roadrailer

[d4c24a]

some of gambles roadrailers in hook railway station waiting to go to work ,there has been alot of activity latly due to a bankslide after the heavy rain we had

[Nick Drew]

Ah Yes Case 988 superailer by the looks of it !!

I used to operate some of those firstly for Hughes Rail and later for Hydrex who bought up Hughes rail.

Great money to be earnt on the railway work if you can hack the totally anti-social hours, I personally stuck it as long as I could but have now let my PTS (Personal Track Safety ) card expire!!

It is well known that rail work is responsible for many divorces!!

My best earner was a Christmas day shift on the Tamar Bridge in Cornwall when our hourly rate was £50 GBP an hour!! for a 12 hr shift!!

Here is a shot of my machine then

[martyn williams]

Hello Nick
I have been out on a few engineering track works jobs this weekend.A PTS is like gold dust.Just had mine renewed.
Cheers
Martyn

[Nick Drew]

Hello Nick
I have been out on a few engineering track works jobs this weekend.A PTS is like gold dust.Just had mine renewed.
Cheers
Martyn

Thats good Martyn,

The difference is you are on the other side of the fence I think, You are a train driver as I recall.

I have to be honest I found the whole sub-contract maintenance side to be an awful affair full of greedy people who were prepared to do back to back shifts and compensate safety for there own personal gain.

I could tell many tales but probably best not too here, Take this one example I once had a PICOM put me on line at Dawlish before they had confirmation of the possesion!! I got screamed at to get of line ASAP and then about 20 mins later the last train came thundering through!!

My Wife wanted me to pack it in there and then as you can imagine!!

Nick.

[martyn williams]

Hello Nick
I find it pretty bad like yourself.They should have never privitized the rail industry. We used to moan about BR there are too many companies who cut corners to make more money.
I walked onto a possesion last week because of a spad, the person in charge told the driver its ok to move the train and every thing was sorted. He did not ask the most important man,the signalman!! went past a red by a few yards.
I get a lot of call outs day and night, I work alone nearly all the time.Dont feel safe anymore,with a lot of drunks and looneys.And deserted yards.
Thatcher got a lot to answer for.The public are getting ripped off big time with rail fares.

[Nick Drew]

Hello Nick
I find it pretty bad like yourself.They should have never privitized the rail industry. We used to moan about BR there are too many companies who cut corners to make more money.
I walked onto a possesion last week because of a spad, the person in charge told the driver its ok to move the train and every thing was sorted. He did not ask the most important man,the signalman!! went past a red by a few yards.
I get a lot of call outs day and night, I work alone nearly all the time.Dont feel safe anymore,with a lot of drunks and looneys.And deserted yards.
Thatcher got a lot to answer for.The public are getting ripped off big time with rail fares.

Hi Martyn,

I agree with you totally !!! It is a very sad state of affairs!!

Yes I know of a lot of Roadrailer operators who turn up under the influence of D & A !!! Totally unaceptable in my book!!

Nick.

[Robban_C]

...They should have never privitized the rail industry. ...

It´s the same in Sweden with rail road, electricity etc. It´s all a mess.

[martyn williams]

Hello Nick
As a note to above comments regarding the railways,I have been trying for some time to make it safer at work,at present I have got solicitors on my injury claim due to lack of safety equipment.Another of my mates has been injured at work working on the same type of loco as I was croked on.When we brought our concerns up we were told not to make a fuss or else.Every thing is run on a shoe string these days.What saddens me that after 34 years off and on the railways,in the last 8 months I dont feel safe at work any more,due to cost cutting and problems with the general public ( junkies drunks etc) The railways used to be run safely in BR days.We used to moan then,but I would get those days back now.It saddens me to see the state things are in, even worse,it is right through the rail industry.
You know what its like Nick as you have been on rail jobs.Imagine being on your own walking the line looking for a failed loco,with just a lamp and a mobile and relying on the signalman that he knows where you are.

[Nick Drew]

Yes Martyn,

It seems to be a sad state of affairs.....A real tragedy !!

I would never go back to working on the rails again ....Not for any amount of money.

I dont want to get on my soapbox but in my opinion we are heading for "Third World" status in this country....I hope I am wrong but the synopsis doesnt look good !!

Good luck with your fight Martyn

Nick

[martyn williams]

Hello Nick
Just got hold of the paperwork that goes back years about our safety concerns,I have faxed them to my solicitors.
On a lighter note,Sprocket may be taking me to his yard on Thursday as he is moving the 125 and also operating his Cat 631b.Will take my camera.Hope the weather holds up.Just been offered a BTD 6 dozer hope to see it when I get out of this plaster.
Regards
Martyn