TheSignalEngineer

I've only ever experienced standard traffic lights with gates, never with open or auto barrier crossings. The advantage with gates is that there is a large obstruction across the road and the signals are not cleared until they are closed to road traffic and the signalman can see that the crossing is clear.

Back in the 1960s we had a lot of line wire thefts along the Camp Hill line in Birmingham. As the line was being resignalled we replaced the wires with galvanised fence wire we got off the Pway. There was only one more attempt at theft which was abandoned when they realised what we had done. Another favourite was to take track crcuit bonds, many of which were still copper in those days. By that time we were using iron for them. The thieves would go along scraping each bond to find which ones were worth stealing. When new cables for MAS were being laid they started disappearing almost immediately. We wired alarm circuits through them to the signal box so a bell rang if they were cut. Power cables were connected to the 650v supply as soon as we could, which had a remarkable effect on the number of thefts. We found a melted hacksaw blade embedded in one, bet it gave the holder a bit of a tingling sensation.

Been there, done that in 1968.

Nothing to do with snagging the wires. Experience had shown that clearance allowances for flashovers on the original 25kv electrification were over generous and could be reduced. Along with some tweaks to OLE design It made considerably savings on the amount and cost of bridge reconstructions required.

First Brush 4's arrived at Oxley in November 1963. I don't think that they took over all Birmingham diagrams until the 1964 timetable. Even then the 1000s could still turn up on OOC workings or subbing for a failed Oxley Duff.

Sad news. I didn't know Mike personally but his posts were worth reading as he knew lots about the big railway. Another old school railwayman sadly gone.

I can remember ordinary traffic lights on at least two crossings I was involved with many years ago. The one at Northampton Bridge Street is long gone. The Lincoln Street one at Nottingham must be one of the worst to drive across in the whole country. Originally a gated crossing through the middle of a light controlled road junction it is now CCTV with wigwags at the barriers and a parallel NET line with tramway signals. The whole lot has traffic lights on the approaches which are interlinked with the crossing controls so that the roads across the crossing are at red but the non-conflicting moves can take place with the barriers down. Returning to the topic, all of the crossings on the ELR would need to be reviewed in the event of an increased service. The only one which is relatively new and I think complies with current standards for anything other than LRO operation at low speed is the one at Rawtenstall West.

Going back to existing infrastructure, there are other crossings which would probably require upgrading if there was a regular commuter service. Near Irwell Vale station there is a gated user worked crossing with no warnings for road users other than signs. The visibility at 25 mph would be about 20-25 seconds with current vegetation. At the moment it is not a problem as except for a few instances after dark in winter all trains stop at Irwell Vale. There is speed restriction of 10mph in the Summerseat area which I believe is due to inadequate visibility at a footpath crossing. This would require warning lights to be provided in order for the speed to be raised as visibility northbound would be about 10 seconds maximum at 25mph. Moving on to the Heywood line the level crossing at Green Lane is already an automatic open crossing. This may need reviewing and upgrading if there was a regular service due to the adjacent road junction into an industrial estate causing blocking back when HGVs turn in and out. At the Network Rail boundary there is a user worked crossing on a nondescript dirt track. There is evidence that access to this is still used on both sides of the railway, but the crossing could probably be closed off if not already disused. Another heavy cost item is that Burrs and Irwell Vale stations do not have any lighting so cannot be used after dark. This would have to be installed if a regular service were to be provided at these two places. Returning to @The Stationmaster's comment about traffic lights at Ramsbottom, they were certainly useful yesterday. Whilst I was waiting on a train during the Steam Gala the road traffic was blocking back over the crossing from the Railway Street junction. It was a case of putting the lights to red and waiting for the traffic to sort itself out before swinging the gates. That would rule out any automatic operation and even make CCTV working a fun game for a remote signaller.

And three level crossings that probably wouldn't qualify for automation with line speed running, so either the present manning to be retained or cctv operation may be needed. Based on trains around Manchester which use class 319 or 323 units a service of the distance of Bury to Rawtenstall with a similar number of stations takes about 18 minutes each way plus turnback times so a 30 minute interval service without a passing loop is not possible. For a service like that to be robust needs a line occupation density of no more than about 70%. I had experience if BR trying to run at 85% capacity on a single line and it was a disaster. I was on that job and it took a lot of creative accounting on both the BR and Council sides to get that through. I was also heavily involved in getting the Thameslink line put back and the Birmingham Snow Hill job. In the latter instance right from closing it to being on the reopening train with Johnny TwoJags.

Double post deleted.

Here's one I took earlier, eight years and three days earlier (12-10-2014) to be precise Or perhaps even earlier 03-08-2011

Has had part time traffic lights operated when the box is open for some time now.

Got lost on the way back from Barnstaple. They seemed to get collected at convenient points for return to the docks as required. It was common for us to see a Sunday afternoon special train of empties from Birmingham to Avonmouth when a boat was due in.

Looking back through old WTTs 1959 - 64 for my old area we had a variety of paths booked. All were runs as required. They included:- Southampton Docks to Crewe via the OWW, Wombourne, Oxley, Wellington and Market Drayton. That would be a good candidate for SR vans. Southampton Docks to Banbury Southampton Docks to Birmingham Moor Street via Banbury. Avonmouth to Moor Street via North Warwicks Line Avonmouith to Moor Street via Abbotswood, Worcester, Stourbridge Jn and Old Hill. Avonmouth to Water Orton via Lickey Avonmouth to Banbury or Woodford Halse via Didcot Barry Docks to Bradford via Cheltenham, Stratford upon Avon, Leamington Spa, Banbury (reverse) and Woodford Halse Some other WR paths missing us were Barry Docks to Crewe Barry Docks to Acton or OOC

Regarding smaller consignments/depots. There was a shed in the old Grand Junction Railway yard at Curzon Street until the mid 1960s. I don't remember there being any block trains there. Nicholls, wholesalers of fruit and vegetables in Birmingham, had their own ripering room in Moor Street Goods at one time.

Anything trying to thunder through WO at 90 would probably end up ina heap against the bridge

Looks very much like a signal hole I remember digging next to an old brickworks claypit. Six feet down in solid clay in the middle of a drought. As the 'baby' of the gang I ended up down the hole breaking out the last foot with a steel bar and lump hammer. I cut out the absolute minimum, taking a few tips from my grandad who was sometimes called the 'means test man' as when he was digging the hole was usually the smallest possible size to fit the job. After nearly 50 years on the job I think he knew how to achieve any result with the minimum possible effort.

Stockport Plaza, which incidentally is celebrating its 90th birtday today, has a fine example of a Compton. It was built for the cinema's opening and was the first to have illuminated sunburst side panels. It is still is use. https://www.cinema-organs.org.uk/venues/plaza-theatre/

You obviously didn't know how to balance one on the weight bar.

I remember one morning travelling in the front of a Class 116 Power Twin off the North Warwickshire Line into Moor Street. We accelerated very sharply out of Tyseley and reached about the 60mph line speed approaching Small Heath. As we passed the AWS magnet for the signal in the platform the driver remembered he was supposed to stop there. The brake went in and we came to a halt perfectly positioned in the platform

Correct.

When I was at work I sometimes had to use the car and occasionally had to drive M6 J6 or J7 to J19 then M56 onto M60 anticlockwise to get home. On a Friday afternoon that was impossible, regularly taking in excess of four hours for what on most days was a two hour max journey. I found it was quicker at some times to go A38 to the A50 then turn off through Ashbourne to Buxton.

Now I would be interested in a couple of those

We had a word for those things, or two words actually. Neither is permissible on the site for fear of falling foul of the Purity Police or Political Correctness.

I usually go to Wigan but the train strike on Saturday makes things difficult. The drive can be anything up to 2 hours each way, (been there, did that the first time I went but never again). Sunday engineering works would have meant over an hour to get as far as Manchester on the replacement bus instead of the usual 30 minutes by train and there was also a contest between the local bladder kickers to negotiate. This year I've missed three shows I usually attend because of strikes and train cancellations due to TOCs not doing what they supposed to and major roadworks diversions making alternatives difficult.