Peterborough North

[The Stationmaster]

I favour a routing banner repeater.

I don't know about the 'banner' bit but I definitely reckon some sort of repeater and clearly capable of showing two different indications of 'whatever' plus, of course, nothing at all. The answer might lie in the relevant Sectional Appendix (well it ought to) especially as it does not seem to be present on signalling plans.

[great northern]

I've admitted before that I don't know as much as I should about signalling, and I'm about to show my ignorance again. What would a "repeater" be repeating please? Presumably the aspect shown by another signal?

 

This piece of equpiment, whatever it may be, would be seen by drivers approaching the Up main platform, and would relate only to that road. Trains would approach it either on the Up main, or joining the Up main from the engine road or the goods relief road, which effectively was the same thing. The only route other than straight ahead would be into a bay behind platform 2, a short dead end road, so I can't imagine it would relate to that, and there is a ground signal on the North box diagram for that anyway. That being the case, could this be indicating the route which the train will be taking when it reaches the other side of Crescent Bridge? The alternatives then are:- Up main, Up slow, South Yard and spur to Peterborough East. The colour light at the end of Platform 2 gives only indication for straight ahead or, by feather, to the Peterborough East route. It replaced a large bracket semaphore in 1957/58 which seems to have given a lot more choices.

 

Prior to 1957 there was also a large bracket at the South end which controlled the routes out of bay platform 1 and the two dock sidings. That was replaced by a single home/starter with a route indicator attached. So, could this mystery object perform that sort of function, or am I talking nonsense, not for the first time?

Edited May 7, 2012 by great northern

[The Stationmaster]

That (what is it repeating?) is the $64,000 question of course. In my mind it isn't what I would expect to see as a signal repeater - but strange things happened all over the railway so I don't discount that idea although I would then expect it to be on the signalling plans) so does it repeat something other than signal (I'm not sure what) or does it convey some other sort of information?

 

A pal of mine was at one time Yard Master at New England and had been on the footplate on the GN mainline so I think I'd better tap him up (not this weekend - big family do on I believe) and see if he has the answer.

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Couldn't put my hand on the 1960 Sectional Appendix (must tidy up.....) but the 1972 one doesn't mention it.

 

There is quite a bit about assisting down passenger trains of more than 12 bogies (11 if including sleeping cars), but of couse this signal/whatever refers to up trains.

[ianwales]

The answer might lie in the relevant Sectional Appendix (well it ought to) especially as it does not seem to be present on signalling plans.

 

The Banner Repeaters were not always present on signalling diagrams and plans, when I came to Port Talbot PSB there were 9 banner repeaters none of which was indicated on the panel diagram and one of the questions the signalling inspector used to ask before passing us out was how many banner repeaters were there and what were the locations.

 

Ian

[The Stationmaster]

The Banner Repeaters were not always present on signalling diagrams and plans, when I came to Port Talbot PSB there were 9 banner repeaters none of which was indicated on the panel diagram and one of the questions the signalling inspector used to ask before passing us out was how many banner repeaters were there and what were the locations.

Ian

Drawing Office, and other, practice varied considerably between the Regions. On the Western it was not usually the practice to show banner repeaters on 'box diagrams or panel fascias but they would be shown on locking sketches. Equally the appearance of banner repeaters in profusion is a fairly recent phenomenon with the greater emphasis on SPAD mitigation and the attitude towards them also seems to have changed with increeased emphasis on information about them to Signalmen.

[great northern]

Another day, and what's this? A strange bright light in the sky, instead of the usual stygian gloom. Time then to start another day at Peterborough North, but first I had to find the cause of a dead short on the inner fiddle yard. As there is more stock on the layout at this time than at any other that took some sorting, but it turned out to be an intermittent(what else) problem with the chassis of a kit built BZ. That having been sorted, and the offending van removed, the first train of the new day is the overnight Edinburgh- Colchester, mainly composed of BG's, but with the occasional carriage for squaddies in transit. Nothing so fancy as sleeping cars of course. As Gateshead tended to roster a particlar loco to a specific train for some time, no surprise that its Golden Eagle again.

 

 

 

At least March has rung the changes with the relieving engine - Gayton Hall today.

 

Other than that, its local engines with mundane trains. On the Down line 60874 which spent yesterday on standby heads the 0735 parly to Doncaster. This one stops at nearly every lamp post, but still ignores the poor folk of Hougham and Crow Park. No wonder they closed very shortly after my chosen timescale.

 

After the departure of Gayton Hall, the pilot has brought in the stock of the 0725 to Kings Cross, and Wolf of Badenoch has backed on.I'm sure Edward Thompson didn't intend her to spend most of her time on duties like this - no more than five coaches, and very slow indeed.

 

[micklner]

The Wolf appears to have a cable? emerging from the boiler/footplate hopefully not terminal !!

[great northern]

The Wolf appears to have a cable? emerging from the boiler/footplate hopefully not terminal !!

 

Decoder wire got pinched last time the body was put back on Mick. It's a pig to take apart, so it usually waits until Tony Wright is available, as he knows exactly how to do it. Unfortunately TW isn't available at the moment, and I keep putting the job off as I don't fancy it.

[JeffP]

But what if the New England shedmaster fails it?

 

Oh...wait...that would be you, wouldn't it?

[Dave Holt]

Lovely photos, once again - this really is a wonderful looking model.

Without wanting to be picky, the head-on photo of Golden Eagle clearly shows it running through a trailing point which is set against it. I seem to recall some earlier discussion about this, prompted by a photo which was less clear on the matter, and you thought it was electrically impossible.

Hope it didn't cause a derailment.

 

Dave.

[coachmann]

Could the repeater signal or whatever it is be simply a signal that informs drivers that the road is set for a direct route to some place or other...Carriage sidings or MPD for example?

[gordon s]

Lovely photos, once again - this really is a wonderful looking model.

Without wanting to be picky, the head-on photo of Golden Eagle clearly shows it running through a trailing point which is set against it. I seem to recall some earlier discussion about this, prompted by a photo which was less clear on the matter, and you thought it was electrically impossible.

Hope it didn't cause a derailment.

 

Dave.

 

I think we've all thought that at one time or the other Dave, but it turns out it is a 3 way turnout and is correct. Easy mistake to make, but Gilbert assured us it was correct.

[James]

still there in 1971

 

1971 - Deltic, from the Car Park by rgadsdon, on Flickr

 

By this time, was this section ECML moving to TCB signalling or was a lot still AB in this area?

[great northern]

As that complex bit of the formation leading into Platform 2 is causing confusion, I've taken a few shots which hopefully may clear things up. I think the difficulty is caused by the angle of a train coming off the dog leg curve and having to negotiate that three way point as it starts to straighten up into the platform. This first shot is of a loco on the Up main, with the road set for the access to the engine road and carriage sidings. The first part of the three way can be seen to be set against the loco.

 

 

Now here is that same first part set in the opposite direction. It may look wrong, but the road is now set for the Up main, and there will be no derailment.

 

 

And now although the first part is set for the Up main, the second part is set for the crossover, so the loco is about to come to grief.

 

 

And here is the three way(tandem) without any intruding trains, close up and set for the Up main.

 

 

From the opposite direction, looking from the carriage sidings access, one can see what a fabulous bit of track building this is.

 

 

Finally the three way in close up from the other side, set for the main. It's easy to see how the confusion arises, but hopefully these shots will clarify. Of course the way this thread grows they will no doubt be buried several pages back before too long.

[ianwales]

Of course the way this thread grows they will no doubt be buried several pages back before too long.

 

Hi Gilbert

 

I hope you have started planning major celebrations for page no 100!

 

Ian

[The Stationmaster]

By this time, was this section ECML moving to TCB signalling or was a lot still AB in this area?

Peterborough power box was commissioned in march 1973 and that 'indicator' does not appear on the relevant Notice suggesting it either went then or had gone sometime between 1971 and 1973.

[Dave Holt]

Gilbert,

 

Thanks for the explanation and series of photos - all quite clear now!

 

Regards,

 

Dave.

[great northern]

I've been a bit quiet. Good, you might say, or possibly "Why"? Eight rounds of golf in eleven days for a start. Verily there is no fool like an old fool. Each round I got worse, until during the last one I plumbed depths of ineptitiude I didn't even reach when I was a beginner. Somewhat of a relief then to get back to the railway. A bit more experimentation with camera angles has resulted in this lot. A 9F with yet more coal was first to arrive, and we shall follow it through the station.

 

 

 

 

Now you may notice a bit of a difference with this one, following experiments with paint.net, which is not only simpler than Photoshop, but also free. My hand isn't yet steady enough to cope with the bridge, so I gave up on that bit.

 

 

 

In the opposite direction we have a Leicester local. The sharpness of the dog's leg curve shows up well here.

 

 

 

Quick break here to find out why my dinner isn't ready. I've put it in the oven now...... Last shot for now coming up. I may have another go at paint.net later, possibly even this layer stuff.

 

[Jason T]

Some of your best shots yet (in my opinion); I really love the ground level views

[lmsforever]

Nice shot of your railway room wish I had a room like this,hope you dont drop a loco on that floor its rather hard .

[tetleys]

Gilbert,

 

I've just opened my latest copy of Model Rail in which I note Peterborough North features but if I may voice one small criticism of the article.

 

As usual, Chris Nevard has worked wonders with his Brownie 127 camera.On page 62 he has really captured the atmosphere and craftmanship involved in those simply stunning bookcases but couldn't he have photoshopped out all those long dormitory dining tables and the old kitchen wench eagerly awaiting customers at the serving hatch?

 

(Apart from this minor over sight another interesting read)

 

Keep up the good work.

 

Dave

Edited May 15, 2012 by tetleys

[lmsforever]

Did the customers get tea and a wad quickly or was everything off the menu?

[Mallard60022]

Gilbert I think you should outsource your golf games to a willing bod then you can give us more pics. (That bod can also then spend most of the day cursing and searching for his balls )

Sincerely

Sandy Wedge.

[great northern]

Gilbert,

 

I've just opened my latest copy of Model Rail in which I note Peterborough North features but if I may voice one small criticism of the article.

 

As usual, Chris Nevard has worked wonders with his Brownie 127 camera.On page 62 he has really captured the atmosphere and craftmanship involved in those simply stunning bookcases but couldn't he have photoshopped out all those long dormitory dining tables and the old kitchen wench eagerly awaiting customers at the serving hatch?

 

(Apart from this minor over sight another interesting read)

 

Keep up the good work.

 

Dave

 

I haven't seen the mag yet, so your comment puzzled me for some time. Finally, and with much incredulity, I realised that you might be referring to a very nice photograph of a proud owner surveying his new domain. There is little more to be said, save for this advice. If the old kitchen wench offers you a home made pasty when you next visit, I would think carefully before taking a bite.