FACT OR FICTION
ALWAYS IN CONTROL
We may be behind the scenes and rarely seen, says Liz James from the control team, but we know the impact our decisions have on passengers and frontline teams and are proud of the difference we can make.
More than 1,500 services run on a weekday
FACT: All these services are monitored using real-time maps and the slightest delay to one can have a crucial impact on others behind it.
We share our tracks with seven other train operating companies
FACT: We also share our tracks with freight, London Underground and operate in five separate Network Rail regions.
All of Control is based at Palestra
FICTION: Control has eight operational desks at Palestra in Southwark, working alongside the London Underground Control Centre. We also have a desk in Upminster signal box and a desk in Three Bridges Network Rail Control Centre.
The distance from Three Bridges to the centre of our network is 30 miles, making our train running controllers our furthest away colleagues, but they play a crucial role in running some of the most congested areas of railway in the country. In Upminster, being with the signallers helps with services running the North London Line, where freight has a massive impact.
We go to bed when the trains do
FICTION: The desks are staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week with planning for the next day’s service a constant part of what we do.
Making sure the trains are in the right locations for maintenance and graffiti removal is arranged and fleet managers work with train service controllers to create a plan for service the next day. Our timetable has only a small window for trains not to be in passenger service, so getting things right is crucial.
Our information desk takes over 400 phone calls in a single day
FACT: If you don’t get a reply the first time you ring, it’s because we’ll be on another call. We are always looking at new ways to get information out. We’ll be changing some systems in the coming months to further help, so look out for more details soon.
Unusual requests are, actually, quite usual
FACT: We handle all sorts of situations – animals loose on the line, lost children and items dropped on the tracks are just some of the station problems we help resolve.
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