What's this?

[whole diary]

[bobm]

This isn't a quiz question because I don't know the answer.

Saw this in the four foot on the down line immediately after the Royal Albert Bridge and wondered what it was.



(Yes I know - I should stay in more!)

[eightf48544]

Random punt SDO^▸ (Selective Door Opening) balise?

[LiskeardRich]

Is it an axel counter? put rail axle counter into google images, and they look very similar.

[IndustryInsider]

Looks like a portable AWS^▸ (Automatic Warning System - an arrangement of permanent magnets and electro-magnets that convey information about the associated signal to the train driver) magnet to me.  Used for TSR^▸ (Temporary Speed Restriction)'s and ESR^▸ (Emergency Speed Restriction (see also EROS))'s.  Here's one of them from the catalogue:

http://www.hellotrade.com/yardene-engineering-2000/aws-tsr-magnet.html

[bobm]

Thanks II - that would make sense.  Looking off the end of the platform as the line curves round towards Liskeard I could see a flashing emergency warning board as shown in one of the pictures below the main one in your link.

[eightf48544]

Would go with portable AWS^▸ (Automatic Warning System - an arrangement of permanent magnets and electro-magnets that convey information about the associated signal to the train driver) magnet, rather than SDO^▸ (Selective Door Opening).

Must be a fairly modern one I thought they were bigger and fitted over the sleepers rather than clipped to the rail.

[SandTEngineer]

II is correct.  Its a portable AWS^▸ (Automatic Warning System - an arrangement of permanent magnets and electro-magnets that convey information about the associated signal to the train driver) magnet used for TSRs^▸ (Temporary Speed Restriction) and ESRs^▸ (Emergency Speed Restriction (see also EROS)).