The Sun: HOW many rail workers does it take to re-surface a crossing?

[jon0844]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepag...assengers-about-no-wonder-fares-are-high.html

HOW many rail workers does it take to re-surface a crossing?

Twelve, it seems. Two to do the work and ten to watch. These fellas were snapped at busy Thirsk station, North Yorks — on the mainline from London to Edinburgh.

Network Rail said there were two teams correcting track alignment — each with a lookout.

Local Charles Torkington, who took the pic, said: “It makes you wonder where your high-cost fares go!”

 

[gordonthemoron]

I'd hardly call Thirsk busy

 

[High Dyke]

In fairness the two working are only infilling the edges with tarmac. If they were digging out a whole section of the four-foot i could understand it if people were complaining about inactivity on the part of some people. It's like friends complain to me that everytime they pass a group of track workers whilst they're travelling on the train the railway staff are always stood doing nothing...

Compare this to my local county council. They are undertaking replacement of kerbs on a busy A-road. The worksite is about 50yds long, with temporary traffic lights controlling traffic. The work is scheduled to last four weeks, according to the signage at the site. Then again they don't work at weekends and only seem to be there between 8am and 3:30pm

No wonder i don't read a daily paper if articles like this are the best they can do. :roll:

 

[Legzr1]

I'd hardly call Thirsk busy

Two slow lines with plenty of freight and the occasional GC and FTPE service at 40 and 60mph.
Two main lines at 125mph carrying everything else.

The station itself might not be busy but the track immediately adjacent (which these lads happen to be working on) is far busier.

Naturally, that wouldn't make for great SUN headlines or encourage a link to it on this forum though...

 

[Busterfridge]

This is typical of the sun, take a picture, then take it right out of context and invent some smarmy comment to make the situation look worse than it actually is, there could have been many reasons for what is happening in the picture, but the sun decide to invent something to create a news story and cause controversy, they are renown for it, this typical of everything that is wrong with the british press !

 

[DarloRich]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepag...assengers-about-no-wonder-fares-are-high.html



View attachment 14988

And journalists wonder why they are held in such contempt :roll:

It is very easy to take a picture and present it completely out of context to make some cheap point.

 

[edwin_m]

How many Sun reporters does it take to hack a phone?

 

[transmanche]

And journalists wonder why they are held in such contempt :roll:

It is very easy to take a picture and present it completely out of context to make some cheap point.

I wonder how journalists would feel if they were held up to the same high standards they expect of everyone else?

 

[DarloRich]

I wonder how journalists would feel if they were held up to the same high standards they expect of everyone else?

journalists - standards?

 

[district]

journalists - standards?

I hardly think it is fair that you are tarring all journalists with the same brush.

 

[gordonthemoron]

I have two journalist friends, they're nice chaps but not that bright

 

[DarloRich]

I hardly think it is fair that you are tarring all journalists with the same brush.

Shame the decent ones didn’t manage to regulate their colleagues isn’t it.

 

[jon0844]

And journalists wonder why they are held in such contempt :roll:

It is very easy to take a picture and present it completely out of context to make some cheap point.

Indeed. Perhaps the Sun has realised that it, like many other papers, can only increase traffic by posting sensational, controversial, or downright misleading, articles. Like the Daily Mail has, very successfully.

Note the comments on the above story. Many are defending the workers and offering suggestions as to why there might have been so many people there. Some are even questioning why the office worker wasn't working to take the pic.

But every comment, every shared link, is a hit. That's traffic - and that's more ad revenue.

It's called link bait by many and is now increasingly being used to get traffic - and that pressure will be coming down from management (and the sales people; you know, those people who should never EVER dictate an editorial policy).

 

[Cliveblackpool]

The Sun is only interested in selling papers. Accurate and comprehensive reporting of the News and public interests comes way down the list!
Rupert Murdoch ain't having a penny of my money!
I don't have Pay Sky either.

 

[#1 driver]

I'd hardly call Thirsk busy

and your point is ?

 

[transmanche]

and your point is ?

The news report the OP linked to said:

These fellas were snapped at busy Thirsk station

(My emphasis.)

 

[SETCommuter]

So, what is the correct context of this picture then ?

 

[#1 driver]

ah , I getcha .

while the station might not be busy , it is on the slow lines ( ecml ) and most freight goes through it .

 

[DarloRich]

So, what is the correct context of this picture then ?

That one team, with their look outs, are working on the crossing and that another team, with their look outs, want to access the track to carry on with their duties.

 

[SETCommuter]

That one team, with their look outs, are working on the crossing and that another team, with their look outs, want to access the track to carry on with their duties.

Source ?

 

[gordonthemoron]

and your point is ?

rubbish reporting

 

[transmanche]

That one team, with their look outs, are working on the crossing and that another team, with their look outs, want to access the track to carry on with their duties.

Source ?

The linked article says:

Network Rail said there were two teams correcting track alignment — each with a lookout.

The rest is a plausible surmise - in fact far more plausible than The Sun's.

 

[SETCommuter]

So it's simple guesswork on both sides as to what was actually happening then ? Neither more plausible than the other.

 

[transmanche]

So it's simple guesswork on both sides as to what was actually happening then ? Neither more plausible than the other.

No; one is an educated guess and the other is a wild accusation designed to embarrass.

 

[DarloRich]

Source ?

brain

 

[Silv1983]

It's like friends complain to me that everytime they pass a group of track workers whilst they're travelling on the train the railway staff are always stood doing nothing...

Tell them thats because if they were working when the train went past - most of the time they'd all be squashed!

They move clear and stand and wait - doing nothing other than look at the train - until it has passed. Something of an illusion to passengers.

 

[Tomnick]

So it's simple guesswork on both sides as to what was actually happening then ? Neither more plausible than the other.

It shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone with a basic knowledge of railway operations and half a brain that safely maintaining a busy, fast four-track railway whilst trains are running is likely to involve a lot of standing around waiting for access to the line between trains. That, supported by Network Rail's statement that two gangs were working on the p-way (in addition to the two working on the crossing, presumably - who are certainly not working on track alignment!), suggests that the majority of those in the photo are indeed waiting for an opportunity to get back onto one of the other three lines at Thirsk. I can't say with certainty that that's what's happening, but then neither can the chap who submitted the photo and the journalist who's written the article, both from a position of complete ignorance.

 

[Legzr1]

Indeed. Perhaps the Sun has realised that it, like many other papers, can only increase traffic by posting sensational, controversial, or downright misleading, articles. Like the Daily Mail has, very successfully.

Note the comments on the above story. Many are defending the workers and offering suggestions as to why there might have been so many people there. Some are even questioning why the office worker wasn't working to take the pic.

But every comment, every shared link, is a hit. That's traffic - and that's more ad revenue.

It's called link bait by many and is now increasingly being used to get traffic - and that pressure will be coming down from management (and the sales people; you know, those people who should never EVER dictate an editorial policy).

Ironic then that you felt a need to post a link so increasing their 'link bait'.

Rubbish reporting

Actually, that's the one point in the link that is accurate - as myself and another poster have pointed out to you, although Thirsk STATION might be a little on the small side the railway in the immediate area (i.e 10ft away from platform edge) is VERY busy.

 

[455driver]

My take on the picture-

2 teams are sent out to correct a tract fault.
To correct the fault the access crossing has to be removed first.
The work is completed and the crossing is replaced.
The 2 blokes are finishing off infilling the edges while everyone else enjoys the sunshine (some "person" takes quick picture).
Teams get back in van and drive off.

 

[jon0844]

Ironic then that you felt a need to post a link so increasing their 'link bait'.

It was relevant to this forum. I don't post all controversial and questionable stories!