All down to service control

The radio goes off, and you glance at it, wondering what they want from you. You are already out of service, running into the depot. This almost certainly means they’re finding more work for you. The luxury of a slow stroll back to your home depot seems to evaporate. “Change of plan. You’ll get a good train and run that out of service back to the Sidings”. The same sidings you have just been asked to collect the bad train from. The joys of being spare…

“That’s all received, but you know I need to be back on the westbound for 1832. Will I have enough time?” “You’ll be turned straight round. There will be no issue with that pickup”. You look at your watch. You’ve got about 90 minutes. In theory they aren’t wrong, but that doesn’t take into account that once you prep that new train, another one might be in front of you, something else could be reversing in the Sidings another 10 minutes away, and even out of service it’s another 20 minutes, then walking back out of those Sidings and waiting for a train to take you back, plus crossing over the platform.

Sure enough, at 1829 you find yourself on the phone to the Trains Manager: “I am just outside; this train is being held. I did say at the time this was pushing it, but I won’t take being booked for being out of position”. You eventually get round to relieving the driver, who is already ringing up to find out where you are. “This is all down to service control, I’m afraid”. “It always is,” they say, just glad to be able to go on grub only three minutes late.

Later you find yourself back in the sidings waiting to take a train onto the platform. It is now just about time you should be on the platform. You call the signaller, “Are you in position driver?” The temptation to reply with “What do you think?” is resisted, and you simply confirm you are and get told you’ll be let out next. So only another five minutes late, then…