Health and safety spared the Age of Austerity

Hot on the heels of the Coucher Memorial Fencing which has been sprouting up around the network comes the latest in safety gold plating.

Welcome to the world of Stanchion Spikes!


Eyes correspondent Captain Biggles writes...

Has there been a sudden spate of stanchion climbers?

After all, the ac electrification seems to have managed without this 'protective' nonsense for 50 years.

Note that the stanchion in the background has not been treated...

Anyone any idea how much these new Elf'n'Safety features cost?

Gold plated stations - Chesterfield

This from the Wicked Weaver...

I wonder if I might share with Eye readers these photographs of the new platform 3 at Chesterfield station.

Observe the miles upon miles of Coucher Memorial Fencing here...


...and here...


The new platform also hosts some exciting new features - perhaps some of your readers can guess what this one is for?


A Zimmer frame bolted to the ground? Obviously the safest way for the infirm to negotiate highly dangerous stations in these safety conscious times.

Of course the piece de resistance is the dedicated fire escape from the end of platform 3 that runs almost the length of the new structure, just in case all that metal, glass and tarmac suddenly bursts into flame...


In these straightened times it is good to see that no expense has been spared to protect the passenger.

Perhaps the only disappointment is that despite the vast expense it's still not in use yet.

UPDATE: This from Geo.Stephenson (Retd), Clay Cross

I fear I must point out, Sir, if no more immediate source has done so yet, that there are reports this new Passenger Wharf was used on 29th July to accommodate trains after a passenger was taken ill and the train he was travelling on detained in platform 2 awaiting paramedics.

Yours, laying tracks faster than the gricers can grice!

UPDATE: This from Chionanthus virginicus...

..and it's only been constructed for use during engineering works !!!

Pointless signs - A 2002 vision of the future

Stockade station - Birmingham International

This from D0260...

Further to Eye's piece on the Coucher Memorial Fences at Stockport, welcome to Birmingham International, or should that be HMP Elmdon?

About a month ago each and every platform end, north and south, was fenced at the top of the platform end ramp.

These photographs are the north end of Birmingham International station, taken from Platform 4, nearest the NEC.


A similar thing has happened at Coventry, but as the platforms there are narrower, the fencing is not quite so intrusive.

At Birmingham International the sides of the fencing, usually finished in triangular wood, now sports a sort of giant egg-box of shredded rubber tyres.


How much did this lot cost?

Indeed!

Eye was pleased to see that Nigel Harris over at RAIL has also taken up the cudgels against the apparent relentless march of these costly genuflections to the Elf''n'Safety Taliban (see Stop & Examine in the latest issue).

Perhaps ORR readers can advise whether this really offers a value for money solution to a percieved safety risk?

Welcome to Stockade station

This from Biggles...

Any idea who, or what, is responsible for the rash of platform-end fencing that is going up at West Coast stations?


Is it reaction to a real issue, or has someone just decided to waste money.

After all, we've managed without for 170 years!

UPDATE: This from a Mr Tilly...

Noticed metal railings and level crossing trespass grids poorly installed at stations Coventry to New Street on Monday.

Definitely further extravagant spending of taxpayers money and as suggested never been needed before.

And my spies in LNW tell me they've left the SPT the wrong side of the fence at Stockport - another own goal!

UPDATE: This from the Master...

It's not just the West Coast - these useless monstrosities are marring many an attractive station in the Thames valley too.

They're a classic example of being seen to be doing something - only in this case its expensive vandalism.

Eye hopes that David Young will come down hard on this sort of expensive nonsense as part of his Health & Safety Review.

UPDATE: This from Anon...

They are required to be considered for deterring unauthorised access from platform ends a la Railway Group Standard RIS-7700-INS (sections 11.2 & 11.3).

Does David Young have remit over Group Standards? Perhaps he ought?