Re: Independent Review of Rail Safety Arrangements in Australia

["Lineman" <grime@dcsi.net.au>]

"Rod" <comtrain@mpx.com.au> wrote in message
84nlmu$ao5$1@news1.mpx.com.au">news:84nlmu$ao5$1@news1.mpx.com.au...
>
>       90% of the rest [guards] came up the front on the Engine, in a lot
of
> cases snoring their heads off, and kept many drivers out of their home
>       depots. I know this well I spent 20 years vegetating at Dynon,
whilst
> the guards sat in the second seat at Wodonga.
>       Not one of them is left now, and according to the old blokes I meet
up
> here most were as useless up the front as they were in the van.
>       There were some exceptions of course, several (out of 200 plus
guards)
> actually retired as Drivers.
> 2.
> Rod

Yes fair comment Rod,It was a big organisation back then and we had time to
share a joke at some one else's expense,be it driver fireman or guard.Did
you ever sneak back to the van during crib and place dets under it.Sure way
to wake the guard.hehehehehe.
When the guards came up the front,did generally speaking the drivers treat
them as if they where normal (loco trainees) mates and share the driving or
was the whole scenario changed.It must have felt abit like a marriage of
convenience to some and very hard to take.
Also what became of the spark guards, did many go on to driving sparks,as
there was a fair proportion of young guys in that job?
Instructors
We had one who took us out to racecourse with the Tait and said ok boys this
is how we put two halves together,Bang other half moves 3 feet,dust
settles,trainees look on in stunned amazement at how far buffers can push
in,and then instructor gets out shaking like leaf,ok boys that's not how to
do it.
And I'm sure Bad drivers did  make good foremen <vbg!> in many
instances,like 99.9%.
Graeme