QUESTIONS THAT NEED ANSWERING
Why should a driver have to go to the extreme in starting a petition to get action on repairs?
What does it tell you in such a short space of time and the restrictions placed against me that so many drivers signed the petition including union reps and future driver managers?
The warning horn defects were evident from introduction in 2006, why did it take till 2009 to give drivers information on these defects?
What did you actually mean and how did you implement the following statement? “Assistance from FTPE to investigate in service and provide the necessary detailed information on the reported fault”.
Is the above statement insinuating that drivers are not reporting the defect correctly?
INCIDENT No3: 4th January 2010, nearly one year after my incident, all of a sudden (or was it?) this trains warning horns both fail to work.
What if at that moment it ceased to work it was required in an emergency situation? Or the driver being unaware tried to use it later on and it was an emergency situation?
What could be the consequences of the above happening?
Is it a distinct possibility that even when thawed out, if the weather is freezing and below, travelling at speed the wind chill will be far greater, this problem will re-surface?
So when this situation arises, who puts the safety of all staff on the railway at risk? The driver or those who allow these trains to run?
The usual response “tested on depot, ok to run”, is now in the year 2009 not an acceptable response, why was it an acceptable response for 3 years before now?
How could you have allowed trains to run when you readily admit that “since introduction” warning horn faults have been prevalent with an unpredictability trait that at anytime one or both the warning horns could fail to work?
What does Vernon Barker think a technical help desk can possibly do in rectifying this problem that Siemens engineers failed to deal with?
Why wasn’t this warning horn problem spotted while testing in Germany?
Was this down to inadequate testing?
Is it really safe to run these trains when the following scenario is a distinct possibility as proven by the warning horn failure on the 4th January 2010 near Church Fenton? “What happens when the failure is at 100mph, both tones have failed and some young children have wandered through an open farm crossing gate onto the track? Or a group of track workers are just round the blind bend walking with their backs to you, having just finished or just walking to their worksite. Then how about the train that`s broken down and the train crew are examining the outside, or in bad visibility and suddenly you see someone in a position of imminent danger. The scenarios are endless, but all possibilities”.
Could the above scenario actually happen, YES/NO?
If YES, would this make you responsible if these people were killed?
The following comment was made by the then Engineering Director Nick Donovan, who is now the Managing Director, “for reasons that we don’t fully understand a build up of snow and ice in and around the compressor air inlets caused a complete blockage”.
The above comment was made in 2010, how can this man fully admit this failure when they have had nearly 4 years to do something about this? What did Siemens actually do in the 4 years previously to address this problem?
My report dated 16/12/07: States, “warning horns are freezing up and stop working, signaller and maintenance can be informed, BUT WHAT DO YOU WANT US TO DO WHEN THIS HAPPENS”?
From the above statement, firstly, why did TPE management IGNORE it?
What does the actual statement suggest? Because this suggests a major issue.
My IP Report dated 1/11/08: States, “warning horn frozen on this unit, not working, hence causing the driver an awkward dilemma. Chances are if reported to Network Rail as it should be, they may not allow the train to run. But 30 mins later the horn may well thaw out, all drivers are aware these horns are defective but opt to run the service. But if they have an incident will any blame be theirs for not informing the signaller and following instructions”.
Firstly, why was such a hard hitting report completely IGNORED?
Why also was this report not put through the supposed innovative IP reporting system?
What does this report actually suggest?
Does it inform you that drivers are running trains that should not be in service?
If the answer is YES to the above question, why did you allow this to happen?
Is this a case of profit before safety, YES/NO?
If NO, why didn’t you take action?
The very suggestion that all drivers run trains with defective warning horns is a serious safety allegation, why did you IGNORE it?
My IP Report dated 29/10/08: States, “As previous years, first really cold spell and the warning horns freeze up. To start with the low tone wouldn’t make any noise with minimal noise from the high tone. But at Guide Bridge on the 15mph PSR when trying to warn p way staff both tones failed to respond. Possibility that a snow shower didn’t help the situation. This is an age old problem that never gets rectified, maybe it requires a death before a solution is found".
Why, yet again was a serious safety concern totally IGNORED?
Why, yet again did the IP process FAIL?
Which driver managers and management are responsible for this blatant IGNORANCE?
Is this actual report serious, YES/NO?
IF Yes, once again, what was the reason for the IGNORANCE?
Could this IGNORANCE have led to a situation where someone could have been killed, YES/NO?
If Yes, shouldn’t this in itself warrant a case of gross misconduct towards the driver management team?
Repair Slip No 033264, by R Chevalier of Manchester: States, “both high and low tones of warning horn too quiet, low tone doesn’t sometimes want to work! Please adjust accordingly".
Was anything said to this driver for not filling the repair slip in correctly?
Was this reported to control and the signaller and the train speed reduced to 20mph?
What type of warning horn failure would you call this, Complete or partial?
Were drivers trained on how to evaluate a warning horn defect between 2006 & 2010?
Have they been trained after 2010 to present?
If no, Should training be given to this serious issue?
Did this unit receive any attention to the warning horn in rectifying the problem while on depot, YES/NO?
If no, would you agree that this train left a depot with a serious warning horn fault that had the potential to cause death?
Why did depot staff allow the train into service against rules and procedures?
Repair slip number 038882, by myself dated 2/12/08: States, “complete failure of warning horn, both tones. Caused by freeing conditions (snow), it may well work when next tested on depot, but this is a serious safety issue, this happens every time it freezes. Why this has never been rectified amazes me, maybe a design fault".
Was the response I received from TPE Control for a complete failure of the warning given in line with the rule book and TPE contingency plans, YES/NO.
If no, what does this suggest to you?
Why was this train allowed to stay in service for 2 days with a complete failure of the warning horn?
Did this put the whole of the railway at risk?
Repair slip number 038883, dated 15th December 2008, States, “intermittent warning horn fault at speeds below 20mph, sometimes the high tone does not work, sometimes the low tone, see previous reports".
What type of warning horn failure would you consider this to be?
Did this unit remain in service and complete its diagrammed work with a partial failure of the warning horn?
Did this unit remain in service and complete its diagrammed work with a complete failure of the warning horn?
Why wasn’t this train REMOVED from traffic?
Repair slip number 038886, by A Panier of Barrow, this report carries on from the previous two: States, “failure of both, high/low warning horn tones”.
This report is 31st December, my initial report was 2nd December, why was this unit allowed to remain in traffic with a complete failure of the warning horn when despite supposedly being rectified the fault kept re occurring?
Why did take 36 hours to look at this complete failure of the warning horn?
Repair slip number 031659, by R Coulson of Newcastle: States, “Another warning horn partially defective, I’m afraid high tone outrageously poor”.
What does the above statement actually imply?
Should this train be allowed to remain in service with a partial failure of the warning horn?
Repair Slip number 043983, by K Walden of York: States, “intermittent loss of low tone on horn when speed 80+ (hi tone ok)".
Repair slip number 043984, by P Eyeington of York: States, “intermittent loss of low tone horn any speed, previously booked 22nd January, to check again, thanks."
Why would this unit be allowed back into service without the defect rectified?
Should this train be allowed to remain in service with a partial failure of the warning horn?
Repair slip number 034768, by S Herring of Newcastle: States, “low tone on warning horn does not always work when operated in service. Works fine when unit is stationary".
Repair slip number 034787, by S Herring of Newcastle: States, “as booked 51 end, low tone on warning horn does not work in service".
Should a train with both driving cabs having a partial failure of the warning horn be allowed to remain in service?
The IGNORANCE to these reports is absolutely disgraceful, these managers need investigating as to their motives for the IGNORANCE. Will they be thoroughly investigated and a report displayed to prove that First Group DO TAKE SAFETY SERIOUSLY?
IF YOUR MANAGERS BEHAVED CORRECTLY THEN THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT, PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING AND MAKE THIS AN INVESTIGATION THAT IS OPEN WHICH WILL ANSWER ALL MY QUESTIONS AND BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR EVERYONE TO SEE.