Questions 52 and 53 of M&MTB "Instructions to Drivers in Electric Tram Operation" of 1966 cover this.
Q52.-What must be done when the trolley wire breaks and falls on the roadway?
A.-(1) The conductor must immediately notify Radio Centre or Control giving the location of the breakage.
(2) If the broken wire is hanging so as to endanger trams, other vehicles or pedestrians, both driver and conductor must take up positions on each side of the "break" and warn people of the danger until the arrival of the Tower Wagon or some authorised person from the Engineering Department. If a person is in contact with a live trolley wire or span wire immediately request the Control to cut the power off until the person is released.
Q53.-How would you free a person who has come in contact with a live wire from the overhead?
A.-(1) Obtain a dry board such as a motor hatchway cover and, being careful to avoid contact with the wire, stand on the board as close as possible to the victim.
(2) Using any dry non-conductor such as a hat, a coat, rope or boards, free the victim from the wire with a single quick motion either by pulling him away by his clothing or by pushing the wire away from him.
(3) In all cases treat the wire as being alive.
Caution: The wire must not, on any account, be allowed to make contact with persons, animals, the tram or any metal.
Cheers
John Wayman
________________________________
From:tramsdownunder@... tramsdownunder@...> on behalf of Andrew Highriser andrewhighriser1@...>
Sent: Monday, 13 March 2023 8:50 PM
To:tramsdownunder@... tramsdownunder@...>
Subject: Re: [TramsDownUnder] Fwd: Trolleywire Down
What were the rules for Melbourne tram drivers with a live wire down? If a live wire had fallen onto someone and they are in danger, use a point bar to move the wire while insulating yourself with your overcoat or similar in your hand. Something like that.
Simple and perfectly safe. The service is quickly restored. No?
Andrew, who observed terrible injuries to various tramway staff over many years but very few in the final years of his employment.
On Mon, 13 Mar 2023 at 20:14, Malcolm Rowe mal.rowe@...mailto:[email protected]> wrote:
CONTINUED
In the early days of TDU - perhaps 20 years back - one of our correspondents outlined the standard procedures in Glasgow if a driver came across live trolleywire down.
I can't find the post, but (from memory) it went something like this:
"If driver sees a trolley wire down he should take the rubber gloves out of the box in the tram cab, grasp the trolleywire and touch it three times to the rails"
(Note the consideration of automatic re-close!)
The correspondent had the original rules document from an older relative and said that he could vouch for it being real.
He also had a certificate of appreciation presented to the forebear congratulating him on his observance of the rules and awarding him a reward of one shilling ... and a new uniform to replace the one ruined by flying bits of molten copper.
--
Mal Rowe - who did his Elec Eng training on live switchboards with open circuit breakers
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TramsDownUnder" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email totramsdownunder+unsubscribe@...mailto:[email protected].
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tramsdownunder/CAGyWYnbw%2B4uGn-vmEKCGiH5j_k60FX51%2B6zEOvDAD8A3TGOa8g%40mail.gmail.com href="https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tramsdownunder/CAGyWYnbw%2B4uGn-vmEKCGiH5j_k60FX51%2B6zEOvDAD8A3TGOa8g%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer">https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tramsdownunder/CAGyWYnbw%2B4uGn-vmEKCGiH5j_k60FX51%2B6zEOvDAD8A3TGOa8g%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer.
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TramsDownUnder" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email totramsdownunder+unsubscribe@...mailto:[email protected].
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tramsdownunder/CABLyQSeVxOK5vm_np%2Bcs%3DueoxS-TCXLbJfOmpKZ1wWbmoZqsVQ%40mail.gmail.com href="https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tramsdownunder/CABLyQSeVxOK5vm_np%2Bcs%3DueoxS-TCXLbJfOmpKZ1wWbmoZqsVQ%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer">https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tramsdownunder/CABLyQSeVxOK5vm_np%2Bcs%3DueoxS-TCXLbJfOmpKZ1wWbmoZqsVQ%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer.