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3946  Sideshoots - associated subjects / The Lighter Side / Re: Operating Puzzle on: September 25, 2008, 10:19:07
Spot on terminal junkie. U1 uses the down loop after a manual point change.

It's actually Schierkeon the line to the Brocken.

It seems to be a timetabled move when a special from Wernigerode to the Brocken is run.

U1 is the special usually Mallet hauled, U2 is the next service train to the Brocken and folows the special. DW is a return service train.

To allow U2 to keep to its booked times it overtakes the special at Schierke.

Even more remarkable is that the line to the summit is a complete spiral. It's quite something to be on U2 and look up the mountain to see U1 coming round the spiral at a higher level 100 metres above your train. Although U2 is something like 5kms behind by rail.

The Harz system shows what can be done with a railway combining as it does steam hauled tourist trains all year round, enthusiasts specials including photo stops, a community rail service for the locals with railcars particualrly for school children, an extension of the Nordhausen tram system to serve the North Western suburbs and a heavy freight railway.

It can be done Portishead! Trams to Bristol centre, railcars to BTM (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)) with a plume of steam for some services plus the freight. They can all run on the same rails.

 

3947  Sideshoots - associated subjects / The Lighter Side / Re: Operating Puzzle on: September 24, 2008, 21:50:12
Good try termianl junkie but its simpler in practice, you are right that U1 is the only train that has to reverse.

Remember you can manually change one point. Contrary to normal running in the country C is up loop D is down loop. Points are  trailable and return to normal   ABC, FED.

Your way works without needing the manual point change.
3948  Journey by Journey / Plymouth and Cornwall / Re: Barrier strike on: September 24, 2008, 12:19:12
My first job at Waterloo was as a filing clerk in the SW Division office.

We cross referenced files under the station concerned. Sunningdale had lots of entries . "Car hit gates (date and time.)" In those days the road was the A30 (no M3) and the gates were swung across the road. No warninglights either.

So it's nothing new.
3949  Sideshoots - associated subjects / The Lighter Side / Operating Puzzle on: September 24, 2008, 12:08:33
Something to keep you amused it comes from my favourite railway see previous post.

You have a single line with a station with a loop equipped with R^ckfallweiche (or hydraulic self resetting points as per the Highland lines) at either end.

You have two up trains  and one down train.

How does the second up train overtake the first up train and both up trains pass the down train?

Hint it requires only one manual point change and I have the video.
3950  Sideshoots - associated subjects / The Lighter Side / Re: Wezis? on: September 22, 2008, 12:35:44
Canada or US?

Go for US because of the fences but then again the telegraph poles could be Canada.

 
3951  Sideshoots - associated subjects / The Lighter Side / Safety Nightmare on: September 22, 2008, 11:00:25
How to use a railway.

All four types of traction share the same track mostly single as well.

Ages range from 1897 to 2004. Mallet and ED tram/train. The tram is on diesel here.
Railcar 1999
Loco built 1976 as standard gauge B B rebuilt 1990 as metre gauge C C. It's radio controlled, the loaded hoppers are propelled down a 1:30 gradient with the driver standing on the first wagon with the controller. The narrow gauge rollboks are braked, the standard gauge wagons have outlets on their braking system with pipes coupled to the rollboks.  Yes, they really are standard gauge hoppers.

What a way to run a railway, far too dangerous!




3952  Sideshoots - associated subjects / The Lighter Side / Re: Wezis? on: September 22, 2008, 10:05:45
If we knew where grahame went on holiday it might give us a clue.


I'm tending towards Australia, but may be wrong.
3953  Sideshoots - associated subjects / The Lighter Side / Re: Wezis? on: September 21, 2008, 14:17:37
Commonwealth (Canada or Australia) or US?
3954  Journey by Journey / Portsmouth to Cardiff / Re: Staffing Issues Related To Cardiff? (16/09/2008) on: September 17, 2008, 10:06:48
Industrial action by Arriva Trains Wales driver managers. It resulted in some drivers refusing to cross the picket line.

How have ATW (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC (Train Operating Company))) managed to upset their driver mangers?
3955  All across the Great Western territory / Fare's Fair / Re: Ticket Machines - machines missing or broken, and penalty fare implications (merged topics) on: September 15, 2008, 10:24:31
Unofficial word is that persons unknown attempted to 'borrow' the machine...using a 'borrowed' 4x4.  Vehicle came off worse according to my source.

Yes, thanks indeed, G.Uard!  Wink

Now, the question perhaps arises: if these ^20,000 ticket machines are apparently 4x4-proof ... why aren't they also water-proof Huh

 Grin

Why aren't they also water-proof Huh Good question, it's attention to detail again like watering toilets.
3956  Sideshoots - associated subjects / Campaigns for new and improved services / Re: Weston South Chord on: September 15, 2008, 10:19:31
Does anyone know detials re the possible reinstatement of the Weston south chord (presumably allow trains to go through Weston then back up the main line to Bristol). I saw a passing reference hidden in a council publication and started wondering about when and implications, eespecially for thsoe of us in Highbridge!

Not sure what you mean a I thought stoppers from Taunton to Bristol went round through WSM.

Do you mean the provison of a triangle at Up Hill Junction (Southern end of Weston Loop)?

Not sure why it would be needed there would seem to be  plenty of other places to put in triangles before this one.
3957  Journey by Journey / Shorter journeys in Devon / Re: Proposed new station at Marsh Barton, near Exeter on: September 15, 2008, 10:08:45
however there is still the issue of slow stopping trains calling at an extra stop would mess up the timetables unless two extra tracks were put in place but the bill is going up and up

Interesting thought where history might provide a clue. one of the last mainlines the GW (Great Western)/GC» (Great Central Railway - link to heritage line) Joint and GW links between Marylebone Aynho most staions were built with 4 tracks with through lines and platform loops. Sadly most of these have gone and Chiltern are having to put some back at great expense.

On the West of England mainline you had 4 tracks for 7 miles or so from Cogload to Norton Fitzwarren platform loops at Wellington (Som) Samford Peverell, Tiverton Jn (old) Cullumpton
and Stoke Cannon. There appear to also have been freight loops at Hele. Most of which have gone.

From what I've read Network Rail seem to looking at some form of standard modules for station buildings and other structures. It would seem possible to extend this concept to a modular four track layout with standardised high speed points, signals and a plug in interlocking. Thus having prepapared the foundations and track bed the complete new station, track and signals are  erected on site from prefabricated components bought to site. As the new platforms are away from the running lines there should be little disruption to services say 4 x 12 hour possesions one for each point and maybe another for signal testing. You might need a temporary speed restriction through the site but with careful planning this could be made as short as possible.

It's not new, the Southern did it with concrete components from Exemouth Junction, still extant on the St Helier and Chessington South lines.
3958  All across the Great Western territory / Your rights and redress / Re: Quick Turn Around leave trains toilet-less on: September 14, 2008, 18:42:19
Watering toilets is called attention to detail.

It's something that seems to have been lost in these days of concept driven, branded journey opportunities each with their unique selling points, thought up by the marketeers.

What they don't realise is that one waterless toilet for one passenger on their one train journey a year blows all their work apart.

3959  All across the Great Western territory / Your rights and redress / Re: Quick Turn Around leave trains toilet-less on: September 14, 2008, 11:22:09
Blame the "bean counters":

Watering facilities have to maintained, manned, the trains have be in place long enough to refill the tanks all of which add to TOCS costs.

The only way to guarentee fully operable toilets on all journies is to make it part of the performance regime and fine (heavily) the TOC (Train Operating Company) for every out-of-service toilet on a train.
3960  All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: What's a Chord? on: September 14, 2008, 11:05:11
According to R. A. Cooke link 3 was officially  called the Bristol Loop.

No. 4 has no name whilst 2 is the Bristol Relief line. Also there was loop to form a Bath facing triangle with 4. Thus trains from from the Frome and North Somerset Line could travel towards Bath and trains from Bath could avoid BTM (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)) via the Relief line.

I found an old Railway Annual with an article on Summer Satursdays at BTM in the fifties. A number of trains were booked Relief line and Bristol loop to avoid BTM.



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