Railway General Knowledge.

[HMS Ark Royal]

No...
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Clue 2: David Sheppard would not be amused

 

[DaleCooper]

Knowsley Safari Park?

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

Knowsley Safari Park?

Sorry, but no...

This is looking to be quite a tough one!

 

[D841 Roebuck]

East Somerset Railway?

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

East Somerset Railway?

Bingo... Seems there might be the stuff used in nuclear power plants and weapons under it!

The platform is yours, good Sir

 

[kevconnor]

As it has been over 48 hours since the last question was answered correctly I wish to call open floor.

Which famous railwayman is credited with the design of Queens park in Crewe.

 

[Ash Bridge]

Francis Webb?

 

[kevconnor]

Indeed it was sir and the floor is yours.

 

[Ash Bridge]

Thankyou...

There was a component developed for use jointly in Concorde the APT & HST, can anyone suggest what it was?

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

Thankyou...

There was a component developed for use jointly in Concorde the APT & HST, can anyone suggest what it was?

Windscreen

 

[Ash Bridge]

Windscreen

That's the one, Well done!

Your floor.

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

That's the one, Well done!

Your floor.

Okaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay - that was more of a sarcastic suggestion! If I recall the tale, didn't they fling frozen chickens at it as part of the testing process?

#

According to myth, how did Gresley walk out the corridor tender space?

 

[James Wake]

Learnt this on Trains With Pete Waterman, he laid out a line of chairs in his room at home and moved them together until he could no longer squeeze through and that was the width of the corridor in the tender.

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

Yep

Your footplate, good sir/madam

 

[James Wake]

The longest tunnel in railway preservation is on the Bluebell Railway, Sharpthorne Tunnel. How long is it in yards?

 

[steamybrian]

731 yards
668 metres

 

[James Wake]

Absolutely right steamybrian, good wishes to you and all our friends at the Spa Valley from all on the Bluebell. Your floor.

 

[steamybrian]

Absolutely right steamybrian, good wishes to you and all our friends at the Spa Valley from all on the Bluebell. Your floor.

Thanks very much. Good wishes to all at the Bluebell.

Next question...

What memorable incident or event took place on 10 December 1993 involving units no's. 319008 and 319009...?

 

[Ash Bridge]

Did the 319's operate the first service to carry passengers from England to France (Coquelles) and back via the Channel Tunnel?

 

[steamybrian]

Did the 319's operate the first service to carry passengers from England to France (Coquelles) and back via the Channel Tunnel?

Correct
I will clarify by saying they were invited guests and not fare paying passengers.

 

[Ash Bridge]

Correct
I will clarify by saying they were invited guests and not fare paying passengers.

Thanks Brian, it makes you wonder what enthusiasts would pay today for a chance to travel on a 319 through the tunnel

I don't have a suitable question at the moment so will declare the floor as open.

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

Describe Rule 55 and why it caused trouble with a Vicar and a TV program

 

[krus_aragon]

A stab in the dark...

Rule 55 covers the requirement for drivers, when stood a signal for more than 2(?) minutes, to send their fireman to the signalbox to check that a collar has been placed on protecting signals, to avoid the signaller forgetting about the stationary train. (Since replaced with telephones and track circuits.)

Given how famous the stories of the Railway Series are for derailments and collisions, was it the Reverend Awdry? :P

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

A stab in the dark...

Rule 55 covers the requirement for drivers, when stood a signal for more than 2(?) minutes, to send their fireman to the signalbox to check that a collar has been placed on protecting signals, to avoid the signaller forgetting about the stationary train. (Since replaced with telephones and track circuits.)

Given how famous the stories of the Railway Series are for derailments and collisions, was it the Reverend Awdry? :P

Partily right - why was the good Rev so angry about Rule 55 and the series?

 

[deltic1989]

The good reverend got annoyed at Britt Allcroft and his illustrators for a variety of reasons. However I think the particular instance would be when Percy was left standing at a signal on the mainline, the bobby having forgotten about him, causing Gordon to almost pile into him with the express. The tv show failed to show Percy's fireman carrying out rule 55, even though if memory serves it was done in the original book. With the obvious ommision of the collar because the bobby still managed to forget about him in the book.

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

The good reverend got annoyed at Britt Allcroft and his illustrators for a variety of reasons. However I think the particular instance would be when Percy was left standing at a signal on the mainline, the bobby having forgotten about him, causing Gordon to almost pile into him with the express. The tv show failed to show Percy's fireman carrying out rule 55, even though if memory serves it was done in the original book. With the obvious ommision of the collar because the bobby still managed to forget about him in the book.

Wrong engine, but correct reasoning... It was actually Henry's Forest

The major flaws he found were Henry's driver letting him visit the forest without alerting a signalman (Rule 55), paving the way for a severe crash with an unaware locomotive, and the number of trees so close to the line that could catch fire from a spark from an engine's funnel. Britt Allcroft, the episode's adapter, countered the second flaw by claiming to have seen many other railways do the same thing.

Your footplate, though

 

[deltic1989]

I shall hand the floor to Aragon as he correctly answered the main body of the question.

 

[krus_aragon]

I shall hand the floor to Aragon as he correctly answered the main body of the question.

Thank you for the floor, and apologies for the delay in setting a question.

What advice (and reasons) did Brunel offer to the Taff Vale Railway as to what track gauge to adopt?

 

[Calthrop]

What advice (and reasons) did Brunel offer to the Taff Vale Railway as to what track gauge to adopt?

4 feet 8 and a half inches: seen as more suitable for fitting the line into the narrow and winding valley of the River Taff, than Brunel's "signature" 7 feet and one-quarter inch gauge.

 

[krus_aragon]

4 feet 8 and a half inches: seen as more suitable for fitting the line into the narrow and winding valley of the River Taff, than Brunel's "signature" 7 feet and one-quarter inch gauge.

Correct. He also said that a narrower gauge would facilitate branches into mines and collieries.

Your floor.