Four track for Filton Bank - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[Bmblbzzz]

The aspects on a 3-aspect LED signal (R/Y/G) are all displayed through the lower aspect and on a 4-aspect LED signal the top aspect displays the additional double yellow aspect only (Y) or what in the trade we call the 'top yellow' or 'second yellow'.

Hope that makes sense?  Read all about it here: http://www.unipartdorman.com/assets/lightweight_signalling_handbook.pdf
Health Warning: Its a large document

It makes sense to me (it confirms what I thought I knew already), but clarity for those to whom it doesn't make sense would be improved if one of the uses of 'aspect' was replaced with a different word. For instance if "The aspects on a 3-aspect LED signal (R/Y/G) are all displayed through the lower aspect" became "The aspects on a 3-aspect LED signal (R/Y/G) are all displayed through the lower lens". However, railway jargon, like all jargons, isn't really intended to make sense to the general public, so this doesn't actually matter!

[Red Squirrel]

The document refers to apertures and aspects, so we could call it a two-aperture, 4-aspect signal.

[Red Squirrel]

NRE^‡(resolve) gave me change at Bristol Parkway all day for a train to Sheffield on Mon 19 November......

Ah, I'm just looking at Severn Beach trains.

[stuving]

The document refers to apertures and aspects, so we could call it a two-aperture, 4-aspect signal.

There's at least one place in the Handbook where an aperture is called an aspect (a diagram, so proof reading may not have been at fault). After so many years when aspect could be used for either sense with no ambiguities, it's going to take a long time for habits to change.

[SandTEngineer]

The document refers to apertures and aspects, so we could call it a two-aperture, 4-aspect signal.

There's at least one place in the Handbook where an aperture is called an aspect (a diagram, so proof reading may not have been at fault). After so many years when aspect could be used for either sense with no ambiguities, it's going to take a long time for habits to change.

Well, after 50 years in the S&T^▸ (Signalling and Telegraph) industry, I'm certainly NOT going to change (pun intended)

[SandTEngineer]

The new signalling on the Filton 4T project is predominately 4-aspect which gives improved headways.  This is a continuation of the signalling at Bristol Parkway which is also predominately 4-aspect.  However it changes to 3-aspect in the Lawrence Hill area to link in with the Bristol Temple Meads area which is predominately 3-aspect.

Sorry, I don't know their new numbers, but, based on the above, does this 3-aspect rule also apply to the signals in the Down direction formerly known as B152, B252 at Lawrence Hill and B154, B254 at Bristol East which were previously four-aspect? Thanks in advance

In the area we are discussing the Up Line signals are 3-aspect with the transition to 4-aspect signals being at Narroway Hill Junction.  The Down Line signals are all 4-aspect as far as Bristol Temple Meads station.

[TonyK]

I don't know my aspect from my aperture, or at least I didn't until that very clear explanation.

[JayMac]

Aspect is what you get if you bend over naked in a chicken shed.

[TonyK]

Aspect is what you get if you bend over naked in a chicken shed.

  And what does a Lancastrian do wi' one o' them chucky eggs? Brexit.

[Red Squirrel]

Has the 4 track blockade between Temple Meads and Parkway been extended by a further week ? NRE^‡(resolve) are telling me it will be a bus between those two points up to Sunday 25th November !

NRE Journey Planner is still showing trains running on Severed Beach line (sic) on 19th-23rd Nov, with buses on the weekend; it also shows trains between BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) and BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains) on these dates but warns that buses replace trains until 25 Nov.

Some clarity would be nice! If they already know they are going to over-run by a week when they're less than halfway through the blockade, then that doesn't bode well for a train service this side of Xmas. I keep checking the Twitters, but nothing there except self-congratulation written in baby language.

Meanwhile, traffic between Gloucester Road and Clifton was significantly heavier than usual this morning - probably due in part to people like me who were driving because the rail replacement bus service is neither use nor ornament.

[metalrail]

Has the 4 track blockade between Temple Meads and Parkway been extended by a further week ? NRE^‡(resolve) are telling me it will be a bus between those two points up to Sunday 25th November !

NRE Journey Planner is still showing trains running on Severed Beach line (sic) on 19th-23rd Nov, with buses on the weekend; it also shows trains between BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) and BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains) on these dates but warns that buses replace trains until 25 Nov.

Some clarity would be nice! If they already know they are going to over-run by a week when they're less than halfway through the blockade, then that doesn't bode well for a train service this side of Xmas. I keep checking the Twitters, but nothing there except self-congratulation written in baby language.

Yeah that's what i'd like to have clarified.  Need to know if I have to plan another week of not being able to get my usual BPW to LWH / BRI services.  Once again, clear information for the customers is sadly lacking

[johnneyw]

Has the 4 track blockade between Temple Meads and Parkway been extended by a further week ? NRE^‡(resolve) are telling me it will be a bus between those two points up to Sunday 25th November !

NRE Journey Planner is still showing trains running on Severed Beach line (sic) on 19th-23rd Nov, with buses on the weekend; it also shows trains between BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) and BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains) on these dates but warns that buses replace trains until 25 Nov.

Some clarity would be nice! If they already know they are going to over-run by a week when they're less than halfway through the blockade, then that doesn't bode well for a train service this side of Xmas. I keep checking the Twitters, but nothing there except self-congratulation written in baby language.

Meanwhile, traffic between Gloucester Road and Clifton was significantly heavier than usual this morning - probably due in part to people like me who were driving because the rail replacement bus service is neither use nor ornament.

Yep, I've noticed it's been busier round Redland of late (roughly since the blockade started). Not seen any passenger figures for the Beach Express for some time but I'm wondering how the blockade and continued unreliability of the Turbos will impact on these numbers.

[Red Squirrel]

The latest twittering (I think you'll find it here, but I'm not very au fait with The Twitters: https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&vertical=default&q=%23bristolrailupgrade&src=tyah) says:

Work continues until early on 19 Nov.

[DaveHarries]

Has the 4 track blockade between Temple Meads and Parkway been extended by a further week ? NRE^‡(resolve) are telling me it will be a bus between those two points up to Sunday 25th November !

NRE Journey Planner is still showing trains running on Severed Beach line (sic) on 19th-23rd Nov, with buses on the weekend; it also shows trains between BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) and BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains) on these dates but warns that buses replace trains until 25 Nov.

Some clarity would be nice! If they already know they are going to over-run by a week when they're less than halfway through the blockade, then that doesn't bode well for a train service this side of Xmas. I keep checking the Twitters, but nothing there except self-congratulation written in baby language.

Yeah that's what i'd like to have clarified.  Need to know if I have to plan another week of not being able to get my usual BPW to LWH / BRI services.  Once again, clear information for the customers is sadly lacking

Just had a look. RealTimeTrains gives no replacement buses between Bristol Temple Meads and Bristol Parkway except in the early hours of those days. Trains running during the day though Monday to Friday.

Dave

[stuving]

Has the 4 track blockade between Temple Meads and Parkway been extended by a further week ? NRE^‡(resolve) are telling me it will be a bus between those two points up to Sunday 25th November !

Yeah i've been wondering the same.  On the National Rail website current engineering works it now says;

"Buses replace trains between Bristol Temple Meads and Bristol Parkway / Severn Beach from Saturday 27 October until Sunday 25 November"

That line from National Rail is the only place that suggests a full week of closures after 18th November - all the other sources (the timetable, GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway), and Network Rail) say it's only the weekend. So I guess it's just carelessness - the head of that item gives:  Start date 27/10/2018, End date 25/11/2018; arguably that's correct. But as the closure and RRB^▸ (Rail Replacement Bus) aren't continuous, it's probably a mistake to put them in one item, especially as that set of data is meant to be looked up by date.