Stokers and pokers

by Sir Francis Bond Head

8. No Station Master is allowed to be absent without leave from the Superintendent of his Division, except from illness, in which case he must immediately inform the Superintendent, and take care that some competent person is intrusted with the duties.

9. Carriages and Waggons are never to be allowed to stand on the main Line, but must be placed in a siding, and at night the wheels must be securely scotched.

10. No Engine, Carriage, or Waggon, must be allowed to shunt or cross the main Line if a Train is expected, unless the proper signal shall have been previously sent back.

11. On the arrival of a Train at a Station, the Red Signal is to be shown, and continued for five minutes after the departure of the Train. In foggy weather the Auxiliary Signals must always be lighted, and used as shown by Rule 13, p. 165.

12. Every exertion must be made for the expeditious despatch of the Station duties, and for insuring punctuality in the Trains.

13. No Train is to be started before the time stated in the Tables.

14. As a general rule, Passenger Trains are to take precedence of Luggage Trains; and Goods Trains must not be started from any Station when Passenger Trains are due. This Regulation, however, will be subject to modification, agreeably to the circumstances of the Trains, the state of the weather, the weight of the load, and the character of the Engine:—Thus, a light through Goods or Cattle Train, on a clear day or night, with a good Engine, may be started before a Passenger Train which is due, should the latter have to stop at all the Stations. Again, if, from facts which may come to the knowledge of the Station Agent, by means of the Electric Telegraph or otherwise, the Passenger Train which is due may not be expected for some time, the Agent will be justified in despatching the Goods Train, taking care in this case specially to warn the Engineman of the Passenger Train, when it arrives, informing him the precise time when the Luggage Train was despatched and where ordered to shunt.

15. On a Line like the London and North-Western, where the Traffic in Goods and Passengers is so intermingled, much must be left to the discretion of the Station Agents, but the discretionary power must be exercised with great prudence and caution. Every endeavour, consistent with safety, must be made to expedite the departure of the Goods Trains from the Roadside Stations; and no delay should be permitted unless obstruction to Passenger Trains may be reasonably apprehended.

16. In deciding in difficult cases whether to despatch a Luggage Train or not, the opinions of the Engineman and Breaksman, who must be best acquainted with the state of the Engine and Load, should be obtained, and great weight should be attached to these recommendations, but the decision on the course to be pursued will still rest with the Station Agent.

17. A Return of the Delays at each Station is in future to be submitted to the Manager, which will enable the Directors to appreciate the activity of the Station Agents.