LETTERS
From: Graeme Phillips (personal capacity) Subject: ‘Kent sees extended high-speed services’, RTM, April 26
One type of service I would like very much to see is an extension of Virgin’s Pendolino services to the south-east. Instead of stopping at Euston, they could continue to the HS1 connector that is planned to be used with HS2. This railway route has remained more or less redundant, given that the decision was made to have the Eurostars stored in Temple Mills Depot rather than North Pole Depot. Also, the Pendolinos could reach their full speed potential of 140mph on the CTRL.
From: Peter van der Mark Subject: Level crossing safety
The public in general behaving without due care and attention for their own safety is not an unknown issue throughout the world of maritime, road and rail transport. For that reason any authority in charge of installations where the general public may encounter danger should design and install them in such a manner that the public is more or less forced to show the proper behaviour to safeguard their own and other people’s lives.
As such I think the Elsenham level crossing was flawed because access to the railway via the foot crossing gates was still possible,
they were not locked against the approaching second train. The reason why they were not locked, to provide escape from the tracks in case of pedestrians being trapped, is debatable because an escape space either side of the tracks but inside the locked gates, or better still the now installed footbridge, would have done the job satisfactorily as it does elsewhere in the world.
Over the years it was also proven many times over that written instructions on signs at gates, the miniature stop lights showing a danger indication and the klaxons bleeping away do not stop road users from entering the tracks. Therefore, relying only on these such installations cannot be considered to satisfactorily uphold safety. Only locked gates against the approaching train would do that and this would have saved the lives of these girls. As such I can find myself in agreement with Network Rail being berated.
But these pedestrian level crossing installations have been around for a long time and the public ought to know how to handle their indications. Therefore the level of the fine to correct Network Rail’s errant ways is way over the top and moreover, the judgment is far too concentrated on the culpability from the side of Network Rail. It should have contained clear pointers that the behaviour of the girls, however innocent they were from the point of view of
youth and being busy with buying tickets and catching a train to go shopping, was nevertheless seriously unacceptable. At their age and going by the way they behaved they apparently were not ready to step out into society, where such danger in many forms is rife. Who is acceptable for that lack of basic maturity? Should not the parents and educational institutions have been officially forced to accept responsibility on that point?
it a quick and low cost exercise to electrify the remaining part of the route. Because of the number of major overbridges, the 13 miles Wokingham to Ash would better electrified at 750v dc. However, the 18 miles from Shalford Jn. to Reigate has few major overbridges and could perhaps be more economically electrified at 25kv OHL.
As it is the judgment and the resulting fine are uncomfortably wide of the mark, especially since no more money to deal with such level crossing problems will be made available. It has all the hallmarks of sticking one’s head deep in the sand to me.
From: Ronald Eaton MIET Subject: Surrey bottlenecks need investment
Surrey County Council is calling for more investment in the county to cope with the increasing numbers of passengers. The North Downs line between Reading and Redhill (for Gatwick) was particularly mentioned in the report.
This latter line is already partially electrified on the 750v dc system between Reading and Wokingham, Ash and Shalford Junction and Reigate/Gatwick.
These electrified sections represent about 50% of the route mileage. With the DfT’s new enthusiasm for electrification to counter the increasing price of particularly liquid fuels, I should have thought
My understanding is that post the GW electrification the present dual-voltage Thameslink trains will be transferred to GW to replace the diesel trains currently operating their suburban system – including the Reading to Gatwick services. Would it be reasonable to suggest that some of these dual-voltage units could operate to Gatwick if that route was fully electrified? This would allow the service to be speeded up and perhaps more trains run.
Oxford County Council is also calling for a through Oxford to Gatwick service, utilising the ‘dive under’ at Reading, which I understand is to be re-opened. Route electrification as above would facilitate that also.
From: Robin
S Wickenden,
Director, Somerset & Dorset Railway Engineering Ltd Subject: Stalybridge
Why is £20m being spent improving speed by only 10mph for non-stop trains? If work has to be done, why not spend a bit more and make it 20 or 30mph? This would save energy and brake pads.
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK
opinion@railtechnologymagazine.com
rail technology magazine Jun/Jul 12 | 11
Image: Network Rail
Image: Network Rail
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