Thoughts on the 1909 to Edinburgh.

Aviemore in December is meant to be a Winter wonderland. It ain’t. It’s a mere -8^oC, there’s around an inch of sn-, sorry slush, on the ground and an entire season’s worth of snow on nearby Cairngorm. Getting around is difficult to say the least, when the locals refuse to use the backroads – it’s bad. The buses are at the mercy of the A9 and the gritters, while train services are being disrupted by snowploughs heading down the single track sections and the newer units being unable to cope with the arctic temperatures being experienced. As a result, I’m evacuating Aviemore on a train that’s been delayed 40 minutes caused by the crew being delayed by the same amount on a northbound train. Not only that, but the train is 20 years old instead of just 5 – that’s technology for you. Luckily, with all the disruption there’s a few of these things (I believe it’s a Class 158 – if you want to look them up and know what I’m talking about) lying around spare – so they’ve put three of them together to get everyone a seat.

The train crew have carried on this extra-helpfulness in their respective positions. The driver – by making the thing go like a Bat out of Hell (90mph between Aviemore and Kingussie? Hell yes!). And the Conductor by searching for passengers who have connections to catch and keeping them informed. As I got my laptop out I realised it was out of battery. I bumped into the Conductor and asked him if there was any First Class service tonight (given that it’s near identical, just a different pattern on the seat, a plug socket and a lamp)- result! The reply, “sit where you want tonight, mate”, gave me some much needed leg room, an article and a blog post!

The Conductor’s just passed me looking for Glasgow passengers, “Good news folks, the Aberdeen train’s been delayed and it’ll be in Perth at half past”. Well, they could have replied with some more enthusiasm anyway. Most of them just grunted their approval before going back to listening to the latest Clubland album.

So, given the above example, you’d be forgiven for thinking that ScotRail would like to have Conductors on every train. The fact is they don’t. Instead, they favour a method known as DOO, Driver Only Operation. This would mean that the Driver would be the sole person onboard responsible for the safety of the train, as well as its passengers. Instead of Conductors, Ticket Examiners would be employed. Ticket Examiners receive only 80% of a Conductor’s wage and do not get trained on the types of trains or the routes they work, so in the event of a problem or emergency a Ticket Examiner would not be able to help the Driver other than to evacuate the passengers (which they are trained in, along with First Aid). Also, their only job is to issue and check tickets and give advice on train times. There’d be no more phoning control to find out what the Aberdeen passengers should do. No one there at the doors to help your Granny get up the step, instead the driver would just look at his monitor, or at a mirror, while the train was stopped.

It gets worse too, regulations require worked conventionally to carry both a Driver and a Conductor when passengers are onboard. DOO would mean the Driver Could leave without a Ticket Examiner if one wasn’t available – would you feel safe on the last train at night, knowing that the only guy in charge of your safety is up the front Driving?

Post Script: The train is now between Perth and Kirkcaldy, the crew changed over in Perth and the journey is achingly slow. The train coasts for 3-4 minutes before the rumbling whine of the engine returns to pull us back to speed, which doesn’t take long at all. I’ve also not heard a word from the Conductor, over the tannoy or anywhere else. Typical, eh?

In the interests of balance:

·         Trains have operated without incident under DOO, largely out of Glasgow Central, without incident for over 25 years.

·         The Airdrie – Bathgate line opened on 12^th December 2010, the Conductors that worked the original Edinburgh -  Bathgate service were downgraded to Ticket Examiners, and kept the original pay and conditions. The dozens of new recruits didn’t.

·         Procedures have existed to ensure DOO is as safe as possible, yet a communication system with the Driver is hardly going to replace the human presence and knowledge a train Conductor has readily available.