Xmas 2013 Resignalling Iver to Old Oak Common

[whole diary]

[insider]

Not sure if this info is anywhere else?

A summary of changes that are taking place over Xmas.

Slough PSB^▸ (Power Signal Box) transfers control of Iver(East of) to West Drayton to TVSC^» (Thames Valley Signalling Centre - about). (Note that Slough PSB remains open controlling Iver (West of) to Maidenhead (West of)

Iver to West Drayton becomes Axle Counters vice Track Circuit

The Colnbrook Branch Line (freight) is fully resignalled and track circuit block with axles counters installed vice old C2 method of working.

Dawley Up Goods is shortend by 630meters.

A new Cross over at Hayes & Harlington East from Down Main to Up Main (allowing Hex to run Up the Down Airport and cross over after Hayes Station and not run all the way to Southall East> this will still be possible though.

Changes to Acton Yard signalling > ability to get flashing yellows on UR line approaching Ealing Bway for freight going into Acton Yard. Other minor changes to some ground position signals in area.

The TVSC workstation areas are changing between Paddington & Acton. Paddington panel will now end at Kensal Green but will retain Old Oak and reception lines. And Acton Panel will take over from Kensal Green on Mains/ Reliefs and from Friar Jcn exit from Reception Line 1. Reason for this change is in readiness for additional workload with Crossrail in Paddington Station.

And if anyone knows what is what on Old Oak then lots of changes there;
Carriage Line 2 removed Old Oak to Kensal Green Service Platform (west end)
North side of formed Old Oak TMD^▸ (Traction Maintenance Depot) removed
North Siding 2 Removed
Engine Siding removed
South 10 & 11 Sidings removed


And finally the Banner repeater on the Down Main just by the engine and carriage line bridge will be converted to 3 state new LED type (one that can show green) and on the Down Relief a new banner repeater will be installed in line with the down main one also 3 state type.

Any questions feel free....have the official paperwork to check any specifics.

[Network SouthEast]

Looks like someone has been on a safety day recently 

[eightf48544]

Insider wrote "A new Cross over at Hayes & Harlington East from Down Main to Up Main (allowing Hex to run Up the Down Airport and cross over after Hayes Station and not run all the way to Southall East> this will still be possible though."

Went up to town yesterday spotted the Juntion lights in positon 1 ( with X an for out of use) on the Down Main Wrong line signal just east  of Hayes station (didn't catch SN number) also noticed lots of LED signals. 

"And finally the Banner repeater on the Down Main just by the engine and carriage line bridge will be converted to 3 state new LED type (one that can show green) and on the Down Relief a new banner repeater will be installed in line with the down main one also 3 state type."

i've never been happy with two aspect Banner reapters in colour light areas especialy 4 aspect ones. Because if the banner off the driver still has to assumme it's showing single yellow if the previous signal was single or  double yellow or double yellow, if the previous signal was green so it's only of use to confirm the signal is not at red.

Not sure the three aspects actually helps as it still doen't distinguish between double and single yellow.

I know signal distance are calculated according the braking curves etc. but I do wonder if placing the actual signal where the banner and maybe shortening the stopping distance slightly but making the main siganl more visable from a greater distance is not better. The classic is the banner on the Down Main at Ealing Broadway where the main signal is just after the covered way whereas imo the logical palce for it is the end of the Down main platform, after all if an HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) has to stop quite a lot of the train is on the paltform.

Corrected to Insider

[Network SouthEast]

NSE^▸ (Network South East) wrote "A new Cross over at Hayes & Harlington East from Down Main to Up Main (allowing Hex to run Up the Down Airport and cross over after Hayes Station and not run all the way to Southall East> this will still be possible though."

No I didn't!

i've never been happy with two aspect Banner reapters in colour light areas especialy 4 aspect ones. Because if the banner off the driver still has to assumme it's showing single yellow if the previous signal was single or  double yellow or double yellow, if the previous signal was green so it's only of use to confirm the signal is not at red.

The advantage it has is that if you were previously running under restrictive aspects, and the signal steps up to a green you can start powering up. I don't think being able to differentiate between double yellow or yellow would make much of difference because drivers should be limited power anyway under restrictive aspects.

[eightf48544]

Apologies NSE^▸ (Network South East) I suppose what I was thinking is that if it's double yellow you cn start accelrating and if single yellow start slowing earlier and gentler. Although although it might be difficult to calcualte teh time saved by earlier acceleration.

However i wopuld still like to see the main signal sited where it can be seen and not require the banner.
 

[BBM]

There's another example of what appears (at least to me as a passenger!) to be a badly-sited signal at Slough, it's the one at the London end of platform 3 (the UM). As far as I can tell, drivers can't see the signal until they reach the Reading end of the platform, presumably due to the canopy hiding it, and there appears to be no repeater. Often trains crawl some distance from Slough West but suddenly accelerate on reaching the station as happened to mine this morning. Am I correct in my observation, and if so there is there any plan to improve this? (although obviously this is outside of the resignalling area being discussed here.)

[Southern Stag]

This might also be down to the ATP^▸ (Automatic Train Protection). The ATP loops aren't until quite close until the signal IIRC^▸ ('if I recall/remember/read correctly'), so if the signal was showing red but has now cleared to yellow, the ATP may still think the signal is showing red, and it won't be until it gets close to the signal that it picks up that it's now yellow and allows the driver to accelerate.