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| fare well west of england line boxes 24/02/2012 at 12:49 #29885 | |
daza7789
59 posts |
Another sad weekend as yet more old boxes bite the dust. This weekend sees the decomissioning of Gillingham (dorset) and Templecombe signal boxes, along with the locally controlled crossing at sherborne. With control passing to a new panel in Basingstoke ASC. 2 weeks later will see the closure of yeovil Junction and Chard boxes, with control again passing to basingstoke. followed by the closure of Honiton SB and Feniton crossing 2 weeks later. The Whole line from Tisbury to Pinhoe will then be controlled by Basingstoke ASC working TCB throughout (with old tokenless block sections filled in with axle counters), fringing with Salisbury ASC, Yeovil penn mill, and Exmouth Jn boxes. Attached are a few pics of the new panel in basingstoke due to be commissioned (stage 1) at 04.00 monday 27th Feb 2012. Daz      
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| Re: fare well west of england line boxes 24/02/2012 at 14:47 #29892 | |
Guts
586 posts |
This is Network Rail's big plan. they want to reduce 6000 to 2000 signallers. At the moment the South and South-West of England is being pushed along quickly Log in to reply |
| Re: fare well west of england line boxes 24/02/2012 at 15:09 #29893 | |
andyb0607
260 posts 
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Good job signallers don't have to see tail lamps anymore!!
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| Re: fare well west of england line boxes 24/02/2012 at 15:15 #29894 | |
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Stephen Fulcher
2026 posts |
Unusual nowadays to use an NX panel rather than a WestCad or similar.
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| Re: fare well west of england line boxes 24/02/2012 at 15:26 #29895 | |
jc92
3629 posts |
isnt the installation of a temporary panel a huge waste of money, considering its expense, compared to its scheduled life expentancy?
"We don't stop camborne wednesdays" Log in to reply |
| Re: fare well west of england line boxes 24/02/2012 at 16:33 #29897 | |
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Firefly
521 posts |
Quote:isnt the installation of a temporary panel a huge waste of money, considering its expense, compared to its scheduled life expentancy?Well, the plan at the moment is for it to be transferred to Basingstoke ROC in 2017. Poole to Wool is transferring to another NX panel within Basingstoke ASC in 2013. From NR's point of view the lineside equipment is life expired and needs replacing and the Regional Operations Centre (ROC)will not be ready until at least 2015 and in reality could easily end up being delayed. By transferring to Basingstoke ASC they get the lineside equipment renewed, they close 12 signal boxes saving many thousands in wages and they put themselves into a position whereby they can virtually flick a switch and swap over to the ROC when and IF it's ready. Log in to reply The following user said thank you: jc92 |
| Re: fare well west of england line boxes 24/02/2012 at 17:04 #29899 | |
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Firefly
521 posts |
Quote:Unusual nowadays to use an NX panel rather than a WestCad or similar.Not 100% certain of the reasoning, however here's a couple of suggestions:- No other instances of IECC or Westcad on Wessex therefore the equipment would be novel for the area. (Training / spares etc) Regulations on VDU systems* *VDU based systems require twice the number of signallers compared to NX panels due to regulations on the amount of hours signallers can be sat at the workstation. (2hrs on 2hrs off I believe) Salisbury - Exeter can easily be managed by one signaller yet a VDU system would need 2. Poole - Wool can also be managed by one signaller yet with a VDU system would require 2. It would probably have been confusing and complicated to have combined PW & SE on the same workstation and with 6 CCTV level crossings too much for one workstation. So given that it needs to be 2 workstations or 2 NX panels one of those options has a wage bill which is 50% higher than the other. When considering transferring the whole of Basingstoke to Wessex ROC it will obviously be VDU based but then you'll be able to distribute the workload amongst all of the workstations thus reducing staff to the minimum. You also have to consider space and putting NX panels into the ROC would obviously not be an option. FF Log in to reply |
| Re: fare well west of england line boxes 24/02/2012 at 17:08 #29900 | |
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Firefly
521 posts |
Will miss the WOE line boxes. I've drunk many cups of tea in them and had a lot of fun working on the wide variety of S & T equipment on that section of line.
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| Re: fare well west of england line boxes 24/02/2012 at 17:22 #29902 | |
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daza7789
59 posts |
You have hit the nail on the head firefly. As you say IECC/Westcad novel to wessex and the amount of signallers to opperate them increases. The WOE panel will be 2 signallers during the day (7-14 and 14-22) and single manned on nights (22-7) I will then also have to learn the Dorset coast (Parkstone - wool and later weymouth) when it comes in, we will then work so that there are 3 signallers during day shifts ((7-14 and 14-22) so as there is a second man to float between both panels). the WOE line panel justifies a second man being available at times on days as the panel has 4 AHBs, 4 CCTVs and a number of UWCs that see regualar use. as the Parkstone to weymouth panel will have simmilar. And as I have always said 'Give me a panel any day lol' The ROC will prob be delayed in some way or another, Especially as the likes of Feltham need a full resignal rarther than a recontrol. Daz Last edited: 24/02/2012 at 17:28 by daza7789 Log in to reply |
| Re: fare well west of england line boxes 25/02/2012 at 20:02 #30005 | |
DaveHarries
1269 posts
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Was down there today. Got 40 shots of the box exterior as well as tokens being handed over and some long distance shots of the tri-semaphore gantry on the curve between Junction and Pen Mill. A reasonable day trip and thanks go to the Yeovil Steam Centre, from whose land most of the pictures were taken and whose volunteer told me I could walk as far up and down the site as I liked because they had no trains running today. The only thing that put a dampener on things, however, was an NR employee who for whatever reason thought I should not be there despite the fact that I had obtained permission to be on site for the purpose I had stated. He took exception to my presence despite my giving him no reason whatsoever to do so. I don't know if I should post here what subsequently took place although it did not end in violence. My thanks to the kind lady volunteer of the steam centre who had given me permission to be going about my photographics. I did, as any sensible enthusiast would, remain on the steam centre's side of the fence at all times so I fail to see what the NR employee's beef actually was. as I was not, to my knowledge, in the wrong. @Dazza: thanks for the interesting pictures of the panel. It would be interesting to know how this would fare as a SimSig layout. Anyone fancy the challenge of turning it into one if more detailed panels of the photo were supplied? Dave Last edited: 25/02/2012 at 20:09 by DaveHarries Log in to reply |
| Re: fare well west of england line boxes 25/02/2012 at 22:10 #30012 | |
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daza7789
59 posts |
Be nice to see them pics Dave. As far as the Mr employee was concerned bear in mind that with project of the resignalling there is an awfull lot of vunurable assets in the are at the mo. Ie exposed cable, signal heads etc. The nr guy was just doing his job, unfortunately he was being strict but all in the line of duty. It may be visable to do a SimSig of this panel yea. But I have a few projects on the go at the mo. Plus with working the real thing I have conflic of intrest. But u never know Daz Log in to reply |
| Re: fare well west of england line boxes 25/02/2012 at 22:28 #30013 | |
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DaveHarries
1269 posts
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Dazza, Points taken. The employee I was referring to was the second NR guy to speak to me. The first one was rather more civil and I had a polite and well-mannered conversation with him. He, in response to a question I asked, was happy to confirm how many levers were in the frame and, of those, how many were spare. I explained why I was there and that I had obtained permission from a volunteer at the steam centre and he said he was OK with that. He did make the points you mention in your post and I in turn confirmed that I understood what he was saying and why my presence might be misinterpreted. The second one, to whom I was referring in my previous post, was rather less civil and kept telling lies that the police were waiting my arrival. They were, of course, not there. In addition, just before I took my last shot he said: "Right, I'm coming to get you now." but he never got hold of me: I ran, he walked and I got straight in my car and made a swift exit. I parked up a safe distance away but I could still see the station approach and saw him walk back towards the station car park shortly after he walked up the driveway towards the steam centre. So I know he went looking for me. Besides, the first NR employee confirmed that I was on the lawful side of the fence! :P As for the photos, I will put them up somewhere once I can find a suitable and fairly cheap replacement for my Fotopic site. Do you work Basingstoke panel then, sitting in that rather ugly-looking construction just north of the station at Basingstoke? If so I pity you: last time I saw that structure it looked from the station as if it should have gone ages ago! I will put some of today's photos online at some point when I can find somewhere that will host them without my having to pay too much for it: I don't want adverts with the photos. Dave Last edited: 25/02/2012 at 22:39 by DaveHarries Log in to reply |
| Re: fare well west of england line boxes 27/02/2012 at 07:26 #30073 | |
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daza7789
59 posts |
There will have been alot of high level nr management in the are on sat. Chances are it was one of them that gave u hard time. Just unfortunate tbh. I will be working the woe panel yes. And the Dorset coast en that goes in next year. The ugly building you mention I would immagine is the old basing psb (north of where the reading lines diverge) the new basingstoke asc is the new grey building behind plat 5 at basing. Daz Log in to reply |
| Re: fare well west of england line boxes 06/04/2012 at 15:01 #31314 | |
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DaveHarries
1269 posts
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Hi all, A photographic update from a short visit to Yeovil Junction on Monday 02-Apr-2012. The new signals are of the Fibre-optic / LED variety and have been positioned on the support brackets previously occupied by the old signals. Seen here are signals SE4714 (left) and SE4718 (right) as Class 159 no. 159016 approaches from Salisbury before leaving with the 1449hrs departure to Exeter St. Davids:  The signals at the southern (Exeter) end of Yeovil Junction are single-lens types with no route indicators or the like, as in the case of SE4737 here. One interesting feature here is the smaller signal to the right of the bigger one. This is, in effect, a sort of repeater signal: when the main one is set to green then the smaller one is replaced by a green aspect located to the top right of the main signal. This is presumably for the aid of the driver as I guess if you stopped too close to the signal then the aspect of the bigger signal might not be so easily readable?  The ground points indicators have, of course, also been replaced. They now have route indicators above the lights. SE4720 demonstrates the new order here:  In a post on another signalling forum it was mentioned that the signalbox was possibly to be demolished over the weekend of the 24th / 25th March. Seemingly they haven't got around to it yet as when I visited on 2nd April it was still very much intact, at least externally.  Hope this is of interest. Dave Last edited: 06/04/2012 at 15:03 by DaveHarries Log in to reply |
| Re: fare well west of england line boxes 06/04/2012 at 17:23 #31323 | |
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Stephen Fulcher
2026 posts |
Interesting, never seen a main aspect signal like that before. Any idea who makes them? The smaller bit on the right will be the equivalent of the "Hotstrip" on a standard colour light for when the driver has stopped at the signal. Log in to reply |
| Re: fare well west of england line boxes 07/04/2012 at 09:10 #31340 | |
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Firefly
521 posts |
Thanks Dave, Nice Photos Quote: The signals at the southern (Exeter) end of Yeovil Junction are single-lens types with no route indicators or the like, as in the case of SE4737 here.They wouldn't have route indicators because there's only one route from these signals. Quote: One interesting feature here is the smaller signal to the right of the bigger one. This is, in effect, a sort of repeater signal: when the main one is set to green then the smaller one is replaced by a green aspect located to the top right of the main signal. This is presumably for the aid of the driver as I guess if you stopped too close to the signal then the aspect of the bigger signal might not be so easily readable?Yep, it's a problem with all signals, if they're focused for long range they can be difficult to read when you're close up. There have been several solutions over the years. The early answer was a pigs ear. :) You can see the pigs ears to the right of the main aspects in the picture below.  Later on signals had hotstrips as Stephen mentioned. The hotstrips can clearly be seen on this signal.  Dorman LED signals have eyebrows around the outside edge of the aspect which perform the same function. In this picture the eyebrow is on the top left, you can just see some brighter LED's  This drawing from Dorman shows where the eyebrow led's are for a signal designed to be positioned to the right of the driver. (opposite side to the red signal shown above)  Quote: Any idea who makes them?I'll find out. Post has attachments. Log in to view them. Last edited: 07/04/2012 at 09:26 by Firefly Log in to reply |
| Re: fare well west of england line boxes 07/04/2012 at 09:34 #31342 | |
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Firefly
521 posts |
They're VMS signals. Their Website There's also an article on page 36 of this magazine: here FF Log in to reply |
| Re: fare well west of england line boxes 07/04/2012 at 09:54 #31343 | |
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DaveHarries
1269 posts
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FF, thanks for the link to that magazine article. Dave Log in to reply |
| Re: fare well west of england line boxes 07/04/2012 at 19:15 #31361 | |
Right Away
71 posts |
Thanks Firefly. Nice to see a real British manufacturing company (VMS) doing well. Very rare these days.
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| Re: fare well west of england line boxes 07/04/2012 at 23:36 #31378 | |
BarryM
2158 posts |
Interesting to see that the signals at Yeovil Junction do not have any weather protection. Is this a new "fad"? Barry Barry, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Log in to reply |
| Re: fare well west of england line boxes 07/04/2012 at 23:48 #31379 | |
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Firefly
521 posts |
By weather protection do you mean hoods? Hoods are there to prevent sunlight from shining on the lens and either drowning out the light or making an unlit aspect appear to be lit. These LED's do not have lenses as such they have lots of holes so there's nothing to appear lit. The aspect is bright enough not to be drowned out by the sunlight. FF Log in to reply The following user said thank you: BarryM |
| Re: fare well west of england line boxes 07/05/2013 at 11:49 #44394 | |
kaiwhara
584 posts |
Hi Daz I am interested in the new WoE panel, and the Dorset Coast panel that is about to be commisioned. Is there any chance of grabbing some higher res pics from you at all? Cheers Andrew Auckland, NZ Sorry guys, I am in the business of making people wait! Last edited: 07/05/2013 at 12:01 by kaiwhara Reason: Sp Log in to reply |