For some of the 465 services on SEHS, you drive from Dartford onto the Medway Valley line just past Strood. Then you back up into Strood. How is this handled in real life? Is there a guard or a secondman who watches the train from the rear? Or are there cameras? Do you try and see as best you can while looking out the window? There's also a Class 66 freight run where you back a freight from Hoo Yard onto the mainline before going forwards again onto the branch that leads to the Isle of Grain. How does that work? I know in the US you'd have a conductor riding on the back to watch the rear of the train, but how does it work in the UK?
Those class 465 trains are driver only so you change ends and drive back out rather than propelling. I think there is a walking route there irl. Reversing movements in the yard would be controlled by a yard shunter via hand signals or a radio. Our freight trains are a lot shorter than in the US, lol
Propelling tends to be frowned upon these days in the UK other than in very limited situations. Then you need ground staff or a shutter in communication with the driver via back to back radios. A far cry from years ago, look no further than Inverness where trains frequently reversed into the platforms. Certainly on MU stock the driver would be expected to change ends and where there is no through gangway connection between units a safe walking route provided including boarding the sides of any conductor rails, or ensuring the walking path is on the opposite side of the juice rail.
Oh ok, good to know, thanks! Does that mean that yard switches would also be thrown by a shunter? The driver isn't expected to climb down and align the switches himself?
Is that what all those metal arches/catwalks are for in Hoo Yard? So that ground staff can climb up to monitor and direct switching operations from above?
