Network Rail in plea to retired signallers to keep railway moving

NETWORK Rail is calling on former or retired signallers on the Wales and Borders network to help keep the railway moving during the current coronavirus event.

Network Rail said it continues to work around the clock, keeping signal boxes and control centres operational.

This allows passengers who cannot work from home to get to their places of work and keeps freight services on the move, which helps deliver important goods, such as medical supplies and food to hospitals and supermarkets.

For those thinking of returning to the railway as signallers, there is no limit on how long ago they may have worked in that role, even if it was 10 to 15 years, as the appropriate accelerated refresher training will be provided.

Network Rail is also interested to hear from former signallers who have worked on preserved railways, in addition to those former railway colleagues who do not have direct signaller experience, but feel they have a skill set and experience that could be useful in the current climate.

Bill Kelly, route director for Network Rail, Wales and Borders, said: “Keeping our passengers, customers and colleagues safe and the efficient running of the railway are key aspects to Network Rail at all times, and this has never been more true than now.

“Network Rail, throughout this pandemic, has maintained a safe and reliable network across the Wales and Borders route, and indeed across the whole country, and we plan to continue to do so, which is why we are planning for all scenarios.

“Having a strong team of signallers to cover signal boxes and panels on the Wales and Borders route is essential for the whole of Britain.

“It keeps trains moving so that fuel reaches our power stations, goods reach our shops and supermarkets, military equipment is relocated for strategic needs, such as helping to build the London Nightingale Hospital and, crucially, key workers are able to get to work and petrol reaches the pumps.”

In the first instance, those who would like to express an interest are kindly asked to email MediaRelationsWestern@ NetworkRail.co.uk, briefly outlining their experience.

A SOUTH Wales church leader has spoken about the challenges of her work at one of the busiest times of the Christian calendar – Easter.

Sarah Jones has been priest-incharge at The City Parish of St John The Baptist, in Cardiff city centre, for about 18 months.

She and her church have made dramatic changes to the way they operate in light of the coronavirus crisis and lockdown.

“Because St John’s is right in the middle of the city centre it’s right opposite the market and St David’s Hall so we are normally fairly busy,” The Rev Jones said.

Pretty much every day as soon as you open the doors somebody is coming in to pray or wandering in as a tourist or somebody troubled or in difficulty.

We have a number of groups who meet every week, we have morning prayer in the church, and we have Eucharist three times a week.”

Rev Jones said the church has had to adapt in recent weeks to continue offering support to people in the community.

“We have all been trying our best to work out how best to do that,” she said. “A lot of clergy have taken their services online. Some of those are just using a smartphone and they’re saying morning prayer in their vicarage. Some clergy are live streaming a normal service, that might be 50 minutes of a communion. We’ve taken a slightly different approach. We decided we would try to put a service together which was tailored to the internet.

“We have tried to get some interaction going. And we have also decided to make them quite short so that people who don’t normally come to church would have the ability to click on and get some benefit from it.”

Rev Jones said the analytics show their online services have been attracting an audience of between 60 or 70 people who are watching close to the video’s entirety. “There’s definitely been some losses,” Rev Jones said.

“Many clergy are very in love with parts of their church buildings. The opportunity just to kneel in front of the altar and pray quietly, even if there’s nobody in church.

“Just to do that is an amazing thing and it’s not quite the same if you’re in your vicarage.

“And all these people who are our community we don’t get to hug or shake hands with anymore.

“Genuinely one of the most lovely things about St John’s is it is such a warm and loving community.”

She added: “When all of this happened, I’ll be honest, I had quite a serious cry one afternoon with just the immensity of all of this.

“But then I was ultimately able to realise that I believe that everything is in God’s hands.

“It doesn’t mean it will be easy, it could be very hard, but I know whatever happens I will not slip through God’s grasp. If I can remind people of that then that I think will be helpful.”