Dave F's photos - ongoing - more added each day

[woodenhead]

Interesting position of the signal at Silecroft, halfway down the platform.

 

How far past a red signal could a DMU go so it occupies the platform but doesn't register a SPAD?   The platform used to be longer, but half of it is now grass.

[Luke Piewalker]

That 108 at Grange-Over-Sands

[Market65]

Hi, Dave. I like the Cumbrian Coast line photo’s which are most evocative and full of interest. In C17912, at Dalston, with 37080, on a train of oil tanks, on the 25th August, 1992, that is a beautifully composed shot which has captured the 37 working hard without fuss or attention - the typical everyday railway.

 

With warmest regards,

 

 Rob.

[DavidBird]

5 hours ago, woodenhead said:

Interesting position of the signal at Silecroft, halfway down the platform.

 

How far past a red signal could a DMU go so it occupies the platform but doesn't register a SPAD?   The platform used to be longer, but half of it is now grass.

No way at all!

The point is that a signal only refers to the state of the section "in advance" - that is beyond the signal - not on whether a train is scheduled to stop or not.

In this case, the signal is protecting a level crossing, the barriers must be proved down before the signal can clear to let the train use the full length of the platform.

I don't know for sure, but it may even be the case that the barriers must be proved down before the previous signal can clear to let the train into the station.

Edited October 7, 2019 by DavidBird

[The Pilotman]

10 hours ago, DavidBird said:

I don't know for sure, but it may even be the case that the barriers must be proved down before the previous signal can clear to let the train into the station.

 

Unless things have recently changed or some special local instructions apply, there is nothing to stop a train running up to a red signal with a level crossing (open to road traffic) immediately beyond it. In signalling terms, a level crossing in the overlap of a signal does not count as an obstruction. I can think of two places in my former area of familiarity where this was true. 

[The Stationmaster]

4 hours ago, Western Aviator said:

 

Unless things have recently changed or some special local instructions apply, there is nothing to stop a train running up to a red signal with a level crossing (open to road traffic) immediately beyond it. In signalling terms, a level crossing in the overlap of a signal does not count as an obstruction. I can think of two places in my former area of familiarity where this was true. 

And it still is true at the places you are thinking of   (Although the signal at Wokingham was moved back a little at the time of its most recent renewal and the platform has been extended towards Reading).

[iands]

20 hours ago, woodenhead said:

Interesting position of the signal at Silecroft, halfway down the platform.

Although as evidenced in the photo, the "physical" length of the platform is something like 150+ yards long. However, "operationally" (i.e. the bit the actual train stops at so that passengers can join/alight) is only 50 yards for the Up platform and 49 yards for the Down platform. So in effect (operationally) the signal is at the approach "end" of the Up platform - but I get what you mean.

[brushman47544]

17 hours ago, DavidBird said:

In this case, the signal is protecting a level crossing, the barriers must be proved down before the signal can clear to let the train use the full length of the platform.

 

So for example if you wanted to start or terminate a charter train there that needed to use the full length of the platform, the level crossing would have to be closed all the while. Not very sensible from an operating perspective.

Edited October 8, 2019 by brushman47544

[iands]

46 minutes ago, brushman47544 said:

 

So for example if you wanted to start or terminate a charter train there that needed to use the full length of the platform, the level crossing would have to be closed all the while. Not very sensible from an operating perspective.

When planning, designing or even altering the length of a platform, I doubt very much that the needs of a charter train are ever taken into account, not even the remotest thought of entering into the equation.

[The Pilotman]

1 hour ago, brushman47544 said:

 

So for example if you wanted to start or terminate a charter train there that needed to use the full length of the platform, the level crossing would have to be closed all the while. Not very sensible from an operating perspective.

 

You wouldn’t need a very long train. Have you seen how big Silecroft is?

[DaveF]

I'm not sure whether today's photos are best described as photos of Class 56's which happened to be taken at Morpeth or photos of Morpeth all of which contain a Class 56.

 

 

 

Morpeth 56102 down 18th April 85 C6823  about to join the ECML from the Blyth and Tyne

 

 

 

Morpeth 56119 down coal 31st May 90 C14540  on the Blyth and Tyne heading for the ECML

 

 

Morpeth 56117 up coal 20th Dec 91 C16884

 

 

Morpeth 56120 down coal 4th June 93 C18624

 

 

Morpeth 56109 down coal 9th June 93 C18626

 

 

David

[Fat Controller]

1 hour ago, brushman47544 said:

 

So for example if you wanted to start or terminate a charter train there that needed to use the full length of the platform, the level crossing would have to be closed all the while. Not very sensible from an operating perspective.

If anything longer than a 5-car IET calls at Llanelli, a considerably busier station, then the level-crossing gates at both ends have to be closed.

[russ p]

Excellent pictures David you can almost smell and hear them

[caradoc]

10 hours ago, Western Aviator said:

 

Unless things have recently changed or some special local instructions apply, there is nothing to stop a train running up to a red signal with a level crossing (open to road traffic) immediately beyond it. In signalling terms, a level crossing in the overlap of a signal does not count as an obstruction. I can think of two places in my former area of familiarity where this was true. 

 

Indeed. On the Up line from Haymarket towards Midcalder Jc, there are level crossings immediately beyond the platforms at both Kingsknowe and Kirknewton (the former is an AHB, the latter was until converted to an OD some years ago). When an Up stopper is signalled, the Signaller selects stopping mode, so the LC Barriers remain raised and the protecting signal at the platform end red as the train approaches and stops. The Driver then operates a plunger to commence the LC sequence.

 

Every now and again a member of the public, or the Police, would phome in to report a serious LC incident, in that a train approached as they were driving across - this was more prevalent during darkness. We had to explain how the LC worked.

 

The siting of the signal at Silecroft does seem odd however - Could it not simply have been at the platform end ?

 

[Market65]

Hi, Dave. I like the Morpeth photo’s with the class 56’s. All are splendid and capture that era so perfectly. C14540, with 56119, on a down coal train, on the 31st May, 1990, on the Blyth and Tyne, as it makes for the ECML, is truly superb. The 56 is well weathered, and emitting a good amount of exhaust too. 

 

With warmest regards,

 

 Rob.

[The Johnster]

On 08/10/2019 at 15:03, Fat Controller said:

If anything longer than a 5-car IET calls at Llanelli, a considerably busier station, then the level-crossing gates at both ends have to be closed.

I'm old enough to remember when the R & SB crossed the A48 trunk road in the centre of Port Talbot, and the gates were closed if the section was occupied or a passenger train was in the station.  This was the reason that the first part of the M4 to be built in Wales was the Port Talbot by pass, though the R & SB closed during it's construction which does not reveal a Great Victory for joined up thinking...  The traffic jams were stupendous, and this was, remember, the main route from London to Swansea and carried very heavy traffic.  My father was convinced that it was a plot by the railway to discourage traffic being switched to the roads, but he was an inveterate conspiracy theorist.  

 

The railway was pretty busy because, as well as the not inconsiderable R & SB traffic there were frequent light engine movements from Dyffryn Yard shed to the SWML.

[DaveF]

 

 

1990 at Peak Forest for this afternoon with 37s and 47s.

 

Four photos are from a visit from April, one is from August.

 

 

Peak Forest 37425 shunting 19th April 90 C14387

 

 

Peak Forest 37687 shunting 24th Aug 90 C15291

 

 

Peak Forest RMC shunter 19th April 90 C14417

 

 

Peak Forest Class 47 ICI limestone 19th April 90 C14388.jpg   47594

 

 

Peak Forest 47441 l e 19th April 90 C14391

 

 

David

Edited October 9, 2019 by DaveF

[woodenhead]

On 08/10/2019 at 15:02, DaveF said:

I'm not sure whether today's photos are best described as photos of Class 56's which happened to be taken at Morpeth or photos of Morpeth all of which contain a Class 56.

Or I would just say a group of typical MGR trains of old.

 

I miss these bouncing along on jointed track.

[melmerby]

35 minutes ago, The Johnster said:

I'm old enough to remember when the R & SB crossed the A48 trunk road in the centre of Port Talbot, and the gates were closed if the section was occupied or a passenger train was in the station.  This was the reason that the first part of the M4 to be built in Wales was the Port Talbot by pass, though the R & SB closed during it's construction which does not reveal a Great Victory for joined up thinking...  The traffic jams were stupendous, and this was, remember, the main route from London to Swansea and carried very heavy traffic.  My father was convinced that it was a plot by the railway to discourage traffic being switched to the roads, but he was an inveterate conspiracy theorist.  

 

The railway was pretty busy because, as well as the not inconsiderable R & SB traffic there were frequent light engine movements from Dyffryn Yard shed to the SWML.

I'm old enought to remember when Burton on Trent still had an extensive brewery railway system with numerous level crossings and the main Birmingham-Derby A38 went right through the middle of it all.

(The other end of the A38 at Exeter was none too clever either!)

The youngsters don't know what traffic jams are!

[Market65]

Hi, Dave. I like the Peak Forest photo’s from 1990. All are of interest, and C14388, with an unidentified class 47, on a train of bogies on an ICI limestone train looks as if one of the wagons has had some work’s attention, and that there is another locomotive - probably a further 47 - at the rear. 
 

With warmest regards,

 

 Rob.

[ba14eagle]

Crikey! The right hand wagon in C14417 is slightly overloaded!

The background almost looks like a photographic backscene!

[talisman56]

25 minutes ago, ba14eagle said:

Crikey! The right hand wagon in C14417 is slightly overloaded!

The background almost looks like a photographic backscene!

 

They didn't skimp on loading the two to the left either...

[Ian Hargrave]

How things have changed on workings to Peak District quarries.On Saturday morning ,on view as I passed Arbor Low on the A 515 into Buxton was a complete rake of DBS red wagons as now currently modelled by RevolutioN.There must have been a 66 somewhere lurking but didn’t see it....each a glimpse etc.

[Ian Hargrave]

1 hour ago, melmerby said:

I'm old enought to remember when Burton on Trent still had an extensive brewery railway system with numerous level crossings and the main Birmingham-Derby A38 went right through the middle of it all.

(The other end of the A38 at Exeter was none too clever either!)

The youngsters don't know what traffic jams are!

 

As a Burtonian of some nearly half a century,I can assure you that the traffic jam is alive and well still in the town and the A 38 is a pernicious menace wherever it runs.The station bridge has been shut for repair all summer with another 3 weeks until it reopens to traffic....another Victorian relic.Nothing under the sun is new.

Edited October 9, 2019 by Ian Hargrave
Additional information.

[melmerby]

43 minutes ago, ba14eagle said:

 

The background almost looks like a photographic backscene!

Didn't you know?

 

That's actually Dave's layout.......