Astro

Yes. CBTC and ETCS are a mess and weren't much fun learning either. Had to sit on my hands to control myself when I first did CBTC.

They don’t fail much. When they do it’s awful to sort out as it’s all such modern technology to scroll through.

My train failed 😂

Sorry about all the trouble... I accept part responsibility 🫣

I believe I was on 9Y79, the 1226 arrival into Paddington. Hope all was well regardless of whatever train you were on.

Depending on what train you were on I might've been driving you to Paddington 😀

Quite shocked I didn't get this one!! 🤦

You say this - I've done it for 8 years now 🤣

Absolutely I do and I don't regret much except fuel. 😂

I don't live far from Cambridge (you'd wonder why I ever bothered applying for the Elizabeth Line, I don't know either!) - was considering applying for that depot.

Sounds about right for Thameslink. I'll pass on that happening here, 😆

Could always do a crew change at Paddington like we do for **SOME** services now. But it's just inefficient and the GWML is stretched enough already. Paddington is far enough for most with there being services to the west country upstairs and on our side quite frequently.

Yes - just it would end up violating our driver hours being over 2 hours each way and PNBs would be stretched.

Many moons ago (2023 ish) we all got told we had to learn Reading - so most of us became qualified on it until they scrapped the plan of having any east drivers sign Reading 🙈

There's a good explanation for this - Abbey Wood is just a booking on point. The earlies and lates there will grab / put trains away in Plumstead via a taxi. Plumstead drivers will also taxi to Abbey Wood if they're just taking over on the platform. But yes, only 3 depots sign the entire line!

We do sign Heathrow as well - if we have a Heathrow then we only have one Paddington visit normally and then a PNB before the Heathrow trip - but it does differ for each depot.

There's a very good reason I remember - I have folders from each year with 'special events in it' and I log what I was working. This was one of those special days teaching an OOC around Ilford 😀. Yes it was before we went through the COS - a new one looks more like this..

Yes mate - something went bang on it.. I have also found the diagram I was driving on that day.. helping OOC drivers learn Ilford was fun. 😂

Nah mate I wasn't driving - back when this one failed I was running up and down the GEML blocking GA trains 😂. What happened is 345026 failed in Hayes and got dragged to the Hayes Good Loop. 345026 is known as a pretty bad one and had something blow up on it in Plumstead in 2022 too.

It has happened before once to my knowledge 😂

Absolutely - used to be a Gidea Park but moved to Ilford for easier access home. We’ll see if I do apply though

Very cool!!

Hi mate - I’m an Ilford driver.

Enjoy it!

Thanks Barry! Enjoy your long weekend I believe you said 😃

Hope all is well! I see GreaterAnglia are hiring at the mo - what's it like working for them? Was just considering a change at some point. 😀

I don't do enough coupling to feel the excitement 😂

10 car splits seem cool.. but I think 18 carriages is cooler.. couple two 345s up! 😀

You passed me at Ilford - I was the train in platform 3 bound for Paddington 😀

Have a good day Barry! I'll be off from tomorrow.. so far I've spent an hour at LST GE though 🫠Rest well and look after yourself