Ever wondered what it means when a train dispatcher raises their bat?

This evening I'll hopefully explain all with this thread. If you have any questions, then please ask!

#railwayfamily #railway #trains #RailwaysExplained

Our trains are Driver Only Operated (DOO), so when we dispatch a train, we are comunicating with the driver.
The person in charge of dispatch (PIC) stands by the driver. – bei Horsham Railway Station (HRH)

If the PIC cannot see the whole length of the train, they will need an assistant dispatcher (AD).

Depending on the length of the train or the curvature of the platform, the PIC may need more than one AD. – bei Horsham Railway Station (HRH)

Every station that has train dispatchers, has a dispatch plan which is unique to that station.

This tells us the minimum amount of dispatchers we need to dispatch a train on each platform, for each class of train.

I sign 2 stations so have to know both plans by heart. – bei Horsham Railway Station (HRH)

Now we're ready to dispatch.

The most important thing to check is the signal. We cannot do anything until the signal is cleared and we have the correct route indication (if provided).

This train is routed via the Up Horsham (UH). – bei Horsham Railway Station (HRH)

Next we check the time.

At most stations, the doors close 30 seconds before departure, to make sure the train leaves on time. – bei Horsham Railway Station (HRH)

The additional dispatcher furthest from the PIC (unless the PIC is dispatching alone) raises their bat to the next dispatcher to signal "close doors".

This signal is repeated by each AD until it reaches the PIC. – bei Horsham Railway Station (HRH)

The PIC then gives the close doors signal to the driver. – bei Horsham Railway Station (HRH)

We then check the Body Indicator Lights (BIL). When the doors are released these lights turn on.

When the doors are closed and locked they turn off. If a BIL stays on it means the doors are not closed properly and there may be something stuck in them. – bei Horsham Railway Station (HRH)

All the time we are checking the "Dispatch Corridor" is clear. Thats the area between the yellow line and the train. – bei Horsham Railway Station (HRH)

Once all these checks (collectively known as the Train Safety Check), the AD will lift their for the second time to signal "Train Safety Check Complete"

The PIC then shows a green flag (green light at night) to the driver to signal, telling them it is safe to move. – bei Horsham Railway Station (HRH)

As the train leaves the platform we are continuously checking the doors and making sure everything is safe.

We also check the the tail lights are illuminated. – bei Horsham Railway Station (HRH)

Hopefully, that's shed some light on what is going on when we dispatch a train.

If you have any questions do please send them in!

#railwayfamily #railway #trains – bei Horsham Railway Station (HRH)