Observations from a first major train journey for many months

[whole diary]

[grahame]

My first significant rail journey since March - yesterday, home in Melksham to vist daughter in Hampshire. Original plan ( http://www.passenger.chat/23900 ) to go to Romsey and eat outdoors washed out, but met up at Southampton Central and went to her home in Sholing.  A series of posts here ... but please excuse some patchyness as I upgrade my computing at home to the next generation, learn new software and facilities, and perhaps loose old tricks. 

I replaced a planned walk to Melksham Station for the 10:02 train with a lift - saving 25 minutes in the continual rain.  The station looks tired; plenty of new posters reminding us to take covid precautions, but the official timetable on show (one direction only) expired in May had it been running to that point, the WebTIS display shows a system fault message, and rubbish is strewn around much more than is the norm.  I'll make separate comment about what I hope is a transient situation with various works. Under normal rules, I would have moved some of the rubbish to the litter bags, and that would have been done by other MRUG^» (Melksham Rail User Group - site) volunteers too - however, we are not under normal rules and we have had to bite our tongues and leave the station looking uncared for, in spite of criticism from some individuals who should know better.

Apart from my lift, just one car parked on the station forecourt, main car park empty.  5 people waiting for the 10:02 ... capacity of the covered waiting shelter with social distancing - 3, including the person at the ticket machine.  I waited in the cycle shelter - a well ventilated area protected from the rain.  Train quiet - I have chosen not to walk right through and count. Tickets checked between Melksham and Chippenham.  Flows on and off at Chippenham, and about 10 people off the train at Swindon.












Thread to be continued ...

[grahame]

Swindon ... a short wait outside the station, then a run into the bay. The bay waiting room - only opened quite recently - now closed; new double sided TransWilts poster board installed, with a poster just on one side so far.

The reservation system had given me around 40 minutes here - headed onwards on a train at 11:10, but I chose to catch the 10:40 on platform 3;  platform 1 was indicating a slightly delayed later 5 car to London, and best get the first available train.

A moderate crowd gathered on platform 3 for the train; many masks but many unmasked too.  People travelling with children, but a marked absence of seniors. As the 9 car train (from Bristol) pulled in ... first class appeared quiet, following standard class carriages bustling but perhaps not what we would have called busy in olden days ... but the rear couple of carriages distinctly quiet - plenty of room to social distance.

Nice touch from the Train Manager in amongst all the safety announcements - "Welcome back if this is your first rail journey after lockdown" (May have used a different word for "lockdown").  Little passenger interchange at Didcot and so on to Reading. The handful of people in my carriage all wearing masks.



















Thread to be continued ...

[grahame]

Running in to Reading, I was struck by the number of trains parked up in the depot, at a time of day when I would have expected to see mostly empty tracks.  And an arrival early into the station - a announcement from the train manager that it would be waiting for a few minutes.  Once of the characteristics seen most of the day was trains completing station duties and awaiting time.

Reading station quiet ... and noting a signifcant BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) presence - the first of several times during the day that I noted public control officials where I would not have noticed them in the past.   Whether that's because there are more of them about, or because they were always there but much more diluted by crowd of regular passengers, I know not.  Or perhaps they've always been around in plain clothes.

A wait of nearly half an hour for the Basingstoke train - a 3 car set, with plenty of space; the incoming train at platform 2 had 19 passenger get off, but there were fewer when we left headed for Basingstoke.



















Thread to be continued ...

[Marlburian]

When I used Reading Station last week I  noticed the "Use Handrail" requests on the escalator steps - obviously a throwback to the Old Normal. I'm a bit unsteady on my feet but I still kept my hands clear of the rail, contemplating how many other people may have used it. Using the trains, I was lucky in that other people pressed buttons to open doors (not that I would have minded). My only "contact" was at Tilehurst when using the touch screen for tickets - then I used my knuckle. I still had to scrabble around in the "trough" to retrieve them.

I was carrying my own gel, but there was plenty available at the RBS branch that I popped into a hundred metres from the station.

Though still being very cautious, I would be happy enough to again use the trains (but not the Tube) outside what now pass for rush hours.

[grahame]

Basingstoke ... and as our train pulls in to platform 5, an electric train onwards pulls in to platform 2.   Not supposed to be a connection (and no chance of getting under the subway to it) - but it did mean a 50 minute wait; in the normal time timetable, there are 4 trains an hour from Basignstoke to Southampton but at the moment there's just an hourly train, with an extra every 2 hours.

Still - a chance to watch the trains go by, under the watchful eye of an orange-suited "Trespass and Welfare Officer" who was wandering around.  Not a role I have come across before ... though there was another one later in the day at Southampton Central.  An SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) role, perhaps?  What with 4xBTP and Reading and these ornage gents at Basignstoke and Southampton, it felt much more like a police state than it ever has before - not that I saw any of them interacting with passengers in any way.

The Waterloo - Salisbury line is running one rather than 2 trains an hour at present, and interesting to note that the one it each direction that called at Basingstoke while I was there were both a full 9 carriages long. And my train onward to Southampton (final destination Bournemouth) was 10 carriages - can we characterise changes as being "fewer but longer trains" and with various comments around, might this be a flag for the future.  If so, they really need to look at connections.















Thread to be continued ...

[stuving]

Re Trespass and Welfare Officers, I think these are provided under contract to Network Rail. I can't find anything from NR^» (Network Rail - home page), but STM Group list this as one of their rail industry activities. They started recruiting them last year.

Their role must, inevitably, overlap with that of the security officers/guards provided for the last twelve years by Land Sheriffs. (They have a sign tied to the fence by Wokingham station level crorsing.) They were, AIUI^▸ (as I understand it), concerned with trespass onto lines as much as the security of buildings and premises.

This comes from an SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) newsletter dated November 2109:

Helping keep vulnerable people safe update

A performance update from James Royal, SWR’s Performance Strategy Manager

The rail industry places the highest priority on safety, and we, along with Network Rail are responsible for keeping passengers, and those who live or work near the railway, safe.

We’re working together to support the introduction of Trespass and Welfare Officers at stations on our network that have historically seen fatalities - including people taking their own lives - and trespass incidents.

Since January there have been 37 fatalities on the Wessex network we operate, and each one is a tragedy that impacts the victims and their families, train drivers, staff and passengers.

Noticeable in their high-viz vests, these officers help customers using our stations to stay safe by offering simple safety advice - e.g. staying behind the yellow line - but are also professionally trained in line with the Samaritans guidelines to step-in and help vulnerable individuals when needed. Since August, these officers have intervened on 30 occasions where individuals have been in distress.

Not only dangerous and illegal, trespassing also causes significant disruption to our services. Between January and September this year, there were 733 incidents which resulted in nearly 89,000 minutes of delay for our customers because of the knock-on impact of trains needing to stop, ensure the vicinity is clear and the individual is safe before services can continue. Over the last three months, more than 3,000 instances have been recorded where they’ve intervened to prevent a trespassing incident or safety issue that could have caused disruption to services.

[grahame]

From Sholing ... a short run into Southampton.  but why as thin (always) as hourly - for a local service within the city.  As I walked down from my daughter's house in Sholing, passed by three buses headed into the city and there seems to be a much more natural choice - unleess, perhaps, you are connecting onwards.  But there are multiple longer distance trains going through none-stop too.

Lots of footbridges over an electrified line ... Pilning eat your heart out.

After we had pulled into St Denys, a Salisbury train pulled in at the other Southbound platform and we both left at the same time;  as the lines converged in the final corner and tunnel into Southampton Central, the Salisbury train took the lead and as wel pulled into Central on one side of an island platform, it was dispatched onwards on the other.  No issue for me, but it does make rail pretty uesless for connections such as Sholing or Woolston to Redbridge or Millbrook.   Bit silly having 2 trains an hour from St Denys into Central running a minute or two apart, then nothing for 58 minutes.













At least I had time to look around Southampton Central ... to follow.

[CyclingSid]

In my recent experience of SWR^» (South Western Railway - about), most services tend to be 10 or 12 car and stopping at all/most stations. Connections tend to be pretty awful, so I make sure I have a book to read.

Possibly anticipating your return journey, the connections from Southempton seem to arrive about three minutes after the "Reading Flyer" leaves, so roughly an hour's wait and back to the book.

[grahame]

Re Trespass and Welfare Officers, I think these are provided under contract to Network Rail. I can't find anything from NR^» (Network Rail - home page), but STM Group list this as one of their rail industry activities. They started recruiting them last year.

Their role must, inevitably, overlap with that of the security officers/guards provided for the last twelve years by Land Sheriffs. (They have a sign tied to the fence by Wokingham station level crorsing.) They were, AIUI^▸ (as I understand it), concerned with trespass onto lines as much as the security of buildings and premises.

Many thanks for that ... reads rather that the name is an encoded title for a role looking to reduce "person hit my train". Is having specialists for this purpose - and appearing not to be doing other work while they observe - really more effective than having most staff keeping an eye open whilst about their normal tasks?

[grahame]

In my recent experience of SWR^» (South Western Railway - about), most services tend to be 10 or 12 car and stopping at all/most stations. Connections tend to be pretty awful, so I make sure I have a book to read.

Possibly anticipating your return journey, the connections from Southempton seem to arrive about three minutes after the "Reading Flyer" leaves, so roughly an hour's wait and back to the book.

I caught the 17:11 off Southampton ... changed at Westbury ... last train of the day back into Melksham from that direction, rather than going back via Reading.  There was a later CrossCountry service offered from Southampton to Reading - just every 2 hours at present, but would have left me with just 2 changes - Reading and Swindon.

[stuving]

Re Trespass and Welfare Officers, I think these are provided under contract to Network Rail. I can't find anything from NR^» (Network Rail - home page), but STM Group list this as one of their rail industry activities. They started recruiting them last year.

Their role must, inevitably, overlap with that of the security officers/guards provided for the last twelve years by Land Sheriffs. (They have a sign tied to the fence by Wokingham station level crorsing.) They were, AIUI^▸ (as I understand it), concerned with trespass onto lines as much as the security of buildings and premises.

Many thanks for that ... reads rather that the name is an encoded title for a role looking to reduce "person hit my train". Is having specialists for this purpose - and appearing not to be doing other work while they observe - really more effective than having most staff keeping an eye open whilst about their normal tasks?

They are doing both - if you think about the likely number of TWOs, they will be moved round and used as extra eyes where those are needed. This piece from the Bournemouth Echo goes into more detail, and covers the link with Samaritans:

21st August 2019
Spate of railway deaths prompts welfare patrols at Pokesdown station
By Jane Reader  Senior Reporter

WELFARE officers and security staff are patrolling at Pokesdown station following a spate of deaths on the railway.

Network Rail has introduced Land Sheriffs and Trespass and Welfare Officers to provide a round-the clock service in a bid to save lives.,

The move has been welcomed by the Samaritans and by members of the community.

Mark Wildey, branch director of Samaritans in Bournemouth, said: "We hope this is part of a long-term commitment to make the area safe.

"We’ve been down there a few times and have seen the station manned by either Land Sheriffs or Trespass and Welfare Officers. We have spoken to them and we are trying to build a good working relationship with them."

He said the intention is for all Network Rail staff to be trained by the Samaritans in dealing with and managing potentially vulnerable people. Nationally more than 20,000 people have received the training so far.

He added: "Having been down to there with one of my colleagues as part of an assessment of the station, if there is no one there looking out for people, it can be a very lonely place.

"Having people there looking out for others is great to see. I do believe that they have already intervened so having that presence at the station can only be a good thing."

Land Sheriffs have been working with Network Rail for 12 years and carry out a number of different roles including lifesaving work. They are part of a dedicated professional security task force.

According to signs put up on the station platforms, the Land Sheriffs use "covert devices and thermal imaging cameras" and a mixture of "high-tech security monitoring through CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) and trackside patrols".

Trespass and Welfare Officers keep an eye out for pedestrians who have failed to pay or those in a vulnerable situation, having received training from the Samaritans.

Local residents have taken to social media to praise the initiative.

One said: "Finally they have security at Pokesdown station. Sadly too many lives went before but hopefully this is a positive solution."

Recent deaths in Pokesdown have included a 16-year-old schoolgirl who died in March, a 27-year-old man who died in June and a man in his 60s who died in July.

Anyone affected by the story can contact Samaritans free of charge, 24-hours-a-day on 116 123.

[bobm]

I’m not sure what is more frustrating.  The fact the litter cannot be cleared or after carrying the drinks cup from the takeaway the purchaser cannot take the, now presumably lighter, cup the last handful of yards to the bin.

[Lee]

Those of you who have been following my posts or chatting with me at Tuesday Club will know that I have been back travelling by train for several months now here in Brittany. However, I have noticed a definite tightening up of security on the rail network since Covid cases started rising in earnest recently in France.

I went from Callac to Saint Brieuc by train last Friday. On arriving at Callac station, a member of staff was posted at the entrance checking everyone was masked and had a valid ticket before allowing them access to the platform. Saint Brieuc itself requires everyone to wear a mask outdoors in the town centre area, and there was a heavy police presence ensuring pretty much complete compliance.

However, there are also obligatory mask orders at Saint Brieuc marina and the Plerin beach esplanades, but there was no police presence when I visited and plenty of unmasked people as a result.

As far as the train journey itself went though, if you ignored the fact everyone was masked, then it could have been a scene from the "old normal". The timetables are as they would be pre-Covid, and the passenger numbers seem to be as well.

A key factor in that though is that SNCF^▸ (Societe Nationale des Chemins de fer Francais - French National Railways) have been actively encouraging train travel with all the associated leisure travel promotions since the beginning of July, and haven't been actively discouraging train travel since it properly resumed after national lockdown ended here in May.

[grahame]

And so the final legs home ... from Southampton Central to Melksham, changing at Westbury. The 17:11 off Southampton then the 18:39 off Westbury.

Unlike South Western services, most GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) services are running - but the Portsmouth / Cardiff seems to have slipped back from the promised 5 carriages to 3, and passenger numbers have grown recently to the new lower capacity limit - so that the 17:11 was the closest to capacity of any service I was on all day.

Masks pretty well worn on board ... although I did notice one gent who took his mask down to make a phone call. 

At Westbury, a wait of about half an hour. The 18:18 arrival from Swindon pulled in while I was standing on the platform and eight passengers got off - that's the 17:36 from Swindon and as a rough estimate, 8 to Westbury suggests over 20 to Trowbridge and another dozen or so to Melksham. Educated guesses making around 40 on that train of Chippenham.   That train then sat with engines running between the station buildings of the two platforms for 20 minutes.

Just a handful of people on the 18:39 - currently last train of the day - towards Swindon, but a distinct flow on at Trowbridge.  4 off and 2 on at Melksham - not huge numbers but certainly signs of use (and aside from a phone call yesterda, 7 joined and 2 left the 12:32 at Melksham toward Swindon yesterday).

More picture here ... and some conclusions and thoughts in a final post later today.

[PhilWakely]

I hope the passenger with their feet on the seat had a stern talking to!