Banbury - all the changes

[CommuterPigeon]

Apparently Chiltern's slam-door LHS is continuing to start/terminate at Bicester North as opposed to Banbury until further notice due to engineering works. Guessing at PM peak it gets cleared out the way somewhere before returning to Wembley Depot and that bit isn't complete yet?

 

[L&Y Robert]

Had a look at it all this morning (Tue 09). Station in use, trains coming and going, people getting on and off. I hesitate to say "Operating normally" because there are groups of orange army scratching about on several sites - particularly in the region of the new Chiltern depôt entrance/exit loop. Observed platform 4 in use - seems to be in use as a turn-back for some Chiltern services from the south. The very wide platform 3/4 has been divided down the middle by railings, painted in Chiltern Blue (horrid!) - but why? Is there some H&S rule about the width of island platforms, or what? Waste 'o money, I say. There seems to be lots of track, the several roads disappear into the distance without making connection to their neighbours in the visible view - except for the depôt access points. Signals all led type - all working. North Box still stands, now just a 19th C relic.

 

[BanburyBlue]

The village itself thinks it's King's Sutton (like King's Cross, King's Norton and King's Lynn). http://www.kingssutton.org/
I don't know what the railway thinks, but Quail only has Cross/Lynn with an apostrophe.
Of course in some circumstances it could be Kings', but I can't think of an example of that (but there is a Queens' College in Cambridge).

Quail?

I believe Queens' college has the apostrophe at the end because two queens founded it?

I'm sure I've seen St James's Park station on the Underground with the apostrophe in different places (or indeed missing altogether).
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Had a look at it all this morning (Tue 09). Station in use, trains coming and going, people getting on and off. I hesitate to say "Operating normally" because there are groups of orange army scratching about on several sites - particularly in the region of the new Chiltern depôt entrance/exit loop. Observed platform 4 in use - seems to be in use as a turn-back for some Chiltern services from the south. The very wide platform 3/4 has been divided down the middle by railings, painted in Chiltern Blue (horrid!) - but why? Is there some H&S rule about the width of island platforms, or what? Waste 'o money, I say. There seems to be lots of track, the several roads disappear into the distance without making connection to their neighbours in the visible view - except for the depôt access points. Signals all led type - all working. North Box still stands, now just a 19th C relic.

I thought they were filling in the old Platform 2 bay, and assumed that would be like a proper platform, but looked like the other day they were putting railings around that too?

 

[swt_passenger]

There might be an issue with the slope across the platform, if the new P4 meets the latest standards for height and stepping distance then it might result in a falling gradient all the way towards the edge of P3.

I believe a newly built island would have falling gradients toward the middle, as a precaution against an unattended pram or pushchair rolling onto the tracks.

Not saying this is definitely the reason as I haven't been there, but it is a possibility.

 

[transmanche]

I'm sure I've seen St James's Park station on the Underground with the apostrophe in different places (or indeed missing altogether).

Indeed!

Source: quora.com.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

There might be an issue with the slope across the platform, if the new P4 meets the latest standards for height and stepping distance then it might result in a falling gradient all the way towards the edge of P3.

I believe a newly built island would have falling gradients toward the middle, as a precaution against an unattended pram or pushchair rolling onto the tracks.

Not saying this is definitely the reason as I haven't been there, but it is a possibility.

There's a fence between P4 and P3. It has several gateways along it, presumably this deals with any height differential between P4 and P3. A similar thing happened when P3 was rebuilt 30 minutes down the line at Dorridge.

 

[swt_passenger]

There's a fence between P4 and P3. It has several gateways along it, presumably this deals with any height differential between P4 and P3. A similar thing happened when P3 was rebuilt 30 minutes down the line at Dorridge.

I intended my post as a reply to the previous two posts, that had both mentioned mentioned the fence along P3/4. I should possibly have quoted some of it but didn't see the need for another repetition.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

Ah, serves me right for skimming the thread. AFAIK (And it might be incorrect info) the fence around the old north facing bay between 1 & 2 is simply down to a delay in getting enough concrete on site ahead of the public reopening. If that is the case then it will probably be filled in at the first available opportunity and the current fence will be removed.

 

[BanburyBlue]

I see the P2 repeater has changed colour - now goes green when the signal is off.

 

[Nippy]

Being pedantic, it should only show off+green when the signal is green.

 

[L&Y Robert]

Being pedantic, it should only show off+green when the signal is green.

Oh, you are a wag! A proper caution, I'll be bound!

 

[BanburyBlue]

Being pedantic, it should only show off+green when the signal is green.

thanks for clarifying, so what does it show when the signal is yellow or red?

 

[swt_passenger]

thanks for clarifying, so what does it show when the signal is yellow or red?

It is only the green aspect that is coloured on these new repeaters. The other conditions are same as a normal banner repeater, i.e. white with the black bar.

So a green aspect is green + off,
A yellow or double yellow aspect gives white + off,
A red aspect gives white + on.

AIUI they are not fitted generally in every new installation, there must be a decision process to decide whether the version capable of showing green is provided.

 

[Freightmaster]

Apparently Chiltern's slam-door LHS is continuing to start/terminate at Bicester North as opposed to Banbury until further notice due to engineering works. Guessing at PM peak it gets cleared out the way somewhere before returning to Wembley Depot and that bit isn't complete yet?

Bizarrely, it actually runs empty stock from Bicester North to Banbury!!


MARK

 

[t_star2001uk]

Bizarrely, it actually runs empty stock from Bicester North to Banbury!!


MARK

That is a move to place it on the depot departure road without having to make a double shunt and having 2 drivers.

 

[BanburyBlue]

Question. I was looking at RTT and 'opentraintimes.com' the other night. Now, the 2U90 Birmingham Snow Hill to Banbury train is showing as terminating on platform 1 (at 23.23). It also shows the 2L62 Oxford to Banbury train terminating on platform 1 (at 23.34).

On Wednesday night, the Birmingham Snow Hill train arrived into platform 1. However, although showing as terminating at platform 1 on RTT, the Oxford train actually terminated on platform 3 (to form the 2P99 back to Oxford I assume) according to 'opentraintimes.com.

On Thursday night, again the Birmingham Snow Hill train arrived into platform 1. This time though, the Oxford train also showed as terminated onto platform 1. So on 'opentraintimes.com' was showing as both trains on platform 1 at the same time.

Is this right, or am I missing something?

 

[The Planner]

Can't remember if permissive working was part of the re-sig, if it is then its possible for both to terminate on 1.

 

[L&Y Robert]

Pinched 20 mins from my BUSY schedule to have a look up the line from Grimsbury Green bridge today (12/08). All the elements of the layout in place and from the rail-head shine look operational. The signal gantry to the north has gone, clearly seen in OneTrackMind's pics. (posts 52, 56 on page 4). Two new signals much nearer the viewpoint replace it, designated "OL" - (what's that?). Stone sidings united before joining the down loop headshunt, but no sign of the "Yellow plant siding" shown on Mark Townsend's diagram (post 48)

 

[Freightmaster]

Two new signals much nearer the viewpoint replace it, designated "OL" - (what's that?).

Oxford to Leamington - new signal prefixes refer to the line of route these days,
rather than the controlling signalbox, so they don't have to be re-coded when a
signalbox closes.


MARK

 

[BanburyBlue]

Can't remember if permissive working was part of the re-sig, if it is then its possible for both to terminate on 1.

Interesting. Spend loads of money to build a fully flexible station layout, then stick 2 trains on the same platform at 11.30 at night when all the other platforms are empty

 

[MarkyT]

Can't remember if permissive working was part of the re-sig, if it is then its possible for both to terminate on 1.

The operating notice diagram up-thread shows position light signal heads on the inner homes approaching the station from all directions.

Interesting. Spend loads of money to build a fully flexible station layout, then stick 2 trains on the same platform at 11.30 at night when all the other platforms are empty

Queuing late night empties on platform #1 makes sense if they are then going straight into the new DMU depot arrival road. From #1 they will be able to enter the depot without additional shunting or conflict with other traffic.

 

[PHILIPE]

The operating notice diagram up-thread shows position light signal heads on the inner homes approaching the station from all directions.



Queuing late night empties on platform #1 makes sense if they are then going straight into the new DMU depot arrival road. From #1 they will be able to enter the depot without additional shunting or conflict with other traffic.

They would go into Depot attached.

 

[swt_passenger]

They would go into Depot attached.

One of the trains being discussed is operated by GWR, and IIRC it forms a departure to Paddington.

 

[mikestone1952]

I don't see the problem - the Birmingham had plenty of time to go to the depot reception before the Oxford arrived.

 

[John Webb]

I and a colleague from the preserved St Albans South box attended Banbury North today to assist as guides for the 4 tours to the North box that took place. There were around 18 people on each trip - some locals, some enthusiasts - some of the latter have travelled significance distances to see round the North box. Most of the chat was done by NR people who had worked in the box or others in the locality; we assisted with checking people in and out, guiding people to and from the box with the NR guys, and helping to answer questions when people were let free on the frame. An excellent 16 page souvenir booklet was given out to visitors, who were also given a souvenir "Edmundson" card ticket.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

It's nice to be able to wave at folk in the box again.

 

[L&Y Robert]

Coming into Banbury this afternoon at about 15-45 (Fri 09 Sep) on a Chiltern Train from BIcester we were held on the approaches, and the kiindly conductor expressed an apology for the delay and explained was "to allow a steam train to clear the station". And there was, too! Big maroon coloured engine southbound, and a single coach slid by the windows. What would this be? Coming from where, going to where? It might have been waiting on the up loop out of the way of normal traffic, or perhaps even on the main, but in any case my Chiltern would have had to cross his path to get into the new platform 4.

 

[OneTrackMind]

Coming into Banbury this afternoon at about 15-45 (Fri 09 Sep) on a Chiltern Train from BIcester we were held on the approaches, and the kiindly conductor expressed an apology for the delay and explained was "to allow a steam train to clear the station". And there was, too! Big maroon coloured engine southbound, and a single coach slid by the windows. What would this be? Coming from where, going to where? It might have been waiting on the up loop out of the way of normal traffic, or perhaps even on the main, but in any case my Chiltern would have had to cross his path to get into the new platform 4.

According to https://www.facebook.com/groups/BanburyNorthSignalBox/

LMS Princess Royal Class 6201 'Princess Elizabeth'
5Z48 1017 Butterley M.R.C. to St Philips Mrsh H S T D
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U10906/2016/09/09/advanced

There is also a picture of it on the group and some really good bits with Tornado on Thursday.

 

[L&Y Robert]

The operating notice diagram up-thread shows position light signal heads on the inner homes approaching the station from all directions.



Queuing late night empties on platform #1 makes sense if they are then going straight into the new DMU depot arrival road. From #1 they will be able to enter the depot without additional shunting or conflict with other traffic.

I remember seeing Chiltern rolling stock parked all over the place late at night at Banbury. But where do they put them now? The down bay has gone, the sidings off the down loop are no more, the old cattle dock siding on the up side has gone, and so has the up bay. There was a siding north of the station, but I don't think that's still there. For the time being there are no new sidings on the new depot - that's still a building site and the access track simply stops at the gate! So where are all those trains at night?

 

[BanburyBlue]

Yes, interesting question.

I do accept the efficiencies of the new streamlined, flexible layout. But, I do feel they've left themselves a tad exposed. There seems to be no redundancy to cope with issues - failed trains, carriages etc.

Would have thought some sidings would have been left in-situ to cover this.