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| Overnight Engineering Work 05/07/2013 at 22:58 #46585 | |
2W34
58 posts |
Hi all, To make my sessions more realistic can anyone tell me some prototypical engineering work that would take place on this route between 0000 and 0600 on a weekday? I am aware only certain things require the signallers attention such as booked possessions, T3's and T2's etc but what i'm asking is what other work goes on, on this line and also where would be most frequent for engineering work? Thanks :cheer: Log in to reply |
| Overnight Engineering Work 06/07/2013 at 08:48 #46598 | |
moonraker
353 posts |
Being an ex Oxford driver I can recall Aynho Junction near Banbury having a lot of work done but that was when they were redoubling the line between Princes Risborough/Bicester North and Aynho. Though I suspect it probably still sees possessions fairly frequently being a high speed (Flying) Junction
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| Overnight Engineering Work 06/07/2013 at 09:37 #46603 | |
outofsection
149 posts |
Not sure whether you're using the Dec 12 timetable, but if you're working on an earlier WTT, you could include say overnight possessions required for adding the through line & extra signalling at Princes Risborough or at Bicester North where much track realignment was carried out in association with the realignment of the up platform to enable higher speed running. Then you could include the various short overnight track possessions needed for all the work to upgrade the whole line to 100mph running such as upgrading Aynho Junction and Neasden junction where the Aylesbury line diverges from the line to Banbury. Other than that, you could say have emergency track/points repairs or tamping/ballast renewal anywherer along the line. And then of course, there's the dreaded rail head treatment in the leaf fall season! Ooh! And how about emergency tunnel roof repairs in Whitehouse, Brill or Ardley tunnels? And don't forget the famous Gerrards Cross tunnel collapse on top of which the new Tesco store was built. That could be a rich source of emergency overnight work! Hope these help. OOS Last edited: 06/07/2013 at 09:39 by outofsection Log in to reply |
| Overnight Engineering Work 06/07/2013 at 11:20 #46607 | |
guyh
54 posts |
Engineering work overnight is much the same as anywhere else on the network. The "white periods" (ie no train periods) are fairly short (much like any other 2 track railway around London), around 5 hours on each section of route, so there isn't a lot that can be accomplished:- - Cat 1A rail defects & broken rails which have to be repaired in <I don't actually know, 36?> hours are a rarity but will sometimes come with much discussion about whether to cancel the last couple of trains to give a longer period, or take a risk of an overrun affecting the first couple of trains. - Tunnel patrols are usually done overnight once per week I believe. Not very exciting: last train runs, possession taken, nothing else happens from a signaller perspective, possession given up, first train runs. - Ballast or rail drops: a bit more interesting. Normally a ballast or rail delivery train will run just after the last passenger train, a possession will be taken over the section of line, including where the train is, the ballast will be dropped and levelled out by hand, or rails removed and placed in the four foot ready for a future night's replacement. Train leaves the possession then the possession is given up. - Tamping: much the same as above. - Signals & Telecoms work: nothing happens train wise, a possession with / without disconnection of the signalling will occur, there may be anywhere from none to many phone calls to/from the signaller during the work, then the possession is given up and trains run; - Minor structure exams: as S&T work, except no phone calls other than taking & removing a possession. All in all, it's a very real part of the railway (not one I get to see being a 9-5 office waller who drives a desk), and something signallers will spend a lot of their training and assessment time working with; however, it doesn't make for a great simulation in SimSig which is better for running lots of trains around! Most other types of work: track renewals, major bridge exams, tamping of switch/crossings etc require longer than the overnight period allows, so they will require a part or full day closure with the rewriting of the timetable to suit. Where would be most frequent? Everywhere would be about the same, other than that the tunnels will occur every week on a regular schedule whereas elsewhere there would just be batches of work on successive nights then nothing for a few weeks. The main line from Oxford through Banbury to Leamington has no ROTR section 4 times (ie white period with no booked trains) during the week, so apart from emergency work will never have midweek overnight work, but has a good 10 hour period Saturday night to Sunday morning (except Aynho to Banbury which is only 7 hours). Log in to reply The following users said thank you: TimTamToe, UKTrainMan |
| Overnight Engineering Work 06/07/2013 at 15:24 #46630 | |
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Stephen Fulcher
2025 posts 
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When I worked on the S&T at Banbury we regularly took advantage of there being no trains about at night to do a lot of testing, mainly of the wrong direction signalling. There were a lot of calls to the Signalmen to set up all the routes, move points,confirm indications etc. Log in to reply |
| Overnight Engineering Work 06/07/2013 at 18:29 #46640 | |
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2W34
58 posts |
Couldn't have asked for better answers folks, thanks so much. Now I am on the hunt for what drivers sign what routes... e.g. what routes would a Marylebone/Birmingham/Wherever driver sign in times of disruption? Don't suppose anyone can answer that? Once again a thanks to everyone who replied, a virtual pint I have bought you each :cheer: Log in to reply |
| Overnight Engineering Work 06/07/2013 at 19:12 #46643 | |
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guyh
54 posts |
Sure. Depots are at: AYS, MYB, BAN, BMO, SBJ. Everyone signs MYB-BSW, and everyone signs 165s & 168s. Then: Met line: AYS, MYB sign all the way, BAN & BMO sign MYB-AYS but not AVP. PRR-AYS: All except SBJ. OXF-BAN and OXF-BIT : only BAN HTN-SAV: BAN & BMO BSW-KID including SBJ depot: BMO & SBJ Tyseley depot: BMO Half the AYS drivers (link 1) sign 121s, and SRU-PAD. 67s are SBJ, BMO, BAN, and about 20 MYB drivers (although all MYB drivers are able to do low speed movement on 67s in Wembley depot). 172s are MYB & BAN AYS Depot & sidings is just AYS drivers Wembley Depot is just MYB (all drivers sign up to the reception and from the north end exit) A select few AYS and one BAN driver sign AYS-BIT via Claydon. One AYS driver used to sign PAD-OXF via RDG and the Greenford loop but I think that's lapsed. 6 BMO drivers sign Tyseley to Crewe via a selection of routes. Log in to reply |
| Overnight Engineering Work 06/07/2013 at 21:02 #46646 | |
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mfcooper
707 posts |
Guy, could we have some translations of those CRS codes, please?
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| Overnight Engineering Work 06/07/2013 at 21:16 #46649 | |
headshot119
4869 posts |
Translation  " said: Sure. [/quote] "Passengers for New Lane, should be seated in the rear coach of the train " - Opinions are my own and not those of my employer Log in to reply |
| Overnight Engineering Work 06/07/2013 at 22:19 #46659 | |
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sloppyjag
480 posts |
Couple of missing ones... HTN-SAV - HATTON TO STRATFORD-UPON-AVON SRU-PAD - SOUTH RUISLIP TO PADDINGTON Planotransitophobic! Log in to reply |
| Overnight Engineering Work 06/07/2013 at 23:43 #46668 | |
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guyh
54 posts |
CRS codes are easy to decode - you can guess most, or just bung em in National Rail Enquiries....! But one more that was missed was PRR - Princes Risborough. I nearly used XSB (Stourbridge Depot) and XWY (Wembley Depot) too, but relented to typing them in full on my annoying phone... Log in to reply |