• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Wherry lines resignalling postponed.

Status
Not open for further replies.

BS56

Member
Joined
6 Jan 2019
Messages
124
The proposed resignalling between Norwich, Lowerstoft & Great Yarmouth could be postponed for up to a year. Can anyone confirm this ? It seems they are having problems with a new type of interlocking system the same type which I believe is delaying the Feltham area resignalling ( Shepperton branch ) .
There is also a proposal to close Reedham junction signal box because of staffing problems ? if this happens the line to Yarmouth via Berney arms may not reopen this year .
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

dk1

Veteran Member
Joined
2 Oct 2009
Messages
15,822
Location
East Anglia
The proposed resignalling between Norwich, Lowerstoft & Great Yarmouth could be postponed for up to a year. Can anyone confirm this ? It seems they are having problems with a new type of interlocking system the same type which I believe is delaying the Feltham area resignalling ( Shepperton branch ) .
There is also a proposal to close Reedham junction signal box because of staffing problems ? if this happens the line to Yarmouth via Berney arms may not reopen this year .
That's what we've been told. Cantley becomes a gate box, Reedham Junction abolished & a 13min section will become Brundall to Reedham Swingbridge. Berney Arms will not be served this Summer or possibly until December.
 

BS56

Member
Joined
6 Jan 2019
Messages
124
Or they could introduce a shuttle service between Yarmouth and Berney arms worked on the one train working regulations with or without train staff not that hard really.
 

Bald Rick

Veteran Member
Joined
28 Sep 2010
Messages
29,070
Or they could introduce a shuttle service between Yarmouth and Berney arms worked on the one train working regulations with or without train staff not that hard really.

A shuttle would be rather overkill. Perhaps two trains a day would suffice!
 

Trainfan344

Established Member
Joined
13 Oct 2012
Messages
2,306
Maybe get an 08 and a brake van shuttling backwards and forwards?
 

eastdyke

Established Member
Joined
25 Jan 2010
Messages
1,923
Location
East Midlands
mmmm .... now let me think ....
What possible temporary good use could be made of around 12km of 'through siding'? <(
 

AndrewE

Established Member
Joined
9 Nov 2015
Messages
5,066
mmmm .... now let me think ....
What possible temporary good use could be made of around 12km of 'through siding'? <(
How about running some Class 769s up and down it to show that they work and get some more mileage in?
 

306024

Established Member
Joined
23 Jan 2013
Messages
3,940
Location
East Anglia
That would be very welcome at Crown Point in the middle of everything else going on. Perhaps not.
 

Tio Terry

Member
Joined
2 May 2014
Messages
1,178
Location
Spain
Shouldn't be beyond the wit of man to build a scaffolding style temporary platform close to the existing station at Reedham Junction with a footpath to the existing station and to run a shuttle between there and Great Yarmouth!
 

BS56

Member
Joined
6 Jan 2019
Messages
124
I just had in mind the Tourist visiting the windmill and pub and of course the postman used to come by train but on reflection perhaps two trains a day would be enough.
I seem to recall about ten years ago they wanted to close the line but met with stiff opposition I am surprised NR wanted to spend money on renewing the junction at reedham or keeping the line open . Could the other line via Acle handle all the services I wonder ?
 

dk1

Veteran Member
Joined
2 Oct 2009
Messages
15,822
Location
East Anglia
Shouldn't be beyond the wit of man to build a scaffolding style temporary platform close to the existing station at Reedham Junction with a footpath to the existing station and to run a shuttle between there and Great Yarmouth!
That would be one hell of a walk and no space available without crossing running lines.
 

Kite159

Veteran Member
Joined
27 Jan 2014
Messages
19,155
Location
West of Andover
That will be interesting over the summer months seeing as both routes get used to give Yarmouth a rough half hourly service.
 

ge-gn

Member
Joined
5 Dec 2014
Messages
261
That's what we've been told. Cantley becomes a gate box, Reedham Junction abolished & a 13min section will become Brundall to Reedham Swingbridge. Berney Arms will not be served this Summer or possibly until December.

The crossing attendants at Brundall are most excited about this. Or not.
 

brick60000

Member
Joined
18 Apr 2013
Messages
442
What's the logic of downgrading Cantley to a gate box, given it will remain staffed anyway? Lower pay grade with crossing keepers employed instead of the existing signallers?

Will signals there be done away with, or will they stay to protect the crossing?
 

NorthernSpirit

Established Member
Joined
21 Jun 2013
Messages
2,184
Will definatley reopen it's just a rather large hiccup. Not much can be done about it sadly.

Maybe get an 08 and a brake van shuttling backwards and forwards?

How about a replacement boat service? Just need Popeye or Captain Pugwash to lend their boat out to the two journeys and if that isn't possible then a couple of Network Rail trolleys* chained together will suffice - fit two Bardic lamps to either end, an airhorn and man it with a NR driver and Greater Anglia guard and you've got yourself a tempory solution for the two return journeys, it isn't fancy but importantly it'll do the job until the problem has been sorted.

* - This but with another motorised seating area on the other side of the flatbed:
EGO4-rail-trolley-and-Pegasus-2-mobile-mapping-system.jpg
 
Last edited:

BS56

Member
Joined
6 Jan 2019
Messages
124
All you need at Cantley are distant and home signals ( No starters ) or just distants rather like Lingwood.
Frankly I cannot see why Strumpshaw crossing which at present has no signals just a ground frame and gate keeper now needs a full barrier crossing , CCTV and Four colour light signals just for a country lane that goes nowhere really and just for the odd car and tractor !
 

Tio Terry

Member
Joined
2 May 2014
Messages
1,178
Location
Spain
That would be one hell of a walk and no space available without crossing running lines.

Not really.

Slew the up Lowestoft-Norwich so that it passes behind the signal box where the siding is, down Norwich-Lowestoft to the alignment of the current Up Lowestoft-Norwich and extend the existing Gt Yarmouth single line past the box on the alignment of the old down siding and put a platform behind that. About 100m or so of walkway. Take out all the points and signals, not needed, and you can run a shuttle service to Gt Yarmouth and still use the current service to and from Lowestoft.
 

dk1

Veteran Member
Joined
2 Oct 2009
Messages
15,822
Location
East Anglia
Not really.

Slew the up Lowestoft-Norwich so that it passes behind the signal box where the siding is, down Norwich-Lowestoft to the alignment of the current Up Lowestoft-Norwich and extend the existing Gt Yarmouth single line past the box on the alignment of the old down siding and put a platform behind that. About 100m or so of walkway. Take out all the points and signals, not needed, and you can run a shuttle service to Gt Yarmouth and still use the current service to and from Lowestoft.
For a minute there I thought you where being serious.
 

dk1

Veteran Member
Joined
2 Oct 2009
Messages
15,822
Location
East Anglia
Are you aware that the siding & all the points & crossings have gone & the entire layout at Reedham has been remodelled to how it will be in the end? There is a new 40mph crossover in and currently out of use between the dn Lowestoft & up Lowestoft. Nothing can be changed now & what you are suggesting would leave little change out of a couple of £million for a route that carries very few passengers indeed.
 

Tio Terry

Member
Joined
2 May 2014
Messages
1,178
Location
Spain
Are you aware that the siding & all the points & crossings have gone & the entire layout at Reedham has been remodelled to how it will be in the end? There is a new 40mph crossover in and currently out of use between the dn Lowestoft & up Lowestoft. Nothing can be changed now & what you are suggesting would leave little change out of a couple of £million for a route that carries very few passengers indeed.

No, was not aware that the proposed changes had been implemented.

To do what I suggested would need three tracks under Witton Green bridge, adjacent to the Reedham Junction signal box. Where is the new crossover relevant to the bridge? If there's room for the slews it could be done - and would not cost £2M!
 

dk1

Veteran Member
Joined
2 Oct 2009
Messages
15,822
Location
East Anglia
No, was not aware that the proposed changes had been implemented.

To do what I suggested would need three tracks under Witton Green bridge, adjacent to the Reedham Junction signal box. Where is the new crossover relevant to the bridge? If there's room for the slews it could be done - and would not cost £2M!
The new crossover has been installed just before the curve to Reedham Swingbridge. There are only two tracks now. The middle line has gone & down Lowestoft trains travel via the old Yarmouth line right up until the curve but still obey the down section signal/distant. Line speed is now 60mph down & 40mph up right the way through Reedham. Track remodelling & building a temporary station with all the H&S faff required now would easily cost that. To be fair this was all planned over a year ago well before the extended signalling difficulties where discovered & there should've only been a few quiet Winter months without through services to Yarmouth for the very very few that use them from Cantley & Reedham & of course there is currently nothing at Berney Arms & few walkers out of season.
 

Tio Terry

Member
Joined
2 May 2014
Messages
1,178
Location
Spain
The new crossover has been installed just before the curve to Reedham Swingbridge. There are only two tracks now. The middle line has gone & down Lowestoft trains travel via the old Yarmouth line right up until the curve but still obey the down section signal/distant. Line speed is now 60mph down & 40mph up right the way through Reedham. Track remodelling & building a temporary station with all the H&S faff required now would easily cost that. To be fair this was all planned over a year ago well before the extended signalling difficulties where discovered & there should've only been a few quiet Winter months without through services to Yarmouth for the very very few that use them from Cantley & Reedham & of course there is currently nothing at Berney Arms & few walkers out of season.

From what you have said my idea of slewing the up Norwich behind the box is still possible, the down could adopt the old down alignment and the single line could be lengthened towards the station so there could be three tracks under the bridge and a temporary scaffolding platform closer to Reedham Station.

How many trains don't stop at Reedham? Why 60mph on the down approaching the curve and then the swing bridge? What's the linespeed around the curve and over the bridge and what's the acceleration rate of the trains leaving Reedham on the down? Can they reach 60? Seems a rather high speed for that area.

Just out of interest, does NR have to pay the TOC for NOT being able to run a service? If that is the case then surely any costs could be offset against paying the TOC for doing nothing?

I'm not having a go at you, but I guess I'm from an older sort of railwayman, one who would always look at how we could manage to run a service rather than give up on the idea of doing so!
 

dk1

Veteran Member
Joined
2 Oct 2009
Messages
15,822
Location
East Anglia
From what you have said my idea of slewing the up Norwich behind the box is still possible, the down could adopt the old down alignment and the single line could be lengthened towards the station so there could be three tracks under the bridge and a temporary scaffolding platform closer to Reedham Station.

How many trains don't stop at Reedham? Why 60mph on the down approaching the curve and then the swing bridge? What's the linespeed around the curve and over the bridge and what's the acceleration rate of the trains leaving Reedham on the down? Can they reach 60? Seems a rather high speed for that area.

Just out of interest, does NR have to pay the TOC for NOT being able to run a service? If that is the case then surely any costs could be offset against paying the TOC for doing nothing?

I'm not having a go at you, but I guess I'm from an older sort of railwayman, one who would always look at how we could manage to run a service rather than give up on the idea of doing so!
I'm an old sort of railwayman with 34yrs service but I can see a common sense approach. There are a few non stop services per day but if going to Lowestoft the curve is 20mph. So good not to crawl through at 15mph now & I have never agreed with Yarmouth bound trains doing it when it was the faster route. Splitting distant signals would've helped. No idea who pays who or what.
 

Trainfan344

Established Member
Joined
13 Oct 2012
Messages
2,306
From google maps; a Scaffolding platform at the end of the current branch, with a footpath up to the road bridge, cross the lines on the bridge and then room for a footpath next to the running line with a fence up to the end of the car park? Not sure what visibility is like for road users or if it'd be very safe. But it's one solution and a heck of a lot cheaper than moving all the lines around.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top