Page 25 - Rail Express - September 2019

OPERATIONS
John Phillips on the FNPO desk on
July15said: “Untilrecently, passenger
services took priority and service
recovery wasfocused on these. This
has nowchanged, and freight services
aregetting/receiving greater priority
than before, which is part of the
Andrew Haines putting passengers and
freight customers first policy.”
Steve Dexter explainedthe
background to the FNPO team in
the NOC. “It started as afreight
performance initiativeatthe start of
CP5 to makesurefreight customers'
interests were looked after.The Freight Newark after No. 800103 wasdeclared
Delivery Metric wasintroduced at the
same time measuring performance.
The freight team is co-located with
the passenger team, but not part of it, twolarge network maps offering an
andthis initiativehas vastly improved
freight operators’ satisfaction and
relationships with NR.”
THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO
Rail Express often covers unusual
traction moves, sometimes caused
by failures. Ever wondered who orders
the rescue locomotive?Itisthe NOC,
which is the onlyoffice with emergency
locomotive spot hireauthority,
something that it uses around 750
times ayear.
‘Thunderbird’ locomotives are
positioned at various locations, such as regular phone conferences monitoring
Doncaster on the East CoastMain Line,
andonJune28this wassummonsed to
potentiallyrescue ‘Azuma’No. 800103
operating the 1A33/13.45 Leeds to
King’s Cross after coming to astand
at StokeJunction at 14.49 with a
smashed bodyside window.
The suspicion wasthat something
had failed on the newtrain. But at
17.05, LNE route control advised that
an underbody panel from vehicle
No. 40904 on the 1H04/13.48 King’s
Cross to Hull (a Hull Trains service
formed of aHST set) had displaced,
hit the track, and bounced up onto the
‘Azuma’ and breaking the outer skin of
the window.
The Doncaster ‘Thunderbird’ left at
15.47 and wasultimately recessed at
fit to run to Peterborough, whereitwas
takenout of service at 16.25.
The back wall of the NOCsupports
overviewofthe national network. When Amap of the entirenationalnetwork shows areas of disruption –which on
aline is blocked, the reason is placed on July15included the Aberdeen-Inverness line being blocked at Inverurie forplanned
the affected location using amagnetic engineering worksasthe line is being re-doubled.
reminder.On15July, the line between
Aberdeen and Inverness wasshown as engineering works–such as at bank BRIDGE BASHES AND SWANS
blocked at Inveruriedue to the line’s holidays,and the August Bank Holiday Thereisinsufficient space to do justice
redoubling work.This map is also used ReadinessSummary charts were in to the full rangeofNOC duties and the
to track NR’s helicopter flightpath when evidence on 15 July. These detail teams’ associated skills, but we should
in use. critical items, such as the West Coast not forget ongoing issues with cable
The NOC is an open plan office, Main Line having to remain open theft and bridgestrikes, of which eight
buthas adedicated incident room because of the panned closureof were reported on July15across the
attached, which remains unused King’s Cross. network, causing around 750 minutes
most of the time, but not on 15 July. Working in the NOC requires awide of delay. Andthereisnoroom either
On this dayitwas being used for rangeofrailway knowledge, the ability to consider the swans that enjoyeda
to think fast under pressureintimes track stroll at 07.00 between Barnham
the ‘Extinction Rebellion Climate of disruption to work out what’s best andChichester,leadingtothe third-rail
Change’ demonstrations in case of forpassengers and the network rather beingswitched off and causing 418
service disruption. thanaroute and to be able to issue minutes of delay. E
The incident room is also used on clearinstructions or guidance to staff ■ Rail Express would like to thank the
aplanned basis at times of significant at alllevels. NOC staff forhosting the author.
September 2019 RAILEXPRESS 25