PerthBox

That move was needed to free up a platform at Aberdeen for a Network Rail test train path, so it only had to happen when the test train was running (every 4 weeks from memory).

The ScR Tokenless Block first came into use in December 1965 between Montrose South and Usan, and preceded the English version. It has far more in common with Electric Token Block than Absolute Block (working as, effectively, a pair of tablet machines without tablets). But I'm dragging the thread off topic now.

Bi-directional signalling was a feature of the mechanically signalled layouts at many crossing loops under Scottish Region Tokenless Block, such as Huntly, Dunkeld, Inveurie, Dyce, Aviemore, Dunkeld etc...

Presumably in the same way that a car is just a petrol powered skateboard.

At Dyce they'd use the chip shop side unless crossing.

RETB uses hydro-pneumatic self-restoring points. These use a gas filled accumulator which operates a hydraulic actuator; there are no springs involved. As noted above certain locations on the West Highland line (Garelochhead, Ardlui, Taynuilt, Bridge of Orchy, Rannoch, Spean Bridge) are set up for right hand running to make it simpler to shunt sidings. Similarly at Dunkeld the main line is bi-directionally signalled, so Down trains use it if there is no crossing booked. Huntly is bi-directionally signalled for both main and loop lines, with trains typically only using the Down platform unless crossing.

The UKWMO warning system, HANDEL, used the speaking clock circuits for distribution to carrier control points which would sound the attack warning - this website has a huge amount of detail about how it all worked.

How many wheels did the road bogies have, out of interest?

On a point of pedantry, the crossing in question is “Nairn’s” - with an apostrophe as it was built for a farm once owned by one William Nairn. User worked crossing names sometimes shift and drift a bit through time and that is now known officially to Network Rail as “Forteviot Farm” although most of the the old school railwaymen still call it Nairn’s.

Well, we do it in Scotland and Wales too.

The specific requirements vary from company to comapny and are set out in the professional driving policies of each individual TOC or FOC.

The tablet catcher is located under the driver’s window. There was a lever by the driver’s left knee which operated a simple mechanical linkage to lower and raise the catcher.

When I worked in Control we used to very occasionally get requests from the FOCs to input a dummy VSTP schedule to allow ‘lost’ locos or wagons to be transferred correctly on TOPS. They would consist it and put in departure/arrival times as if it had run.

The Cravens units used on the Aberdeen - Inverness line didn’t have tablet catchers but the class 120 Swindon units did. This was mounted within the guards van door and the guard was responsible for the exhange, there being a special buzzer code to communicate a successful exchange to the driver. There’s a photo of the equipment on the railcar.co.uk page for the class - https://www.railcar.co.uk/type/class-120/description Edit - and here’s another - https://www.railcar.co.uk/images/19229

Thank you, very interesting. I've always been fascinated by the continental STANNOXes!

Out of interest, did BR employ local French staff for the Dunkerque office or did the clerks travel across (and lodge..?). On a related note, am I right in thinking that BR had a handful of booking offices abroad and, if so, does anyone know how these were managed?

The system is administered by Atos but I don't know what hardware is currently used. On Windows it runs in an emulator called WinVV, which I think was developed in-house by BR.

www.ontrackplant.com lists 80 P&T 07-16 universal tamper/liner machines, numbered from DR73200 to DR73279. They were built between 1971 and 1978. These machines were used all over the UK but if you’re interested in finding out the history of a particular machine, a three month membership of ontrackplant.com costs £2.50 and will give you access to photos and sightings lists to let you build up a picture of where it operated.

It’s all explained in the WON every year -

Highland Spring at Blackford is a containter terminal. Shipping containers are loaded and unloaded from trains by an large crane, there is no covered accommodation at all.

www.departmentals.com has lots of images and information on former Railtrack rolling stock. You’ll need to register to be able to search for particular types or number of vehicles.

They lasted a few years beyond 1999 - I have a photo somewhere of a set being tipped at Montrose in late 2003 or early 2004. I think they went out of use not long after that then they were stored at Tees Yard (if I remember correctly) for a few years before being scrapped.

Tim Shoveller left NR after destroying staff morale and setting back industrial relations by years during the 2022/23 pay negotiations. An arrogant and unpleasant character in my view.

Not necessarily. The current rules are that if flooding is up to the bottom of the rail head then trains can run normally. Trains may run at 5mph with water between the bottom and the top of the rail head. Flooding above the rail head or moving water that is likely to dislodge ballast (or that has dislodged ballast) requires trains to be stopped until it is inspected by a competent person. Certain companies, such as Avanti West Coast, have their own instructions for the traction they operate if it has its own peculiarities.

I also have a large number of BR Scottish Region official photos, rescued from the bin when Network Rail moved out of Buchanan House. I'd love to put them online but I'm also worried about the copyright situation.