Ops-Normal.org

Rail passengers experienced long delays and rush hour train cancellations this morning - because it was too sunny for drivers.

Services at Lewisham, south-east London, were disrupted because of the angle of the 'low winter' sun, train operator Southeastern said.

The rail firm posted on Twitter: 'We had severe congestion through Lewisham due to dispatching issues as a result of strong sunlight.'

It added: 'The low winter sun has been hitting the dispatch monitor which prevents the driver from being able to see.'

Southeastern said 11 trains were delayed by up to ten minutes by the issue

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All of a sudden, after millenia of the sun always rising and setting to a particular pattern, it's all changed.

Remember 1991 and 'the wrong kind of snow'? The train operators really are up against it. We need Jeremy 'H'unt to sort this out...................

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LOL, Now I have heard it all !

I've got a few pairs of old Ray Bans they can have, twats.

Is it the dispatch monitor in the drivers cab ?

Haven't they heard of sun shades for Computer monitors ?

Some of the "excuses" that operators of public services in the UK offer for the failure to operate a service sometimes border on the farcical. This would appear to be one of them.

However, that said, didn't the Ladbroke Grove train crash occur because it was suspected the (deceased) driver of one of the trains couldn't see the aspect shown because of the sunlight shining on the signal? I would have thought the old maxim of "better to arrive late than not at all" could apply in this case - not that I'm defending Southeastern trains for their inept PR.

500N wrote:Haven't they heard of sun shades for Computer monitors ?

Have the sun shades been cleared by the H&S executive of the train operators?

FWIW, the Guardian report that included the quote in the OP continued:

A spokesman for Southeastern said: “We know that sometimes it seems that if it is not leaves on the line or snow on the track then it is some other weather issue. But actually glare this morning made it impossible for some drivers to see the full length of their train in their mirrors before leaving stations.
“When this happens they have to get out and check to ensure everybody has got on or off the train safely before they can move. This can take a little more time but thankfully for all it doesn’t happen very often.”

(My added emphasis.)
Which sounds somewhat less unreasonable than the earlier Tweet referring to "dispatch monitors". That said, Lewisham looks to be a moderately busy station where one could reasonably hope for there to be enough staff available on the relevant platforms for timely and safe departures on such occasions.. I wonder, too, whether these trains still have the "guards" who at one time had a responsibility for this.

Ladbroke Grove was caused, ultimately, by the Government's privatisation of the railways, and the subsequent inevitable appointment of a Chief Executive who was solely interested in the profits - he knew an awful lot about making food and drink companies profitable, but f#ck-all about railways. Thus the Signal Review Committees didn't recommend changes to the signals because...Railtrack simply didn't bother holding Signal Review Committee meetings. Not one in the 5+ years from its formation till the accident. I mean, SRCs are only going to recommend things which cost money, not save it.
The current franchises are all about making the Government carry the can for as many of the expenses as possible, and playing the performance criteria. Note the trains were delayed "up to 10 minutes". For long distance service,only 11 minutes or more counts as late. And I can assure you, because I've seen it, that the officially announced "late" time at the stations goes up to "expected 10 minutes late" then stays there, even when the train clearly turns up 14 or 17 minutes late. THEY LIE! Once it goes over about 20 or 22 minutes late, they start being honest again, so as not to make it too obvious.

“When this happens they have to get out and check to ensure everybody has got on or off the train safely before they can move. This can take a little more time but thankfully for all it doesn’t happen very often.”

My Dad was a guard on the LMS railways back then when they had guards. He had green and red flags, and a kero lantern with green and red filters. It was his job to walk the length of the train checking all the doors were closed properly, and those travelling were inside. He would then wave his flag to let the driver know it was okay to move off.

Dead proud of him was I. Whilst the driver and fireman were responsible for the locomotive at the front, he was responsible for all the people. He also had a little clippy thing to make holes in tickets when he was required to check everyone was travelling in their correct class for the fare paid. When it was busy he would let third class travellers sit on the wooden floor in his guards van. Often they would get splinters up their bums if the train stopped suddenly and they slid across the floor. No elf and sefty then.

Wasn't official but armed forces personnel travelling in uniform and on leave could often travel for free at the back. They would have to show their leave pass to the guard for access to their guards van. I know it was so on LMS and LNER, don't know about the others. As a family we got free tickets so always went on holidays by train. Normally a day at the seaside - Skeggy, Cleethorpes or Mablethorp, and on a few occasions to Blackpool or Belle Vue Zoo in Manchester.

Alison