Swindon - facilities, improvements, signalling, events and incidents, including GWR history - merged posts

[whole diary]

[bobm]

The map at Open Train Times has been updated following last week's resignalling works.

By combining two maps you can now see the signal aspects from east of Reading to Thingley Junction if that's what you want.

[SandTEngineer]

Just a small reminder that Swindon Panel closes for good this coming Saturday (20 February 2016). RIP .......but not quite as the actual panel will then be moved into preservation for all to see at Didcot Railway Centre 

[John R]

Looks like the honour of being the last train controlled by it fell to the 2245 Paddington to Swansea (according to RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website)).  RIP.

[Red Squirrel]

7 - 5 - 5

[Western Pathfinder]

Ding Ding.

[TonyK]

3-4-2-2

[Western Pathfinder]

7-5-5 I think as I'm not aware of what 3-4-2-2 means.

[Billhere]

7-5-5 Box switching out.

Local bell codes took all shapes and forms (sounds!). They were used as route describers for Signalmen at junction boxes. That one may be one that was used in the Swindon area.

At Oxford in the 60's trains going North for either the Bletchley line or the Cotswolds were belled as 1-3 (branch train) regardless of which route they going on. Station North Box used to initiate the bell code for the information of North Junction (for the Bletchley line) or Wolvercot for the Cotswolds. They then reverted to their proper bell code from there on. It was information and saved phone calls.

Freight trains for those lines ran as 1-2 instead of the class of freight code used once they cleared Oxford.

I used to go to boxes in the Paddington  area in the mid 60's where there were special codes for virtually everything.

[Stroud Valleys]

Now that Swindon has finally closed now  , what's next on the list of signalling networks to transfer to the Didcot Signalling Centre

[bobm]

I read somewhere that part of Bristol Panel moves in the next few months.

[IndustryInsider]

To concur with 'Bobm', I believe it was supposed to be Oxford, but I have a feeling that part of Bristol has now leapfrogged the queue and will be done in several stages starting this year.

[SandTEngineer]

Bristol is next.  I had started a new thread here: http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=16746.0

[IndustryInsider]

I knew I'd read that somewhere.  Just forgotten I'd read it here!  Thanks, 'SandTEngineer'!

[TonyK]

7-5-5 I think as I'm not aware of what 3-4-2-2 means.

I cheated. I'm a former tin miner, not railwayman. At South Crofty mine, Redruth, IIRC^▸ ('if I recall/remember/read correctly') from 1974, 3 bells signalled that there were men in the cage, 4-2 was for 380 fathom level, and 2 indicated that the direction of travel was down, as a sort of check digit. So 3-4-2-2 meant "down to 380 level, men on board".

[Billhere]

In another lifetime I was escorting a transformer at 4 mph towards Didcot Power Station. 297 tons of load on a 64 wheel trailer, 1 Scammell Contractor at the front pulling, 2 at the back pushing. 64 gears each in a straight line down the middle of the cab.

The head man was in the front tractor and he communicated with the others by bell code. Fascinating day, and a privilege to see true experts moving that sort of weight about.