Does anybody have any photos of part decommissioned points ?

[muddys-blues]

Hello I am looking to install a set of part decommissioned points on the single line 0 gauge project, does anybody have any good photographs of a set of points in this state ? by this I mean one line is left for through running and the siding road is part lifted and locked off to protect the running line.

 

Many thanks in advance

Craig.

Edited May 31, 2017 by muddys-blues

[Trog]

I don't have any photos but the sequence of events might go something like this.

 

Point clipped out of use, with point clip and wooden scotch.

One of the chairs on the switch that the wheels are still running on is removed and re-installed the other way round so the jaw prevents the blade from moving.

Or in flat bottom a fishplate may be screwed down on to a timber such that the other end of the plate bears down on the foot of the in use switch again preventing it from opening.

If the disused switch had a mechanical facing point lock this may have a screw put through the drive rod into a timber so the point is permanently locked.

 

As time passes and the switches and crossings wear a replacement may be needed, the cheap and easy solution on wooden timbered S&C is to replace the worn switch or crossing with material from the now disused belly rail. If doing this on the obtuse crossings of a diamond do not forget that you still need to check rail the opposite crossing or embarrassment may ensue. As time passes replacement timbers may only be 8'-6" long, or the remaining longer timbers may be cut down to 8'-6" to facilitate work such as drainage or ballast cleaning. Sometimes this process can continue until all that is left of the S&C is a short length of plain line on crossing timbers, perhaps still with twist rails and V baseplates.

 

There are rules limiting how long disused switches may remain in running lines, and these days the S&T do not like to have temporary wiring in their lineside location boxes that tells the interlocking that a switch that is not there anymore is set straight and properly locked. Which of course does not stop the P-Way saying temporary emergency measure to get the trains running, I will order a new switch as soon as I get back to the office honest Mr S&T man. 

[beast66606]

Here's one at Widnes No.1 - the location on which Widnes Vine Yard was originally modelled in it's early days

 

https://flic.kr/p/eiaRfs

[flyingsignalman]

It used to be 6 years clipped and scotched without maintenance was the maximum; which is why the S&T carry out checks at Southport on points that have never been used since they were laid in on the Wigan line over 20 years ago as part of the stage work for the Merseyrail IECC.

[Southernman46]

Leaving switches C&P OOU in the main-line is not permitted ad infinitum nowadays - after 6 months out of use the switch should be plain-lined - which they failed to do at Reading West Jn during the Reading project ................. risky risky risky

[Jenny Emily]

There used to be the remains of a point on the northbound line out of Bromley Cross for many years that used to fascinate me on my walk to school. It had lost the frog to plain line, and had only one switch blade left. It was just north of the footbridge before the double track became single. It must have been there in that state for over a decade as I believe it had originally been part of the access into Bromley Cross goods yard, and that had been gone since at least the 1970s

[BR60103]

Observations of work done on Canadian lines agrees with Jenny. When mainline points were taken out, the frog was removed first -- probably for a smoother ride. The redundant point went next -- often with a tie plate (rectangle of cast steel) leaned against the end of the rail.

[96701]

The frog in real railways is called the crossing, hence S&C, switches (left hand half set and right hand half set) and crossing. Getting rid of the crossing means that it is no longer necessary to inspect it for damage, and to carry out any necessary repairs.

[tamperman36]

have you tried looking on google images for disused pointwork.

[Swindon 123]

Here's one of the crossover/double slip into the sidings at Allscott OOU and awaiting lifting. Note the nearest point is spiked with a fishplate as well as being clipped and locked.

DBR5-132 by Paul James, on Flickr

 

Paul J.

[Chameleon]

It's often the case that once a switch has been oou for a time, the next step is to remove the frog and replace with plain rail. I have seen quite a few lie like this for a good few years until someone gets round to updating the layout. There are also quite a few old sidings long lost in the undergrowth but nevertheless still extant that have been there a very long time. And probably will be forevermore.

[D854_Tiger]

Do the replacement rules apply equally to all routes.

 

If say a route is only used by one or none freight trains per day and has a blanket 20 mph speed restriction imposed because of it, would the need be so urgent for a clipped OOU point to be replaced by plain line.

[Swindon 123]

Do the replacement rules apply equally to all routes.

 

If say a route is only used by one or none freight trains per day and has a blanket 20 mph speed restriction imposed because of it, would the need be so urgent for a clipped OOU point to be replaced by plain line.

On a route such as that then the replacement would be done only when the section of track developed a defect, as there would be the minimum spend possible requirement for such a route. Any serious track work/replacement might not be deemed cost effective, so the bare minimum would be undertaken. The other reason for redundant points/fittings to be removed and replaced would be to replace a defective track section/part somewhere else. Using a reasonable sound piece of redundant equipment would be more cost effective than having a new piece made. Buffer stops seemed to be a common bit of railway for swapping and moving around and reusing.

 

Paul J.

[SED Freightman]

Here is a photo from 26/11/10 showing a set of flat bottom points at Cricklewood Up Sidings (No.801A) secured for straight running by means of a wooden scotch inserted between the left hand switch and stock rails and a point clip (padlocked) holding the right hand switch closed.

[unravelled]

I was sorting through some photos of Tebay taken in 1967, and found these examples.

It's the double junction at the north end of Tebay station. The down line is still in use, but the crossing in the main up line has been replaced by plain track.

 

 

 

Their use appears to require both sets of points to be operated together. I noted at the time that an amount of point unclipping was needed for these moves.

 

Thanks

 

Dave

[PatB]

I was sorting through some photos of Tebay taken in 1967, and found these examples.

It's the double junction at the north end of Tebay station. The down line is still in use, but the crossing in the main up line has been replaced by plain track.

 

3-9-2008_022 - Copy.JPG

 

3-9-2008_025 - Copy.JPG

 

Their use appears to require both sets of points to be operated together. I noted at the time that an amount of point unclipping was needed for these moves.

 

Thanks

 

Dave

Interesting that the switch of the decommissioned turnout has not also been disabled. I suppose it does provide a trap facility but I would have thought that any trapped vehicles would still end up too close to the down line for comfort.

[Swindon 123]

Interesting that the switch of the decommissioned turnout has not also been disabled. I suppose it does provide a trap facility but I would have thought that any trapped vehicles would still end up too close to the down line for comfort.

Sometimes the locking on the frame in the box requires both sets of points to be pulled for the respective signal to be cleared. Easier to leave the point in place than change the locking in the box, especially as the point in question is a trailing one. Not quite the same but even now at Hereford for a signal into the Up & Down reliefs at Hereford to be cleared, the points at both ends of the reliefs have to be set to the road for the signal to clear. It could be a pain when coming in with a freight into the Down relief as a shunt move at the south end of the station from the down/island platforms stopped you getting the road into the relief until the the road could be set at both ends.

 

Paul J.

[The Stationmaster]

I was sorting through some photos of Tebay taken in 1967, and found these examples.

It's the double junction at the north end of Tebay station. The down line is still in use, but the crossing in the main up line has been replaced by plain track.

 

3-9-2008_022 - Copy.JPG

 

3-9-2008_025 - Copy.JPG

 

Their use appears to require both sets of points to be operated together. I noted at the time that an amount of point unclipping was needed for these moves.

 

Thanks

 

Dave

 

It is, in simplistic terms, a right hand double junction therefore the facing point will be released to be set towards the branch on the right only if the trailing point is first set towards the branch, i.e on a right hand junction the trailing point has to be reversed in order to release the facing point.  The standard Southern Railway arrangement of a double junction was different in that the trailing and facing points stood normal in different directions thus potentially reducing the number of lever movements to swing either line through the junction - this arrangement was also used on some parts of the LNER 

[jim.snowdon]

In the case of the double junction, the trailing set of switches cannot be removed, or clamped, without an alteration to the interlocking. Both sets of points will have their own lever, and reversal of the facing set will require the trailing set to have been reversed first.

 

Whether the plain lining of the crossing is permanent or temporary is a moot point, however I would suspect the latter.

 

Jim

[Rivercider]

A bit late I know, but on Sunday I went up to Okehampton on the train from Exeter then enjoyed a ride on the Dartmoor Railway to Meldon,

here are two photos of partly dismantled trackwork.

 

If I remember rightly the switch (out of sight to the left) had been plain lined, Meldon Quarry 23/7/2017

 

And a partly dismantled double slip

Meldon Quarry 23/7/2017

 

cheers