Jump to content
 

Temporary "buffer stops"


ejstubbs

Recommended Posts

Say you have a wagon or two that need to sit out of the way at the end of a siding for a few days, but in the mean time other wagons will need to be shunted in and out of the rest of the siding.  How would the wagons at the end of the siding be protected from, say, another wagon being accidentally shunted in to them?  I seem to recall having seen sleepers laid across the rails - was this common practice, or was it not really within the normal operating rules?

Link to post
Share on other sites

As far as I know, they wouldn't be protected, or need protecting. All the stop block was was a marker for the end of the road, and the stored wagons would serve the same purpose, just a bit more visibly. The stop block would not stop anything moving at even a slow speed anyway, and nor would the obstruction; it would simply be less obvious to see.

Link to post
Share on other sites

You mention preventing other wagons being shunted against them. Is there a reason for that? Ie safety of staff etc?
If that was the case a red flag or stop board on the nearest wagon, plus clipping the points of the siding would protect the staff whilst work took place. At other times this protection would be lifted (removed) and shunting could take place. Hope that makes sense.

Link to post
Share on other sites

When the up hump at Whitemoor was cut in half they placed a brakevan and sleeper at the end of each road. They made good targets.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/12064036@N04/5755772799/in/photolist-7aKyqJ-fUJjNY-a8maDo-jGnAd8-rpgpMN-qgKaoc-ezwGx1-cXMPyG-9MHpH8-9LBQJ4-hNMfs6-f4mFZf-j82Vz1-e3SS13-bKjpox-gfAMpG-fpuNCU-oPCQMy-oPCETL-9n5vJu-pLM8zF-7pB3ha-8YZDQ8-4Exapw-8FHhRR-9ssuN3-9spvx6-4dEkvF-hniCVk-j6bHUb-du6LgN-fsnHYK-G29sh-Y3YLo-5SELMB-78LZEZ-ooix82-fxtveF-Y3YLw-adGxdT-bDWQyY-aef3n4-96aQxw-hi66YM-oHt9Vh-bKjpot-o554ZW-omh32Z-omg952-o53Ui1

 

Edit to add..

 

I've searched the net for later photo's but i suspect they were on fotopic. Nearly every van ended up shunted off the end of it's siding and they sat thee for ages perched at all angles..

Link to post
Share on other sites

You mention preventing other wagons being shunted against them. Is there a reason for that? Ie safety of staff etc?

If that was the case a red flag or stop board on the nearest wagon, plus clipping the points of the siding would protect the staff whilst work took place. At other times this protection would be lifted (removed) and shunting could take place. Hope that makes sense.

Some places, such as Derby RTC yard, used (and probably still use) derailers that can be placed over the rails when staff are working on vehicles (or just on the track) beyond them and the part of the siding nearer to the point still needs to be shunted. 

Link to post
Share on other sites

While they were working on Derby station recently they used vans in Network Rail yellow with wasp stripes on the ends and flashing red lamps.

 

On the subject of old wagons used in yards, Tinsley yard had several roads which seemed to end with a rusty wagon at s strange angle with a red flag hung on them. Some roads just had rusting locos, looking very sad and deralict.

 

Leeds city station parcels sidings had one road which had a couple of sleepers "bolted" to the track behind which was a gap in the track of about 10 to 15 foot then a bufferstop on its own piece of track.

I do remember seeing a BG at one point with one bogie on the piece by the bufferstop and the other bogie on the rails at the other side of the gap, not sure if that is what had created the gap after a hard shunt.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Bolton station at the moment has a few temporary stops made of what look like yellow painted sleepers chained to the track. These are protecting the remains of the trackwork into the former parcels platform where what looks like new pointwork components are being put together.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

They might simply hang a "NOT TO BE MOVED" sign on the end of the wagon.

 

Cheers

David

All that means is what it says - it doesn't serve the  purpose of protecting staff as such except - in the old days - when used on locos in depots.  Protection of staff working in a siding is as per the Bigbee Line's explanation at Post number 3, points clipped plus red flags etc. 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...