Bristol Parkway 50th anniversary

[Annetts key]

So there’s bi-directional signalling on the approach to Westerleigh from the north (see it in use on the staff info boards at Parkway regularly), but not on the main line? Interesting…

It’s a hodgepodge…

There is partial bidirectional signalling between Filton Junction and Stoke Gifford West. Partial bidirectional signalling between Patchway Junction and Stoke Gifford West. Partial bidirectional signalling between Stoke Gifford West and Stoke Gifford East.

No bidirectional signalling between Stoke Gifford East and Westerleigh junction. No bidirectional signalling between Westerleigh junction and Chipping Sodbury. Full bidirectional signalling from Chipping Sodbury towards Swindon.

Partial bidirectional signalling between Westerleigh junction and Yate. No bidirectional signalling to the north of Yate.

By partial bidirectional signalling, I mean not all lines.

The Up Charfield line between Westerleigh junction and Yate is bidirectional for freight and passenger trains. So a down direction (south going) train from Tytherington will use the Up Charfield line. Or a down direction (south going) passenger (or any other) train can cross over at the main to main crossover points just south of Yate station.

Up direction trains from Bristol Parkway can also use the Up Charfield line as a turn back facility.

The Down Charfield line does not have any bidirectional signalling apart from very limited shunt movements.

 

[The exile]

I think that's mainly for freight workings from the Tytherington branch towards Bristol Parkway, as there's no crossover at the branch junction (Yate Middle) just to the north of Yate station. These trains cross back over to the down main just west of Westerleigh Junction via the left-hand trailling crossover.

Seems to get used quite a bit Southbound for juggling the xx:15(ish) stopper and the following XC.