Eurostar simulator, Waterloo
April 24 2006
On Monday 24th April a group of fifteen IRO Young Professionals were invited to visit the Eurostar driver simulator at Waterloo. We were met by Graham Pears, Driver Manager at Eurostar, who looked after us throughout our visit.
Eurostar were the first train operator to use a driver simulator and it came into use thirteen years ago. Since then simulator technology has advanced somewhat, but the Eurostar model is still very impressive indeed. The simulator is heavily used, with up to three sessions a day, six days a week.
A complex operation had to be programmed into the simulator, for Eurostar operate over five different sets of infrastructure and change power supplies, rule books, signalling systems, time zones and of course languages throughout their route.
Graham introduced us to Bob Prestin, one of Eurostar's Traction Inspectors, who explained to us the process for assessing a driver's competencies. He allowed us to see a Eurostar driver, Neville Arthur, actually being assessed. Neville then later turned the tables by assessing us!
We then went into the simulator itself and four intrepid Young Professionals took the Eurostar out for a spin. As we left Gare de Nord station and raced through the Parisian suburbs we saw how different the French signalling system was to the Network Rail set up. The permissive working system allows drivers to pass red signals with their own authority, and there are no route indicators for changing lines, only reductions in speed.
There were a few hairy moments, such as instances of speeding, a brief AWS activation and one ‘driver' mistaking the emergency brake for the air brake, but a reasonably smooth journey was enjoyed by all.
Our thanks to Graham Pears, Bob Prestin and Neville Arthur for accommodating us and making it such an informative and enjoyable evening.
Written by John Backway.
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