Inverness RETB Workstations

[Roger Bell]

I have read in the Signalling Record that a temporary Inverness North workstation and associated SSI at Helmsdale was trialled for a short period at the back end of last year. Can anyone expand on this and the reason behind it please?
Roger

[david737]

It's mainly due to the increased workload as extra train services have been introduced over the last few years on the Far North line, it was causing delays to trains because drivers couldn't get through to do token exchanges because the signalman was already talking to another train. The Friends of the Far North Line have something on their website about this when they did a report into the poor performance on the North lines.

[Ben.A.98]

The two workstations were Inverness North, covering from Invergordon up to Wick/Thurso, and Inverness West covering Inverness to Invergordon and west to Kyle.

[Roger Bell]

It's mainly due to the increased workload as extra train services have been introduced over the last few years on the Far North line, it was causing delays to trains because drivers couldn't get through to do token exchanges because the signalman was already talking to another train. The Friends of the Far North Line have something on their website about this when they did a report into the poor performance on the North lines.

Many thanks David - this makes a lot of sense. Do you know when both workstations will come into use permanently as opposed to a trial and whether both will be separately manned at all times when the lines are open?
Roger

[david737]

Many thanks David - this makes a lot of sense. Do you know when both workstations will come into use permanently as opposed to a trial and whether both will be separately manned at all times when the lines are open?
Roger

I'm not sure Roger, but both workstations may be manned on a permanent basis now I'm sure someone on here will be able to tell us.
David.

[Ben.A.98]

Still just on the one workstation just now. It's been a while since I've been round to the box though.

[Graham Maxtone]

The two workstation scenario was successfully trialled for one week towards the end of last year. I would expect it to become permanent fairly soon.

[Signal-sighter]

There were issues getting the Network Change through as - in theory - it extends journey times by requiring a longer stop at Invergordon while trains exit and reenter the system, and ScotRail objected on that basis despite being in Alliance with Network Rail Scotland. The trial was intended to allay those concerns but it's still going slowly through the sausage machine at the moment. I'm sure we'll see a proper commissioning of the second workstation soon though, as Graham says. The RETB is always going like a fair and at the moment the workstation can only have 5 road rail vechicles on line at any one time, sp the split will significantly increase maintenance access too.

[Graham Maxtone]

It's a 'win win' situation, make no mistake...one wonders who cannot see this blindingly obvious fact.