Bi-Di Signalling - Wellingborough to Leicester

[richa2002]

Between Harrowden Junction (Wellingborough) & Leicester, the railway is signalled for bi-directional operation. Does anyone actually recall this being used? It seems to me the intention was to allow freight trains to be overtaken by the half hourly HST that was the only passenger service when resignalling took place? With there being many more passenger services since the late 90s, has it seen any use since then?

 

[LowLevel]

Between Harrowden Junction (Wellingborough) & Leicester, the railway is signalled for bi-directional operation. Does anyone actually recall this being used? It seems to me the intention was to allow freight trains to be overtaken by the half hourly HST that was the only passenger service when resignalling took place? With there being many more passenger services since the late 90s, has it seen any use since then?

It gets used quite frequently between Market Harborough and Kilby Bridge if there's signalling or train problems - it is a bit temperamental though with it being prone to getting "stuck" in the wrong direction when used.

 

[Bald Rick]

It seems to me the intention was to allow freight trains to be overtaken by the half hourly HST that was the only passenger service when resignalling took place?

No it was put in to enable maintenance on one line, and also to get out of trouble in the case of a failure. Don’t forget that much of Wellingboro’ to Kettering was only 2 track at that time.

 

[richa2002]

Thank you both.

 

[louis97]

It used to get used (pre-covid) quite regularly on Sunday mornings between Wigston North and Kettering North. I've been on a train more than once on a sunday morning that did it.

 

[45Fox]

When the signalling was initially comissioned (1986 & 1987) it was bi-directional only between Leicester and Wigston, this could be used at any time.
Wigston to Harrowden was reversible, use of it had to be published in advance, in the Weekly Operating Notice; if one of the (then) two lines was blocked at other times then Pilotman Working had to introduced over the unobstructed line.

The entire section was reclassified as bi-directional about 20 years ago.

 

[NeakPed]

When the signalling was initially comissioned (1986 & 1987) it was bi-directional only between Leicester and Wigston, this could be used at any time.
Wigston to Harrowden was reversible, use of it had to be published in advance, in the Weekly Operating Notice; if one of the (then) two lines was blocked at other times then Pilotman Working had to introduced over the unobstructed line.

The entire section was reclassified as bi-directional about 20 years ago.

Unless it has changed, there are still restrictions on the implementation in ‘un-planned’ situations.
It used to be the case that the 1st train through under bi-di had to inform any staff working on/near the line that bi-di had been implemented.
It could also only used for ‘failure’ situations & not for regulating purposes.
As stated, Leicester-Wigston North is bi-di without restriction.