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Track Signals

Welshy1717

Member
Joined
24 Feb 2025
Messages
23
Location
wellingborough
Just looking on RealTimeTrains to see what movement & action is coming through, I see that there is the usual empty coaching stock being transported.

Screenshot 2026-09-05 152633.png

Which then i was left puzzled by a West Hampstead signal just outside Bedford...... Now Hampstead is like a few miles away. the other side of Luton.


Do services really get held back by other trains that far away.

Screenshot 2026-09-05 152712.png
 

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RailUK Forums

800301

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29 Dec 2022
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527
Location
Essex
In short yes, for pathing reasons, last night my empty stock was due to be held at T1728 just outside Reading for a few mins awaiting a platform but in reality I was 30 early so didn’t have to
Just looking on RealTimeTrains to see what movement & action is coming through, I see that there is the usual empty coaching stock being transported.

View attachment 211038

Which then i was left puzzled by a West Hampstead signal just outside Bedford...... Now Hampstead is like a few miles away. the other side of Luton.


Do services really get held back by other trains that far away.

The signal you are talking about is just outside of Bedford depot, but is controlled by West Hampstead
 

Welshy1717

Member
Joined
24 Feb 2025
Messages
23
Location
wellingborough
In short yes, for pathing reasons, last night my empty stock was due to be held at T1728 just outside Reading for a few mins awaiting a platform but in reality I was 30 early so didn’t have to


The signal you are talking about is just outside of Bedford depot, but is controlled by West Hampstead
that signal network site looks more advanced then Traksy..... will use this.
 

GB

Established Member
Joined
16 Nov 2008
Messages
6,552
Location
Somewhere
Its the same data, just drawn differently. Same with signalmaps.co.uk
Might be the same data but not all data is utilised equally. Signalmaps has much better routing information and displays position of points.
 

Bald Rick

Veteran Member
Joined
28 Sep 2010
Messages
35,676
Just looking on RealTimeTrains to see what movement & action is coming through, I see that there is the usual empty coaching stock being transported.

View attachment 211038

Which then i was left puzzled by a West Hampstead signal just outside Bedford...... Now Hampstead is like a few miles away. the other side of Luton.


Do services really get held back by other trains that far away.

View attachment 211036


I’m not quite sure what you mean.

But to expalin a little, WH601 signal is controlled from West Hampstead, but located on the Up Slow line, south of Bedford and just south of the entrance / exit of Bedford Cauldwell Walk ‘depot’. It is a ‘shunt’ signal and allows a train to head northbound on the Up Slow Line, which is usually used southbound. A train so signalled ca be routed into Cauldwell Walk, or along the Up Slow to WH467 signal, and thence into Bedford station (either Platfrom 1 or 2).

Because trains often reverse just south of WH601, either coming out of, or into the depot, it is a formal ‘timing point’ in the timetable.
 

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