My first run as Steam Guard

Maikha · Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2003 10:11 pm

G'day all

Yesterday, I took my second guard's run at Zig Zag for my guard's training, this time on a steam train rather than a railmotor.

Guarding a steam train was a different kettle of fish compared to guarding a railmotor. The railmotor was pretty straightforward, blow the whistle, give two bells (QLD Right of way), give verbal second right of way, give/grab staff from signaller, and the only points I had to set were the ones leaving the depot.

The Steam Train on the other hand.....not only involves setting the depot points, but the points around the main and loop lines at Bottom Points, the points at Clarence, doing retention and continuity tests, working radios and blah blah blah.

Yesterday was the first time I had guarded a steam train, and was I in for a surprise! As this long recount will detail.

I caught the 0649 Lithgow intercity from Penrith, all excited, yet nervous about my first run. I got to ZZ at 0840 and made my way to the members’ accommodation/lounge carriage to meet the crew and also to have abit of breakfast before heading out onto the train. The weather outside was getting worse, and we all had the impression Hurricane Isabel made its way to Lithgow!

At 0920, I headed out to the workshop with my mentor to get my radio and first aid kit while the driver and fireman headed out to the locomotive. We then headed to the yard to set the points for the loco to depart. It was expected that the steam locomotive (DD17 - 1049) was to be out of the shed by 0940, and be coupled onto my train for a 0950 departure. I stood at the depot to loop line points up to 0950 with no steam loco coming. The station telephone started to ring and I had to decide whether to ditch manning the points and answer the phone, or not. I decided to stay at the points, while another member, James, went to answer the phone.

The loco wasn't gonna come for ages, so I then ditched the points and climbed my way onto the Bottom Points Platform. At the time, bits of sleet, and then snow started to fall, and it kept getting heavier. The wind didn't make things better, as the snowflakes hitting your face felt like razorblades. It was much worse than when I went snowboarding at perisher.

From this time, I had to basically wait around the station, until the locomotive's injector could be fixed. Finally at 1020, the locomotive came out the shed and I made my way to the depot points. I hand-signalled a ROW and the rest was done by my mentor at the signal box, setting the main road to the line.

1049 coupled onto my set of 4 ex-QR Evans carriages and I had to do a 'retention test', which was to test the air in the train's airbrakes for 10minutes. This was followed by a standard continuity test where I had to pull the tail to let all the air out, then close it again and let the driver upfront fill the brakepipe with his air.

Finally at 1025, 1049 was ready upfront, and I gave my first ever flagged ROW with the green flag. As the train progressively moved and the first carriage passed the end of Bottom Points platform and I observed that all the doors were shut and locked, I gave the second ROW by waving the flag again, and it was off we went for my departure at 1035.

We arrived at Top Points at about 1030, and here, the DD changed ends. This took something like 10minutes. While the DD detached to run around, the level of snowfall continued to get heavier. When DD was on the Sydney end of my train, I did another continuity test and straight afterwards I gave my first ROW, and we departed at 1041.

Spectacularly, we arrived at Clarence station at 1055 and on the platform was a massive crowd of passengers waiting for this morning’s run. I took my eye off the window for a moment to grab my safety vest, and after we arrived onto the platform and stopped completely I then set the handbrake. I alighted from my compartment to find the platform was completely empty! All the passengers had quickly boarded the train due to the harsh cold weather…..and note that this was less than a minute!

My mentor and I walked to the Lithgow end of Clarence to set the points from the loop line to the main. I quickly figured out which levers to pull (Out of the A frame with 6 of them to pull) and just as I cleared the ‘proceed’ signal, 1049 comes around and shunts ahead of the points. I set the points back to the main and cleared the home signal and boarded 1049 as it made its way back to Clarence and shunted onto the Lithgow end of my train. Immediately after stopping on the platform, I ran to the Sydney end of my train to do the continuity tests and release the handbrake. After this was done, all the passengers had boarded, all doors closed and locked, the station master gave me the white ROW and I acknowledged it by giving my green ROW to the driver. As the train started moving, I gave my second ROW and finally we were off at 1102. A 7 minute turnaround when normally in the WTT we’re given 10mins. This trip went ok until arrival at Top Points. The other railmotor operating that day was already waiting on the No.2 platform road at Top Points to cross our train before they could proceed to Clarence on the single line (Top Road). However, our loco could not change ends because the railmotor still occupied the No.2 road, and the loco needed this road to run around. The railmotor wasn’t going for 5-10minutes after we arrived, as the driver (The same member who assessed my safeworking) was also mentoring two new members on their safeworking. The railmotor was also fairly packed as well with 60 passengers! Finally the railmotor left to Clarence and we could proceed with running around. At this time, it was still snowing, and this was probably the reason why most of the passengers stayed aboard the train instead of alighting to watch the DD change ends.

Finally, after the usual coupling up, continuity tests and the shuffling of the few cattle back onto the train, I flagged the ROW, and the second ROW to depart to Bottom Points. Our arrival to Bottom Points was 1146. As soon as we arrived, my mentor and I went to Bottom Points signal box to set the road for the steam loco to run around. My mentor took the time to explain the levers on the frame, which one to pull, and what the colours represent (I.e. Red for signals, blue for points and point locking, etc). The DD went past our box and shunted past the points up to the SHUNT LIMIT, and then I set the points and signals back to the main platform road for the DD to couple up to the Lithgow end of the train. This was done properly with instructions from my mentor, and then after setting the Home Signal, we made our way back to the train. By the time I returned to the station, it was 1154. However, under Zig Zag’s WTT, we could not depart until the railmotor crossed us on Top Road right above Bottom Points station, and this was indicated by the railmotor blowing the loudest horn while at that location. At 1157 while in my guard’s compartment waiting, I received the message on the radio that the railmotor would be another 10 minutes before passing.

I took the time to head back to the station and get a muffin to eat. In that time, I finished eating it and checked the time…..1215. My driver was getting wary, and asked me to radio the railmotor. This contact had made me aware it'd be another 2 minutes before they pass.

This was quite a surprise to all the crew at Bottom Points waiting to get out of here. Two minutes later, we heard the railmotor horn being blown ahead and that’s when I blew my whistle and flagged my ROW. We were off 1218. The rest of the trip was faultless, and we made a Clarence arrival at about 1245. I did the typical work like setting the handbrake, and setting the points at the yard before having a 5minute lunch break before our 1300 departure. The 1300 return trip from Clarence-Bottom Points-Clarence was pretty straightforward and we finally gained the time back to normal running.

The 1500 trip from Clarence was different. After the continuity test on my train at 1440, and using my 20minute break, about 3-4 busloads of tourists began to pour in. One busload of ‘normal’ tourists, about 2 busloads of Chinese tourists and a busload of elderly tourists.

As soon as I went out of the building to my compartment, a Chinese tourist ran up to me asking me a question….in Chinese. I can understand her assumption, based on my Asian appearance, but I am Vietnamese! Their tour guide then asked me the same question in English and interpreted to her in Chinese.

I made my way to my compartment and spent the rest of the time doing the continuity test and checking the STN for the Wizard’s Express train. At 1458, the Wizard’s Express special train arrived into Clarence, crossing our train onto the loop line. As soon as this train was clear of Top Road, we were handed the Staff and I finally made my ROW, and we departed, right on the dot at 1500.

This trip then started to even out, and the weather began to clear up abit. At Top Points, The same elderly women who confronted me at Clarence yellowed out for me to open her door. I did so, then made my way to the other end. I then remembered I left the STN back in the compartment so I went back to get it and then made my way to the other end. That same woman then yelled at me to close the door because she was cold….so I did. Still at Top Points, I was trying to ring my parents on my mobile. Top Points is the only area with phone coverage on the Zig Zag. I could not get any coverage on my Vodafone phone, so I had to borrow my friend’s phone on Telstra.

After the runaround, coupling up, continuity tests, etc, I waved the ROW flag on time, departing Azkaban station (Suppose to be Top Points, but it was for their Wizard’s Express train) bound for Hogsmede station (Bottom Points). This trip to Bottom Points and back to Top Points went on time. It was on the way back to Clarence, I was notified that the Wizard’s Express train was occupying the Platform road at Clarence, and had our train been stopped at the Clarence Home Signal, the train and the steam loco would be in the tunnel! Not good! I decided to stop the train before the tunnel, and at a location adjacent to the Bells Line of Road and Mt Sinai, to shield us from the wind. We reminded the driver to stop the train by giving a few taps on the tail and then he stopped. We were stuck there for 5 minutes, waiting for the Wizard’s train to clear the platform road before we could proceed.

Finally, the radio message came through authorising us to proceed since the platform road was now clear. I waved only one ROW and we were off again, arriving at Clarence at 1550.

The rest of the day, I had to ditch my steam train as it would not arrive at Bottom Points in time for my Cityrail intercity train, so I caught the Wizard’s Express service and took the trip in the guard’s van. We arrived at Bottom Points at 1722, where I made my final connection at 1744. The trip got me to Penrith at 1939 where I was home by 2000.

I do not know whether to refer to yesterday as an ‘interesting’ day or a day where I would be ‘tested’ on my competencies. What I do know, there’s more of this to come. I’m rostered on at Zig Zag this Wednesday on a one steam train day, next Labour Day Monday (Two steam trains) and the Saturday after (Friends of Thomas weekend, where I’m guarding their special Blue Train).

Thanks for taking the time to read this. There will be photos posted sometime later. I welcome all replies to this recount.
Cheers
Maikha “V” Ly
theintercityplatform.iwarp.com

Cheers
Maikha Ly

The Intercity Platform & Valve Gear Media!
http://www.theintercityplatform.com/

Comments made are that of my own, and do not reflect those of organisations mentioned.

Tonymercury · Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2003 6:08 am

dthead · Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2003 2:05 pm

I'd second Tony's idea, that was a good read. Very Happy

Regards,
David Head

DavidB · Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2003 2:18 pm

You seemed to have a better first run than I did - the loco and tender separated after the pin dropped out. Then came the joys of putting down dets and flagging in a relief loco.

Cheers
David

Thomas the tank engine · Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2003 4:54 pm

You have a much better job than me!! The early starts and late finishes beats being stuck in an office all day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

T411 · Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2003 5:11 pm

I'm a Victorian Tourist Railway guard and it was interesting to read your experiences. I hope that you enjoy it greatly. Its definitly an experience docking a railmotor in the pouring rain at the beginning of the day!

"Its not an offence to drive like a prat, half of London does"

WPC Martella, The Bill, circa 1989

44211 (ex-crash) · Joined: 0 Last Visited: Jan 1, 1970

Hey Maikha

Good On you for a better run this time. I Heard You cant become a ZZR guard like myself until your 18. What a bummer man (N) Sad

ah well such is life.

Cheers

James Rumble

albert3801 · Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2003 8:32 pm

44211 (ex-crash) · Joined: 0 Last Visited: Jan 1, 1970

And that might be Albert ?

Cheers

James Rumble

Maikha · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2003 6:54 am

James

A no 1 · Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2003 8:34 pm

DavidB · Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2003 2:56 pm