Redhill - Tonbridge outage 19 Aug 2026

[izvor]

Line was effectively closed from 1700 to 2100 yesterday. CIS gave the cause as signal failure, while NRE suggested power supply failure. Certainly the signals visible from Penshurst platforms were out. According to RTT, the 1700 RDH-TON was stuck at Godstone for 163 minutes.

My question is this: could a line such as this be operated without signals (or track circuits)? I'm assuming that (a) there was a power supply and (b) the signalling at both ends was functioning. It's double track throughout and there are only 2 diagrams so it's a totally self-contained shuttle, apart from where it intersects with the main lines at each end. Something like the old one-engine-in-steam principle, with just one train on each track?

 

[zwk500]

Line was effectively closed from 1700 to 2100 yesterday. CIS gave the cause as signal failure, while NRE suggested power supply failure. Certainly the signals visible from Penshurst platforms were out. According to RTT, the 1700 RDH-TON was stuck at Godstone for 163 minutes.

My question is this: could a line such as this be operated without signals (or track circuits)? I'm assuming that (a) there was a power supply and (b) the signalling at both ends was functioning. It's double track throughout and there are only 2 diagrams so it's a totally self-contained shuttle, apart from where it intersects with the main lines at each end. Something like the old one-engine-in-steam principle, with just one train on each track?

There is a procedure for this called Emergency Block Working. However it is a significant capacity reduction, would depend on the exact details of the failure, and obviously would prevent line blocks being taken to fix the fault if necessary.

 

[Deepgreen]

There is a procedure for this called Emergency Block Working. However it is a significant capacity reduction, would depend on the exact details of the failure, and obviously would prevent line blocks being taken to fix the fault if necessary.

With an hourly off peak service I don't imagine there would be much of a reduction!

 

[izvor]

With an hourly off peak service I don't imagine there would be much of a reduction!

Exactly! And even the peak service is reduced to 2 diagrams, just with reduced layovers. At Tonbridge the trains serve P1 without impacting other services. It is only at Redhill where the main line tracks have to be crossed to access the bay platform.

Of course if it was actually a failure of the power supply then my question becomes theoretical, so thank you @zwk500 for your reply.