Train farce

[British Bulldog]

There are some pretty daft arrangements at Lewes on platform 3, the platform is long enough comfortably for 8 carriages but they have put the starter signal, beyond which the driver's cab can't go, about 3 carriages down the platform under the station awning whereas it SHOULD be just before the junction at the eastern end.

I'm trying to think back to when I used to work the signal box at Lewes but it was a few years ago now, But i'm sure the placement of the signal was to do with the track circuit overlap which means if the signal was at the end of the platform then every time you signalled a train into platform 3 it would lock up most of the junction stopping you making other moves.

 

[34064 Fighter Command]

I walked down to the station at 10.30pm last night and both platforms were practically clear. That's just 50 mins after the game had finished. Maybe if some of the more local fans waited for 20 mins or so it would ease getting away at night?

And the club shop were doing a BOGOF special so what was the hurry !

 

[34064 Fighter Command]

I know, but how come every other European nation has found the money and the will to enable this seemingly impossible task?

It's a wonder that railways got built in the first place given some of the reasons people give for not upgrading them in a timely manner. You mention upgrading tunnels? Do you not think that the original engineers who laid the track had a slightly more tricky conundrum when they were confronted with a solid lump of earth in their way? They didnt shrug their shoulders and give up, they dug.

And now is a great time for some capital investment.

The real reason is (was) that us and the yanks bombed the cr*p out of the French and German systems between 1943 and 1945 and they had very little option but to re-build.

Whereas we were bankrupt and in hock to the yanks for war loans for the next 50 years. Therefore no money to invest in infrastructure.

However, that's no excuse for not investing now.

 

[British Bulldog]

However, that's no excuse for not investing now.

From what I understand there is investment going ahead on the railways in the form of a multi billion pound project to update the signalling across the entire network, It is supposed to involve the abolition of all the existing signal boxes which will be replaced with something like 13 national signalling centre's and also traditional signals will be replaced by on-train signalling. How far it will actually get I've no idea but in some respects i'm glad i'm out of it now.

 

[Uter]

I am pretty sure a similar set up could be made on the a27 at the AMEX with buses driving to a single city-centre location and turning around and going back.

Funny you should mention that...

8.6.5 As such, as part of the extension proposals, the Club will trial the provision of a shuttle
service from Brighton City Centre to The Keep.

 

[Joey Deacon's Disco Suit]

And the club shop were doing a BOGOF special so what was the hurry !

People getting children home and/or trying to catch connecting buses or trains.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Funny you should mention that...

8.6.5 As such, as part of the extension proposals, the Club will trial the provision of a shuttle
service from Brighton City Centre to The Keep.

See, people might might mock me but I'm a true visionary.

 

[Uter]

From what I understand there is investment going ahead on the railways in the form of a multi billion pound project to update the signalling across the entire network, It is supposed to involve the abolition of all the existing signal boxes which will be replaced with something like 13 national signalling centre's and also traditional signals will be replaced by on-train signalling. How far it will actually get I've no idea but in some respects i'm glad i'm out of it now.

14 actually.

Network Rail is to centralise all its signalling into just 14 regionalsignalling centres by 2030, with work beginning in Control Period 5 (2014-19). There are currently 800
signal boxes and centres. The cost of consolidation will be £1.1bn, but £250m will be saved each year once it has been completed.

The plan will form the backbone of Network Rail’s proposals for CP5, with more than 80 per cent of the network moved to the new centres by 2029. The majority of the work would be done in CP5 and CP6 under the proposals, which would need to be approved by the Office of Rail Regulation. A spokesman for Network Rail said: ‘Much of our existing equipment is old and inconsistent, it needs to be replaced. With better signalling and control technology we can reduce costs, reduce delays, deliver extra capacity and improve passenger information, helping to creating the 21st century railway Britain deserves.’

Countering anticipated protests from traditionalists, he added: ‘This kind of activity has been going on for generations – it’s part of the ongoing evolution of the railway.’
In 1900 there were around 10,000 signal boxes, which dropped to just over 5,000 following the Beeching cuts. British Rail closed around 100 boxes a year. Network Rail would be closing around 50 a year under the new plans. The new signalling centres will see performance improve, Network Rail says, with far fewer reactionary delays, which account for 50 per cent of all disruption. Punctuality should improve by two per cent. But signalling centralisation will mean large numbers of redundancies for signallers, according to figures from the RMT union, which is in talks with Network Rail about the plans. Today’s 6,000 signallers will be reduced to just 2,000 over the next 30 years, the union has warned.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that discussions were at an early stage, adding: ‘RMT wants to make it absolutely clear that we will not agree to anything that compromises the job security, safety or standards of living of our members. We are not opposed to new technology but we are clear that any changes that may arise should be accommodated through a shorter working week, additional annual leave and the right to retire at 55 on full pension entitlement.’

Existing signalling centres that will form part of the final 14 are: Derby, Gillingham, Cardiff, Saltley, Edinburgh and Ashford. Didcot and Glasgow will be retained, but
upgraded. New centres will be built in Romford, Three Bridges, York, Manchester Rugby and Basingstoke.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

The real reason is (was) that us and the yanks bombed the cr*p out of the French and German systems between 1943 and 1945 and they had very little option but to re-build.

Whereas we were bankrupt and in hock to the yanks for war loans for the next 50 years. Therefore no money to invest in infrastructure.

However, that's no excuse for not investing now.

Did Switzerland get much bombing in the war?

 

[Techno]

Snap!...go to the north for a pint and a chat, then stroll down to the station and straight on a unpacked train. Dunno what everyone is moaning about

The fact that an empty, 8-carriage, train was allowed to pass on through.

The fact that it was almost 35 minutes from final whistle to the first Brighton bound train leaving Falmer. That is a shambles, especially given the stories from people on this thread of big crowds in Germany, USA etc being cleared in no time at all.

The fact that there was a serious breakdown in communication somewhere, which allowed 8 or more carriages worth of people onto to the platform, when the next train was only 3 carrages. This lead to a pretty nasty crush around the doors of the train, which was probably quite scary for young kids.

That's 3 reasons for starters (and that doesn't include personal situations like people missing the last train to Portsmouth area and having to get expensive cabs home).

I do stay for a pint or two after weekend games, but if I did that on weeknights I quite simply wouldn't get home.

 

[Falkor]

Can I add a fact mistakes happen that's life it's human nature. Forget it move on

 

[Hillian1]

Can I add a fact mistakes happen that's life it's human nature. Forget it move on

With all due respect, forget it and move on is not going to help the situation to not occur again.

 

[JJ McClure]

Did Switzerland get much bombing in the war?

No, but they did get a shed load of Nazi gold which probably paid for a railway of two.

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

No, but they did get a shed load of Nazi gold which probably paid for a railway of two.

I thought that was used to buy the Scummers out of administration?

 

[father_and_son]

When I inquired of my MP why this was so he said it was something to do with the electrical side. it could also be that being on a curve the driver wouldn't be able to see whether anyone was wedged in a door. But it makes absolutely no sense operationally.

Not sure of the specifics at Lewes, but this could be to do with the GPS locators in the trains. Portslade had an issue for a long time... One platform extended to take the 12-carriage London-bound trains, the other side was left at 7 carriages long because the pressure on trains home was less.

But the GPS system on the trains (which pretty much controls when the driver can and can't open the doors) wasn't programmed to know the direction of the train. So trains using the full 12-carriage platform still only had the front 7 carriages opening their doors. As the entrance/exit to the platform is at the rear... everyone was forced to walk past the 5 locked carriages to get to the first open door.

This was eventually fixed at Portslade but demonstrates to me how spectacularly stupid some of the Southern employees actually are.

 

[Falkor]

With all due respect, forget it and move on is not going to help the situation to not occur again.

What and moaning about it on a football forum is. It was a mistake they happen it's life I'm sure a few people got a bollocking also. It happens mistakes do in life get on with it really

 

[father_and_son]

What and moaning about it on a football forum is. It was a mistake they happen it's life I'm sure a few people got a bollocking also. It happens mistakes do in life get on with it really

I wasn't impacted by this but I do think that in instances like this 'people make mistakes' doesn't cut it.

If I stand outside Churchill Sq and call everyone cnuts then I will be arrested for a Public Order offence because I'm likely to start trouble. If I drive a train past a station completely full of customers without stopping shen i should I am likely to cause trouble, why would I not be arrested for the same offence? I agree with a previous poster. In the circumstances as I understand them, I would suggest this was negligent behaviour by Southern likely to cause a public order situation and actions should follow on that basis.

 

[Hillian1]

What and moaning about it on a football forum is. It was a mistake they happen it's life I'm sure a few people got a bollocking also. It happens mistakes do in life get on with it really

OK your right, I should just forget it. Never discuss anything again that has a bearing on the match day experience on a football forum.

I hope you stay close to these values in the future.

 

[34064 Fighter Command]

Did Switzerland get much bombing in the war?

Does Switzerland have HIGH speed rail ?

They may be punctual, but fast, they certainly 'aint.

 

[Publius Ovidius]

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that discussions were at an early stage, adding: ‘RMT wants to make it absolutely clear that we will not agree to anything that compromises the job security, safety or standards of living of our members. We are not opposed to new technology but we are clear that any changes that may arise should be accommodated through a shorter working week, additional annual leave and the right to retire at 55 on full pension entitlement.’

.

...anyone else spot this bit!!!!