Only the 0434 and 0534 Reading to Gatwick Airport services got though this morning before signalling issues and a tree on the line between Guildford and Reigate messed up the service for the rest of the day.

Given that this line has very few signals and a train every half hour at most, what kind of signalling problem can mess up the whole service all day?  Shalford to Reigate is basically simple two-line railway with unused crossovers at Gomshall and Betchworth.  There are are a number of level crossings but drivers could be instructed to take the train at walking pace past these and the service could be thinned.

I don't see how you can have signalling problems that suspend the service on this line.

Pity those travelling to Gatwick but also FGW to be thanked for running a Redhill-Reigate shuttle even though the rest of the service was messed up.


Jonathan

According to local radio when I was in that area the signalling problems were caused by flooding.

In my days the rule book wording from the signalman to the driver was along the lines of:

Pass signal NNN at danger proceed with caution to ..... be prepared to stop short of any obstruction.

So off the trains trudled at 10-15 mph.   

So if the line is not physically blocked it will get through and the next trian can be sent under caution until the signalling is fixed.