GreenDiesel Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 This is a rather basic (maybe silly?) question but I still thought I??™d ask it anyway! In the BR era of the 1950s/60s, where there are two lines of track together, did trains generally travel on the left-hand track or were there (as I suspect) occasions when they travelled on the right? Please note I??™m writing from Canada where trains normally travel on the right, although I??™ve learned that there were / are exceptions over here as well. Somewhere at home, I have a copy of (a good but very detailed) book by Bob Essery that describes how to copy real-life railway operations on your layout, yet I can??™t find it at the moment! Thanks in advance for any feedback. FYI, I??™m modelling the S&DJR in the 1950s/60s. Thanks, Rob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted December 2, 2009 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 2, 2009 The British norm was and is for trains to run on the left. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BernardTPM Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 Special rules exist for 'wrong road' working and sometimes tracks these days are signalled for bi-directional working. On some four-track sections fast and slow lines in the same direction could be side by side, though many are paired as up and down slow, up and down fast. Occasionally you get formations where two single lines run parallel for a distance, so you could get two trains going the same direction side by side before they branch away. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Dagworth Posted December 2, 2009 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 2, 2009 If you are familiar with the British Rail double arrow logo http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/artblog/2006/dec/12/everydesignthebritishrail the two arrows that make it up represent double track with the arrows showing direction of travel. Andi Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigwelsh Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 Just because the trains were on the left by the way don't assume they were left hand drive as such, many had the driver on the right (for steam this is)! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Il Grifone Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 There were some stretches where two way running was in place (The approaches to Wadebridge for example). This was because the lines were actually two different routes running parallel. LH running is normal in Great Britain and Ireland and also in France and Italy. Some US lines also run on the left (can't remember which.) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted December 3, 2009 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 3, 2009 Where's 509 when we need him ... For normal double track in the 50s/60s it's exactly as Stationmaster has already said - yes there are exceptions but these are exceptions, the vast majority of double track was just that, double track, with left hand running. I can never understand why when someone asks a simple question we seem to have a flurry of non-standard answers. Its akin to someone asking about DCC and we all reply quoting "Red Arrow" (look it up if you don't know) - I'm sure StationMaster could quote plenty of unusual examples, as I could, but why confuse ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Verleysen Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 LH running is normal in Great Britain and Ireland and also in France and Italy. ...and also in Belgium. Erik Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted December 3, 2009 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 3, 2009 Where's 509 when we need him ... For normal double track in the 50s/60s it's exactly as Stationmaster has already said - yes there are exceptions but these are exceptions, the vast majority of double track was just that, double track, with left hand running. I can never understand why when someone asks a simple question we seem to have a flurry of non-standard answers. Its akin to someone asking about DCC and we all reply quoting "Red Arrow" (look it up if you don't know) - I'm sure StationMaster could quote plenty of unusual examples, as I could, but why confuse ? I'm 100% with Beast on this one - simple question, simple answer; next question = next answer and so on. I often see threads where I could answer the question but if it's already been correctly answered and there are no supplementaries I can't see the need. Could be because I have spent far too many years having to answer all sorts of questions and soon realised the best way was to keep it simple. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted December 3, 2009 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 3, 2009 LH running is normal in Great Britain and Ireland and also in France and Italy. Some US lines also run on the left (can't remember which.) Chicago & North Western certainly, maybe others. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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