The UK's 'strongest' buffer stop

[_Henry_]

Hi All,

I wonder what is the UK's strongest buffer stop? (i.e. the one that would stop the fastest or heaviest train). I am thinking about this from a modelling perspective and if a long enough model train could be shown going into such a buffer stop.

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

 

[Snow1964]

There are some that are massive concrete blocks (think these date from WW2), physically strong, and rely on deadweight, but often not anchored to ground very well.

Think the hydraulic buffers installed at Waterloo by LSWR were designed to absorb train colliding at 15mph, by another definition could be deemed as strong

 

[Trainman40083]

It seems strange to see buffer stops in platforms, where the trains that use them, don't even have buffers. In fact the point furthest forward is often the central coupling

 

[Dr Hoo]

Although no longer in use the ‘catch pit’ at the foot of Sheep Pasture Incline on the Cromford & High Peak line was installed after it was discovered that breakaway wagons on the c. 1:9 cable-operated slope exceeded 100mph. It occasionally ‘successfully’ operated at that speed during its life.

 

[Benjwri]

Depending on what you count as part of the buffers the ones for the Twyford bay platform are embedded entirely in a retaining wall for the forecourt, so if you count said wall and forecourt as part of the buffer eventually they’d stop anything.

 

[lll]

Hi All,

I wonder what is the UK's strongest buffer stop? (i.e. the one that would stop the fastest or heaviest train). I am thinking about this from a modelling perspective and if a long enough model train could be shown going into such a buffer stop.

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

 

[Gostav]

I noticed that some older hydraulic buffer stop had complicated assemblies - tanks, pipes, pressure gauges and any newly installed buffer is generally much simple.

 

[edwin_m]

I noticed that some older hydraulic buffer stop had complicated assemblies - tanks, pipes, pressure gauges and any newly installed buffer is generally much simple.

Modern practice is to use a friction buffer stop, which is clamped to the rails and slides backwards if hit. These usually have some extra fittings clamped onto the rails behind the stop, so if it moves back a certain distance these start being pushed too, increasing the amount of retardation. Much simpler than the hydraulic ones, and if space is available they should also be safer because they slow the train more gradually over a longer distance.

 

[ac6000cw]

It seems strange to see buffer stops in platforms, where the trains that use them, don't even have buffers. In fact the point furthest forward is often the central coupling

Some modern buffer stops have three pads - centre and sides. IIRC, the recently shortened Platform 5 at Cambridge has a modern 3-pad design but in contrast Platforms 1 & 2 have pretty old buffer stops fabricated out of old rails, at least one of which is somewhat dented in the middle where I assume it's been hit by a centre coupler at some point.

(In the US, where centre couplers have long been standard on everything, the equivalent of a buffer stop is called a 'bumping post' - which is quite descriptive of their function in freight yards sometimes...)

 

[32475]

In November ‘21 I started a thread entitled ‘The Variety of Station Buffers’ which drew some interesting observations from various members.
I was prompted having admired these impressive examples at Glasgow Central

 

[Nottingham59]

Hi All,

I wonder what is the UK's strongest buffer stop? (i.e. the one that would stop the fastest or heaviest train). I am thinking about this from a modelling perspective and if a long enough model train could be shown going into such a buffer stop.

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

I'd vote for the CEGB nuclear flask at Old Dalby in 1984.

 

[Trainman40083]

I'd vote for the CEGB nuclear flask at Old Dalby in 1984.

Poor Class 46.

 

[Supercoss]

Not wishing to ruin the party but buffer stops exist just to mark the end of the line and should not be driven into during normal train operation at any time.

 

[Belperpete]

There are some that are massive concrete blocks (think these date from WW2), physically strong, and rely on deadweight, but often not anchored to ground very well.

Think the hydraulic buffers installed at Waterloo by LSWR were designed to absorb train colliding at 15mph, by another definition could be deemed as strong

There was such a massive concrete block buffer stop in the V of the junction at Balham, at the end of the shunt neck down from Streatham Hill sidings. One day an empty train ran out of the sidings downhill toward the stop. The superstructures of the coaches rode straight over the top of the stop, which sheared all the bogies off. The stop itself was hardly damaged, but the force of the impact had pushed it back several feet so that it was well foul of the running lines. No way that they could lift it, so they had to resort to peckering away at the concrete until it was clear. I seem to recall that the clear up operation took many days. I think the remains of the concrete block may still be there?

 

[Bill57p9]

Although no longer in use the ‘catch pit’ at the foot of Sheep Pasture Incline on the Cromford & High Peak line was installed after it was discovered that breakaway wagons on the c. 1:9 cable-operated slope exceeded 100mph. It occasionally ‘successfully’ operated at that speed during its life.

And just to prove that particular installation worked, there is still a wagon buried deep inside The trap

 

[Trackman]

Poor Class 46.

They built a grandstand for the EE cranks

In November ‘21 I started a thread entitled ‘The Variety of Station Buffers’ which drew some interesting observations from various members.
I was prompted having admired these impressive examples at Glasgow Central

Always been fascinated by the hydraulic buffers.

 

[duffield]

And just to prove that particular installation worked, there is still a wagon buried deep inside The trap

I showed it to my visiting sister just a few days ago, when we were walking the high peak trail. She took a picture.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Depending on what you count as part of the buffers the ones for the Twyford bay platform are embedded entirely in a retaining wall for the forecourt, so if you count said wall and forecourt as part of the buffer eventually they’d stop anything.

Depends on the building structure. This link and the attached photo - Montparnasse, France, 1895 - is when a retaining wall and forecourt definitely didn’t stop the train...

The Montparnasse Train Wreck in Rare Photos, 1895 - Rare Historical Photos

This strange accident, now known as the Montparnasse derailment, occurred on October 22, 1895, and is beautifully documented by these pictures.

rarehistoricalphotos.com

 

[Benjwri]

Depends on the building structure. This link and this attached photo - Montparnasse in France, 1895 - shows when a retaining wall and forecourt definitely didn’t stop the train...

The Montparnasse Train Wreck in Rare Photos, 1895 - Rare Historical Photos

This strange accident, now known as the Montparnasse derailment, occurred on October 22, 1895, and is beautifully documented by these pictures.

rarehistoricalphotos.com

A retaining wall is one that holds back earth on the other side. The level of the forecourt on the other side is higher than the buffer itself, so short of the train ‘jumping’ over the buffer, there is practically infinite earth and asphalt behind the buffer to stop the train.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Ah OK, so not a buttressed wall

 

[plugwash]

It seems strange to see buffer stops in platforms, where the trains that use them, don't even have buffers. In fact the point furthest forward is often the central coupling

Some modern buffer stops seem to be designed with a central pad which has a cutout presumablly designed to accomodate autocouplers.

How well it works with the wide variety of different autocoupler configurations on the network today though, I do not know.

 

[Snow1964]

Some modern buffer stops seem to be designed with a central pad which has a cutout presumablly designed to accomodate autocouplers.

How well it works with the wide variety of different autocoupler configurations on the network today though, I do not know.

That is interesting question, ignoring buffers in freight sidings where wagons and locos have buffers. It is probably a historical oversight that those in terminal stations still have flat disc style buffers (with or without a central pad), rather than serrated anti-climb buffers

Majority of modern passenger stock has the serrated anti-climb buffers, rather than round ones (although sometimes behind fairings) but never seen any at stations having same instead of flat surface buffers

 

[Ploughman]

Youtube film clip from the LNER

 

[Trainman40083]

Some years ago, I was contacted to supply buffer stops for the old bay platform, platform 5 at Derby. I highlighted that the vast majority of trains that used it, had no buffers .In addition the placement of buffer stops might have further restricted train length.

 

[Accura]

Always thought this set at Mayfield look like they could handle a lot - ignoring the decades of gradual decay! Photo taken in 2019:

 

[NSEWonderer]

I nominate the Cannon Street Buffers
Buffer Test

 

[Tio Terry]

Waterloo International buffer stops were pretty strong, gone now of course.
At a guess those at St Pancras for Eurostar are probably designed to take a similar impact load.

 

[McRhu]

In November ‘21 I started a thread entitled ‘The Variety of Station Buffers’ which drew some interesting observations from various members.
I was prompted having admired these impressive examples at Glasgow Central

I remember seeing a class 86 testing those very buffers in the days before they had the friction section added. It drove up against them, stopped, then pushed them in a short way.

 

[_Henry_]

I have also seen sand drags on the network - like these down near Dorridge and Bordesley - which are placed before a conventional buffer stop. But, wouldn't a train or wagon derail as it goes over the sand? Does the train wheels push down on the sand and then the wheel will ride up and over the sand be derail? Or am I overthinking this and the sand just moves out of the way of the wheel - like a knife through butter?

 

[Bryson]

I remember seeing a class 86 testing those very buffers in the days before they had the friction section added. It drove up against them, stopped, then pushed them in a short way.

I was on a service around 1990 on which the 87 + mk2s gave the buffers at central a serious test. By the time it stopped they were pushed nearly to the end. It was quite a lurch on board!