Token Exchange Equipment For Single Track Lines

[LNERGE]

With the token machine i'm restoring at the moment the circuitry/hardware is present to inflict a number of controls not only on the starting signal but on the machine itself.

 

1 release of staring signal on withdrawal of key for one pull only

2 removal of release on insertion of key

3 removal of release on receipt of in phase current*

4 signal controls so if distant/home signals are not proved on it is impossible to obtain key at far end of section.

*= say the starter is passed at danger for whatever reason it's release is still present until the key is turned in at the far end. Any attempt to obtain another key will destroy the release. These controls appear in the LNER Standard Wiring Diagram..

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/32297024@N08/14815635067/

 

Control 3 above is not always provided on machines in use today.

[Eggesford box]

Two types of holders for tokens taken at Claydon LNE Jc today

 

With reference to the Stationmasters tale of a token being carried into the next section (and considerably beyond). The line from Fenny Compton to Kineton is controlled by a 'token' (I shall take some photos of it at some time, I have seen it refered to as a ' captive key', certainly much smaller and unlike a conventional key token) locked in an instrument in a small cabinet released from Leamington. Entrance and exit from the branch is marked by stop boards. Coming off the branch a train can run onto one of two sidings. The exit from these sidings are controlled by GPL signals. Unless the 'token' is replaced in the instrument then neither of these signals can be cleared unless an overide facility is operated which was provided if a movement is needed to be made out of the sidings whilst a train is on the Kineton branch.

[LNERGE]

Eggesford, no box, just a hut..

 

 

[big jim]

Its the token holder on the left i saw in the box at claydon last time i was there!

 

Up that way again next week but from the oxford end this time

[Eggesford box]

I imagine its quite possible to nearly leave the staff or token at such a Ground Frame by mistake

 

 

.......

It has been done!

[Dave Scott]

Another way of loosing the token is told by Peter Smith. A fireman on the S&D was untidy and chucked the token in the nearest corner. The driver got fed up and dropped the token in a toolbox. At the end of the section the driver let the fireman do a bit of searching before admitting where the token was. Oh bother said the fireman, or words to that effect, that toolbox has no bottem. Opening the lid revesled the track flashing past! FORM 1 please explain hardly covers it

[The Stationmaster]

A nice one I had was when i was Operating Asst at Maesglas (Newport) - the Signalman at Park Jcn rang up and said 'we've lost the Machen branch train staff'.  

'What do you mean 'lost'?

'Well I know where it is but I can't use it'.

'Where is it then'?

'In the gutter'

'What gutter'?

'The one at the edge of the roof'

'How did it get there'?

'The Secondman on the Machen trip threw it there. Well actually he threw at the 'box steps and missed, his aim wasn't very good and it went a bit high'

'Are you sure it's in the gutter?'

'Yes, I heard it hit the roof and slide down.  And I haven't got a ladder here and neither have the Perway'

 

I duly called the Building Section blokes and apart from moaning that signalboxes were nothing to do with them they kindly went along with a ladder and recovered the train staff.  By which time I had had what might best be called 'an interesting conversation' with the Secondman (who subsequently went home rather shamefaced).

[PaulRhB]

I'd agree with Mike NSKT can have section signals interlocked rather than none at all. As with many railway things there's all sorts of installations. At Marchwood there's signals both ends

[Brian Kirby]

We've had some great replies and answers on here, many thanks to everyone again. So it looks as though despite the introduction of RETB to the Cambrian and the Scottish Highlands, odd pieces of period train control are still in use on single lines and sidings elsewhere. Thinking of other long sections of single track passenger lines, do the Ayr to Stranraer, Middlesborough to Whitby and parts of the Skegness branch, still use the old Tyer's apparatus? When the Western Region reduced parts of the Gloucester, Worcester, and Wilton to Exeter lines, to single track in the late 60s/early 70s, i seem to recall they employed something called "Electric Tokenless Block" (or the like), does that rely on track circuits to detect line occupation? I'm pretty sure Castle Cary to Dorchester used to be double track throughout, but when singled with loops and boxes at Maiden Newton and Yeovil Pen Mill, were they retro-fitted with vintage GWR token equipment? Another thought, do the many preserved lines mostly use the Tyer's or GWR system, or are there any oddities to be found, perhaps on narrow-gauge?

 

                                                                                                          Cheers, Brian.

[PaulRhB]

Pen Mill to Maiden Newton is NSTR, whether there was anything else earlier I don't know.

[TheSignalEngineer]

Another way of loosing the token is told by Peter Smith. A fireman on the S&D was untidy and chucked the token in the nearest corner. The driver got fed up and dropped the token in a toolbox. At the end of the section the driver let the fireman do a bit of searching before admitting where the token was. Oh bother said the fireman, or words to that effect, that toolbox has no bottem. Opening the lid revesled the track flashing past! FORM 1 please explain hardly covers it

An old acquaintance of mine told me of messing up a change when he was firing steam locos. In the dark he missed the hoop as the signalman let go. The driver stopped but they couldn't find the token at the side of the track. After discussion with the signalman they were returning to the loco when they spotted it on the brake lever of a wagon.

[The Stationmaster]

We've had some great replies and answers on here, many thanks to everyone again. So it looks as though despite the introduction of RETB to the Cambrian and the Scottish Highlands, odd pieces of period train control are still in use on single lines and sidings elsewhere. Thinking of other long sections of single track passenger lines, do the Ayr to Stranraer, Middlesborough to Whitby and parts of the Skegness branch, still use the old Tyer's apparatus? When the Western Region reduced parts of the Gloucester, Worcester, and Wilton to Exeter lines, to single track in the late 60s/early 70s, i seem to recall they employed something called "Electric Tokenless Block" (or the like), does that rely on track circuits to detect line occupation? I'm pretty sure Castle Cary to Dorchester used to be double track throughout, but when singled with loops and boxes at Maiden Newton and Yeovil Pen Mill, were they retro-fitted with vintage GWR token equipment? Another thought, do the many preserved lines mostly use the Tyer's or GWR system, or are there any oddities to be found, perhaps on narrow-gauge?

 

                                                                                                          Cheers, Brian.

I think the Whitby branch is ETT although the final stretch into Whitby will be NSKT (or it was the last time I was in the area.  The last I heard there was only one (or possibly two) section on NR which still had Tyers tablet working and I'm not sure if that is still the case (I think it was somewhere around Ayr/Stranraer but am far from sure on that one).

 

As far as the WR is concerned the initial situation was as follows - When singled the Castle Cary - Dorchester line was ETT for the single line sections north of Maiden Newton but Maiden Newton - Dorchester was Tokenless Block but note what Paul RhB has said (presumably the situation following the closure of Maiden Newton 'box - a long time since I last signed the Train register Book there).

 

The DSalisbury -Exeter line (wilton - Exmouth Jcn) was the first singling scheme to be equipped with WR Tokenless Block which, I understand, was far from reliable at first and which still had its moments when it was on my patch some years later (and was responsible in consequence for getting me out of bed at 02.30 on more than enough mornings.as it was teh first section of single lien on BR to have what was called 'Modified Pilot Working' which meant someone remote from the line could act as a Pilotman when the Tokenless Block failed - more entertaining tales in that one ).

Paul RhB will know far better than me what system is in use on it nowadays but I presume Single Line Track Circuit block but without continuous track circuits and probably using axle counters or some sort of Special Instructions as a consequence of all trains having a continuous brake.

 

The Oxford - Worcester - Gloucester line has got just about everything going - originally Wolvercot Jcn - Ascott was Acceptance Lever then Single TCB (change of system name and nothing else), Moreton - Evesham was ETT as was Evesham - Norton Jcn (complete with a token machine beyond the section at Shrub Hill to avoid the need for trains to stop at Norton Jcn for token purposes when pathing allowed), Shrub Hill - Henwick is Acceptance Lever (probably now called Single Line TCB), Malvern Wells - Ledbury is (still I presume) Special Lock & Block (which is unique), and Ledbury - Shelwick Jcn (Hereford) was WR Tokenless Block and presumably still is.  This between Oxford and Hereford there was at one time (and I believe might still be?) almost every form of fully interlocked single line control that was in use in Britain by the 1970s except for the Tyers tablet system (which in any case works under the same basic Regulations as Electric Token). 

 

The Electric Token system in general use in Britain, a;though now very much overtaken by more modern ideas, is basically the GWR system with the machines manufactured by Tyers.  I believe Tyers did make some token machines of their own as other designs appear in some photos (as I linked) although quite how they related to the GWR licence I'm not entirely sure however the main Tyers contribution was always its tablet system which was generally superseded by Electric Token.  There has long been a tradition of reusing of old, reconditioned, token machines and when the Cambrian line was modernised to RETB all the old machines were taken into stock for overhaul and re-use.  However on the Western, if nowhere else, new machines were still being bought into at least the 1960s and possibly the '70s.

 

I believe some preserved lines might use the Tyers tablet machines but I am aware of a number which use token machines and at least one which has a section worked by acceptance levers.

[18B]

I believe some preserved lines might use the Tyers tablet machines but I am aware of a number which use token machines and at least one which has a section worked by acceptance levers.

 

the "Peter Key" the signalling atlas should show you what the method of signalling is for every line in the UK.

[Pacific231G]

Does anyone know if the token machine is still used at Bourne End on the Marlow Branch?  It's normally a single train on the whole branch but the layout at Bourne End, which was the junction for Marlow when the line went from Maidenhead to High Wycombe, would allow a second train to be there. I'm not sure from where the signalling is operated is it SN or Thames Valley?

[The Stationmaster]

the "Peter Key" the signalling atlas should show you what the method of signalling is for every line in the UK.

It will show the Regulations which apply but I'm not sure if it will explain which equipment is in use (on NR tablet equipped sections are worked under the same Regulations as Electric Token so will be shown in the same way in a Sectional Appendix or official document however Peter Kay might well have other sources regarding the equipment in use).

[The Stationmaster]

Does anyone know if the token machine is still used at Bourne End on the Marlow Branch?  It's normally a single train on the whole branch but the layout at Bourne End, which was the junction for Marlow when the line went from Maidenhead to High Wycombe, would allow a second train to be there. I'm not sure from where the signalling is operated is it SN or Thames Valley?

As far as I know (but I haven't been there for a long time) the token machine will still be there as it is needed in order to shut-in a train on the Bourne End - Marlow section and the peak timetable requires that.  BTW I believe Slough has been transferred onto TVSC but am not certain if that includes Slough (S prefix signals) as well as Slough New (SN prefix signals).  

 

Slough New has never controlled the Maidenhead area - that is on the original Slough panel area (S) and the NSKT control was transferred to it when the 1963 Maidenhead 'box was closed in October 1974 (NSKT having replaced ETT on the branch in 1971 when Bourne End 'box was closed).

[Dave Scott]

I think the Whitby branch is ETT although the final stretch into Whitby will be NSKT (or it was the last time I was in the area.  The last I heard there was only one (or possibly two) section on NR which still had Tyers tablet working and I'm not sure if that is still the case (I think it was somewhere around Ayr/Stranraer but am far from sure on that one).

 

As far as the WR is concerned the initial situation was as follows - When singled the Castle Cary - Dorchester line was ETT for the single line sections north of Maiden Newton but Maiden Newton - Dorchester was Tokenless Block but note what Paul RhB has said (presumably the situation following the closure of Maiden Newton 'box - a long time since I last signed the Train register Book there).

 

The DSalisbury -Exeter line (wilton - Exmouth Jcn) was the first singling scheme to be equipped with WR Tokenless Block which, I understand, was far from reliable at first and which still had its moments when it was on my patch some years later (and was responsible in consequence for getting me out of bed at 02.30 on more than enough mornings.as it was teh first section of single lien on BR to have what was called 'Modified Pilot Working' which meant someone remote from the line could act as a Pilotman when the Tokenless Block failed - more entertaining tales in that one ).

Paul RhB will know far better than me what system is in use on it nowadays but I presume Single Line Track Circuit block but without continuous track circuits and probably using axle counters or some sort of Special Instructions as a consequence of all trains having a continuous brake.

 

The Oxford - Worcester - Gloucester line has got just about everything going - originally Wolvercot Jcn - Ascott was Acceptance Lever then Single TCB (change of system name and nothing else), Moreton - Evesham was ETT as was Evesham - Norton Jcn (complete with a token machine beyond the section at Shrub Hill to avoid the need for trains to stop at Norton Jcn for token purposes when pathing allowed), Shrub Hill - Henwick is Acceptance Lever (probably now called Single Line TCB), Malvern Wells - Ledbury is (still I presume) Special Lock & Block (which is unique), and Ledbury - Shelwick Jcn (Hereford) was WR Tokenless Block and presumably still is.  This between Oxford and Hereford there was at one time (and I believe might still be?) almost every form of fully interlocked single line control that was in use in Britain by the 1970s except for the Tyers tablet system (which in any case works under the same basic Regulations as Electric Token). 

 

The Electric Token system in general use in Britain, a;though now very much overtaken by more modern ideas, is basically the GWR system with the machines manufactured by Tyers.  I believe Tyers did make some token machines of their own as other designs appear in some photos (as I linked) although quite how they related to the GWR licence I'm not entirely sure however the main Tyers contribution was always its tablet system which was generally superseded by Electric Token.  There has long been a tradition of reusing of old, reconditioned, token machines and when the Cambrian line was modernised to RETB all the old machines were taken into stock for overhaul and re-use.  However on the Western, if nowhere else, new machines were still being bought into at least the 1960s and possibly the '70s.

 a

I believe some preserved lines might use the Tyers tablet machines but I am aware of a number which use token machines and at least one which has a section worked by acceptance levers.

Kidderminster - Bewdley South on the SVR is acceptance lever with full track circuits. I say circuits because I think there are at least 5 involved.This makes accepting main line transfers easy as a train can be signalled from NR up line (towards Worcester) right through to Bewdley South. With no token to collect a non stop transfer is possible. There is a reminder board at Bewdley North down section signal white on red "START OF TOKEN SECTION" as the first token picked up is from Bewdley North

[LNERGE]

I think the Whitby branch is ETT although the final stretch into Whitby will be NSKT (or it was the last time I was in the area.  The last I heard there was only one (or possibly two) section on NR which still had Tyers tablet working and I'm not sure if that is still the case (I think it was somewhere around Ayr/Stranraer but am far from sure on that one).

Northorpe to Battersby, batterby to Glaisdale and Glaisdale to Whitby are not NSKT but NSRKT. It is important to note the difference. I don't mean to be pedantic.

Llanrwst to Blaenau is what i would describe as NSKT. The instruments are 'conventional' as is the way they operate. Plunging at Llanrwst to Blaenau will cause the instrument there to 'plunge back' to Llanrwst allowing the signalman there to extract a key. There is no need for the driver to relinquish the key at Blaenau unless a second train is to follow. The key can be extracted when the system is free to do so by a long plunge from Llanrwst. All actions to obtain a key are caused by the signalman operating his instrument.

 

NSRKT is different. The driver will ask permission to withdraw a key but there is nothing to stop him doing so other than the system already having a key out. The driver will plunge his own instrument to obtain a key. There is no indication to the supervising signalman that a key is out for any section. If there are trains at both ends of the section and both drivers plunge at the same time the system will not work. This situation should not arise as the signalman will only authorise one driver to obtain a key. Glaisdale to Whitby has FIVE places a key can be obtained from. The system will only cope with one instrument being plunged at a time. Any other combination will result in nothing happening.

[The Stationmaster]

Northorpe to Battersby, batterby to Glaisdale and Glaisdale to Whitby are not NSKT but NSRKT. It is important to note the difference. I don't mean to be pedantic.

Llanrwst to Blaenau is what i would describe as NSKT. The instruments are 'conventional' as is the way they operate. Plunging at Llanrwst to Blaenau will cause the instrument there to 'plunge back' to Llanrwst allowing the signalman there to extract a key. There is no need for the driver to relinquish the key at Blaenau unless a second train is to follow. The key can be extracted when the system is free to do so by a long plunge from Llanrwst. All actions to obtain a key are caused by the signalman operating his instrument.

 

NSRKT is different. The driver will ask permission to withdraw a key but there is nothing to stop him doing so other than the system already having a key out. The driver will plunge his own instrument to obtain a key. There is no indication to the supervising signalman that a key is out for any section. If there are trains at both ends of the section and both drivers plunge at the same time the system will not work. This situation should not arise as the signalman will only authorise one driver to obtain a key. Glaisdale to Whitby has FIVE places a key can be obtained from. The system will only cope with one instrument being plunged at a time. Any other combination will result in nothing happening.

Thanks for that - rather obvious really that it should be NSTR if there is a succession of sections.  The interesting thing is the use of different abbreviations for the same things - NSTR still seems to be in the Definiton of Terms document (GK/GN0802) so is NSRKT a Zonal thing or are the definitions (online) not up to date I wonder.

 

(And thanks for the PM - not yet downloaded but will be off interest, do you know if they use transmission over internal lines up there or is it via BT lines as we had on the Central Wales Line?  And where we found out that BT's definition of 'a dedicated line' wasn't exactly what we had been led to believe.)

[cold-ash]

There's an interesting explanation of Marlow branch operations here.... http://www.mdrs.org.uk/documents/donkey120.pdf

[LNERGE]

Thanks for that - rather obvious really that it should be NSTR if there is a succession of sections.  The interesting thing is the use of different abbreviations for the same things - NSTR still seems to be in the Definiton of Terms document (GK/GN0802) so is NSRKT a Zonal thing or are the definitions (online) not up to date I wonder.

 

(And thanks for the PM - not yet downloaded but will be off interest, do you know if they use transmission over internal lines up there or is it via BT lines as we had on the Central Wales Line?  And where we found out that BT's definition of 'a dedicated line' wasn't exactly what we had been led to believe.)

NSRKT appears on some of the circuit diagrams but i note from the test plan it is referred to as NSTR. I have to say until the new Whitby machine was on my test bench and wired into a simulated circuit i didn't really totally understand how it worked.

[The Stationmaster]

NSRKT appears on some of the circuit diagrams but i note from the test plan it is referred to as NSTR. I have to say until the new Whitby machine was on my test bench and wired into a simulated circuit i didn't really totally understand how it worked.

There was a lot of trouble on the Central Wales - the first place it was used - with it not working!  After several years of problems we asked the S&T to try following up with BT as it appeared most of the problems were mainly on their side as no fault had been found with the instruments or the circuitry and operating method.  That was when we discovered that the 'direct lines (between instruments for each section) were not exactly what we thought they were - when a Driver plunged to obtain a token the BT equipment recognised that as a 'command' to open a line to the token machine at the other end of the section - all nice and logical thus far.  But at that point BT's system took over and searched for the most immediately available line to the other machine - we found from the records BT gave us that a 'direct line' had been established all over the place including via Liverpool on several occasions and on one occasion even via an exchange in Glasgow.  Some very severe words regarding system integrity and operational safety subsequently passed between the WR and BT, and things improved greatly.

[TheSignalEngineer]

Not only a problem with long circuits on single lines. The SSI to Leeds was a nightmare some years ago. One link was on a BT line and they re-routed it without telling anyone. That threw the propagation times out of spec and resulted in a shut down of half of the comms link. Leeds area ended up running with no back-up link for five days before BR managed to convince BT that it was their fault.

[AJCT]

Ref post #40: back in mid-June this year I had a day trip to Stranraer and IIRC there appeared to be tablet working from Girvan to Barrhill, Barrhill to Glenwhilly, and Glenwhilly to Dunragit, but couldn’t spot what happened beyond Dunragit: Stranraer Harbour box certainly looked to be switched out, anyway.  Ayr to Girvan (once double line) is now single with a crossing loop at Kilkerran but I didn’t see any tablet-related activity so it may be worked by Tokenless Block.

 

I believe that the single-track sections of the Highland main line between Perth and Inverness went over to Tokenless Block from the late 1960s – presumably after the unsatisfactory performance of tablet-exchange apparatus fitted to the diesels of classes 24 and 26 – my 1969 ScR Sectional Appendix shows Tokenless Block between Aviemore North and Culloden Moor.  But perhaps some-one more knowledgeable than me can confirm?

 

Alasdair

[The Stationmaster]

Ref post #40: back in mid-June this year I had a day trip to Stranraer and IIRC there appeared to be tablet working from Girvan to Barrhill, Barrhill to Glenwhilly, and Glenwhilly to Dunragit, but couldn’t spot what happened beyond Dunragit: Stranraer Harbour box certainly looked to be switched out, anyway.  Ayr to Girvan (once double line) is now single with a crossing loop at Kilkerran but I didn’t see any tablet-related activity so it may be worked by Tokenless Block.

 

I believe that the single-track sections of the Highland main line between Perth and Inverness went over to Tokenless Block from the late 1960s – presumably after the unsatisfactory performance of tablet-exchange apparatus fitted to the diesels of classes 24 and 26 – my 1969 ScR Sectional Appendix shows Tokenless Block between Aviemore North and Culloden Moor.  But perhaps some-one more knowledgeable than me can confirm?

 

Alasdair

There is a picture link on the 'net showing Tyers tablet machines in use at Glenwhilly in 2012 two machines so presumably in use in both directions.  If the link works notice also the shape of the pouch on the catching hoop on the wall behind the machines - always a giveaway if tablets are in use.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/llangollen_signalman/8014799566/in/set-72157626529845049