Episode 3

Inside Track

Episode 3 - Engineering This episode features Phil Andrews, Interim Engineering Director and Alan Riley, Customer Services Director. The show answers your questions around engineering such as what are hybrid trains? We also go behind the scenes with the Train Presentation Manager, Denis O'Sullivan. Time stamps: [00:00 - 2:51] We are introduced to Phil Andrews, Interim Engineering Director and Alan Riley explains that he's looking forward to this episode. [2:51] - A customer asks: “Why do you believe that hybrid trains will be more environmentally friendly?” [3:00] Phil explains what a hybrid train is and why it is better for the environment. [4:53] - Alan explains that hybrid trains will also benefit people who live near the line. [5:21] - A customer asks "why is the air con sometimes really cold and sometimes really nice?" [5:26] - Phil explains how the air con and heating works on a train. [9:43] - Alan asks Phil why the heating and air con struggled on the hottest day of the year. [9:46] - Phil explains how the thermostats work and why it can put the system under pressure during hotter days. [12:00] - A customer asks "how do trains work?" [12:05] - Phil explains how trains work. [15:38] - We hear a behind the scenes view with Denis O’Sullivan, Train Presentation Manager to find out some of the elements that go into keeping the trains clean. [20:53] - Alan and Phil give their comments on the pride of Denis and his team to keep the trains clean. [21:41] - A customer asks: "Are there toilets on all the trains?" [21:47] - Alan explains that there are toilets on all the trains and also talks about improvements coming up to toilets at stations. [23:10] - Phil explains that recently work has taken place on the trains that run predominantly between Aylesbury and Marylebone to make all the train toilets accessible. [24:00] - A customer asks “how are trains built? [24:02] - Phil explains how you would go about procuring and building a train. [27:19] - A customer asks “what is the obsession with train spotting?". [27:22] -Phil explains what train spotting is and where the numbers are on trains. [28:00] - Alan talks about how he is a station spotter! [29:22]- Phil explains that he often spots continuity errors on tv programmes and Alan confesses to doing the same.