Swainsthorpe crossing

[w0033944]

Hi new member here - an interested and enthusiastic layman who's also into railway modelling.

I was passenger in a car this evening, around 7 pm when we pulled up at Swainsthorpe AHB crossing just south of Norwich which was activated. A young woman who was doing some gardening at the front of her house which adjoins railway property told us that the crossing had been "down" for around 20 minutes and that the signalling staff had been informed. A crew were supposedly on their way. Has anybody got any more info?
Cheers,
Chris Bell.

 

[dk1]

Hi new member here - an interested and enthusiastic layman who's also into railway modelling.

I was passenger in a car this evening, around 7 pm when we pulled up at Swainsthorpe AHB crossing just south of Norwich which was activated. A young woman who was doing some gardening at the front of her house which adjoins railway property told us that the crossing had been "down" for around 20 minutes and that the signalling staff had been informed. A crew were supposedly on their way. Has anybody got any more info?
Cheers,
Chris Bell.

Treadle problem. Caused TCF so trains cautioned. Replaced within the hour & all ok. Rail delays upto 16 mins, road delays???

 

[GB]

The same fault affected Newton Flotman AHBs. Normal running from 2105.

 

[w0033944]

Thanks chaps. Can I enquire what a TCF is, please? I'm not in the industry, just an enthusiast. When we arrived, about 3 cars were queued, but we all were able to turn around and re-enter our village via a nearby lane which goes under the line (typical brick and girder overbridge).

 

[rmt-driver]

Thanks chaps. Can I enquire what a TCF is, please? I'm not in the industry, just an enthusiast. When we arrived, about 3 cars were queued, but we all were able to turn around and re-enter our village via. a nearby lane which goes under the line (typical brick and girder overbridge.

Track circuit failure.. basically the circuits in the track fail and as it is fail-safe the signals remain at danger

 

[w0033944]

Track circuit failure.. basically the circuits in the track fail and as it is fail-safe the signals remain at danger

Thanks.

 

[dk1]

Thanks.

It is often caused by a broken or missing IBJ - intermediate block joint which Is a plastic piece with a rail profile between two pieces of rail to break the electric circut.

 

[Hydro]

It is often caused by a broken or missing IBJ - intermediate block joint which Is a plastic piece with a rail profile between two pieces of rail to break the electric circut.

I'm being painfully pedantic here, but that's technically the "end post" you're referring to there. You're right, end post failure can lead to a TCF, especially in hot weather and with lipped rail ends. An IBJ is basically a joint assembly, like a fishplated joint, in track to seperate track circuits. It consists of insulated fishplates, four hole or six hole depending on type, and an end post that slots in the gap between the rail ends. The plates themselves can be built up using end posts and plastic insulating coverings, or in CWR it's normally factory made joints that are glued together and are installed like any other piece of rail. Failure of the plates, end post, and rail end lipping are the main causes of TCF where IBJ's are concerned.

I've also seen dozy labour agency PWay workers slinging a pan jack under an IBJ to lift and pack it without placing a rail pad between the rail and the jack, causing the track circuit to drop out.