South Acton Southbound starter signal

[heart-of-wessex]

Hello all,

Trying to find video reference but cab rides seem to be from Richmond towards Willesden, and any other youtube video from the platform only shows the signal once the train is leaving for Richmond

For a route set from South Acton to Gunnersbury, is the starter signal south of the station approach control or is it set and clear in advance? I know there's a Level Crossing round the corner don't know how early barriers go down

Any help appreciated!

 

[NSEWonderer]

Hello all,

Trying to find video reference but cab rides seem to be from Richmond towards Willesden, and any other youtube video from the platform only shows the signal once the train is leaving for Richmond

For a route set from South Acton to Gunnersbury, is the starter signal south of the station approach control or is it set and clear in advance? I know there's a Level Crossing round the corner don't know how early barriers go down

Any help appreciated!

The starter signal at south Acton before the Junction spends most of its time set at red for movement towards Richmond. Usually clears to a single yellow(if the barriers are down) as the train which is coming slowly in(due to the red) arrives, conducts and completes station duties.

From what I've seen it looks to be manually cleared once the barriers are down as the starter signal protects the level crossing and Junction which only sets in the Richmond direction once the prior is complete.

 

[Belperpete]

If they are full barriers, then they will probably be controlled by the signaller. For a train that will be stopping at the station, the signaller will take the station stop into account when deciding when to lower the barriers, and hence when the signal clears. If the barriers are lowered automatically, the signalling will likewise take the station stop into account when calculating when to lower the barriers, to avoid the barriers being down an unnecessarily long time.

 

[Dr_Intoxicated]

When there was a level crossing at Feltham (full barrier) The barriers always come down before the train was allowed to approach the station even though the train was booked to stop.

 

[zwk500]

When there was a level crossing at Feltham (full barrier) The barriers always come down before the train was allowed to approach the station even though the train was booked to stop.

Some (not sure on criteria, maybe all?) level crossings within overlaps must be closed before the signal can be cleared.

 

[heart-of-wessex]

I know if the crossing is just past a station the crossing will be down beforehand even if something is stopping there IIRC for safety reasons if a train overshoots the platform. The crossing past South Acton is round the corner but the junction off to Gunnersbury is 25mph, coming from a linespeed of 45mph so unsure if it's approach control anyway

Just looked on Google maps at Bollo Lane LC, looks like a busy road, so I'd imagine it's not set too early, one assumes as mentioned the signal is set once the train is in the station, a set up like Bradford-on-Avon where a button on the platform is pressed once the train i ready but the guard does that

There used to be a Bollo Lane Level Crossing box but unsure if that's still in operation can't see it on streetview, there is CCTV at the crossing so might be remote operated nowadays

 

[NSEWonderer]

Im pretty sure it isn't approach controlled.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Dec 2025 ==

I know if the crossing is just past a station the crossing will be down beforehand even if something is stopping there IIRC for safety reasons if a train overshoots the platform. The crossing past South Acton is round the corner but the junction off to Gunnersbury is 25mph, coming from a linespeed of 45mph so unsure if it's approach control anyway

Just looked on Google maps at Bollo Lane LC, looks like a busy road, so I'd imagine it's not set too early, one assumes as mentioned the signal is set once the train is in the station, a set up like Bradford-on-Avon where a button on the platform is pressed once the train i ready but the guard does that

There used to be a Bollo Lane Level Crossing box but unsure if that's still in operation can't see it on streetview, there is CCTV at the crossing so might be remote operated nowadays

Bollo lane is now a CCTV full barrier level crossing.

 

[Steve Harris]

I know if the crossing is just past a station the crossing will be down beforehand even if something is stopping there IIRC for safety reasons if a train overshoots the platform. The crossing past South Acton is round the corner but the junction off to Gunnersbury is 25mph, coming from a linespeed of 45mph so unsure if it's approach control anyway

Just looked on Google maps at Bollo Lane LC, looks like a busy road, so I'd imagine it's not set too early, one assumes as mentioned the signal is set once the train is in the station, a set up like Bradford-on-Avon where a button on the platform is pressed once the train i ready but the guard does that

There used to be a Bollo Lane Level Crossing box but unsure if that's still in operation can't see it on streetview, there is CCTV at the crossing so might be remote operated nowadays

I've just had a look at Open Train Times maps section and according to them the signalling which protects the crossings is controlled from Acton Wells (AW). Also by looking at Google streetview you can see that CCTV camera's were installed at Bollo Lane sometime between 2008 and 2012, which would suggest control of the crossing has moved from Bollo Lane to somewhere else and as the signalling is now controlled from AW I'd say the crossing is to.

I would look at the Sectional Appendix but they're known to have out of date data, lol

 

[RailwayRookie]

Some (not sure on criteria, maybe all?) level crossings within overlaps must be closed before the signal can be cleared.

Not all, but one I operate within an overlap has its preceding signal approach released and within sighting distance of the crossing and its protecting signal.

 

[Ian Hardy]

According to the Trackmaps Eastern Book edn 6, both the Richmond Line and the Kew Line Bollo Lane crossings are CCTV controlled from Acton Wells Signal Box. Both crossings are fully barriered.
The Bollo Lane signal box has not been demolished as it is Grade II listed: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1323687

 

[godfreycomplex]

Some (not sure on criteria, maybe all?) level crossings within overlaps must be closed before the signal can be cleared.

That was certainly the case at Feltham

In regards of Acton Wells many signallers will not lower the barriers for a stopping passenger train until close to that train’s booked departure time, to minimise barrier lowering times. This does vary, depending on time/season/other safety factors

 

[Bald Rick]

I've just had a look at Open Train Times maps section and according to them the signalling which protects the crossings is controlled from Acton Wells (AW). Also by looking at Google streetview you can see that CCTV camera's were installed at Bollo Lane sometime between 2008 and 2012, which would suggest control of the crossing has moved from Bollo Lane to somewhere else and as the signalling is now controlled from AW I'd say the crossing is to.

I would look at the Sectional Appendix but they're known to have out of date data, lol

Bollo Lane (and Kew East Jn) closed in 2012 and control transferred to Acton Wells Jn.

Bollo Lane was a lovely little box. But busy and the siggys were not overly popular with local road users. I got a bit of abuse there a few times!

 

[Steve Harris]

Bollo Lane (and Kew East Jn) closed in 2012 and control transferred to Acton Wells Jn.

Bollo Lane was a lovely little box. But busy and the siggys were not overly popular with local road users. I got a bit of abuse there a few times!

I can't believe anyone would hurl abuse at you Bald Rick.

 

[Belperpete]

Some (not sure on criteria, maybe all?) level crossings within overlaps must be closed before the signal can be cleared.

As I recall, the requirement used to be that if the protecting signal was less than 50 yards from the crossing, the barriers had to be down before the signal in rear could be cleared to allow the train to approach. For platform starting signals, that was reduced to 25 yards. So not overlap distance.

In such cases, once the train has been timed to a stand in the platform, the crossing can be reopened to road users. However, having the crossing close for a couple of minutes and then reopen without a train passing over, would probably make the signaller unpopular with road users, particularly if done regularly.

In some cases, where crossings are outside these distances, over-run anticipation controls have been fitted. If a train approaches too fast, then the crossing will be triggered automatically (in a similar way as happens if a train is detected over running the protecting signal at danger, but in this case without waiting for the train to actually overrun).

 

[zwk500]

As I recall, the requirement used to be that if the protecting signal was less than 50 yards from the crossing, the barriers had to be down before the signal in rear could be cleared to allow the train to approach. For platform starting signals, that was reduced to 25 yards. So not overlap distance.

Ah, interesting to know the requirements (even if they've been superseded, they probably haven't changed all that much!) Obviously 50 yards would be within nearly all overlaps so it's easy to see why myself and others have made the connection.

 

[Belperpete]

Ah, interesting to know the requirements (even if they've been superseded, they probably haven't changed all that much!) Obviously 50 yards would be within nearly all overlaps so it's easy to see why myself and others have made the connection.

In most cases, they would just put the protecting signal 50 yards or more away from the crossing. I suspect that most cases where protecting signals are very close are platform starting signals with a crossing immediately beyond, so 25 yards would have applied.

 

[Bald Rick]

I can't believe anyone would hurl abuse at you Bald Rick.

West London innit.
And I’m quite used to it, don’t worry! Had some today. Such is life on the railway.

 

[class397tpe]

That was certainly the case at Feltham

In regards of Acton Wells many signallers will not lower the barriers for a stopping passenger train until close to that train’s booked departure time, to minimise barrier lowering times. This does vary, depending on time/season/other safety factors

Certainly does seem to vary based on the time of day at this crossing - usually quite snappy during the day time, but have routinely had waits of 3-5 minutes later at night where the barriers are brought down before the Richmond-bound train even arrives in the platform.