I work for Network Rail,on the rapid response faults teams(signalling and telecomms)
Over the weekend contractors had a possession(blockage of the line) near where I live in Cumbernauld to lower a section of line under a bridge as prep for when this line gets electrified.
Early shift yesterday(7am start,12 hour shift)we get a call from Fault Control telling us there is a circuit failure meaning trains are delayed and have to proceed past a signal at danger and at caution.
We eventually trace the fault to the section this company was working at but can't pin down exactly where(steel sleepers not insulated and causing a short circuit)
After 5 and half hours chasing our tails and getting nowhere(cold and hungry)our supervisor tells us that one of the other depots has a specialist piece of kit that might help,so we go there grabbing a bite to eat on the way.
While we were away a team from Carillion show up,and miraculously the fault is cleared!!!
When we met them they were very cagey about how they sorted the fault,and we(as well as supervisor and Fault Control )were very skeptical but can't prove anything.
We were majorly annoyed and frustrated as it made us look like eejits for not being able to sort the fault and we wasted most of the day when we could have been carrying out other jobs!!!!
Rant over,just had to get it off my chest.
This kind of situation is more and more common throughout the network just now
And to top it all,as soon as missus came in from work at half 10 I headed for bed,guess this 40 year old just cant take the pace any more...
Over the weekend contractors had a possession(blockage of the line) near where I live in Cumbernauld to lower a section of line under a bridge as prep for when this line gets electrified.
Early shift yesterday(7am start,12 hour shift)we get a call from Fault Control telling us there is a circuit failure meaning trains are delayed and have to proceed past a signal at danger and at caution.
We eventually trace the fault to the section this company was working at but can't pin down exactly where(steel sleepers not insulated and causing a short circuit)
After 5 and half hours chasing our tails and getting nowhere(cold and hungry)our supervisor tells us that one of the other depots has a specialist piece of kit that might help,so we go there grabbing a bite to eat on the way.
While we were away a team from Carillion show up,and miraculously the fault is cleared!!!
When we met them they were very cagey about how they sorted the fault,and we(as well as supervisor and Fault Control )were very skeptical but can't prove anything.
We were majorly annoyed and frustrated as it made us look like eejits for not being able to sort the fault and we wasted most of the day when we could have been carrying out other jobs!!!!
Rant over,just had to get it off my chest.
This kind of situation is more and more common throughout the network just now
And to top it all,as soon as missus came in from work at half 10 I headed for bed,guess this 40 year old just cant take the pace any more...
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