Is 5mph the slowest speed limit possible?

[Jan Mayen]

Just crawled out of Three Bridges due to a 5mph restriction.
Is it possible to impose a slower speed restriction, or is the next level down zero mph?

 

[atillathehunn]

More knowledgeable people will say more accurately, but I believe the speed limit through some (former or current) unloading/loading machinery for bulk loads is measured in 0.5mph increments, often below 5mph.

 

[steamybrian]

Just crawled out of Three Bridges due to a 5mph restriction.
Is it possible to impose a slower speed restriction, or is the next level down zero mph?

Many, many years ago I travelled over the Weymouth Quay line where the railman walked in front of the train on the section through the town. The speed restriction must have been walking pace!

 

[pokemonsuper9]

I think I recall seeing some train washes having speeds of 3mph.

 

[Skeletor]

0.5mph is the lowest speed I’ve seen

 

[The Planner]

0.5mph is the lowest speed I’ve seen

How is that even controllable? Walking at that speed would be difficult enough.

 

[Supercoss]

If the restriction is ‘ boarded’ as an emergency or temporary speed restriction “ 5” is the lowest speed stencil sign available .

The photos show ESR / TSR equipment and range of speed stencils .

 

[zwk500]

How is that even controllable? Walking at that speed would be difficult enough.

Weren't freight locos intended for MGR fitted with special slow-speed control to allow the train to discharge properly? Although IIRC that wasn't as low as 0.5mph (20cm/second).

 

[AlterEgo]

Just crawled out of Three Bridges due to a 5mph restriction.
Is it possible to impose a slower speed restriction, or is the next level down zero mph?

Tyseley Yard had a signed restriction somewhere of something like 3 or 4mph.

 

[Scotrail344Lad]

Seen Washes with speeds of 2mph. For instance the wash at Bathgate & Also At Haymarket is both 2mph

 

[brad465]

How is that even controllable? Walking at that speed would be difficult enough.

Video125's Cornish Branches video covering the Fowey branch revealed that locos are fitted with the ability to maintain this speed to facilitate the China Clay wagon safety catch releases ahead of the contents being unloaded. I'm guessing a similar feature exists for any former coal-power station unloading area.

 

[Ziggy3legs]

Electronic slow speed control was 0.5 MPH for loading. Other settings were 1.0 MPH and on class 58s 3.7 MPH. The latter was a "get away" setting to enable a "stuck" train to clear the site without any loading/unloading taking place.

 

[Supercoss]

Slow speed fitted freight locos, 56 and 58 fitted with speedo that went up in 0.5 increments between 0 and 3 mph For loading / unloading MGR Merry Go Round circuits

 

[Deepgreen]

0.5mph is the lowest speed I’ve seen

Does that have a standard speed restriction sign, and if so does it read '0.5'?

 

[Dr Hoo]

Power stations and colliery loading bunkers were in private sidings rather than ‘railway’ property of course; so could have their own design of signs.

 

[trundlewagon]

As a rule, depots are usually 5mph and any buildings (including fuel roads and trains washes) are generally 3mph.

I know there's plenty of 10mph PSRs out there but are there (m)any 5mph PSRs on the mainline?

 

[styles]

If the restriction is ‘ boarded’ as an emergency or temporary speed restriction “ 5” is the lowest speed stencil sign available .

The photos show ESR / TSR equipment and range of speed stencils .View attachment 209744View attachment 209745

That's not quite right.

It looks like you can set a 1mph restriction:

 

[Rescars]

As an historical insight, the table in the 1960 General Appendix for calculating the speed of trains starts at 3mph (5 mins per quarter mile).

 

[pokemonsuper9]

That's not quite right.

It looks like you can set a 1mph restriction:

View attachment 209766

Good point, looks like 011, 06, 08, and 09 are available options too

 

[D1511]

Good point, looks like 011, 06, 08, and 09 are available options too

I doubt it..... they're just far more plausible TSRs viewed upside down.....

 

[martin2345uk]

Carriage wash speed at Temple Mills when washing is 3kmh for 373 and 5kmh for 374; boy does 3kmh feel slow

 

[Purple Train]

As a rule, depots are usually 5mph and any buildings (including fuel roads and trains washes) are generally 3mph.

I know there's plenty of 10mph PSRs out there but are there (m)any 5mph PSRs on the mainline?

There's one on the Maesteg branch, certainly. North Berwick as well, although I don't know if it's been changed as I haven't travelled on the North Berwick branch.

No idea of the reasons for either.

 

[Deepgreen]

Carriage wash speed at Temple Mills when washing is 3kmh for 373 and 5kmh for 374; boy does 3kmh feel slow

Are those the only speed signs in the UK in km/h, or are all HS1's also thus?

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Are those the only speed signs in the UK in km/h, or are all HS1's also thus?

The rest of HS1 is km/h, as is the Cambrian line.
Not sure about the Northern City line.

 

[martin2345uk]

Are those the only speed signs in the UK in km/h, or are all HS1's also thus?

Also they're not actually signed, the only speed sign in that depot is 25 on entry

 

[Supercoss]

Are those the only speed signs in the UK in km/h, or are all HS1's also thus?

Tyne and Wear Metro shared sections also signed in KM/H

 

[zwk500]

The rest of HS1 is km/h, as is the Cambrian line.
Not sure about the Northern City line.

Im fairly sure Northern City line is not, ETCS supports displaying speeds to the driver in mph (it was needed for overlays on Thameslink and GWML/Heathrow), so now no need to convert to kph.

I believe the Crossrail core (which uses CBTC signalling) uses mph, but in increments that are converted from multiples of 5 kph.

 

[Kentish RYS]

Slow speed fitted freight locos, 56 and 58 fitted with speedo that went up in 0.5 increments between 0 and 3 mph For loading / unloading MGR Merry Go Round circuits

Some of the Slow Speed retrofits (certainly the Class 33s, I think they were fitted for the Train Ferry Loading?) Had an odd possible reaction to a failed slow speed in that they went full power! Therefore there was an instruction to test with a clear bit of railway ahead!

Im fairly sure NCL is not, ETCS supports mph (it was needed for overlays on Thameslink and GWML/Heathrow) so now no need to convert to kph.

NCL is mph. ETCS doesn't natively support mph but there is a 'useable for custom purposes' packet that the GB network uses to tell the train to convert to mph. Part of the reason, I believe, is to avoid lineside and staff training changes

 

[josh-j]

Since a tramway is also a railway, for completeness I'll add that Manchester Metrolink has limits below 5mph in 'TSR' (Temporary Speed Restriction) type situations.

The curve up to Deansgate from the city centre got slower and slower over a prolonged period as the track degraded, with additional speed signs added at least down to 3mph.

Engineering works have now been completed, hopefully alleviating this crawl!

(As an aside: Metrolink have a rather appealing practice of simply gaffer taping a new speed limit sign onto the old one when they reduce the speed as the track degrades. In this case they appear to have stretched it out as long as possible in order to match up the track replacement with other city centre works so that there could be one big disruption rather than two separate big disruptions)

 

[zwk500]

NCL is mph. ETCS doesn't natively support mph but there is a 'useable for custom purposes' packet that the GB network uses to tell the train to convert to mph. Part of the reason, I believe, is to avoid lineside and staff training changes

Yes, good point.