The Mutual Improvement Classes of the old steam railways continue for today's preservation volunteers. This is one of a series of articles taken from talks originally given by Jan at Birmingham Railway Museum. To find them all, select label 'MIC'.
Birmingham Railway Museum is a yard site: you are always within walking distance of anywhere else. That does not give the true flavour of most railways where, for most of the time, trains are in the back of beyond and the train crews must be self-reliant. The guard is in charge of the train and its passengers; the driver and fireman provide the motive power. When things go wrong, each must try to sort the problem out using their own resources. Firemen should be able to persevere with producing steam even under adverse conditions; drivers are expected to make minor repairs, where possible, to keep a train going to a station where help can be provided. This is why adequate training and experience is so important.
The driver is responsible for examining the locomotive before he takes it off shed. A keen eye at this stage can save a lot of trouble later when on the road. It's important that loco crew book on in sufficient time to allow thorough preparation and examination - time pressure is only likely to lead to defects remaining unnoticed or the loco going into traffic with a poorly-prepared fire which may give problems later.
The guard is responsible for satisfying himself as to the safety of the train and its fitness to run. Usually the guard will need to personally carry out an examination which means walking all round the train. Many things are apparent if the guard takes the time to check. Doors on passenger stock should be unlocked and checked. Defective doors, if not capable of being repaired before going into service, must be locked and labelled. There should be no more than two defective doors on a vestibule coach: the guard may need to evacuate passengers in an emergency and not all the remaining doors may remain usable following an incident.
On passenger trains, the Guard should check for no apparent damage to brake rigging, dynamos properly fixed and drive belts intact, couplings and brake hoses correctly connected between vehicles, steam heating connections properly made and latched (where provided and when required), carriage lighting electrical connectors plugged together, battery box covers secured and nothing obviously broken, damaged or hanging down under the vehicle. The 'communication cord' is now called the 'Passenger Communication Device' or 'PCD' (it's rarely a 'cord' on modern vehicles). PCD tell-tales ('butterfly valves) must be in the 'reset' position. On goods vehicles, some of the above checks are applicable and, in addition, handbrake levers should be picked up to the released position on both sides of the vehicle and handwheels unscrewed (except for any brakes deliberately applied to secure the train prior to connection of a locomotive or except for the guard's brake which will be released immediately prior to departure).
Passengers will turn to a guard for help when there are problems, so the guard should be able to radiate quiet confidence when in public.
If locomotive and train are carefully prepared as described, the train crew will have confidence in the train and can afterwards concentrate their attention on running the train efficiently.
Once the locomotive is attached to a train, the driver will work to the requirements of the guard and so the guard should plan any shunting movements required prior to entering service and make any necessary arrangements with the signalman. Once the train is in the platform of a staffed station, the guard temporarily relinquishes control to the station staff who arrange for the loading of passengers and the closing of doors prior to departure. Assuming a brake test has already been carried out, immediately prior to departure the guard will request the driver to create vacuum and release the guard's handbrake. The driver is then responsible for ensuring that the train does not move. When station duties are complete, the station staff give the 'all right' signal to the guard (one arm raised above head by day, white light displayed above the head at night). If the departure running signal (where provided) is clear, the guard will then give the 'rightaway' to the driver (green flag waved above the head by day, steady green light at night, accompanied by a whistle). Where necessary, for instance on a curving platform, the station staff will relay the guard's 'rightaway' to the driver by giving the 'alright' signal to the driver. When the driver has checked for himself that the departure signal is off, he will then sound the whistle as a warning and start the train. The period whilst the train is drawing out of the platform is potentially dangerous - people may try to leave or board the train: persons standing on the platform may get entangled with door handles so station staff and the guard must keep a good lookout. In addition, the fireman should look back checking the platform until the whole train is clear of the platform in case the station staff or guard exhibit a danger signal. For this purpose, the fireman may cross to the driver's side of the footplate, where necessary, as the driver will be concentrating on the line ahead. When the rear of the train is clear of the platform without incident, the fireman should report the fact to the driver.
On the road, the driver's first duty is to keep a good lookout. When not otherwise engaged, the fireman should also keep a lookout, particularly in locations where the fireman may get an earlier view than the driver. Periodically, the loco crew should look back at the train to make sure that everything is normal. The driver, in particular, should develop a keen ear, listening for any sound indicating that all is not well. Once under way, many drivers will allow only minimal, essential conversation on the footplate, so as not to disturb their concentration.
The guard must pay careful attention to the progress of the train - he is normally responsible for entering the actual timings in the Guard's Journal which forms the official log of the trip. He will add notes covering any unusual event which has a bearing on the running of the train. The guard should be particularly alert to any potentially dangerous situations, such as children leaning out of windows or playing with door handles. Where required, the guard may operate his brake setter to indicate to the driver that the train should be stopped. The guard will not normally make an emergency brake application except in extreme situations, as a rapid stop may injure passengers, particularly on a train which is crowded or with standing passengers. If possible, the guard will attract the attention of the driver with a partial brake application and leave the driver bring the train safety to a stand.
During the journey, the driver will observe the vacuum gauge. If the registered vacuum falls, the driver must assume that a failure has occurred, a passenger has operated the PCD (communication cord) or the guard has operated the brake valve. The driver will then promptly bring the train to a standstill in a suitable position from which help may be provided.From time to time, the guard will check that the vacuum gauge indicates the requisite vacuum and if the registered vacuum falls (except during normal service braking) he must assume that a failure has occured or the communication cord has been pulled. Each coach is provided with a tell-tale ('butterfly valve') to indicate when the cord has been pulled.
If a train stops out of course (except when stopped at a signal) the driver and guard must confer and agree on the action to be taken and the need for protection. Unless the train can be re-started quickly, protection must be provided at the rear of the train on the line on which it is travelling and, in the case of accident, any other affected line on which trains may approach.
If a train is stopped by a signal, the regulations must be carried out. Unless the line on which the train is standing is track circuited (indicated by a white diamond fixed to the signal post) the fireman will usually be required to go to the signal box to advise the signalman of the position of the train, unless a Signal Post Telephone is provided for this purpose.
When an unfitted freight train is being worked, the fireman may be required to partially apply the locomotive handbrake to supplement the braking effort. As necessary, the guard will work the handbrake in the brake van to help to control the train. On a downhill stretch, the guard will frequently partially apply the brake to keep the couplings tight, to prevent the shock as the couplings are pulled tight again at the bottom of the descent. On approaching a stopping point (and periodically during a long journey), the driver will make a trial application of the brakes to satisfy himself that the proper braking effort is available. The initial braking will reduce the vacuum to 15 in/Hg. Full service braking is carried out at 10 in/Hg. Prior to stopping, the driver will release the brakes so that the train comes to a stop without a jerk ('stop on a rising vacuum'). The driver should have previously noted a suitable marker for the class of locomotive and length of train so that the train is brought to a stand in the correct position.
