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I've just posted an article on the CANBER website which suggests some improvements to bring Worcester into the 21st Century in terms of railway operations. As ever, I'd be interested to hear your feedback and own ideas on the subject.

The article can be found at http://canber.co.uk/?q=node/37 (http://canber.co.uk/?q=node/37)
 

In terms of railway operation, yes.  But with Lincoln gone, Worcester is now the largest railway centre still operated by traditional signalling, and it is quite remarkable that it survives. It will be a very sad day when Worcester skips the 20th Century and comes straight from the 19th to the 21st.   

Yes, I quite agree that it will be a sad day when the fine bracket of semaphores at the end of Shrub Hill platforms is decommisioned, but we can't let teary eyes of nostalgia get in the way of what the average person on the street would see as a crazy lack of flexibility in these days of modern technologies.

Nostalgia for 1973! ;D

This was when British Rail as was, 'modernised' the Worcester area signalling system.



For those interested
http://www.roscalen.com/signals/Worcester/index.htm

Gives a good overview of the Worcester signalling system.


Please don't ask for Worcester to to be changed...I've only just learnt it.  :'(

That would be good. But don't forget the B'ham direction, where slow line speeds and more semaphore signals hinder trains! And the overgrown rusty track with a poor layout! They recently finished signalling between Droitwich and Worcester - but it avoids the Worcester and Droitwich semaphore signals!

The day when the last semaphore signal has been ripped down will be a good one - in the C21 they should be confined to heritage lines.

The array of semaphores at Shrub Hill is impressive, but needs to be replaced. I am sure the set up could be preserved somewhere.

It is important to modernise, without forgetting the past.

Looks like a highly desirable improvement plan, but G.Uard need not fear early implementation, since the semaphores will have to carry on through the 2009-14 Network Rail control period. Worcester resignalling is slated for the following five-year period.

As a footnote, FGW has told David Cameron in an update on pledges for action made at the Charlbury public meetings that Worcester is "under active review for out stabling of trains for early morning services" so the idea of some sort of HST-friendly facilities is clearly still in the works.

Interesting suggestions, there's certainly a lot there I strongly agree with.

Not sure you really need a double-track section between (the former) Rainbow Hill Jct and Shrub Hill, though.  Very short stretch, so few headway problems I'd have thought.  Proper double line between Henwick and Tunnel Jct should be reinstated, and a facing crossover east of Foregate St installed:  that would provide a lot more flexibility but cost significantly less.  Trains could then arrive into either platform at Foregate St from any direction and the only thing you wouldn't be able to do is depart from Platform 1 towards Tunnel Jct.  In practice, trains to Malvern and beyond could almost always use Platform 1 and thus avoid the 15mph trailing crossover at Henwick.

Nor do I think Platform 2 at SH needs quite such radical surgery - aren't they finally restoring the former refreshment rooms (towards the London end) at last?  Replace the carriage line with a north-facing bay, though.  I don't see why it shouldn't be possible to connect this to the Malvern line as there used to be goods yard connections in roughly the same place until about 1968.

The existing facing crossover at Wylds lane could be upgraded with signalled moves into P2 or P3 provided.

I'm not personally convinced of the overwhelming need for bi-di between SH and Norton Jct, but if you want that then you probably don't even need those extra crossovers at Norton.  Remember that the junction with the Birmingham & Gloucester line at Abbotswood is single-lead anyway.  I can't see any huge justification for changing that, but you could take advantage of it and use it as the point where trains from Ashchurch could be switched onto either line.

Something you didn't mention, but I certainly think we need, is intermediate signals both ways at Malvern Link and between Newland and Henwick.

Don't get me wrong, incidentally - the fact I'm a fan of semaphores doesn't mean I agreed with the 1973 vandalisation [read "rationalisation"]. >:(  I thought at the time the two single lines through FS were ghastly, and I've never really changed my mind.  Before then it was all double track with a proper junction at Rainbow Hill, plus the up line from Rainbow Hill to SH was bi-di for trains to Hereford from P2 at SH.  Even that would be a lot better than what we have today.

Thanks, Adrian - some sensible additions to my ideas.  Yes, cost would probably make quite such a radical overhaul (esp. in the Shrub Hill context) unaffordable, a combination of what you and I have suggested would make great strides into improving flexibility. 

I agree with you in terms of more signals between Malvern-Newlands-Henwick - colour light TCB signals at or near Malvern Wells, Great Malvern, Malvern Link, Newlands and one between there and Henwick would give you capacity for up to five trains in the area rather than the current two.

Don't hold your breath with Shrub Hill's up platform refurbishment though.  Nothing seems to be happening and a chat with one of the platform staff revealed that despite the exterior looking in good nick, the interior is in need of further damp-proofing and apparently the floor is sinking in places!