The LNER Encyclopedia

Micky wrote:This true incident has a connection with a posting of mine about 'points mechanism-clap locks' that was posted on the railway chat page on this forum. This incident occured in the mid-1990s and involved a relatively inexperienced signalman who i will not name or identify the location because i believe that he is still around somewhere in the country. This signalman had a points failure coming out of a bay platform so he decided to leave the s/box and pump the points over which he did pump over the trailing end but unfortunetly forgot to pump over the facing end which were infact a set of 'trap points' that set in the 'throw-off' position lead down an embankment!.
You probably guessed it, the signalman went back to the s/box advised the driver to pass at danger the signal starting out of the bay platform with the result of the leading unit of a x2 car DMU going over the un-pumped facing trap points and straight down the embankment!. Oh dear.

There is somewhere on the privatised railway, a manager who, in his days as a 'boy' supervisor, managed to wind half a crossover on two separate occasions with the inevitable results.

When I was working at Kings Cross as a conductor in the late 80's I once had to go down to Upper Holloway to pick up an inter regional train of empties and take them literally "round the corner" into Ferme Park. At the time I was still a handsome young guy and took a pride in my appearance so I wore an immaculate white shirt and dark blue tie (both non railway issue) and I carried my guards gear in a ticket inspection bag we were issued with, which looked like a small briefcase. Not knowing when the train would arrive I went up to the signalbox and knocked on the door. It was a female signalman and she looked alarmed to see me so I held my staff pass up and she unlocked the door. When I got inside she seemed on edge till I explained why I was was there; she let out a sigh and said "OH! I thought you were a SIGNALLING INSPECTOR!". She then told me she'd warned the adjacent boxes to be careful! She seemed a little "lonely" and I was kinda relieved when my train turned up.
In the event when the train turned up it was a Class 33, and I just rode in the back cab for my 5 minute trip..it was the only 33 I ever saw on the Eastern.

Multiprinter said "There is somewhere on the privatised railway, a manager who, in his days as a 'boy' supervisor, managed to wind half a crossover on two separate occasions with the inevitable results."

Would this manager by any chance have been at Kings Cross? I've never heard that story but I know an equally funny one

PinzaC55 wrote:Multiprinter said "There is somewhere on the privatised railway, a manager who, in his days as a 'boy' supervisor, managed to wind half a crossover on two separate occasions with the inevitable results."

Would this manager by any chance have been at Kings Cross? I've never heard that story but I know an equally funny one

The incidents mentioned took place nowhere near Kings Cross. I dare say that over the years many similar incidents occurred.

Multiprinter wrote:

PinzaC55 wrote:Multiprinter said "There is somewhere on the privatised railway, a manager who, in his days as a 'boy' supervisor, managed to wind half a crossover on two separate occasions with the inevitable results."

Would this manager by any chance have been at Kings Cross? I've never heard that story but I know an equally funny one

The incidents mentioned took place nowhere near Kings Cross. I dare say that over the years many similar incidents occurred.

Oh. There's a manager on an RPS now and when he and I were at KX in about 1986 an Inspector from HMRI paid a spot visit. He watched the empty HST's being prepared by the cleaners for movement to Ferme Park. He then went went up to see "the manager" and asked where the "NOT TO BE MOVED" boards were for the HST's? He received the reply "What stop boards?". They had never been used for years despite being in the Rule Book!
Supposedly he told "the manager" to get some STOP boards organised or organise himself another job!
Needless to say some lovely new boards were there the next day.....