ScotRail dispatch

[Scotrail88]

Hi

Just a curious question as to why some stations have dispatch staff whilst others along the route are driver / conductor dispatch.
Helensburgh is a key one in Strathclyde and then Central and Queen St.
if all other stations are controlled by train staff, why do they need station dispatch at these?

 

[Geeves]

Hi

Just a curious question as to why some stations have dispatch staff whilst others along the route are driver / conductor dispatch.
Helensburgh is a key one in Strathclyde and then Central and Queen St.
if all other stations are controlled by train staff, why do they need station dispatch at these?

The trains at Helensburgh are DOO and the platforms have a curve at the end so I'm imagining it's because the driver can't see the rear of the train properly, happy to be corrected

 

[Scotrail88]

I had thought that but plenty of curved platforms along the route and the 334s have cameras so shouldn’t be an issue.

Does seem strange to have that requirement

 

[Lucy1501]

I had thought that but plenty of curved platforms along the route and the 334s have cameras so shouldn’t be an issue.

Does seem strange to have that requirement

Each station is risk assessed individually and the method of dispatch determined as appropriate. Platform curvature, length of trains, the general business of the station and workload can all impact it.

Looking specifically at Helensburgh, some ideas could be:

• It has a (relatively) large number of passengers every year. Crowded platforms can lead to safety issues being harder to spot.
• There is an island platform, so people queuing for a train next to a departing one could cause safety issues during dispatch.
• There is a curve, so trains without cameras would have trouble deciding whether it is safe to depart. Equally, it may be too curved for the cameras to be fully effective.
• Some reasonably long trains use the station, so one person attempting to survey the full length, especially if without cameras and baring in mind the risk factors above, could be challenging.

 

[Dfatcontroller]

I don't have the full details but some of the stations, Helensburghj/Largs/Gourock retained dispatch staff as part of a "manning agreement" when DOO trains were introduced.
It was to prevent excessive numbers of staff being made surplus to requirements and formed part of the union negotiations.

 

[Scotrail88]

I don't have the full details but some of the stations, Helensburghj/Largs/Gourock retained dispatch staff as part of a "manning agreement" when DOO trains were introduced.
It was to prevent excessive numbers of staff being made surplus to requirements and formed part of the union negotiations.

Thanks - that does make sense for the reasoning.

Surprised this has been retained for so long with them not discussing redeployment especially if changing the ticket office hours.

Central and Queen St is also a strange one but can understand given platform curves

 

[scotrail158713]

Central and Queen St is also a strange one but can understand given platform curves

I would imagine Central and Queen St have something to do with passenger numbers as well

 

[whoosh]

Lighting is another factor that is considered. There has to be certain LUX levels met, for a station to be signed off as okay for DOO dispatch these says.

Stopping position relative to the signal, can also be a consideration. If a stopping point (stop car marker board) is very close to the signal, it might be deemed too much of a risk to introduce DOO dispatch there as there would then be greater workload and a signal (perhaps now behind a sunblind on a sunny day) could be missed when attention is focused on the platform.
Signal repositioning, or moving the stop car marker (which then may need the platform lighting adjusted) may need to be done first, before DOO dispatch is introduced at a location.