that was slightly disconcerting was the rattling from the panels (there had been none in the HST), and the amount of sideways movement when we passed another train at speed. It started to rain very heavily between Cheltenham Spa and Bromsgrove. Up the Lickey, you can once again see the incline, although it didn’t tax our Voyager too much (cresting the summit at 60mph against a top speed of 75mph). We were once again routed via Selly Oak and Five Ways for a reversal at New Street – I thought most of these trains used the Camp Hill Line. We left the train 1 minute early at Birmingham New Street at 1226.
Overall, from a Driver’s Point of View, I think a Voyager would be better – the seat is more comfortable, acceleration is quicker, the train is quieter and the ride is better. However, from a Secondman’s point of view the HST is better (probably because it was built with secondmen in mind, which the Voyager wasn’t), as more is visible.
Then, on Thursday, I spent 1½ hours at lunchtime in New Street Signalbox, controlling (under supervision) New Street panel, which controls everything in and between the tunnels. Later on, I spent about 2 hours supplementing Phil Sayer’s automated announcements – it was very strange hearing my voice echoing around the whole station. If anyone happened to be at New Street between 1330 and 1530 on Thursday 9th July and you heard manual announcements, that was me!
We also got Phil to announce that ‘for customers awaiting the Orient Express, it will pass through the station in approximately 1 minutes time’, which baffled a few people!
Hope that makes interesting reading,
David
This is a brief report of some of the more interesting parts of my work experience with Network Rail Train Planning in Birmingham – a full report will follow...
On Tuesday, I got a Cab Ride with CrossCountry Trains, from Birmingham New Street to Bristol Temple Meads and return. Accompanied by a Traction Inspector and a Network Rail representative, I awaited 1V46 0912 Birmingham to Plymouth, an HST service. It was strangely exciting waiting at the HST Stop sign at New Street! The Derby driver left, and we were joined by a Bristol driver for the run to Bristol. The XC Traction Inspector chose to drive, and I acted as secondman. We were routed via Five Ways and Selly Oak, but were behind a late running Cross City train, so the start was rather subdued. However, we opened out once we passed Kings Norton and got onto the Fast Lines – once at Blackwell you can really see where the Lickey Incline starts, the line just drops away! There was a steel train with a banker in the loop at the bottom. We proceeded onwards with a stop at Cheltenham Spa, reaching a maximum speed of 100mph, although the driver said that some sections could be increased to 125mph without too much hassle. Whilst on the Gloucester Triangle we were slowed to a standstill, an SWT Class 158 working a FGW service to Swindon pulled out in front of us, although this was timetabled, so we didn’t lose any time. However, whilst approaching Winterbourne Tunnel, we received a yellow. The red signal is just outside the tunnel, but is not visible to the driver, so we had to slow right down to around 10mph. It was amazing that the tunnel was not lined, only bare rock was visible. However, in my duties as secondman I could see a green before anyone else in the cab, so we speeded up again. The reason for the delay became clear; an Oil Tanker train for Westerleigh. By Bristol Parkway we were around 7 minutes late, and this continued to Bristol, where we arrived at 1048 (against a 1041 booked arrival time).
I was due to proceed back to 1M37 1100 to Manchester Piccadilly, a Super Voyager. We relieved the booked driver, who sat in First Class, and I again acted as secondman. We left Bristol on time, and the acceleration felt much faster than on an HST. One thing that was slightly disconcerting was the rattling from the panels (there had been none in the HST), and the amount of sideways movement when we passed another train at speed. It started to rain very heavily between Cheltenham Spa and Bromsgrove. Up the Lickey, you can once again see the incline, although it didn’t tax our Voyager too much (cresting the summit at 60mph against a top speed of 75mph). We were once again routed via Selly Oak and Five Ways for a reversal at New Street – I thought most of these trains used the Camp Hill Line. We left the train 1 minute early at Birmingham New Street at 1226.
Overall, from a Driver’s Point of View, I think a Voyager would be better – the seat is more comfortable, acceleration is quicker, the train is quieter and the ride is better. However, from a Secondman’s point of view the HST is better (probably because it was built with secondmen in mind, which the Voyager wasn’t), as more is visible.
Then, on Thursday, I spent 1½ hours at lunchtime in New Street Signalbox, controlling (under supervision) New Street panel, which controls everything in and between the tunnels. Later on, I spent about 2 hours supplementing Phil Sayer’s automated announcements – it was very strange hearing my voice echoing around the whole station. If anyone happened to be at New Street between 1330 and 1530 on Thursday 9th July and you heard manual announcements, that was me!
We also got Phil to announce that ‘for customers awaiting the Orient Express, it will pass through the station in approximately 1 minutes time’, which baffled a few people!Hope that makes interesting reading,
David
