Rail delays after train breaks down near Patcham (From The Argus)

How do these trains manage to "break down" so often. Don't they have some equivalent of MoTs to check they're fit to be on the railways before they get crammed full of passengers?

Although, some platform staff once told me that a "broken down train" can mean anything from the engine being on fire, to a single indiciator light bulb being out-of-order in the cabin... so it's not uncommon for Bob Crow's brave members to "throw a (train) sickie" by reporting "Oh noes! vital lightbulb has gone down! HALT EVERYTHING!!!!! CALL AN IMMEDIATE 4 HOUR TEA-BREAK!!!!!"

Ligand Fields wrote:
How do these trains manage to "break down" so often. Don't they have some equivalent of MoTs to check they're fit to be on the railways before they get crammed full of passengers? Although, some platform staff once told me that a "broken down train" can mean anything from the engine being on fire, to a single indiciator light bulb being out-of-order in the cabin... so it's not uncommon for Bob Crow's brave members to "throw a (train) sickie" by reporting "Oh noes! vital lightbulb has gone down! HALT EVERYTHING!!!!! CALL AN IMMEDIATE 4 HOUR TEA-BREAK!!!!!"

Ah, you cynic, you.

Everyone knows that is completely untrue. In much the same way as we know that Neil Armstrong never went to the moon and that Paul McCartney was replaced by an advanced humanoid robot in 1967...

Seriously, though, it happens so often that regular travellers are unlikely to be seriously inconvenienced- having deliberately set out an hour earlier to allow for this eventuality.

Just pray that the train people never get the contract to maintain our air traffic control system.

Ligand Fields wrote:
How do these trains manage to "break down" so often. Don't they have some equivalent of MoTs to check they're fit to be on the railways before they get crammed full of passengers?

Although, some platform staff once told me that a "broken down train" can mean anything from the engine being on fire, to a single indiciator light bulb being out-of-order in the cabin... so it's not uncommon for Bob Crow's brave members to "throw a (train) sickie" by reporting "Oh noes! vital lightbulb has gone down! HALT EVERYTHING!!!!! CALL AN IMMEDIATE 4 HOUR TEA-BREAK!!!!!"

Bob Crow doesn't represent train drivers and only the driver can "fail" the train. If you're going to rant about something at least do a bit of basic research. Trains don't have indicator lights either as the driver doesn't steer them so has no need to tell a following train which way he is turning. I guess that would explain why they don't just pull out and pass each other if the one in front is going slower as well.

How is this affecting just Southern and not First Capital Connect trains?

Tallywhacker wrote:

Ligand Fields wrote: How do these trains manage to "break down" so often. Don't they have some equivalent of MoTs to check they're fit to be on the railways before they get crammed full of passengers? Although, some platform staff once told me that a "broken down train" can mean anything from the engine being on fire, to a single indiciator light bulb being out-of-order in the cabin... so it's not uncommon for Bob Crow's brave members to "throw a (train) sickie" by reporting "Oh noes! vital lightbulb has gone down! HALT EVERYTHING!!!!! CALL AN IMMEDIATE 4 HOUR TEA-BREAK!!!!!"

Bob Crow doesn't represent train drivers and only the driver can "fail" the train. If you're going to rant about something at least do a bit of basic research. Trains don't have indicator lights either as the driver doesn't steer them so has no need to tell a following train which way he is turning. I guess that would explain why they don't just pull out and pass each other if the one in front is going slower as well.

I mean indicator lights on a control panel, you peremptory dufus, not amber flashing directional indicators that go on the outside of a car.

Goldenwight wrote:

Ligand Fields wrote:
How do these trains manage to "break down" so often. Don't they have some equivalent of MoTs to check they're fit to be on the railways before they get crammed full of passengers? Although, some platform staff once told me that a "broken down train" can mean anything from the engine being on fire, to a single indiciator light bulb being out-of-order in the cabin... so it's not uncommon for Bob Crow's brave members to "throw a (train) sickie" by reporting "Oh noes! vital lightbulb has gone down! HALT EVERYTHING!!!!! CALL AN IMMEDIATE 4 HOUR TEA-BREAK!!!!!"

Ah, you cynic, you.

Everyone knows that is completely untrue. In much the same way as we know that Neil Armstrong never went to the moon and that Paul McCartney was replaced by an advanced humanoid robot in 1967...

Seriously, though, it happens so often that regular travellers are unlikely to be seriously inconvenienced- having deliberately set out an hour earlier to allow for this eventuality.

Just pray that the train people never get the contract to maintain our air traffic control system.

I rather think that you should wish that air traffic control was run by the railways. For all the problems that railways publicly suffer and the expensive way it is organised I don't read of daily accidents as I do in the Argus when it comes to the roads and I bet the time keeping is much better than travelling by plane.

once upon a time a powered unit could run out of brighton or another depot and simply tow the broken down unit back, nowadays with different couplings that process is not very simple, but apparently thats progress

Ligand Fields wrote:

Tallywhacker wrote:

Ligand Fields wrote: How do these trains manage to "break down" so often. Don't they have some equivalent of MoTs to check they're fit to be on the railways before they get crammed full of passengers? Although, some platform staff once told me that a "broken down train" can mean anything from the engine being on fire, to a single indiciator light bulb being out-of-order in the cabin... so it's not uncommon for Bob Crow's brave members to "throw a (train) sickie" by reporting "Oh noes! vital lightbulb has gone down! HALT EVERYTHING!!!!! CALL AN IMMEDIATE 4 HOUR TEA-BREAK!!!!!"

Bob Crow doesn't represent train drivers and only the driver can "fail" the train. If you're going to rant about something at least do a bit of basic research. Trains don't have indicator lights either as the driver doesn't steer them so has no need to tell a following train which way he is turning. I guess that would explain why they don't just pull out and pass each other if the one in front is going slower as well.

I mean indicator lights on a control panel, you peremptory dufus, not amber flashing directional indicators that go on the outside of a car.

There aren't any flashing lights on the control panel double dufus. Have a look one day if you can prise yourself out of the armchair. Trains are taken out of service for safety not so staff can have a tea break. I guess we could always go back a few years when a rail disaster happened every so often. It would make the daily commute more exiting not knowing if today would be your turn for a sudden halt lots of noise then silence...

John Steed wrote:
once upon a time a powered unit could run out of brighton or another depot and simply tow the broken down unit back, nowadays with different couplings that process is not very simple, but apparently thats progress

Yeah. Backwards.