Deer oh deer! My loco’s lost power
I hit a deer on one of my first shifts of 2025. It wasn’t the start of the year I envisioned, says GB Railfreight’s Bessie Matthews.
No two days are the same on the railway. Some are smooth and uneventful; others remind you that teamwork is vital to keep it running.
One of my first shifts of 2025 was one of those days; I faced a string of challenges that I couldn’t resolve alone. I had not long left the south with my train when two young deer darted onto the track. Despite already driving at a slow speed for the junction I was on, I couldn’t avoid hitting one of them. It was a tough moment, but after processing what had happened, I carried on.
An hour later my locomotive started losing power, and despite my efforts to recover it, I was crawling by the time I was driving over an automatic half-barrier crossing. I managed to clear it, but the rear wheels stopped on a sensor, keeping the barriers down. I contacted the signaller and control team to report the issue. They put me in touch with technical support. Together, we tried a range of solutions, from hard resets to checking under and around the loco. Nothing worked, and it was clear the locomotive had failed.
I came to a clear understanding with my signaller about what kind of assistance I was due to receive, and from which direction it was coming. Then I walked to the rear of my train. A brilliant MOM was already on the scene by the time I reached the tail lamp to wait for 1Z99 to come and rescue me. It was fantastic to be able to witness what work it takes to put the level crossing under manual use. It always feels like ‘proper railway’ when red and green flags are involved.
Thunderbird One arrived in brilliant time. My rescue driver and I got stuck in with coupling up and brake tests. With everything in order, we were able to move again and get the train out of the way for everything to run as it should once more.
Delays on the network are never fun, potentially affecting the lives of thousands of people. But behind the scenes, the day was a perfect example of how teamwork keeps the railway moving. From the control team and technical support to the rescue driver, ops manager, and signallers—everyone played their part.
Even on the toughest days, the sense of collaboration makes all the difference. It’s what ensures we can handle whatever challenges come our way, safely and efficiently.
Rule Book Module M2 (Train stopped by train failure) contains the rules regarding a driver’s actions when a train fails. RED 44 (Assuming safety) explains the importance of clear communication and following set procedures when you encounter animals on the network.
Image: A Class 70-hauled freight is waved over the crossing damaged by Bessie’s train. Credit: Bessie Matthews