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And 2 far more significant constraints: (1) the long block section on the old GC/MSL from Woodburn Jcn to Woodhouse Jcn restricts capacity, at least 12 mins between trains. (2) a Northern service from Hope Valley to Sheffield via Barrow Hill would have to reverse at Chesterfield P3. Not good use...

Or indeed, with a brake fault, isolation and release of some or all brakes on the failed unit. Almost certainly, the unit cannot be used in passenger service with brakes degraded, especially on the front portion. Also, having the assisting unit in front of such a fault will be preferred when...

Example: Come into London at KGX. 5 min change to Picc, 1h03(ish) to T2/3, total1h08. Lizzie needs transfer to Farringdon or Tottenham Court Rd plus transfer there, say 15 mins, and 36-40 mins on lizzie. Total 51-55 mins. HEx needs transfer to Paddington on H&C tube, 5mins in plus 15 mins on...

That's the reason that many modern installations have point heaters, to melt ice and snow (if the heaters are working, of course). During falling snow, traditional mechanical signalling rules require regular movement of points required for operation of services, to prevent build up of snow in...

Materials standards in modern build trains are governed by EN45545:2021 ( and older versions back to 1990s) which puts some strict controls on flammability of all materials (strictest for underground use especially with limited means of escape, and sleepers, than for above ground use only). But...

Wolverhampton P6 (bay N end of P1), Signalling for passenger trains to leave, but only possible to enter by a shunt move. Back in the 70s & 80s Shrewsbury line trains departed from there (presumably having terminated P2B & then shunted across), but nothing timetabled for decades AFAIK.

Quite. Although around 30 mins there and the same after suggests it might well have happened exactly at Grindleford, just out of the tunnel, messing up timings. It also isn't easy or that reassuring to explain that the fire suppression systems work pretty darn well these days, so much so that...

And something odd happened to the consequentially delayed 2S85 Sheffield - Picc, which terminated short at Ashburys due to a Train Crew issue & then continued ECS (5S85) to Piccadilly. Looks like the crew must have been so short of hours as to be unable to do the last 5 minutes of the journey...

The TPO is apparently expected back in service in 2025, according to that Main Line magazine article. Announcements will surely be made when it happens! The Autumn Gala this coming weekend (Thursday to Sunday) should have something like 6 steam and a diesel loco, with 3 passenger trains plus a...

A slightly different scenario in 1980; Leander will have been an assisting engine (run as 1Z99), in one of the exact scenarios for which wrong line working rules are designed. Not permitted for convenience... which is what running round constitutes. Whilst there is another way to do the run...

Whilst there are crossovers at both Kikby Stephen and Appleby, a run round of the diesel would have involved two wrong direction moves through the block sections. It takes time to set such moves up and control authority is required as it is an emergency-only action. An MoM might also be...

Looking at a picture in the BBC article the wheel does not look very vertical, indeed it looks to be off the axle. Now this could just be the angle of the picture, or the behavior of these wheelsets, but it does look rather odd!

AIUI, there is very limited electronics in 60s / early 70s PSB installations, they are primarily relays, buttons, switches, lights and a whole lot of wiring. It is the wire (insulation) and relays ( suffering metal migration into the insulation) that are life expired and not replaceable without...

Likely skipping Hadley Wood on the up to minimise delays / maximise throughput - a station stop typically consumes 1 or 2 paths on the slow. So, it's inconvenience for the Hadley Wood passengers (who must use another station or go round a longer way to use trains calling at the down platform)...

This weekend (31 Aug - 1 Sep), Tornado (60163) is running on the GCR for the first time after overhaul. Some extra passenger services running in the daytime, with 3 passenger sets in service. Also, it will be hauling the evening dining service, and bookings are still open, so if you fancy...

That will be good to see. More passenger services this weekend on a special timetable (4 trips daily for 60163, 3 each for the other locos) with 3 passenger sets plus the dining set, and 60163 is booked to work the dining train in the evening. But no freight this weekend. Well that should...

1.5 weeks ago it was in very light steam outside Loughborough shed while various minor issues were found and attended to. Lots of careful tweaks going on into the evening! Which has now paid off, it seems.

Well, yes, it can be. Frankly on any day!But with more options. That depends on what shunting becomes operationally necessary. Depending on the timetable, some smart operation (with careful planning, and communication) is required at times to keep things moving, and especially on gala days. It...

So the GCR has, in my experience, mostly good timekeeping, but of course it varies with issues encountered. On the whole, it's only slightly adrift, and staff seem to get fairly uncomfortable beyond a 10-15 min delay. Of course, the GCR is blessed with the operational flexibility of double...

Of course, the French do exactly that... 'mille neuf cent quatre-vingt quatre'. Each language has its natural feel, and in translation, or viewed from another language, it often looks/ feels weird. The French were doing 24h clock (muxed with 12 hour, just to add to the fun) way before the...