Cotswold Line redoubling: 2008 - 2011

[whole diary]

[IndustryInsider]

• Axle counters are being removed from Wolvercote to Ascott and the route will be signalled under Track Circuit Block conditions.

Does this affect the reporting on the CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) system?

It has the potential to, yes.  As do some of the other locations that will be running under TCB^▸ (Track Circuit Block) - whether they will interface with TRUST^▸ (Train Running System TOPS) to provide the automatic reports that affect the CIS remains to be seen, though hopefully Norton Junction and Ascott will become automatic reporting locations, with possibly Charlbury and Honeybourne as new ones.  Manual reports will probably continue to be done at places like Moreton, but with less faffing around required returning tokens etc., the signaller should be able to do them more promptly.

I've just realised I missed out Evesham as a potential automatic reporting point as well as those mentioned above.

[willc]

Here's the layout at Charlbury, taken from the appropriate page of the booklet accompanying the DVD's.  Bridges and mileposts are marked, so you can work out each signal's location from that.  It does show that Charlbury has, in effect, two additional signal sections in the Up direction as a train can be stopped in the platform at AW2406, whilst another waits a mile or so further back at AW2408 having received a cautionary aspect at AW2410.

Thanks. Yes AW2408 is going to be where I thought, just in front of this bridge, presumably next to the cabinet that is poking out from the undergrowth http://www.flickr.com/photos/willc2009/5691224873/in/photostream

This arrangement for Charlbury is similar to Moreton-in-Marsh's existing set-up in the down (towards Worcester) direction, where a train can be in the station while another approaches from Ascott-under-Wychwood and can then be held at the edge of the town until the first train has entered the single line towards Evesham.

The level crossing at Ascott-under-Wychwood is now closed to road traffic and fenced off for the next three weeks. The old barriers had already been removed when I went past tonight.

[IndustryInsider]

This arrangement for Charlbury is similar to Moreton-in-Marsh's existing set-up in the down (towards Worcester) direction, where a train can be in the station while another approaches from Ascott-under-Wychwood and can then be held at the edge of the town until the first train has entered the single line towards Evesham.

And at Moreton in the Up direction, and at Evesham in both directions - though of course rarely used due to the levels of service on the line.  The ability to do that at Evesham in the Down direction will be lost come phase two, but the additional signal section at Honeybourne largely compensates for that.

The extra signal at Charlbury could well be useful when this new morning train arrives and reverses in the platform to form the new 07:10ish to London, as if a little late while it messes around doing that the next train can be let up as far as AW2408 rather than having to sit back at Ascott.

[bobm]

As a point of interest is there any reason why the signals have been given four digit ID numbers?  They are not exactly short of numbers and the most I've seen used elsewhere are a maximum of three.

[Louis94]

As a point of interest is there any reason why the signals have been given four digit ID numbers?  They are not exactly short of numbers and the most I've seen used elsewhere are a maximum of three.

I'm not sure why, however the signals in the Largin area controlled by a separate panel in the Lostwithiel Box are 4 digit ID number. So could be a separate panel at Ascott?

[IndustryInsider]

It might well be a future-proofing thing.  As and when control of these signals transfers to The Thames Valley Signalling Centre (or the West Midlands Signalling Centre), having a unique signal number might make it quicker and cheaper to transfer?

[willc]

Tracklaying has restarted in the Evesham area, with sleepers laid from Aldington to the vicinity of milepost 106, just east of the first crossing of the river Avon at Evesham, so about three-quarters of a mile to go the the station. Some pictures online at the usual place.

[willc]

Walls for the new access at Ascott-under-Wychwood are up to platform height and the last but one of the footbridge supports at Charlbury has been concreted. A trackside walking path is being laid from Charlbruy towards Ascott-under-Wychwood using a darker shade of stone to mark it out from the track ballast.

[Nottage_Halt]

And at Moreton in the Up direction, and at Evesham in both directions - though of course rarely used due to the levels of service on the line.  The ability to do that at Evesham in the Down direction will be lost come phase two, but the additional signal section at Honeybourne largely compensates for that.

I'm hesitant to argue with someone who has relevant current railway experience, but in my day as a signalman (including some time at Moreton in Marsh, many years ago) the Signalling Regs would not have allowed you to give Reg 4 "line clear" to allow a train to approach unless the line inside the home signal was clear to the clearing point, which was, then, 440 yards beyond the home signal (unless otherwise stated).

 So it was not possible to do as you suggest, in allowing, for example, an Up train to leave Evesham heading for Moreton, when the Up platform at Moreton was already occupied.  Such a refusal used to happen from time-to-time when we had an up all-stations leaving Moreton at just gone 7 in the morning.  Until this stopper had departed, the Up fast could not proceed beyond Evesham.

I believe the length of the clearing point has been reduced since my days on the railway, and it's now ? 200 yards?  In any event, operating without clearing points would leave the effective safety margin only of the thickness of the signal post.

Nick

[willc]

Can't say I've ever noticed an instance of a train being let out of Evesham to head towards Moreton when the up platform at Moreton was occupied, presumably because of the risk that the train in the platform might fail, meaning you would be putting a train out of Evesham that would then obstruct the single line just outside Moreton until clearance was given for wrong-line working through the down platform and use of the crossover to regain the up line, a manoeuvre which, in the absence of point locks at the moment, is not supposed to happen with a loaded passenger train. At Evesham, there is just about enough room on the double track between the junction point and the bracket home signal near the signalbox to accommodate a three-car Turbo set heading in the up direction while another train was occupying the platform, so you could release a Turbo from Norton junction in that case.

Along the line, laying of the safe walking route has also started from Ascott-under-Wychwood towards Charlbury and fitting of the rails to the new point is well under way at Charlbury, where laying of hardcore on the new platform is also taking place.

[IndustryInsider]

Taking on board 'Nottage-Halts' experience at the box, but surely you'd just let the train in the platform amble down to wait at the section signal at Moreton, which would easily allow any clearing point distance to be achieved?  Unlikely to ever be an option taken, because of the reasons Will stated, but an option nonetheless.

Regarding walking routes, if a HST^▸ (High Speed Train) is reversing at Charlbury post-redoubling it will always stop at the same location on the platform, even if in reverse formation, so as to avoid the cost of installing two walking routes.

[willc]

I have seen the future... at Ascott-under-Wychwood at least. Visited the signal box courtesy of Network Rail to see it before the lever frame goes and was able to get a look at the new panel which is on site awaiting installation in the box. Couple of pics of bits of the panel now online along with a couple of others taken during our visit. Won't say a lot more as it's for an article for next week. Walling work for the new platform access is making quick progress.

[IndustryInsider]

Thanks for those panel pictures from Ascott box, Will.  One of the few signalboxes anywhere near that I've not had chance to have a look in.

Looking forward to reading the article.

[willc]

Lot of work going on at the new Charlbury platform, with kerbs to mark the back edge being cemented into place and levelling of the ground going on behind. Work also appeared to be going on to complete the last footbridge foundation block. The new point is pretty much complete with a lot of rail-mounted equipment sat on top. Not sure what it is so will try to get a picture shortly and let the experts explain.

There is a concrete base in place near Shorthampton for signal AW2408 and the walls for the new access at Ascott-under-Wychwood looked pretty much complete tonight. S&T^▸ (Signalling and Telegraph) teams out and about at several locations along the line this morning.

[ltsme]

Hello ltsme here

The plant mounted on the new switch and crossing layout are called PEM's. They are basically lifting gantrys. They will be placed along the layout to lift and slew it over to the single line.
The layout will then be lifted. More plant called LEM's will be placed on the single line and positioned under the layout. The layout will then be lowered onto the LEM's  and transported to it's final location.
There will probably be 16 PEM's and 16 LEM's in total. They are all remotely operated by 2 controllers (1 on PEM's and 1 on LEM's)