RAIB report for Camden WDM

Why didn't the driver realise they were at the wrong end, I would have thought that drivers know what side the platform is at stations.

Interesting read.

What the recommendations do not suggest is some form of support for the [STOP] sign. At my station Northwood, there are reversing facilities. Trains can reverse North to South over a crossover, or can reverse South to North via the reversing siding and the said crossover. This is all overlooked by IMR JF. There is a northbound starter on platform 1 and a southbound wrong road starting signal (and shunt) also on platform 1. Southbound platform 2 has a conventional starter (with shunt) and at the northern end of platform 2 there is a fixed red light that is there to stop trains attempting to take the wrong road back towards Moor Park. This FRL is protected by a train stop, that is always in the up position until a southbound train lowers it!

Why wasn't this recommended for Camden-it is failsafe!

Typical, a price put on safety!

Very Interesting Read!!

I can see why Train Operator may have made that mishap.

As it clearly states in the Report at hand, Tube Trains/Stations are Symetrical, 2 sides look the same.
All it takes is a minor lapse of concentraition or one to become disolusional then that unfortunate incident can rear its ugly head.

However, IMHO.

Train Operator should have made appropiate checks before opening up and applying power.

After reading the report - if there was a note that FCFS was NOT to be used then the situation may not have occurred.

However, this reflects in no way upon the actions of those involved: the mitigation measures seem very workable and apposite.

because Northwood is a reversing point and Camden isn't

There was an interesting situation in Sydney a few years ago.

A train became faulty and was to be run empty to the depot, which was situated behind the train. The driver was told to move forward until clear of a trailing crossover, then change ends and go over the crossover to the down line and so to the depot.

Instead, he immediately changed ends and started merrily driving in the down direction on the up suburban line. With an up train coming along the line. Fortunately, the errant train occupied the track circuit and turned signals to red in front of the up train. About the same time, the driver going the wrong way realised that he was not on the correct line in the six-track layout, and decided to stop.

It's called a 'Road Test', which is done by a qualified duty manager - there is also an 'Audio/Visual' computer based test which is done prior to the road test. Both of these cover route knowledge, amongst other things.

Don't forget though, a new train operator has to learn, and remember, the three week 'operational procedures training', three or four weeks worth of Stock training (add in two more weeks for a dual stock line like the District) then five weeks worth of 'road training' - so it's quite possible for snippets of information to be forgotten.

That said, if a driver isn't sure about something, they really should clarify it with the line controller, signaller, other driving colleagues, duty managers or whoever.

The worst thing a train driver can do is assume - but that's exactly what this one did........he saw the platform repeater in the opo screen and assumed he was good to go.......

Standard procedure would almost certainly see them "stood down" from driving duties pending an investigation. Hopefully, for the operator's sake, this internal investigation would take less time than the RAIB's did.
I am not employed by LU so this is conjecture, but I would expect that the investigation would come to one of the following conclusions
1. The operator is safe to continue driving without further action or sanction.
2. The operator is safe to continue driving following disciplinary action - some sort of formal warning most likely, but if they were an instructor operator they might be demoted to just a plain t/op.
3. The operator is safe to continue driving, but only following refresher training (with or without disciplinary action as well).
4. The operator is not safe to continue driving, and would be demoted to station staff or other non-driving role
5. The operator is determined not fit to continue working for London Underground in any capacity and is sacked.

In this case I think 1 is the least likely, as this outcome would be most appropriate in the case of a technical failure outside of the driver's control. In the case of options 1 to 3, it is also possible that the operator could choose to request a sideways move if they did not feel up to continuing driving.

What the actual outcome was, we will almost certainly not be told as it will likely be classed as an confidential internal personell issue.

Wrong signals are lowered all the time day in day out, it had probably happened during the day already! It is down to equipment or LUL staff error or lack of information. Though PTI on the Northern makes it simpler to avoid.

If the CTBC had been correctly stowed then movement would not have been able to be obtained from the wrong end, and this would have twigged something to the Train Operator (as alluded to in the "report").


As to installing Fixed Red Lights. I believe there is a project to do so now. As to installing associated Train Stops I can see that the cost outweighs the risk - and the train would be tripped not long after going the wrong way in 99% of cases

Yes that is mentioned in the report as a possible recommendation for stock and crew changeovers. Also since this incident new precautions have been put in place for stock and crews at Camden, which mean that controllers have to take the leading car number of the trains concerned, and each driver is instructed not to move the train until they have spoken to the controller again - which means we can confirm that they are at the correct end of the train and that they can see the station starter.

I am much more hesitant to stock and crew at Camden than I used to be (can't think why?) but occasionally it needs to be done. If I had this scenario again though, I'd probably divert the train to Archway then Mornington Crescent, up to Golders for relief, sorry you're off late for your grub driver but you took the wrong stick.

Theres mention of that incident on Tubeprune

www.trainweb.org/tubeprune/route%20and%20track%20diagrams.htm

At the bottom.

There's no "almost certainly not be told" - you won't be told and that's that! ;D ;D ;D

You are quite correct Chris - whatever happened to the train op is confidential......certainly as far as this forum goes anyway. Posting any information about the driver would contravene the forum guidelines on what is considered sensitive material.

the only time the name of an employee has been made public to my knowledge , is the northfields driver that liked to stick his bag on the handle. his train left him on the platform at kx e/b and continued towards cally road ...
he was instantly sacked and prosecuted . and it made the local news . the driver actually served time as well iirc