New Signaling At Banbury

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New Signaling At Banbury 10/11/2010 at 17:42 #1997
Al McLean
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I notice two new semaphore signals (BS27 &BS35) have been installed at the southern ends of platforms 1/2 at Banbury, controlled from Banbury South. Also indicators have been installed on platforms 1&2.

I assume this is in connection with the Reading closure over Christmas when certain FGW trains are using the New Line via High Wycombe then reversing at Banbury.

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New Signaling At Banbury 10/11/2010 at 17:42 #12423
Al McLean
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I notice two new semaphore signals (BS27 &BS35) have been installed at the southern ends of platforms 1/2 at Banbury, controlled from Banbury South. Also indicators have been installed on platforms 1&2.

I assume this is in connection with the Reading closure over Christmas when certain FGW trains are using the New Line via High Wycombe then reversing at Banbury.

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New Signaling At Banbury 10/11/2010 at 17:54 #12424
Techniquest
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Correct, I've heard the same. Still sounds strange to hear of new semaphores going up in 2010!
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New Signaling At Banbury 11/11/2010 at 11:16 #12428
kbarber
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LQ as well I understand. Together with the Banbury North job a little while back it shows that some people still do know how to do things properly.
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New Signaling At Banbury 12/11/2010 at 14:11 #12434
postman
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Not long ago a new upper quadrant home signal replaced a disc signal number 99 at Shrewsbury from platform 3 to down Hereford line ready for reverse workings for Arriva trains Wales to run an hourly service to Aberystwyth. Controlled from Severn Bridge Junction.
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New Signaling At Banbury 08/01/2011 at 17:26 #13137
Adrian the Rock
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Another Banbury photo, and a video of diversions on Dec 30th:

http://www.roscalen.com/signals/Banbury/South.htm#101230

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New Signaling At Banbury 11/01/2011 at 15:55 #13168
nnr
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.....and here's why the new signalling was put in.

Well worth a watch!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL9m00_OBrI

N.

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New Signaling At Banbury 15/01/2011 at 11:16 #13197
pilotman
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Thanks for the video Adrian. Is Banbury a panel? I was wondering why they chose semaphores - must have required some big inroads into the locking. Also quaint that they stuck to lower quadrant signals GWR style!
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New Signaling At Banbury 15/01/2011 at 11:20 #13198
TomOF
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Banbury South has a lever frame for working the station area and to Banbury North and a panel which controls the Ayhno Jn area.
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New Signaling At Banbury 15/01/2011 at 22:42 #13202
Adrian the Rock
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pilotman said:
Thanks for the video Adrian. Is Banbury a panel? I was wondering why they chose semaphores - must have required some big inroads into the locking...
On the contrary, there were previously shunting discs for the equivalent moves, so using semaphore running signals enabled them to minimise the locking changes required. The points that are facing for these moves, which had previously not had FPLs fitted as this is not required for shunt-class moves, were motorised to provide the requisite point locks, but apart from that and probably changing the electrical locking on the levers to (a) detect the motorised points electrically rather than using the mechanical detection the discs had used, and (b) require all TCs up to and including the overlap of the next signal on the up main to be clear, little else needed doing apart from replacing the discs with the new signals.

Quote:
...Also quaint that they stuck to lower quadrant signals GWR style!
NR policy nowadays is that any new semaphores installed should be the same quadrant as the majority of other semaphores at the location in question. Hence new LQs recently installed at Crewe Jn and Banbury - and coming soon at Moreton-in-Marsh - but the new signal installed at Severn Bridge Jn to allow trains to depart back from Shrewsbury P3 towards Hereford/Machynlleth is an UQ as those are in the majority at that end of the Shrewsbury layout.

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New Signaling At Banbury 16/01/2011 at 08:40 #13207
pilotman
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Thanks again for the explanation. Presumably this work has an ongoing purpose, rather than just for thr Reading diversion??
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New Signaling At Banbury 16/01/2011 at 10:59 #13208
Adrian the Rock
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Obviously the signals also allow Chiltern and FGW to send back terminating London/Oxford-Banbury trains directly from the down platforms rather than having to shunt them into the up bay, so that will save quite a bit of shunting.
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New Signaling At Banbury 17/01/2011 at 11:10 #13211
kbarber
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TomOF said:
Banbury South has a lever frame for working the station area and to Banbury North and a panel which controls the Ayhno Jn area.

Banbury South is distinctly interesting.

As Tom says there is a frame and a panel. A panel was installed some time ago, working an SSI, for the abolition of Aynho Junction and controlling the single line to Bicester. I have a vague idea it may have been installed when Princes Risborough 'box was still open; obviously in later life it worked to Marylebone IECC. Both panel and SSI were replaced a couple of years ago (?) as part of the Evergreen 2 project to redouble the line from Risboro' & Bicester to Aynho. I recall the original panel having all black lines (rather as per WR Integra panels, albeit with large Swisstac buttons); I believe the new panel has tracks coloured in accordance with everybody else's standards.

Meanwhile, in order to accommodate the panel, the existing frame (a GWR 5VT) was shortened by some 20 levers at the top end. Only 3 operational levers were affected (memory says 82/3/4 but I could be 1 or 2 out). The numbers were transferred to the actual levers 62/3/4 (or whichever), with all-electric locking being fitted to the new levers rather than the mechanical locking that had existed previously. I'm told that solution was chosen so the functions didn't need renumbering, which meant the only drawings needed were for the lever interlocking itself and all the other drawings (for track circuit controls, block controls etc) could be used in wiring the new arrangements. On entering the box it's not immediately obvious that this has been done - it's only when you look more closely that you realise these levers in the 80s are far closer to the working levers at the bottom end than they ought to be that the penny drops.

It's also a *very* busy little job.

The North Box, by contrast, is traditional GW style inside (apart from the describer to Leamington). There was a bit of work done there in connection with the abolition of Fenny Compton, which I understand included refurbishment of the Romesse coke stove! I also understand that although it wasn't included in the method statement for the job, the nameplate got a refurbishment in proper GWR style too.

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New Signaling At Banbury 17/01/2011 at 21:55 #13217
Adrian the Rock
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kbarber said:
As Tom says there is a frame and a panel. A panel was installed some time ago, working an SSI, for the abolition of Aynho Junction and controlling the single line to Bicester. I have a vague idea it may have been installed when Princes Risborough 'box was still open; obviously in later life it worked to Marylebone IECC...

Aynho Junction box closed 5/4/92 according to the SRS GW signal box directory, so this would have been when the original panel was commissioned.

Marylebone IECC opened in 1990, and replaced Princes Risborough North on 1/3/91.

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New Signaling At Banbury 18/01/2011 at 10:12 #13222
kbarber
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Thanks Adrian.
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