Autumn Guidance
Static reference — condensed from the 2025 EM Adhesion Working Arrangements and EM RAM(S) Autumn Working Guidance (Appendix I).
TC failure classifications
High / Low / Negligible definitions, the full hazard-index table and the poster discrepancy.
WSTCF management process
Report → FMS → classification flow, Appendix C scenarios, sign-back levels, restoration and withdrawal.
Triggers & thresholds
GBW, GSM-R, high-risk definitions, 30-minute and 90-minute rules, extension/cessation criteria and more.
Roles & responsibilities
Autumn Controller duties, TRC, signallers, MOMs, staff welfare and the conference schedule.
Daily production rhythm
| Time | Output | Producer | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03:00 | AM Adhesion Wire | Autumn Controller / Train Running Controller (overnight) | MetDesk forecast issued by 03:00 (wire header issue time 02:50). Zone adhesion indices (London North / East Midlands / Lincolnshire), missed RHTT sites past 24h, defective TGAs, safety KPIs past 24h, hazard summary. Next notice 15:00. |
| 08:15 | EM Performance Risk Alliance call (weekdays) | SDS or Autumn Controller | Verbal report on the daily conference call covering overnight adhesion issues and the day's outlook. |
| 10:00 | RHTT conference call (Mon/Wed/Fri) | Autumn Control with SCO + GBRf | Review of RHTT circuit delivery vs plan, missed sites and recovery, schedule variations. |
| 10:30 | Autumn Conference (Mon/Wed/Fri) | SDS | Teams conference, PowerBI-driven. Attendance: NR Control, NR Ops (Lincoln/Derby/Bedford/Leicester), S&T, Off Track, SCO, EMR Control, EMR Drivers, Seasons Delivery/Performance; GTR/XC/Northern/freight compulsory after a safety incident. |
| 12:00 | Autumn Message (drum-beat) | Seasonal / Autumn Controller | WhatsApp/Teams update — operational status, season-to-date KPIs, forecast summary per zone, RHTT circuit RAG, special working introduced since last update. |
| 15:00 | PM Adhesion Wire | Autumn Controller | Same structure as the AM wire with the afternoon forecast; 'Next notice at 0300'. |
| 18:00 | Autumn Control Log | Autumn Controller | Full daily log — KPI counters (24h + season, EM | Lincolnshire), incidents, forecast + 4-day lookahead, leaves-remaining %, temperatures, RHTT delivery vs VO plan, missed sites with mitigation, defective TGAs, special working changes, MOM inspections, RHTT circuit summary. Route distribution email @1800. |
| Ad hoc | Missed Sites Wire / Treatment Failure Advice | Autumn Controller (TRC out of hours) | Issued ASAP after an RHTT treatment failure — sites missed (tick-sheet range, * marks high-risk), reason, time since last treatment + RAG, mitigation. |
| Ad hoc | CCIL entries (ROLA / WSTCF) | Incident / Autumn Controller | Per incident. 'Autumn Related' box ticked, incident type Weather Management. Daily 'Autumn Suspect WSTCF' log created 00:01 for 24h; confirmed entries transfer to the per-DU Master Log (open all season). |
Season key dates
- Leaf-fall season1 October – 13 December
- RHTT programme5 October – 12 December (weeks 28–37)
- RHTT shakedown runs2 – 3 October
- Adhesion signageCommissioning from 1 September, complete by 15 September
- TGAsCommissioned September, operational by 1 October
- RHTT extension requestTo SCO before the end of November
- Forms A/B to NOCBy 18:00 (high risk) / close of play
Contacts
No contacts recorded.