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| Preston- Rufford single line. 28/08/2012 at 13:04 #35212 | |
Steamer
3925 posts 
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Hi all, I recently travelled on this line, and wondered if anyone could explain it's signalling: A single track leaves the WCML at Farrington Curve Junction, controlled by Preston PSB. At Midge Hall signalbox (controlling the adjacent LC), the train stopped and the driver was given a token- however there are no passing loops/sidings at Midge Hall. The token was handed back at Rufford signalbox, which has passing loops. It seems odd to change the method of working halfway through the single line. Does anyone here know why? (Incidentally, beyond Rufford the line is a single track 'long siding' to Ormskirk, which is worked by train staff from Rufford box) "Don't stress/ relax/ let life roll off your backs./ Except for death and paying taxes/ everything in life.../ is only for now." (Avenue Q) Log in to reply |
| Preston- Rufford single line. 28/08/2012 at 14:13 #35216 | |
jc92
3631 posts |
hazarding a guess, i imagine the token has to be released before a train is sent down the branch, but handing it over st the existing box, saves employing anyone at the junction to have to do it. i do agree tho, unusual working
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| Preston- Rufford single line. 28/08/2012 at 18:00 #35227 | |
GMac
71 posts |
Fairly simple explanation for this one - although the line is single all the way from Farington Curve Jcn to Rufford these days, it was double line as far as Midge Hall signal box at the time the Preston area resignalling scheme was carried out in 1972. The line was in fact double through to Ormskirk until some time around 1973-74, when the present working method of 3rd rail electrics to Ormskirk and a separate diesel-worked single line north of there (with a loop at Rufford) was brought in. At that time though there was still a fairly intensive peak period service in place to & from Ormskirk, which is why both the Rufford loop and double line working with TCB north of Midge Hall were retained when the rest was singled. Midge Hall then became the fringe box for Preston PSB, with key token working put in for the single line to Rufford and OTW with staff south of there (with I believe a key attached for the ground frame at Ormskirk which allowed engineers trains to access what are now Merseyrail metals at the south end of the station via a through siding which has since been lifted). By the early 80s the up line between Farington & Midge Hall was in very poor condition and so in 1982, it was taken out of use and the section singled. However, to avoid the need to extend TCB working all the way to Rufford (which presumably would a cost a fair bit) the existing box at Midge Hall was kept, along with EKT working south of there with the portion to the north staying as TCB. So Midge Hall is still a block post, token handover point and fringe box, even though there's no passing loop there! Just how much longer this unusual arrangement will remain is open to debate though, as there have been plans mooted by Northern and Network Rail to remove the loop at Rufford, automate the crossings there and at Midge Hall and make the line all OTW (presumably with sequential track circuits used to regulate entry & exit from the single line) - this would on paper reduce capacity, but also allow end to end journey times to be reduced sufficiently (by removing the need to stop twice for token/staff exchanges) to permit the branch DMU to operate an hourly clock face shuttle service. Rufford loop is no longer used for crossing trains now as only one unit (either a Pacer or 153) is used on the line, even at peak periods. Of course if the Burscough curves were ever reinstated to allow through trains from Preston to Southport things would alter again, but that's still some way off!
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| Preston- Rufford single line. 29/08/2012 at 12:52 #35248 | |
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mikesmith83uk
14 posts |
GMac, as a former son of Ormskirk thanks for the explanation of the signalling for this line. I'm sure you're aware, it was the most direct route from Liverpool (Exchange) to Preston and Scotland, my dad reminises about it frequently but sadly I was born too late (1983) to ever know any different from the buffers that seperate the Merseyrail system from the branchline.
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| Preston- Rufford single line. 29/08/2012 at 17:40 #35268 | |
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button_pusher
56 posts |
When Preston sets the route from PN56 to the Ormskirk Line (formerley PN61) the signaller at Midge Hall removes his token which allows the slot to be returned to Preston. This then allows PN56 to clear. Normal signalling principles would have the token machine and protecting signal (what would have been PN61) at Farington however, as has been mentioned during the single lining it was easier to keep Midge Hall and use PN56 as the protecting block signal (or starter IIRC). At Rufford, the driver returns the token to the crossing keeper who replaces it in his machine. This releases the direction light (locked in the down direction due to the token being removed from Midge Hall and the route being set from Preston). This then in theory allows either a train to be signalled from Rufford to Preston (PN55) or another train to be signalled to be signalled towards Rufford (made more difficult by the Train Operated Points at Rufford directing all down trains to P2? and all up trains passing them in the up direction pass in the trailing direction and force them to reverse and are returned to normal via a pressurised ram (and vice versa at the opposite end). When the train returns from Ormskirk, the signaller at Rufford removes the token. This allows the slot to be sent to Midge Hall/Preston, illumates the down direction light and prevents Preston from clearing a route towards Midge Hall/Midge Hall removing their token. The train arrives at Midge Hall and the token is replaced in the machine however the up direction locking isn't released until the up direction track circuits have occupied/cleared in the correct sequence. Log in to reply The following users said thank you: Steamer, GMac |
| Preston- Rufford single line. 29/08/2012 at 22:39 #35284 | |
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Steamer
3925 posts
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Thanks for all the replies. Button Pusher, does this mean that the signals at Midge Hall are essentially for level crossing purposes only, and cannot be used to split the block for two trains following each other? I know that the line is worked by one unit shuttling back and forth, but hypothetically speaking would it be possible? "Don't stress/ relax/ let life roll off your backs./ Except for death and paying taxes/ everything in life.../ is only for now." (Avenue Q) Log in to reply |
| Preston- Rufford single line. 29/08/2012 at 22:57 #35286 | |
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Stephen Fulcher
2028 posts |
If the token is required to get the Preston signal to clear, then two trains cannot follow each other with a split at Midge Hall.
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| Preston- Rufford single line. 29/08/2012 at 23:45 #35287 | |
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GMac
71 posts |
The set up at Rufford has also been simplified in the reasonably recent past (mid to late 80s I think), as when I first travelled the route around 1982 (just before Midge Hall to Farington was singled), there was still a L&Y signal box, semaphores and gated crossing there. Said box was however looking somewhat rickety, so I wasn't entirely surprised when it was abolished and replaced by the current Portakabin-style building, which I believe houses a mini-panel for the signalling, the token machine and controls for the crossing barriers. It's also slightly unusual in having no up section signal (for Ormskirk-bound trains) only a Stop board, although that does make sense in that drivers can't/shouldn't enter the Ormskirk section without being in possession of the train staff so a section signal would be superfluous. The use of hydraulic train operated points does slow things down though (15mph PSR each way), which is why NR would like to abolish the loop to speed up journey times.
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