Loco release crossovers on West Anglia

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Loco release crossovers on West Anglia 02/06/2019 at 12:42 #118669
trolleybus
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There's been a discussion elsewhere recently about the loco release crossovers at Enfield Town and Chingford. They're simulated in the Simsig product of the area and are operated by ground frames.

It seems surprising that they're both still there, as EMUs have been in charge since the 305s were introduced some around about the new stone age (did they take over from dmus, or directly from steam?). They also, according to reports, appear to only accommodate very short engines.

Does anyone know if these crossovers have ever been used other than by steam? And what's the maximum length of engine that can be released?

Last edited: 02/06/2019 at 12:43 by trolleybus
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Loco release crossovers on West Anglia 02/06/2019 at 13:06 #118671
03piggs
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The jazz services from Liverpool Street where directly taken over by electric from steam from 21st November 1960. This also included the Hertford east and bishops stortford services on the same date. The services via Tottenham where worked by dmus from Broxbourne/Cheshunt on the same date too. This line wasn't electrified until 1969.

I would think that they would be there so as to release locos off of engineers trains that aren't top and tailed. It can't be a full hangover from steam, as the loco release line at Hertford east, which was in between the lines for platform 1 & 2, had one of the crossovers removed and then later had the other one removed and was used for stabling.

I do know that the locos that did work the jazz services where always small tanks, the last ones being n7s, so could of been a 'just in case' scenario but then was later just left for engineering trains. I do know that there is a loco pit still at the country end of platform 3 though

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Loco release crossovers on West Anglia 02/06/2019 at 18:21 #118684
kbarber
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trolleybus in post 118669 said:
There's been a discussion elsewhere recently about the loco release crossovers at Enfield Town and Chingford. They're simulated in the Simsig product of the area and are operated by ground frames.

It seems surprising that they're both still there, as EMUs have been in charge since the 305s were introduced some around about the new stone age (did they take over from dmus, or directly from steam?). They also, according to reports, appear to only accommodate very short engines.

Does anyone know if these crossovers have ever been used other than by steam? And what's the maximum length of engine that can be released?
When I was Station Manager at Enfield Town (1985 - '87) the crossovers were released from the local boxes, but I have no recollection they were ever used; definitely a hangover from steam days, presumably needed because the new signalling was commissioned before the juice went live and the resources needed to alter the locking and remove them was just too much to shell out.

Why they remained in place after WARMS, though, is completely beyond me.

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Loco release crossovers on West Anglia 02/06/2019 at 18:45 #118685
jc92
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kbarber in post 118684 said:
trolleybus in post 118669 said:
There's been a discussion elsewhere recently about the loco release crossovers at Enfield Town and Chingford. They're simulated in the Simsig product of the area and are operated by ground frames.

It seems surprising that they're both still there, as EMUs have been in charge since the 305s were introduced some around about the new stone age (did they take over from dmus, or directly from steam?). They also, according to reports, appear to only accommodate very short engines.

Does anyone know if these crossovers have ever been used other than by steam? And what's the maximum length of engine that can be released?
When I was Station Manager at Enfield Town (1985 - '87) the crossovers were released from the local boxes, but I have no recollection they were ever used; definitely a hangover from steam days, presumably needed because the new signalling was commissioned before the juice went live and the resources needed to alter the locking and remove them was just too much to shell out.

Why they remained in place after WARMS, though, is completely beyond me.
was the area resignalled or recontrolled? if the latter it probably wasn't removed because it costs more than leaving it as is?

"We don't stop camborne wednesdays"
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Loco release crossovers on West Anglia 03/06/2019 at 10:29 #118697
kbarber
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jc92 in post 118685 said:
kbarber in post 118684 said:
trolleybus in post 118669 said:
There's been a discussion elsewhere recently about the loco release crossovers at Enfield Town and Chingford. They're simulated in the Simsig product of the area and are operated by ground frames.

It seems surprising that they're both still there, as EMUs have been in charge since the 305s were introduced some around about the new stone age (did they take over from dmus, or directly from steam?). They also, according to reports, appear to only accommodate very short engines.

Does anyone know if these crossovers have ever been used other than by steam? And what's the maximum length of engine that can be released?
When I was Station Manager at Enfield Town (1985 - '87) the crossovers were released from the local boxes, but I have no recollection they were ever used; definitely a hangover from steam days, presumably needed because the new signalling was commissioned before the juice went live and the resources needed to alter the locking and remove them was just too much to shell out.

Why they remained in place after WARMS, though, is completely beyond me.
was the area resignalled or recontrolled? if the latter it probably wasn't removed because it costs more than leaving it as is?
Completely resignalled. Hackney Downs, Chingord, Seven Sisters, Enfield, Brimsdown, Cheshunt, Broxbourne, St Margarets, Hertford East, Roydon, Harlow Mill & Stortford boxes all abolished. (Most of the relay interlockings were at the end of their design life. Chingford, Enfield & Stortford were 'hybrid' boxes, with points outside the box worked from the frame but signals and some distant points worked from a panel which took the place of block shelf and diagram.) Some rather non-standeard signals replaced in the Hackney/Clapton area (reduced overlaps indicated by use of a YY aspect in an otherwise 3-aspect area). Searchlight signals everywhere but the Lea Valley (Coppermill - Cheshunt) replaced by standard multi-lens units. (From Bethnal Green to Enfield & Chingford the signals had been installed as long ago as the 1930s!) I believe there were some adjustments to track layouts too, although they weren't huge. I have an idea WARMS was before the idea of recontrol was taken up.

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