Vigorously?
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If you see something dangerous on a line, who to call?
- Thread starter Howardh
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ChiefPlanner
Established Member
Not sure - my rule books are buried somewhere in the study. !!!!
"Violently" is the word used in the current Rule Book (Module G1); it was also the word used in the Rule Book of 1950 (Rule 50).
From a thread in 2014 .....( I was passed in the 1972 Rulebook - not the 1950 one !)
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Fair enough, I take it back .
Yes indeed, or alternatively a help point emergency button.
Traindriver40
Member
you can call 999 and ask for the Police, the 999 call with give an approximate location which they can then pass on to Network rail very very quickly (my old job)
LNW-GW Joint
Veteran Member
Does the 61016 (See It, Say It, Sorted) via British Transport Police have any part to play in such emergencies?
From experience, it can take hours to get a response from it and it does state to call 999 for emergencies
Would we not be in trouble if we picked up a telephone on a platform etc.? Wouldn’t it be safer for us just to find a member of staff? Of course I appreciate that not all stations are permanently staffed. I would hate to try to help, and get arrested or something.
Definitely not. If you see something that’s an imminent threat to safety (eg a tree falls onto the tracks, or an unauthorised person starts wandering around on trackbed) then using a lineside phone, identifying yourself as a concerned member of the public and explaining what the issue is, is absolutely the right thing to do.
Just don’t ever put yourself in harm’s way to do so.
ChiefPlanner
Established Member
No need at all - as long as the ultimate aim of stopping a train from trackside is achieved.
Back in the day - I used to take new entrants out and about - pre PTS (who would be office based - but insisted they would have basics explained and for example , got them to put down a track circuit clip in a siding and where safety equipment was located in various rolling stock - after all , you never knew where they might need to help out in an emergency)
Indeed, we've had conversations locally here about doing a refresher for the physical parts of PTS as its all well and good passing the paper exam every few years, it's not the same as physically putting TCOCs or dets down.
ChiefPlanner
Established Member
An excellent idea .........
My understanding is that if you use either the 999 or 112 emergency numbers, it is treated differently, as an emergency call, rather than it going through the normal switched network.
There is a system "Advanced Mobile Location" (aka Emergency Location Service (ELS)) - for both Apple and Android based mobiles - for them to automatically send your location to emergency services: this (I understand) came out of the mobile industry, and is mandated for new phones - but quite to what extent the emergency services are set up to utilise it I don't know.
I don't what 'location system' the emergency services use (internally) themselves: while I would expect them all to use the same one (the need for which is a lesson the military learnt in World War 1), I'm not sure this is the case.
But whatever it is, I would expect any emergency PSAP (Public safety answering point) - and Network Rail 'Public' Control number I would classify as one - to be able to accept and handle (i.e. have the tools to do, converting it to whatever they want) any widely (or not so widely) used system: starting with British (OS) National Grid, my Satnav gives me about a dozen options for location system/format, perhaps half of which will give valid, sensible locations within the UK (and there are others on my mobile or computer).
RedPostJunc
Member
One day last summer I was walking beside the Kennet and Avon canal, when I saw a long loaded Mendip stone train passing on the Berks & Hants line. I noticed that a wagon near the end of the train was emitting clouds of (blue ?) smoke. The idea of ringing someone from my mobile entered my head, but had no idea who I could ring. I was sure that when the train passed Newbury, one of the platform staff would notice and take action.03457 11 41 41 (which is the Network Rail emergency number) or 999.
Contact us - Network Rail
Live chat or call. For safety issues call our 24 hour helpline: 03457 11 41 41 To report a crime call the BTP: 0800 40 50 40, 999 or text: 61016www.networkrail.co.uk
Later that day, I saw on Real Time Trains that the train had failed somewhere near Hungerford, blocking the up line and causing up trains to be diverted via Swindon.
Who could I have rung?
It wasn't an immediate emergency so calling 999 might have been overkill. So the NR hotline would probably be your best bet. Newbury station could also have been a good shout.
Unless you know the Network Rail hotline/emergency number (and so can just ring it) - and how many people do? or even realise there might be one, that would appropriate to call? - I would say dial 999 - while it may not have been "an immediate emergency", it would not be unreasonable to assume it might develop into one, that needs 'killing' - better overkill than underkill.
A thought - if the line where you see something concerning isn't Network Rail, can/will they handle (whatever that might mean) it? Or ...?
Perhaps there is a need for a 'not quite emergency' number, but there isn't one...
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Thornaby 37
Member
The majority of stations have help points on the platforms, usually with a button for emergencies. A member of the public reporting something safety related should use the help point if possible, rather than an internal phone or signal post telephone, which strictly speaking is for staff use only
Agreed. But just to stress, if you are certain that there's a danger then use whatever means at your disposal to make NR aware of it. Nobody is going to get in trouble for a good-faith attempt to prevent an accident or incident.
noddingdonkey
Member
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- 774
Good luck with getting access to the number for an individual station as a member of the public.
Thinking about it, if I was in that situation the only number I would have to hand would be NRE, which I can't imagine would have been useful.
Falcon1200
Established Member
Bridge numbers are duplicated, not just across the country but within NR Routes and even occasionally on the same line; And the NR Helpline covers the whole country! Having said that, there should be a means of inputting a bridge number and then narrowing it down to the caller's location.
With the exception of the bridge strike hotline NR Control numbers are not given to the public, because they become grossly misused.
They would try to assist by directing the caller to the proper authority; NR Controllers would know whether a line was theirs or, for example, a preserved railway. Or even, as per a call I once received regarding an embankment slip, a disused railway!
dangie
Established Member
To me this is definitely the KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) principle. Phone 999. It will be answered pretty much immediately.
Dieseldriver
Member
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Yes it is, which is why I stopped
The Puddock
Member
No, Network Rail doesn't deal with anything that isn't affecting its own infrastructure. It is actually a frustratingly common occurrence that one of the emergency services will contact NR Control about something happening on a heritage railway or tram line, either because the initial report from a member of the public isn't clear or because the services don't have contact details for them. Other than try and find the right phone number to pass on, NR cannot assist in these cases.
The NR Helpline (03547 11 41 41) is the 'not quite emergency' number you're asking for. It is the phone number for members of the public who need to speak with Network Rail for any reason, not just emergencies. You can also find a live chat option and a general enquiries contact form on the Network Rail website.
Glasgow City Council housing department immediately springs to mind....
Howardh
Established Member
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- 17 May 2011
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- 8,185
Is there a chance that on ringing 999, they interprate the enquiry wrong and direct you to the fire brigade - who will answer, find out the problem and then (presumably as they wouldn't be allowed access to the line even if they could get there) losing time by going back to square one to contact network rail?
Although I suppose if there's a fire on the rails or very adjacent to, that IS a job for the fire service if they can get to it? Or would network rail have the infrastructure to deal with a fire?
Although I suppose if there's a fire on the rails or very adjacent to, that IS a job for the fire service if they can get to it? Or would network rail have the infrastructure to deal with a fire?
The Puddock
Member
Not really, other than very (very) small fires which can be put out by hand with a extinguisher.
CarrotPie
Member
I must say it doesn't seem to know what it's job is! Last time I tried to use it it kept giving me very cyclical options and eventually I gave up with my enquiry altogether!
Jamesrob637
Established Member
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Surprised nobody until now has said Ghostbusters 
I'll get my coat
I'll get my coat
Trainguy34
Member
We did, it fell in the hands of the forum tidier.Surprised nobody until now has said Ghostbusters
I'll get my coat
Jamesrob637
Established Member
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Oh dear! Hopefully one post saying the G word will be acceptable in the festive season. 61016 would usually be my go-to though.
I'm so glad it wasn't just me! Every time I see the title of the thread I get an ear-worm...Surprised nobody until now has said Ghostbusters
I'll get my coat