Track might have been replaced, but I bet the S&C wasn't.The track was replaced recently, said to be the best quality ever on the line. I wonder what broke.
Was that down primarily to the condition of the track or the rolling stock (or maybe a combination of the two)?I have to be honest, I never found the ride quality of the Stourbidge Town line very smooth, so it must have been very bad at such low speed
Don't forget that until recently the majority of the branch was primarily jointed track, but was relayed with continuous welded rail (CWR), to give a better ride quality.I have to be honest, I never found the ride quality of the Stourbidge Town line very smooth, so it must have been very bad at such low speed
I believe that 137 yards of check rail has to be replaced and both 139's inspected by a rolling stock technician before anything can move.
There is no way that the check rail should even have any wear at all let alone need replacing. Something must be seriously wrong with the wheel sets. How close has the 139's come to derailing would be the question?
It would be in the little shed at the end of the SBJ platform maybe?Went for my first ride on the Stourbridge shuttle today and was amazed how rough the ride was. It felt like being on a boat pitching and rolling, especially as we approached Stourbridge Town. I was also surprised that there are two drivers, one at each end.
I have a few questions that a local may be able to answer:
About a minute before departure, the driver appeared to "rev up the engine". Any idea why? This happened at both stations and on each journey that I saw.
I know one unit is out of service at present, but usually is one unit normally left in the sidings at Stourbridge Junction, while the other one works the service? Was the defective unit removed by road?
Went for my first ride on the Stourbridge shuttle today and was amazed how rough the ride was. It felt like being on a boat pitching and rolling, especially as we approached Stourbridge Town. I was also surprised that there are two drivers, one at each end.
I have a few questions that a local may be able to answer:
About a minute before departure, the driver appeared to "rev up the engine". Any idea why? This happened at both stations and on each journey that I saw.
The line isn’t continuously track circuited therefore DOO isn’t permittedThere are two crew, one acts as driver and one as guard and they swap over. Why it isn't DOO is beyond me.
The line isn’t continuously track circuited therefore DOO isn’t permitted
Does it even come under all the rules applicable to the mainline? It needn't, it is more like a tramway. And it is one engine in steam with no level crossings so it is hardly going to hit anything bar a tree.
Yes it doesDoes it even come under all the rules applicable to the mainline? It needn't, it is more like a tramway. And it is one engine in steam with no level crossings so it is hardly going to hit anything bar a tree.
Yes it does
To change it into a tramway from the signalling it currently has (or even to continuously track circuit it) would cost far more than the cost of guards.
Continuously track circuited as a phrase encompasses axle counters so yes they are, but they’re not present here (and the cost factor for design and installation is at best similar to track circuits)Are axle counters not allowed for DOO?
This is a classic example of why the railway costs so much to run, we have always done it that way so we will continue to do so regardless.
There cannot be any safety reason why token working can be introduced, one engine in steam does not need signalling.
This is a classic example of why the railway costs so much to run, we have always done it that way so we will continue to do so regardless.
There cannot be any safety reason why token working can be introduced, one engine in steam does not need signalling.
I'm sure several single track branches in this country are One engine in steam, including St Ives and Ormskirk and they haven't yet been "crunched" Can drivers of failed trains on such lines not simply be banned from fixing them or moving once 1Z99 has started moving towards it and 1Z99 be banned from exceeding 5mph under emergency permissive working?Token (or more accurately train staff) working is already present, and has been since the early 1990s. To install another signalling system, as I’ve said, would be a lot of expenditure for very minimal return (which is probably why the train staff system was left as it was when the line was resignalled seven or eight years ago)
“One engine in steam” hasn’t been permitted on the national network for a number of years on a very simple basis
Train 1 breaks down
Train 2 comes to rescue it
Train 1 fixes itself and gets moving
Train 2 is still coming towards it
Crunch
All the safeguards that would prevent such a situation happening in a “one engine in steam” scenario are essentially verbal or written orders. These are not deemed sufficient protection for an operational railway and the passengers and staff using it in this country (see the Andria-Corato collision as to why), hence the presence of some sort of signalling system on the entire national network.
And as for it only being a “little train” the riposte to trespassers on a narrow gauge railway elsewhere in the country leaps to mind
“Oh they’re only little trains”
“Yes, well they’ll only kill you a little bit then”
I am sorry but that is a typical railway answer, this is how we do it so it cannot change.Token (or more accurately train staff) working is already present, and has been since the early 1990s. To install another signalling system, as I’ve said, would be a lot of expenditure for very minimal return (which is probably why the train staff system was left as it was when the line was resignalled seven or eight years ago)
“One engine in steam” hasn’t been permitted on the national network for a number of years on a very simple basis
Train 1 breaks down
Train 2 comes to rescue it
Train 1 fixes itself and gets moving
Train 2 is still coming towards it
Crunch
All the safeguards that would prevent such a situation happening in a “one engine in steam” scenario are essentially verbal or written orders. These are not deemed sufficient protection for an operational railway and the passengers and staff using it in this country (see the Andria-Corato collision as to why), hence the presence of some sort of signalling system on the entire national network.
And as for it only being a “little train” the riposte to trespassers on a narrow gauge railway elsewhere in the country leaps to mind
“Oh they’re only little trains”
“Yes, well they’ll only kill you a little bit then”