Pilotman?

[Pinza-C55]

Shouldn't it be Pilotperson in today's PC culture ?

 

[Taunton]

ISTR, a fatal accident was caused many years ago by the rules for token working not being followed.

A driver arrived at station B and handed to a young lad the token for the line between A and B.
This should have been exchanged for a different token for the line between B and C, but for some reason the token was not exchanged and the ORIGINAL token for the line between A and B was returned to the driver

One of a number of head-on single line accidents over the years where the two trains both believed they should put on all speed because the other was waiting at the next station for them. There was no interlocking of the starting signal with the token machine, which later became a standard safeguard.

The Abermule accident occurred just before the Cambrian was merged into the GWR, and the wreckage of the two locomotives was included in the asset value, but eventually they were written off as beyond repair. This was very unusual in steam loco days (it was probably aided by the GWR regarding them as non-standard). Even the loco which went down into the estuary with the Tay Bridge collapse was recovered, overhauled, and ran again.

 

[Crossover]

Another example of pilot working that I have experienced was between Rainford and Kirkby where the token apparently got stuck in the machine. Cue a visit to the box by numerous Network Rail staff and we got a pilotman to act as the token. I believe our driver had the pass the signal at Rainford at danger

 

[Sox]

The BTF also produced film to explain single line working. Which was filmed on the S&D in 1956 between Shepton Mallet " Averton Hammer" and Binegar " Boiland".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F79R3Fg-pPY

An interesting part of that video is that a pilotman can instruct a driver to pass through a signal on red.

Sounds a bit hairy, are pilotment well paid compared say to PICOWs?

 

[Sox]

sounds like a classic backronym. The origin is far more likely just lifting the term from harbour pilots, who board ships to guide them in and out of ports.

Brill word

 

[Taunton]

An interesting part of that video is that a pilotman can instruct a driver to pass through a signal on red.

Looks like they used a good number of old S&D staff for that film, who performed well despite none of them having been to acting school It was something of a tradition of the area. The "Titfield Thunderbolt" was filmed on the adjacent Camerton branch around then, and BR operational staff played themselves in that.

Who recognises a youthful Donald Beale, later to feature in many classic S&D films that are now available, at 13:00 in the film, backing up the 538xx?

 

[Tomnick]

An interesting part of that video is that a pilotman can instruct a driver to pass through a signal on red.

Sounds a bit hairy, are pilotment well paid compared say to PICOWs?

It's a competency, not a specific grade. Nowadays, it'll usually be a MOM or a LOM acting as Pilotman - staff who already carry a fair bit of operating responsibility.

Handsignalmen, though, can also authorise drivers to pass signals at Danger, and that's a competency with much less operating responsibility. In both cases, that authority is only given with the Signalman's permission. In the former case, it's just logical that the Pilotman should be the one to give the authority to pass the signal protecting the single line that he's responsible for maintaining the integrity of, especially if he's not travelling through with the train.

 

[Llanigraham]

An interesting part of that video is that a pilotman can instruct a driver to pass through a signal on red.

Only if following the instructions of the controlling signaller.