EvaEin betagter Herr müht sich mit seinem Rollator aus dem Zug und verabschiedet sich vom Schaffner mit den Worten: "Es wird schon linder!"
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Train DriverToday, I travel to Dartford, drive the next train back to Rainham and then up to Luton, where I have an hour break.
After the break, I drive back to Gillingham, where I’m done for the day.
#TrainToot
After the break, I drive back to Gillingham, where I’m done for the day.
#TrainToot
Today, I’m back in for a fairly long shift (9.5 hours).
We’re working the same as we did yesterday, so we’re operating an hourly service via the Bexleyheath Line with 45 minutes at Rainham instead of the usual 15.
I drive from Gillingham to Rainham, then up to London Bridge and back down to Gillingham, where I have an hour break.
After the break, I do exactly the same again and I’m done for the day.
There are a few “spare” drivers today so hopefully, one of them will do the Gillingham to Rainham to Gillingham bit after my break so I can have a bit longer.
#TrainToot
We’re working the same as we did yesterday, so we’re operating an hourly service via the Bexleyheath Line with 45 minutes at Rainham instead of the usual 15.
I drive from Gillingham to Rainham, then up to London Bridge and back down to Gillingham, where I have an hour break.
After the break, I do exactly the same again and I’m done for the day.
There are a few “spare” drivers today so hopefully, one of them will do the Gillingham to Rainham to Gillingham bit after my break so I can have a bit longer.
#TrainToot
Yesterday, on my first trip to London Bridge, a Driving Instructor from Luton came up to me when I stopped at Dartford and asked if he could take my train to London Bridge and back with his trainee because it’s rare to drive on the Bexleyheath Line so it would be good experience. I gave him my train and agreed to meet him coming back the other way in almost 2 hours time.
Unfortunately, there was a points failure at Crayford Creek Junction when the Driving Instructor was heading back to Dartford so he and his trainee were held at Barnehurst for 45 minutes until the issue was resolved.
I took the train back from then at Dartford and was issued a “Not to Stop” order, authorising me to run the service fast from Dartford to Gillingham (where the service would now be terminating) to make up some time, but unfortunately I was stuck behind a stopping service between Dartford and Gravesend so ended up not making up much time at all.
On approach to Gillingham, I noticed I was being signalled into platform 3. We cant turn back in platform 3 so when we terminate early at Gillingham, we have to be signalled into platforms 1 or 2. I knew the train was due to head back to London Bridge shortly afterwards because it was me who was supposed to be driving it!
I stopped at the signal outside of Gillingham and contacted the signaller, who knew nothing about my termination at Gillingham, so she had to put the signal back to danger (red) and wait for a 2 minute timeout before she could reset the signal and put me into platform 1.
Apparently, passenger information screens indicated and platform staff believed that my service was still continuing to Rainham and as I was powering down and leaving the cab, passengers were being informed of a platform alteration so were hastily heading over from platform 3 to platform 1. Another driver headed over to platform 3 too, believing he was due to drive the train to Rainham and back to Gillingham, because no one had told him otherwise.
Unfortunately, this lack of collaboration and communication is a common theme on the railway, so it was even less of a surprise when I contacted Control to tell them I wouldn’t be able to drive the train back to London Bridge in 15 minutes due to being required to take my minimum break and they hadn’t made arrangements for a “spare” driver to cover that bit of work.
Fortunately, they found a “spare” driver whose working hours allowed him to drive the next service to London Bridge and back to Gillingham, where I relieved him and finished the last bit to Rainham and back to Gillingham as per my original job.
All in all, yesterday was a bit of a mess.
#TrainToot
RE: https://rear.train.cab/notes/anfkyxynrnmy006h
Unfortunately, there was a points failure at Crayford Creek Junction when the Driving Instructor was heading back to Dartford so he and his trainee were held at Barnehurst for 45 minutes until the issue was resolved.
I took the train back from then at Dartford and was issued a “Not to Stop” order, authorising me to run the service fast from Dartford to Gillingham (where the service would now be terminating) to make up some time, but unfortunately I was stuck behind a stopping service between Dartford and Gravesend so ended up not making up much time at all.
On approach to Gillingham, I noticed I was being signalled into platform 3. We cant turn back in platform 3 so when we terminate early at Gillingham, we have to be signalled into platforms 1 or 2. I knew the train was due to head back to London Bridge shortly afterwards because it was me who was supposed to be driving it!
I stopped at the signal outside of Gillingham and contacted the signaller, who knew nothing about my termination at Gillingham, so she had to put the signal back to danger (red) and wait for a 2 minute timeout before she could reset the signal and put me into platform 1.
Apparently, passenger information screens indicated and platform staff believed that my service was still continuing to Rainham and as I was powering down and leaving the cab, passengers were being informed of a platform alteration so were hastily heading over from platform 3 to platform 1. Another driver headed over to platform 3 too, believing he was due to drive the train to Rainham and back to Gillingham, because no one had told him otherwise.
Unfortunately, this lack of collaboration and communication is a common theme on the railway, so it was even less of a surprise when I contacted Control to tell them I wouldn’t be able to drive the train back to London Bridge in 15 minutes due to being required to take my minimum break and they hadn’t made arrangements for a “spare” driver to cover that bit of work.
Fortunately, they found a “spare” driver whose working hours allowed him to drive the next service to London Bridge and back to Gillingham, where I relieved him and finished the last bit to Rainham and back to Gillingham as per my original job.
All in all, yesterday was a bit of a mess.
#TrainToot
RE: https://rear.train.cab/notes/anfkyxynrnmy006h
I’m back in for overtime today. Because the shift I’m on finishes less than 12 hours (our minimum rest period between shifts) before I was due to be “spare” for the start of my week of earlies tomorrow, I’ve been given tomorrow as paid leave.
Today, I drive from Gillingham to Luton, have an hour break, drive down to Rainham and back up to Gillingham, where I’m done for the day.
I’ll be back in on Saturday.
#TrainToot
Today, I drive from Gillingham to Luton, have an hour break, drive down to Rainham and back up to Gillingham, where I’m done for the day.
I’ll be back in on Saturday.
#TrainToot
I’m in for overtime today.
I drive from Gillingham to Rainham and then up to Luton, where I have a 2 hour break. I then drive a FLU to London Bridge, where I have a 1.5 hour break.
After that break, I drive back to Rainham and up to Gillingham, where I’m done for the day.
I’m back in for overtime again tomorrow 👍🏻
#TrainToot
I drive from Gillingham to Rainham and then up to Luton, where I have a 2 hour break. I then drive a FLU to London Bridge, where I have a 1.5 hour break.
After that break, I drive back to Rainham and up to Gillingham, where I’m done for the day.
I’m back in for overtime again tomorrow 👍🏻
#TrainToot
Today, I have the simplest job we can possibly do; I drive from Gillingham to Luton, have an hour break and then drive back to Gillingham, where I’m done for the day.
#TrainToot
#TrainToot
I never made it to West Hampstead Thameslink yesterday; I was contacted by Control at Greenhithe to tell me I was terminating at Dartford due to a fire which was affecting routes into London Bridge.
I ended up terminating at Dartford, driving back to Rainham and up to Gillingham, waiting for 30 minutes and then doing the same again. I actually ended up finishing an hour earlier than scheduled but likely would have been home at the same time anyway after the originally-scheduled journey home from Cricklewood.
#TrainToot
RE: https://rear.train.cab/notes/an8sz1ludpis00c6
I ended up terminating at Dartford, driving back to Rainham and up to Gillingham, waiting for 30 minutes and then doing the same again. I actually ended up finishing an hour earlier than scheduled but likely would have been home at the same time anyway after the originally-scheduled journey home from Cricklewood.
#TrainToot
RE: https://rear.train.cab/notes/an8sz1ludpis00c6
I never made it to West Hampstead Thameslink yesterday; I was contacted by Control at Greenhithe to tell me I was terminating at Dartford due to a fire which was affecting routes into London Bridge.
I ended up terminating at Dartford, driving back to Rainham and up to Gillingham, waiting for 30 minutes and then doing the same again. I actually ended up finishing an hour earlier than scheduled but likely would have been home at the same time anyway after the originally-scheduled journey home from Cricklewood.
#TrainToot
RE: https://rear.train.cab/notes/an8sz1ludpis00c6
I ended up terminating at Dartford, driving back to Rainham and up to Gillingham, waiting for 30 minutes and then doing the same again. I actually ended up finishing an hour earlier than scheduled but likely would have been home at the same time anyway after the originally-scheduled journey home from Cricklewood.
#TrainToot
RE: https://rear.train.cab/notes/an8sz1ludpis00c6
I had a Route Refresh day yesterday, so used the time to refresh my knowledge on the bits we don’t do very often, although recently I’ve driven all of our more obscure bits; I’ve been to Bedford a few times recently and on Saturday, we drove along the Bexleyheath Line.
Today, I drive from Gillingham to Rainham and back to Gillingham, wait for 30 minutes, do the same again and then have a 1.5 hour break. After the break, I drive from Gillingham to West Hampstead Thameslink (where the service terminates) before taking the unit as ECS into Cricklewood Depot via the Wash Road, where I berth it and then travel home.
#TrainToot
Today, I drive from Gillingham to Rainham and back to Gillingham, wait for 30 minutes, do the same again and then have a 1.5 hour break. After the break, I drive from Gillingham to West Hampstead Thameslink (where the service terminates) before taking the unit as ECS into Cricklewood Depot via the Wash Road, where I berth it and then travel home.
#TrainToot