Interlaced or gauntlet track

[geoffk]

I see that there was a short-lived thread on this subject earlier in the year but it’s no longer open for replies so I hope this new one is acceptable.

Use of interlaced track in the UK was evidently most common on tramways and examples still exist on the Croydon, Nottingham and Great Orme systems and at Crich, where space does not allow a normal double track or to avoid pointwork in the street.

I often wondered why this arrangement wasn’t use more on railways, e.g. through the narrow tunnels on the Hastings line when they were singled in the 1980s. Interlacing the track would have saved the cost of two sets of points at each tunnel and reduced the risk of delay in the event of points failure at what are probably fairly inaccessible locations. I suppose two conductor rails would be needed instead of just one on a single track but, provided that the line was signalled as a single track, what other objections could there have been to this arrangement?

 

[adamedwards]

Many years ago there was a bridge problem at Furness Vale and the track was gauntleted to create a short section of "single line" over the bridge but without the cost of points. Before you all rush over there, once the bridge was repaired it went back to double track.
Unfortunately I cannot find a picture but I remember seeing an article in a railway magazine at the time. Someone on this forum will have the picture...

 

[MarkyT]

I see that there was a short-lived thread on this subject earlier in the year but it’s no longer open for replies so I hope this new one is acceptable.

Use of interlaced track in the UK was evidently most common on tramways and examples still exist on the Croydon, Nottingham and Great Orme systems and at Crich, where space does not allow a normal double track or to avoid pointwork in the street.

I often wondered why this arrangement wasn’t use more on railways, e.g. through the narrow tunnels on the Hastings line when they were singled in the 1980s. Interlacing the track would have saved the cost of two sets of points at each tunnel and reduced the risk of delay in the event of points failure at what are probably fairly inaccessible locations. I suppose two conductor rails would be needed instead of just one on a single track but, provided that the line was sitracksgnalled as a single track, what other objections could there have been to this arrangement?

The short single line sections through these tunnels on the Hastings line also provide a crossover facility for trains transferring from one running line to the other under various operational scenarios. That flexibility is lost with interlaced tracks. Down freights from Tonbridge use the single line through Mountfield Tunnel to cross over and access the British Gypsum siding on the up side for example.

 

[pdeaves]

There was talk recently (last five years or so) of putting interlaced track on single track viaducts in Cornwall. The signalling engineers were ambivalent, the track engineers were seriously unhappy. If memory serves correctly the worries were variously unable to tamp staggered sleepers and the impossibility of using longer sleepers. I think they were excuses to avoid doing 'something new' but whatever the reasons, it never came to pass.

 

[furnessvale]

Many years ago there was a bridge problem at Furness Vale and the track was gauntleted to create a short section of "single line" over the bridge but without the cost of points. Before you all rush over there, once the bridge was repaired it went back to double track.
Unfortunately I cannot find a picture but I remember seeing an article in a railway magazine at the time. Someone on this forum will have the picture...

There appears to be a thread on WNXX which I cannot access.

 

[Tio Terry]

Many years ago, in BR days, there was a bridge problem at Kennett, between Bury St Edmunds and Chippenham Junction which resulted in a temporary gauntlett track solution for a number of months whilst the bridge was repaired.

 

[hexagon789]

The Boyne viaduct on the Belfast-Dublin mainline used to have interlaced track, been ordinary single track across for at least 20 years now though I believe.

 

[OVS Flatbottom]

The Boyne viaduct on the Belfast-Dublin mainline used to have interlaced track, been ordinary single track across for at least 20 years now though I believe.

I think the interlaced track was taken out in the early to mid 1990s when the viaduct was strengthened as part of the Dublin-Belfast upgrade, but I could be mistaken. Certainly no later than 1996 when the most recent Drogheda resignalling was done.

 

[MarkyT]

The Boyne viaduct on the Belfast-Dublin mainline used to have interlaced track, been ordinary single track across for at least 20 years now though I believe.

I think the interlaced track was taken out in the early to mid 1990s when the viaduct was strengthened as part of the Dublin-Belfast upgrade, but I could be mistaken. Certainly no later than 1996 when the most recent Drogheda resignalling was done.

Another case where the conventional single to double connections provide flexibility, to use either platform at the station in either direction in this case. If the same flexibility was to be provided with interlaced over the bridge, twice as many turnouts would be required!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Would the Ravenglass & Eskdale railway, when it was operating in places c. 100 years ago, with both 3 foot and 15 inch gauge, be considered to have been "gauntlet track"?

 

[30907]

Would the Ravenglass & Eskdale railway, when it was operating in places c. 100 years ago, with both 3 foot and 15 inch gauge, be considered to have been "gauntlet track"?

I would call it mixed gauge.

 

[edwin_m]

I found a piece of interlaced mixed gauge track once, in Stuttgart during the conversion of a metre gauge tram route to standard. Unfortunately I've lost the photo.

 

[OVS Flatbottom]

Another case where the conventional single to double connections provide flexibility, to use either platform at the station in either direction in this case. If the same flexibility was to be provided with interlaced over the bridge, twice as many turnouts would be required!

I think there may already have been a crossover at that end of the station in the interlaced days - I distinctly recall boarding a Belfast-Dublin train at the Down platform on, I think, St. Patrick's Day 1987 (in those days Drogheda had no local services to Dublin on Sundays or holidays for most of the year, so presumably the few Up trains were routed through the Down platform on such occasions because it was the one with the buildings and main entrance - as is often done at passing stations on single lines when there's no actual crossing taking place). Thus, there was no saving in turnout numbers from having interlaced track, although maybe the crossover was put in after the interlaced section.

 

[norbitonflyer]

I think there may already have been a crossover at that end of the station in the interlaced days - I distinctly recall boarding a Belfast-Dublin train at the Down platform on, I think, St. Patrick's Day 1987 (in those days Drogheda had no local services to Dublin on Sundays or holidays for most of the year, so presumably the few Up trains were routed through the Down platform on such occasions because it was the one with the buildings and main entrance - as is often done at passing stations on single lines when there's no actual crossing taking place). Thus, there was no saving in turnout numbers from having interlaced track, although maybe the crossover was put in after the interlaced section.

The "Hill Train" funicular at Legoland Windsor uses interlaced track.

The train that uses the track further from the platforms has an extra wide footboard to bridge the gap between the side of the compartments and the platform.

Not sure whether this one counts

 

[DerekC]

Would the Ravenglass & Eskdale railway, when it was operating in places c. 100 years ago, with both 3 foot and 15 inch gauge, be considered to have been "gauntlet track"?

I don't think the R&ER ever operated with both 3 foot and 15 inch gauge. The 3ft gauge railway closed completely in 1913 and was converted to 15 in gauge in 1915. However I seem to recall reading that the section between Ravenglass and the granite quarry at Muncaster had gauntletted standard gauge and 15 in gauge track at one time.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

However I seem to recall reading that the section between Ravenglass and the granite quarry at Muncaster had gauntletted standard gauge and 15 in gauge track at one time.

Indeed. That would seem to be correct. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[MarkyT]

The "Hill Train" funicular at Legoland Windsor uses interlaced track.

Definitely interlaced (apart from the passing place obviously!)

Not sure whether this one counts

No crossing of the middle rails, so not interlaced.

 

[edwin_m]

On some funiculars each car has double-flanged wheels on one side and flangeless on the other. The passing loop looks similar to conventional points but with no moving parts. The car with the flanges on the west side (or whatever) follows the western rail so always uses the western side of the loop, and vice versa for the east.

 

[Brissle Girl]

The track in the tunnel east of Southampton Central was interlaced for around a year in the early 1980s whilst major structural work was underway.

 

[Wychwood93]

There is also this:

http://www.trenscat.com/catnord/images/elna/P060218090.jpg

just south of Elne, crossing the River Tech, on the line between Perpignan and the Spanish border.

 

[Junior]

There was an example of gauntlet track on the Como bridge in south of Sydney; however, this was replaced in the 1970's with a new twin track ballast-top concrete bridge next. The old bridge was converted to pedestrian / cycleway.

The banner photos in the website below rotate slowly and have a good picture of the track arrangement looking into the old bridge.

https://www.visitsydneyaustralia.com.au/como-bridge.html

 

[DerekC]

However I seem to recall reading that the section between Ravenglass and the granite quarry at Muncaster had gauntletted standard gauge and 15 in gauge track at one time.

Indeed. That would seem to be correct. Thanks for clarifying.

Just checked with Humphrey Household's "Narrow Gauge Railways" and the standard gauge (and therefore gauntletted track) actually ran from Ravenglass as far as the Murthwaite crushing plant. Narrow gauge trains brought the stone down from the quarry at Beckfoot. The standard gauge track was put in in 1929 and trains operated on it until 1949. The book doesn't say when the s.g. track was removed. The section on the trackwork is worth quoting:

"For the interlacing of the gauges beyond the Ravenglass yard and their separation approaching Murthwaite, unusual pointwork had to be designed because the gaps essential for the passage of standard gauge wheels would be far too wide for the 15-inch stock to cross with safety. The "Big Points", as they became known, therefore consisted of two short pieces of rail pivoted so that they could give continuous support to the wheels of a train of either gauge and set by a trackside lever interlocked with a signal ....."

Unfortunately there isn't a photograph so I am not clear what this arrangement looked like.

 

[pdeaves]

Just checked with Humphrey Household's "Narrow Gauge Railways" and the standard gauge (and therefore gauntletted track) actually ran from Ravenglass as far as the Murthwaite crushing plant. Narrow gauge trains brought the stone down from the quarry at Beckfoot. The standard gauge track was put in in 1929 and trains operated on it until 1949. The book doesn't say when the s.g. track was removed. The section on the trackwork is worth quoting:



Unfortunately there isn't a photograph so I am not clear what this arrangement looked like.

That sounds analogous to a swing nose point, though probably not quite the same!

 

[hexagon789]

I think the interlaced track was taken out in the early to mid 1990s when the viaduct was strengthened as part of the Dublin-Belfast upgrade, but I could be mistaken. Certainly no later than 1996 when the most recent Drogheda resignalling was done.

Sounds right, it's mentioned as gauntleted in 1994 but no mention in 1998.

Another case where the conventional single to double connections provide flexibility, to use either platform at the station in either direction in this case. If the same flexibility was to be provided with interlaced over the bridge, twice as many turnouts would be required!

True, but there must have been some reason for having interlaced track instead of the current arrangement

 

[Taunton]

There are a range of issues with interlaced tracks - unfamiliarity by the PW staff; inability to switch tracks leading to needing a separate crossover anyway; customised non-standard components; and needing to ensure the frog where the tracks diverge is of an adequate angle while keeping the curvature appropriate for the speed desired. They can feel a solution looking for a problem - points are not as much a problem for railway operations as sometimes portrayed, and some of the issue seems to be an accountants' view - total costs are divided up to represent £ per point end, take them out and you miraculously save those costs. Actually not.

 

[High Dyke]

There was an example of gauntlet track on the Como bridge in south of Sydney; however, this was replaced in the 1970's with a new twin track ballast-top concrete bridge next. The old bridge was converted to pedestrian / cycleway.

The banner photos in the website below rotate slowly and have a good picture of the track arrangement looking into the old bridge.

https://www.visitsydneyaustralia.com.au/como-bridge.html

Screenshot from website.

 

[Dr Hoo]

The track in the tunnel east of Southampton Central was interlaced for around a year in the early 1980s whilst major structural work was underway.

It wasn't. The re-signalling shortly before had introduced bi-directional working on both tracks. The tunnels work had various phases, including a moveable 'shield' on its own 'rails' and a separate 'contractor's railway' on narrow gauge that sat beside a single operational 'main line'. Things were slued about a bit from time to time as the work progressed but it was always operated as a bi-di line between crossovers with other bits technically 'under possession', 'out-of-use', 'temporarily disconnected' and so on.

(I was a local manager in the area at the time.)

 

[marsker]

ISTR that there used to be gauntletted track over the swing bridge at the north of Selby station. If I remember rightly (and that's not guaranteed!) the points controllong the main and loop lines were to the south of the bridge, with the actual divergance to the north. I have a recollection of seeing it in the early/mid sixties when the ECML went that way and semaphores reigned!.

 

[MarkyT]

ISTR that there used to be gauntletted track over the swing bridge at the north of Selby station. If I remember rightly (and that's not guaranteed!) the points controllong the main and loop lines were to the south of the bridge, with the actual divergance to the north. I have a recollection of seeing it in the early/mid sixties when the ECML went that way and semaphores reigned!.

That makes sense for mechanical lever operated points, otherwise there would need to be some kind of additional mechanism to safely and reliably connect and disconnect the rodding runs across the movable bridge. A cable for actuating them remotely by electrical machine could avoid the bridge altogether.

 

[Taunton]

It wasn't. The re-signalling shortly before had introduced bi-directional working on both tracks. The tunnels work had various phases, including a moveable 'shield' on its own 'rails' and a separate 'contractor's railway' on narrow gauge that sat beside a single operational 'main line'. Things were slued about a bit from time to time as the work progressed but it was always operated as a bi-di line between crossovers with other bits technically 'under possession', 'out-of-use', 'temporarily disconnected' and so on.

(I was a local manager in the area at the time.)

I remember those works (must have been late 1980s) and the contractors' narrow gauge wagonway. But before the 442s, as I leant out of an end droplight to see progress.

ISTR that there used to be gauntletted track over the swing bridge at the north of Selby station. If I remember rightly (and that's not guaranteed!) the points controlling the main and loop lines were to the south of the bridge, with the actual divergence to the north.

This is commonly used on tramways to put the actual switch well in advance of the divergence, for varying reasons. Here's one at Croydon https://www.google.com/maps/@51.373...4!1sa-1SEONHl-jdf_7COm76Vw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192