CLEANING UP

Pan Up

How long should it take to clear up an incident? Depends on the incident – and the incentive

Regal assistance: No 67005 Queen’s Messenger, acting as a Thunderbird, tows a failed Class 91 + Mk 4 combination under headspans on the East Coast near Langford on 17 November 2018.
Alan Wallwork

Is it me – or are long delays becoming more common, even accepted, on the modern railway? I say ‘is it me?’, because checking the data on long delays isn’t easy, and all us old British Rail types have memories of multiple-hour delays, usually as a result of some storm, tempest or power earth fault. One reason to perceive they are more common is the fact that they make the news, because almost everyone on board has a video camera on their phone – which makes it of interest to the vision-based rolling news channels.

Want to read more?

This is a premium article and requires an active subscription.

Existing subscriber? Sign in now

I have a subscription but need to register on site…

You will need your print Customer ID ready to set up an account, you'll find this on your welcome email and cover sheet delivered with each print magazine.

Register now

No subscription?

Pick one of our introductory offers