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Soham station oddity

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Soham station oddity 30/01/2022 at 17:01 #144920
clive
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I had to opportunity to take a quick look at the new Soham station this morning.

The station is on the single line, immediately north of the points at the start of the double track section towards Ipswich. And by "immediately", I mean that CA494, which protects the junction in the Up (towards Ipswich) direction is at the end of the platform and less than 5 metres from the toe of the (facing) points. (For those not familiar with the area, there's a single track from Ely to Soham and then double track to Chippenham Junction, near Newmarket. No sidings or trap points or anything like that between Ely and much closer to CJ.)

A train to Ipswich was due shortly after I got there, so I waited. Even though the points were set correctly, CA494 stayed red until the train was almost stopped, before it went green. I asked the driver whether this was usual and he said yes. I asked if he thought it was the bobby or built-in and he said it was always the same, so he thought it was built in.

I can't understand the reason behind this. CA494's overlap will extend well over the points, so it's not providing any useful protection. I can't believe that through goods trains are brought almost to a halt here, so that implies the signaller can turn the approach control on and off.

Any thoughts, anyone?

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Soham station oddity 30/01/2022 at 17:13 #144921
Splodge
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Could there be a crossing with stopping/non-stopping controls shortly afterwards?
There's the right way, the wrong way and the railway.
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Soham station oddity 30/01/2022 at 18:29 #144925
Dionysusnu
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Splodge in post 144921 said:
Could there be a crossing with stopping/non-stopping controls shortly afterwards?

That would make sense, for Mill Drove AHBC just up the line. https://www.google.com/maps/@52.3287644,0.3299067,3a,75y,342.16h,73.33t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sKfRSHOFAjOmcFYBLhjZCaQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Last edited: 30/01/2022 at 18:30 by Dionysusnu
Reason: None given

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Soham station oddity 30/01/2022 at 18:52 #144926
Joe S
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Hi,

To confirm - I was there helping with the PR during the opening of it and a fair few freight trains pass through at linespeed, so they're not held at red.

Joe

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Soham station oddity 30/01/2022 at 19:08 #144927
Shwam3
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CA494 has a stopping/non-stopping control because of Mill Drove AHBC, around 650m Ipswich side of the station.
The signal defaults to (an unnecessarily restrictive) stopping mode unless the signaller selects the non-stopping button.

https://signalmaps.co.uk
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Soham station oddity 30/01/2022 at 19:36 #144928
clive
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Dionysusnu in post 144925 said:
Splodge in post 144921 said:
Could there be a crossing with stopping/non-stopping controls shortly afterwards?

That would make sense, for Mill Drove AHBC just up the line.
Thanks. I should have thought of that. There didn't used to be one but, of course, there didn't used to be a station to stop at.

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Soham station oddity 30/01/2022 at 22:14 #144929
madaboutrains
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Panel photo from Cambridge if its helpful?


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RIP Feltham Panel 1
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Soham station oddity 31/01/2022 at 08:54 #144934
clive
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madaboutrains in post 144929 said:
Panel photo from Cambridge if its helpful?

Thanks. I take it that's a turn switch rather than a push button? (IIRC, the other ones on the panel are push buttons.)

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Soham station oddity 31/01/2022 at 19:26 #144941
madaboutrains
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clive in post 144934 said:
madaboutrains in post 144929 said:
Panel photo from Cambridge if its helpful?

Thanks. I take it that's a turn switch rather than a push button? (IIRC, the other ones on the panel are push buttons.)
Its just one of those big push buttons.

RIP Feltham Panel 1
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Soham station oddity 01/02/2022 at 09:31 #144957
clive
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madaboutrains in post 144941 said:


Its just one of those big push buttons.
Ah, I was fooled by the big collar. Thanks.

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