Massive train timetabling amendments
Discussion
P5BNij said:
There are occasions where low sunlight striking a signal lens can make it appear as though it's showing a different aspect or even none at all ('black' in other words). I had a very odd one last week on the Brum to Nuneaton line with a two aspect signal which threw me for a moment until I got closer - the bottom lens was correctly showing a clear green but the one above it was catching the low sunlight at such an angle that it appeared to be showing a fully lit yellow aspect. When something like this happens sometimes you may have to slow down until you can see the lens clearly or in really bad instances stop and ask the signalman to confirm verbally which aspect it is showing. Probably sounds daft on the face of it to those who have never seen it, but it does happen sometimes.
With the technology available today it's a bit surprising, to me at least, that trackside light signals are still used to warn of hazards ahead. I rarely have need to use trains but is under investment over a long period of time largely to blame for the UK's seemingly dysfunctional rail network?
I don't commute any more but do go up to London fairly regularly and for me these timetable changes have been remarkably positive although I've found out about most of them by accident. We have a local station (Southern) at the end of Oyster zone which has never run a Sunday service in all the years we have lived here. The other day I noticed a train passing over a bridge on a Sunday and when I checked, lo and behold they've started a full service but with very little, if any, publicity. The whole service also runs slightly later and a touch more frequently. They have also started a brand new Thameslink service into London Bridge from a previously only Southern/SWT station (strangely enough actually being operated for now by Southern trains and crew) so I now have a choice of three stations within 2 miles, three termini and 3 operators. There seem to be a handful of cancellations on the new timetable at the mo' but nothing like previous Southern woes.
Lucky me. A mate who lives in Harpenden on the other hand......
Lucky me. A mate who lives in Harpenden on the other hand......
GSM-R is your in-cab friend - signallers and other drivers can press a button which alerts all trains in the area to come to an immediate stop.
Sometimes even this isn’t enough - a few weeks ago I came around a corner to a passenger driver flashing headlights and waving frantically. He’d only just hit the branches of a tree which was blocking my line and didn’t even have time to lift the flap and press the button as I appeared.
I owe him a pint - I stopped short and while a derailment was unlikely, hitting it at 70 mph would have caused significant damage.
ERTMS is the new in-cab signalling system and is operational already on certain lines with a whole module of the rule book dedicated to it.
It’s had teething troubles but the biggest obstacle is the sheer scale of railway in the U.K.
On Tuesday I drove over lines still using semaphore signalling with absolute block which hasn’t changed much since Victorian times. Mechanical, prone to failure and no AWS or TPWS safety systems. It hasn’t even got colour light signals on most of the route so how long before ERTMS is implemented?
Seriously, rather than bemoan a crap system we really should be in wonder that anything actually moves at times.
Sometimes even this isn’t enough - a few weeks ago I came around a corner to a passenger driver flashing headlights and waving frantically. He’d only just hit the branches of a tree which was blocking my line and didn’t even have time to lift the flap and press the button as I appeared.
I owe him a pint - I stopped short and while a derailment was unlikely, hitting it at 70 mph would have caused significant damage.
ERTMS is the new in-cab signalling system and is operational already on certain lines with a whole module of the rule book dedicated to it.
It’s had teething troubles but the biggest obstacle is the sheer scale of railway in the U.K.
On Tuesday I drove over lines still using semaphore signalling with absolute block which hasn’t changed much since Victorian times. Mechanical, prone to failure and no AWS or TPWS safety systems. It hasn’t even got colour light signals on most of the route so how long before ERTMS is implemented?
Seriously, rather than bemoan a crap system we really should be in wonder that anything actually moves at times.
legzr1 said:
On Tuesday I drove over lines still using semaphore signalling with absolute block which hasn’t changed much since Victorian times. Mechanical, prone to failure and no AWS or TPWS safety systems. It hasn’t even got colour light signals on most of the route so how long before ERTMS is implemented?
In English please? (For the small minority who don't drive trains for a living)https://www.rssb.co.uk/improving-industry-performa...
https://www.rssb.co.uk/rgs/rulebooks/RS522%20Iss%2...
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railway_semaphore_...
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolute_block_sig...
If you’re struggling to get to sleep try a few links above.
https://www.rssb.co.uk/rgs/rulebooks/RS522%20Iss%2...
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railway_semaphore_...
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolute_block_sig...
If you’re struggling to get to sleep try a few links above.
TheLimla said:
Really am starting to wonder if the train companies will sort this mess out or if this is it now! Turn up to a station and keep your fingers crossed that a train is going your way!
You haven't read all this thread, have you ?Riley Blue said:
With the technology available today it's a bit surprising, to me at least, that trackside light signals are still used to warn of hazards ahead. I rarely have need to use trains but is under investment over a long period of time largely to blame for the UK's seemingly dysfunctional rail network?
You do know it's a government thing ?anonymous said:
[redacted]
Test area on the Hertford loop, too.
P5BNij said:
Under colour light signalling the normal sequence for being brought to a stand is green / double yellow / single yellow red with four aspect signalling and green / single yellow / red with three aspect signalling.
Steady greens ?How quaint !
For those interested in the nittu-gritty of the Thameslink timetable, this has just been posted on another site:
Paul said:
Thameslink have - finally - very quietly published an interim timetable. https://www.thameslinkrailway.com/travel-informati...
A quick look shows that the following gaps have become semi permanent.
Northbound (St Pancras)
No trains from London to Bedford from 10.06-10.51
No trains from London to Bedford from 13.21-14.06
No trains from London to Bedford from 15.06 to 16.06
No trains from London to Bedford from 20.21 to 21.36.
Numerous half hour gaps
There should be a minimum of four per hour at approx 15 minute intervals all day.
No other services serve Leagrave, Harlington and Flitwick (or Bedford in the Peaks
Southbound
No departures from Bedford between 14.05 and 15.05
No departures from Bedford between 16.44 and 17.28
No departures from Bedford between 21.49 and 23.35
Night (should be one or two per hour calling all stations from Bedford to London
Northbound roughly hourly service all night
Southbound No departures between 00:05 and 05:44
On the other line Aresley, Biggleswade, Sandy, Huntingdon and Peterborough only have an hourly offpeak service for much of the day with:
Northbound 90 min gap from 11.16 to 12.46
Northbound 90 min gap from 16.46 to 18.16 (Arlesey and Sandy only).
Southbound no trains between 05:26/05:34 and 07:26/07:34
No trains from Peterborough between 10:24 and 11:54
No trains from Peterborough between 15:54 and 17:24
No trains from Peterborough between 20:24 and 21:41
No trains from Peterborough between 21:41 and 22:54
Trains that are in the timetable are advertised as subject to short notice cancellation.
The majority of the trains above go to Gatwick/Horsham forming stopping trains between Purley and Horley via Redhill so those stations will be similarly affected.
A quick look shows that the following gaps have become semi permanent.
Northbound (St Pancras)
No trains from London to Bedford from 10.06-10.51
No trains from London to Bedford from 13.21-14.06
No trains from London to Bedford from 15.06 to 16.06
No trains from London to Bedford from 20.21 to 21.36.
Numerous half hour gaps
There should be a minimum of four per hour at approx 15 minute intervals all day.
No other services serve Leagrave, Harlington and Flitwick (or Bedford in the Peaks
Southbound
No departures from Bedford between 14.05 and 15.05
No departures from Bedford between 16.44 and 17.28
No departures from Bedford between 21.49 and 23.35
Night (should be one or two per hour calling all stations from Bedford to London
Northbound roughly hourly service all night
Southbound No departures between 00:05 and 05:44
On the other line Aresley, Biggleswade, Sandy, Huntingdon and Peterborough only have an hourly offpeak service for much of the day with:
Northbound 90 min gap from 11.16 to 12.46
Northbound 90 min gap from 16.46 to 18.16 (Arlesey and Sandy only).
Southbound no trains between 05:26/05:34 and 07:26/07:34
No trains from Peterborough between 10:24 and 11:54
No trains from Peterborough between 15:54 and 17:24
No trains from Peterborough between 20:24 and 21:41
No trains from Peterborough between 21:41 and 22:54
Trains that are in the timetable are advertised as subject to short notice cancellation.
The majority of the trains above go to Gatwick/Horsham forming stopping trains between Purley and Horley via Redhill so those stations will be similarly affected.
t yourself. Like I did outside of Gatwick last week 
tight5 said:
Stoke tunnel is great, 10 miles of nothing after it. Good for a switch off (or refill a bottle 
)
Some interesting signalling heading south.
Flashing greens, green banner repeaters, arrow indicators and spad indicators.
All part of the day for a class 1 driver !
FWIW I think those tri-state banner's are ace, especially on the fast in the metro.)Some interesting signalling heading south.
Flashing greens, green banner repeaters, arrow indicators and spad indicators.
All part of the day for a class 1 driver !
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