Train Stopped In Section

I know this a fairly old post but one reason for both getting down on thr right has nbot been mentioned. Its usually the side of the oposite running line and the crew should check that this is not obstructed, wagon off road etc, If it was obstructed priority would be dets on the other line to stop trains from the opposite direction.

 

Best way to avoid getting left behind is to apply the handbrake then pull the vacuum bag off the back of the set. It's also possible to wedge the setter open with a T-key for similar effect.

 

Not in the old rule books that I've seen, nor as shown in old railway training films. As others have pointed out, some engines were left hand drive, and some right - even in the same classes of engines - so how is the guard supposed to know which side that is? The rules I've seen all say the same; the fireman and guard should get out on the right hand side in the direction of travel, so that they can check if the other road is obstructed.

 

But the rule is designed to cope with the possibility that the guard might have been thrown off balance by an abrupt stop, and knocked out; equally, the same could, and did, happen to loco crews. If you read the accident reports published by the railway inspectorate, that frequently happened in the case of a sudden derailment.

So the reason for both the fireman and the guard walking towards each other was so that the firemen could check that the guard was okay, and fit to protect the train in rear, and that the guard could check that the loco crew were okay, and able to protect in advance.

 

My original post was a bit tongue-in-cheek, hence the reference to shoe leather! In the event of a true incident, I wouldn't be waiting for the guard to stroll up to me.
Welcome to the forum, by the way.

 

Given that many volunteers work on more than one railway, - possibly NR as well, might it be worth having a 'standard' rulebook that covers all preserved lines, and is as far as possible similar in effect to the NR one?

 

Quite. Under the ROGS legislation, the lines own Safety Management System must accurately reflect the customs and practices of the lines concerned - a "one size fits all" approach is thus specifically advised against in the official guidance.

 

HMRI are not keen on this approach. Rule books need to a appropriate to the railway. They certainly don't support the suggestion of using the Group Standard rulebook.