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SPAD indicators

You are here: Home > Forum > Miscellaneous > The real thing (signalling) > SPAD indicators

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SPAD indicators 29/04/2015 at 14:22 #71513
Peter Bennet
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If you talk a train past a Red signal with a SPAD indicator does it activate? Logically it must.

Peter

I identify as half man half biscuit - crumbs!
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SPAD indicators 29/04/2015 at 14:52 #71514
DriverCurran
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There should be a plunger near to the signal that you press and it in effect overrides the indicator for I think it was a minute, happy to be corrected on the time of the override.
You have to get a red before you can get any other colour
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SPAD indicators 29/04/2015 at 14:52 #71515
Firefly
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521 posts
are we talking about a SPAD indicator signal or a SPAD alarm in a panel.

The signal would activate, the SPAD alarms have an inhibited feature.

FF

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SPAD indicators 29/04/2015 at 14:56 #71516
Firefly
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I think DriverCurran is correct about the plunger.
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SPAD indicators 29/04/2015 at 15:17 #71517
JamesN
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1570 posts
" said:
I think DriverCurran is correct about the plunger.
R38 SPADI at Reading certainly had a plunger associated with it at the Bristol end of (then) Platform 4.

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SPAD indicators 29/04/2015 at 15:38 #71518
headshot119
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4869 posts
" said:
" said:
I think DriverCurran is correct about the plunger.
R38 SPADI at Reading certainly had a plunger associated with it at the Bristol end of (then) Platform 4.
Heath Junction 12 had a plunger to inhibit it at in a locked cabinet on the end of the platform at Heath Low Level.

"Passengers for New Lane, should be seated in the rear coach of the train " - Opinions are my own and not those of my employer
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SPAD indicators 29/04/2015 at 17:53 #71519
jc92
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Search "SPAD indicator" on youtube and a BR training video appears top result which shows a driver being authorised to disregard the indication at Shipley. I can't post a link while at work.
"We don't stop camborne wednesdays"
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SPAD indicators 29/04/2015 at 19:13 #71521
welshdragon
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315 posts
[video width=425 height=344 type=youtube]je3coP9-IM[/video]
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SPAD indicators 29/04/2015 at 19:20 #71522
welshdragon
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315 posts
Here you go:

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?xje3coP9-IM[/video]

Last edited: 29/04/2015 at 19:29 by welshdragon
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SPAD indicators 29/04/2015 at 20:19 #71524
Ron_J
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329 posts
Neither of the the SPADIs in Scotland equipped with cancelling plungers and, as such, will illuminate when a train legitimately passes the associated signal at danger.
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SPAD indicators 30/04/2015 at 09:29 #71539
Firefly
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And the only circuits that I can find don't include a plunger. But I certainly seem to remember there being one at Dorchester.

Obviously it was just like every other bit of signalling equipment, open to variation.

We've not put SPAD indicators in since the advent of TPWS.

FF

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SPAD indicators 30/04/2015 at 11:21 #71540
headshot119
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4869 posts
" said:
And the only circuits that I can find don't include a plunger. But I certainly seem to remember there being one at Dorchester.

Obviously it was just like every other bit of signalling equipment, open to variation.

We've not put SPAD indicators in since the advent of TPWS.

FF
If I come across a circuit with the plunger in it I'll try and remember to send you a copy.

When it comes to re signalling most (all?) SPAD indicators seem to be getting removed and replaced with TPWS.

"Passengers for New Lane, should be seated in the rear coach of the train " - Opinions are my own and not those of my employer
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SPAD indicators 30/04/2015 at 16:42 #71548
Stephen Fulcher
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I would have thought that TPWS would have been fitted in addition to the SPAD indicators, which were then made redundant as a result.

I believe there were a few cases where an additional AWS Magnet was provided directly at a signal which was suppressed when the signal was showing a proceed aspect, but would give a horn indication if the signal was at danger. I suspect these would be superseded by TPWS too.

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SPAD indicators 30/04/2015 at 19:29 #71549
Forest Pines
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" said:

I believe there were a few cases where an additional AWS Magnet was provided directly at a signal which was suppressed when the signal was showing a proceed aspect, but would give a horn indication if the signal was at danger. I suspect these would be superseded by TPWS too.
I seem to recall that the additional AWS magnets started to appear in the early 90s, after the accidents at Bellgrove and at Newton, some years before SPADIs.

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SPAD indicators 30/04/2015 at 19:40 #71550
JamesN
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1570 posts
" said:
I would have thought that TPWS would have been fitted in addition to the SPAD indicators, which were then made redundant as a result.

I believe there were a few cases where an additional AWS Magnet was provided directly at a signal which was suppressed when the signal was showing a proceed aspect, but would give a horn indication if the signal was at danger. I suspect these would be superseded by TPWS too.
At one stage Reading R38 had an AWS Magnet for the SPADI, ATP Beacon and TPWS TSS Grid - made for a very cluttered 4ft at the signal...

If memory serves the ATP was level with the post, the AWS a few metres beyond the signal and the TPWS a few metres before (the latter is the norm with dual-fitted GWML signals) - there was certainly an overlapping period where all 3 were commissioned and active on the signal. Don't forget SPADI don't just apply to the train that had the SPAD, they serve as warning to trains on adjacent lines.

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SPAD indicators 30/04/2015 at 20:19 #71551
Firefly
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Quote:
I believe there were a few cases where an additional AWS Magnet was provided directly at a signal which was suppressed when the signal was showing a proceed aspect, but would give a horn indication if the signal was at danger. I suspect these would be superseded by TPWS too.
I thought that all SPAD indicators had the AWS as well but maybe wrong.

Waterloo certainly had the SPAD AWS's without any SPAD indicators. Not sure if they're still there or not.

FF

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SPAD indicators 30/04/2015 at 20:55 #71553
Ron_J
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There are a few locations in Scotland with the extra AWS magnets away from the two SPADIs - there was a project looking at getting rid of them a couple of years ago in light of a TPWS but I don't know if it ever translated into removal of the equipment on the ground.
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SPAD indicators 30/04/2015 at 22:13 #71557
dwelham313
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139 posts
Ely has additional AWS magnets located at the signals (I think), but no SPADIs. The SPADI at Littleport doesn't have additional magnets but does have a plunger in a locked box to surpress the SPADI in the event of needing to pass the signal at danger.
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SPAD indicators 30/04/2015 at 22:37 #71558
BarryM
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2158 posts
" said:
Ely has additional AWS magnets located at the signals (I think), but no SPADIs. The SPADI at Littleport doesn't have additional magnets but does have a plunger in a locked box to surpress the SPADI in the event of needing to pass the signal at danger.
I suppose you have to "sign your life away" to open the locked box. Who has the key?

Barry

Barry, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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SPAD indicators 30/04/2015 at 23:14 #71559
dwelham313
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139 posts
I think it's a standard BR 21 key, which every driver carries. It wouldn't make much sense if we had to wait for someone from NR to come out with a key everytime we needed to use the plunger (although I don't know anyone who's ever used it!). Next time I get held at the signal (fairly often waiting for the single line) I'll have a look in the box.
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SPAD indicators 01/05/2015 at 05:06 #71565
Ron_J
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I've always liked how the rest of the world makes do with "buttons" while the railway has "plungers".
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SPAD indicators 01/05/2015 at 08:00 #71573
kbarber
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" said:
I've always liked how the rest of the world makes do with "buttons" while the railway has "plungers".

I have a suspicion this goes back to the days of Mr Sykes and his most excellent 'Lock and Block' apparatus.

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SPAD indicators 04/07/2015 at 21:38 #73900
Essexgirl
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The SPAD indicators at Shipley do not have associated plungers. If we as signallers talk a driver passed the signal at danger they are also advised to disregard the SPADI. When talking passed these you have to be careful as any other driver who sees a SPADI activate should stop and report it
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SPAD indicators 06/07/2015 at 11:49 #73948
Jersey_Mike
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250 posts
" said:
I've always liked how the rest of the world makes do with "buttons" while the railway has "plungers".
Depending on the design they can be informally referred to as "punch boxes".

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