Breakdown but no single line working

[Essexman]

Broken down train at Cambourne this morning so trains cancelled and replacement buses.

GWR say no single line working round breakdown as this would impact on westbound passengers. Would it not be better to keep trains running with delays rather than cancel? Or is there a technical reason why this couldn’t be done?

 

[pompeyfan]

Broken down train at Cambourne this morning so trains cancelled and replacement buses.

GWR say no single line working round breakdown as this would impact on westbound passengers. Would it not be better to keep trains running with delays rather than cancel? Or is there a technical reason why this couldn’t be done?

Too many crossings cited as the reason. As a result all crossing being used wrong road would require NR at each and every level crossing.

 

[Essexman]

Thanks.
Shame GWR aren’t explaining that to passengers.

 

[PHILIPE]

Single Line Working is becoming a thing of the past now, so much so that many Network Rail staff lack the expertise to operate it. Whereas at one time SLW would be used in Engineering possessions the whole route gets closed now.

 

[CC 72100]

Single Line Working is becoming a thing of the past now, so much so that many Network Rail staff lack the expertise to operate it. Whereas at one time SLW would be used in Engineering possessions the whole route gets closed now.

It's a fair point - SLW is a drain on resources and getting them all in the right place for SLW is a challenge.

These days there are also 'quicker' ways of implementing other types of degraded working. For example, instead of Temporary Block Working and getting the hand signallers to site, Emergency Special Working can be used instead. With SLW there is no quicker or less resource-intensive alternative.

Just a point re. Level crossings - this only applies for level crossings that aren't equipped with wrong direction controls. If they are equipped with wrong direction controls (recognisable by X50 boards and similar) then no human presence at the LC is required during single line working.

 

[PHILIPE]

The train involved was 1A79 0647 Penzance to Paddington and which failed at Camborne. Power Cars 43005 + 43144.

 

[Sunset route]

Single Line Working is becoming a thing of the past now, so much so that many Network Rail staff lack the expertise to operate it. Whereas at one time SLW would be used in Engineering possessions the whole route gets closed now.

Maybe in your part of the world, but the BML it’s takes place virtually once every two or three weeks, Saturday night into Sunday morning and that been like that for years.

 

[NSEFAN]

Maybe in your part of the world, but the BML it’s takes place virtually once every two or three weeks, Saturday night into Sunday morning and that been like that for years.

Isn't a lot of the BML signalled for bidi working? In which case, it must be far easier to set up since no pilotman is required?

 

[Sunset route]

Isn't a lot of the BML signalled for bidi working? In which case, it must be far easier to set up since no pilotman is required?

That is a very incorrect assumption, as only the section from Balcombe Tunnel Junction to Copyhold Junction has full Bi-Di, Hayward’s Heath to Keymer Junction is SIMBIDs and finally Keymer Junction to Preston Park is also SIMBIDs but is currently signed OOU with the modernisation of the FDM system to WESTPLEX as part of the current BML blockages. But none of these areas are used much in Bi-Di working let alone working by pailotman but it does give a useful get out of jail free card when the s*** hits the fan.

Th area where single line working takes place is on the four track section from East Croydon to Three Bridges where 3 of the 4 tracks are taken out of use under T3 possession. Usual locations are East Croydon to Coulsdon North GF (Up Fast / UP Quarry), South Croydon Junction to Stoats Nest Junction (Down Slow / Down Redhill), Purley to Redhill with an intermediate Hand signaller to create two sections (Down Slow / Down Redhill), Redhill and sometimes Easrlwood depending on blocking points to Gatwick Aiport (Up Redhill / Up Slow) and finally Gatwick Airport to Three Bridges (Up Slow).

 

[83G/84D]

This is the second HST failure in Cornwall recently after one failed near Bodmin last week. Both trains were running with one operational power car prior to failing.

The remaining HST fleet seems to be getting unreliable.

Ironically the original plans for resignalling Cornwall involved bi-directional signalling with crossovers every ten miles and controlling from Didcot. That never happened for various reasons.

 

[Essexman]

I was travelling from Torquay to Paddington. Intended to change onto train with Pullman restaurant but seeing these problems got the direct service which was busy but arrived only 10 minutes late. I suppose I could have waited, been two hours late and used the compensation to pay for lunch.
I travel to the West Country about once a month and there haven't been many trips without GWR issues this year.

 

[70014IronDuke]

Services to Paddington from the far SW were a shambles this morning

07.41 caped and 09.00 left 92 down. XC also caped.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/sea...05/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=passenger&order=wtt

 

[221129]

I was travelling from Torquay to Paddington. Intended to change onto train with Pullman restaurant but seeing these problems got the direct service which was busy but arrived only 10 minutes late. I suppose I could have waited, been two hours late and used the compensation to pay for lunch.
I travel to the West Country about once a month and there haven't been many trips without GWR issues this year.

You can't get compensation if you choose to delay yourself...

 

[Essexman]

You can't get compensation if you choose to delay yourself...

I realise that. I was going to catch the 12.41 from Newton Abbot and have lunch in restaurant, but left earlier on 11.38 from Torquay due to the delays. What I was saying is that I could have still gone for the 12.41, waited ages and got compensation as this was the train I had planned to catch. By going earlier I avoided delay, saved GWR paying me - but missed lunch!

 

[RPI]

SLW would also have been easier until the crossovers were removed at Roskear (just east of Camborne) a couple of years back

 

[Tunnel Bore]

That is a very incorrect assumption, as only the section from Balcombe Tunnel Junction to Copyhold Junction has full Bi-Di, Hayward’s Heath to Keymer Junction is SIMBIDs and finally Keymer Junction to Preston Park is also SIMBIDs but is currently signed OOU with the modernisation of the FDM system to WESTPLEX as part of the current BML blockages. But none of these areas are used much in Bi-Di working let alone working by pailotman but it does give a useful get out of jail free card when the s*** hits the fan.

Th area where single line working takes place is on the four track section from East Croydon to Three Bridges where 3 of the 4 tracks are taken out of use under T3 possession. Usual locations are East Croydon to Coulsdon North GF (Up Fast / UP Quarry), South Croydon Junction to Stoats Nest Junction (Down Slow / Down Redhill), Purley to Redhill with an intermediate Hand signaller to create two sections (Down Slow / Down Redhill), Redhill and sometimes Easrlwood depending on blocking points to Gatwick Aiport (Up Redhill / Up Slow) and finally Gatwick Airport to Three Bridges (Up Slow).

In 15 years of commuting I have only once been on a train that used the bidi signalling through Balcombe. A late night down train stopped at the up platform a Balcombe because there were works on the down platform itself. Over those years there have been lots of blocked lines (failed trains, broken rails, person hit by a train etc.) but in none of those I got caught up in was single line working used.

The recent resignaling has seen all signal sections get a reverse direction signal whereas previously the reverse direction signals were few and far between. So, someone must see SLW as a useful option and I wish it was really used to its potential.

 

[Sunset route]

In 15 years of commuting I have only once been on a train that used the bidi signalling through Balcombe. A late night down train stopped at the up platform a Balcombe because there were works on the down platform itself. Over those years there have been lots of blocked lines (failed trains, broken rails, person hit by a train etc.) but in none of those I got caught up in was single line working used.

The recent resignaling has seen all signal sections get a reverse direction signal whereas previously the reverse direction signals were few and far between. So, someone must see SLW as a useful option and I wish it was really used to its potential.

From your last paragraph, your not getting bi-directional signalling and single line working (SLW) confused are you? One has actual signals to control train movements in the opposite direction to to normal traffic flow, the other doesn’t and requires a pilotman allow or travel with trains (a bit more complicated than this) over the now remaining open (single) line from the end that they are at only without signals for the wrong direction move?

 

[Llanigraham]

In the 10 years I was a signaller I can only remember working SLW on 4 occasions, and only ever on a night shift.
Too much hassle trying to get all the staff in the right places at the right time.

 

[Parallel]

When a train broke down at Trowbridge earlier this year, single line running was implemented after a heavy hour of delays (I believe). I think it eventually took three hours to get the 158 moving, and the train directly behind it was a 166s and thus couldn’t couple to it.

 

[83G/84D]

SLW would also have been easier until the crossovers were removed at Roskear (just east of Camborne) a couple of years back

The crossover was removed in 2012 and was very awkward to use. S&T had to release it as it was not interlocked with the signalling and was clipped and padlocked. Two sets of barriers would have to be taken on local control depending on direction of SLW and a points operator found in addition to a pilotman.

So the crossover was not easy to use and subsequently removed.

 

[WelshBluebird]

I was delayed on a Swansea to London journey by a broken down freight train near Bridgend a month ago. About about 40 minutes of standing still, single line working was put in place, with the train behind us crossing over to the "wrong side" to carry on. Sadly we had to wait a bit longer as we had to reverse direction a fair bit to get back to the crossover. In the mean time one or two trains going back towards Swansea used the line in the "right direction" (so it was proper single line working, not just blocking the line and using it in one direction). Did surprise me that the decision was made fairly quickly.

 

[Tomnick]

I was delayed on a Swansea to London journey by a broken down freight train near Bridgend a month ago. About about 40 minutes of standing still, single line working was put in place, with the train behind us crossing over to the "wrong side" to carry on. Sadly we had to wait a bit longer as we had to reverse direction a fair bit to get back to the crossover. In the mean time one or two trains going back towards Swansea used the line in the "right direction" (so it was proper single line working, not just blocking the line and using it in one direction). Did surprise me that the decision was made fairly quickly.

Both lines are signalled reversibly west of Bridgend, so it wouldn’t be Single Line Working if it was there - just use of a reversible line to get around.

 

[Tin Rocket]

Single Line Working is becoming a thing of the past now, so much so that many Network Rail staff lack the expertise to operate it. Whereas at one time SLW would be used in Engineering possessions the whole route gets closed now.

Single line working was in operation sunday just gone on the Chilterns.

 

[exsignalman]

Single Line Working is becoming a thing of the past now, so much so that many Network Rail staff lack the expertise to operate it. Whereas at one time SLW would be used in Engineering possessions the whole route gets closed now.

That's a shame really, I always used to enjoy putting SLW in & liked the challenge of keeping the job moving.
Done SLW many times, both as signalman in the box & actual pilotman conducting the single line.

Never got wrong ended or anything like that, usually it all went swimmingly more or less.

More often than not the SLW would be done in the dead of night to enable routine engineering/maintenance works to take place on an adjacent line & the nearest I ever came to an incident was in British Rail days about 25 years ago in the North West.

We were single line working between Diggle Junction & Stalybridge (still absolute block, with Greenfield box switched out overnight).
There was a T3 possession on the Up Main, with SLW over the Down Main.
There was a ballast train/engineers train working on the Up Main in the Mossley-Heyrod area (Picop on board)

It was around 0020 hrs & I dictated the forms etc & had just put SLW in at the Diggle end, I soon had a two car 158 bound for Manchester Airport to crossover & deal with.
I was to ride through on this as I had an Eastbound freight to bring back, so we crossed it over through the trailing crossover, I got on board & we set off from Diggle bang road for Stalybridge at about 0030ish.

We were running quietly on CWR track & coasting between Saddleworth & Greenfield travelling bang road at about 40-50 mph (on a falling gradient of 1in175) into a long sweeping right hand bend coming up to the station at Greenfield.

The Station lights at Greenfield were all out & in darkness, but thankfully as well as the unit headlight the streetlights on the adjacent A670 road gave some good reasonable light ahead.
As we came around the curve, both myself & the driver suddenly noticed something white up ahead!
It was a bloke wearing a white shirt about 200-400 yds ahead, he seemed obviously inebriated & was probably making his drunken way home after a good old session in one of the pubs in the village.
This guy was covered in dirt,clothes ripped etc (having fallen?) & was walking/staggering in the four foot with his back to us & no doubt totally oblivious to the danger he was in as we bore down on him.

The driver made an immediate brake application & blasted the horn at the guy.

The guy kind of nonchalantly waved with his left hand without even looking behind (He obviously must have thought that we were on the other line) & travelling in the normal direction of travel?.

The driver frantically blew the horn rapidly on high & low tone as we got closer to this fella (& for a few seconds I thought that we're gonna kill this lad).

I even said in a raised voice. .'Come on Move!!....Get out of the F**kin way MOVE!!'.. (I don't know why) he couldn't hear me.

Then at the last minute this guy looked over his left shoulder & came to his senses, & I swear that I've never seen someone move so fast as this young lad took a flying dive to his right, head first straight into the cess.

We then passed him at about 15-20 mph or so & drew to a stop, where I then climbed down to go back to see if he was injured, but as I made my way back this guy was already on his feet after he had picked himself up where he then proceeded to climb the wall over & off railway property on to the adjacent A670 (Oldham Road).

The last I saw of him was running off onto Chapel Road ....thankfully uninjured.
I then quickly made my way back to the unit, having satisfied myself that he was ok.

As soon as I got back in the cab the conversation with the driver was something like this..

'Well'? asked the driver.

'He's gone! (I replied) ...He's legged it mate....he seemed fine & buggered off that way' (pointed).

'Stupid Ba*tard, at least it'll have sobered him up a bit.....He'll not be doing that again in a hurry & I bet his ar*e is twitching like a bunny's nose', said the driver.

'So's mine' I replied.

& with that we just had a quick laugh, feeling so much relieved that no harm had come to him, we shrugged it off & carried on.

I still mentioned it to the PICOP on the engineers train as we drew alongside to tell him that SLW was in operation & I also informed the signalman at Stalybridge, but nothing came of it....it was over.

Thankfully the rest of the night was uneventful.

Somethings you just have to put down to experience & things were so much different back then.

Back in BR days in the mid 1980s I even knew of an old hand driver who had a suicide (involving a pregnant woman) who just suddenly stepped out from behind a bridge abutment right in front of his train!.
Rather than leave his train stood in section & all his passengers stranded he actually finished the working & drove the last 10 miles or so to serve 4 stations.

He carried on driving for a good 5 years or so after, right up until his retirement.

 

[krus_aragon]

Wonderful stories @exsignalman , thank you for taking the time to share them.

 

[exsignalman]

Wonderful stories @exsignalman , thank you for taking the time to share them.

Oh, you're welcome mate, good morning to you.

 

[berneyarms]

Single line working is alive and well here in Iarnród Éireann metals.

The permanent way on the Dublin-Cork line is being renewed and this means that on many Saturdays single working is implemented alongside.

 

[33017]

There’s a big difference between planned and unplanned SLW. The former means all staff have been arranged in advance while the latter can mean locating half a dozen or more staff at Very short notice.

It’s usually quicker to arrange recovery of a failure than it is to get SLW in place.