beast66606

Love the shaped sighting boards for the Midland signals

Take it easy Dave and come back to posting only when you're well, willing and able.

The one in the photo above 😉

Sandiacre c1950 JVol1112 - lovely 3 doll splitting distant there.

Possibly because the driver(s) knew a train had not long passed as they were held at the starter awaiting clearance, not sure where the next block was after Ais Gill but perhaps they were taking it easy in the hope of getting a clear distant when they could then accelerate to a normal speed for light engine moves.

An album of photos of the derailment - not mine

"the only exception being is if a train happens to have passed it's braking point (which might be a lot further back than the last signal) just as the wagons become de-railed." . (it doesn't have to be high speed although obviously the lower the speed the less the chance of anything significant happening). I think you're quoting the wrong person here, I never said what you appear to be attributing to me -in fact I said the opposite that it WAS deemed to be too close for comfort.

It was clear - just - a test loco passed (0Z57, Carlisle - Carlisle via Tebay) at 5mph and was deemed to be too close for comfort hence the SLW remained in force. Wouldn't like to try passing at high speed though.

A TC interrupter doesn't help if the Pendo is 200 yards away - thats what the traps are for and - imho - should have done a better job at deflecting the errant wagons away from the running line.

3 x BYA Wagons from South Wales were taken North on 6M73, Margam - Hardendale and then attached to 6V71, Hardendale - Margam for movement (back) to Warrington Arpley and onwards to Stoke Marcroft for maintenance - a long way round but utilising a train booked to stop at Arpley (6V71) rather than putting one inside to detach. More concerning seems to be that while the trap did it's job and derailed the wagons it looks like they still blocked a high speed line - it could have been a lot worse.

What was the official speed and what particular drivers did could vary considerably. I've seen a class 8 propelled into Lever's sidings at Port Sunlight over a trailing (ie facing when propelled) connection - different drivers interpreted the speed limiy quite differently.

May 1987

My lad was at Bidston but the power failure put paid to any decent shots.

66571

Very evocative - the silhouette of the signalman at the bells captured, a never to be repeated snapshot of time, his box was to be swept away 18 years later* by the October 1969 resignalling. * Wonder how many trains passed in the intervening years.