• 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!

Protocol when overshooting a station

Status
Not open for further replies.

Deepgreen

Established Member
Joined
12 Jun 2013
Messages
6,340
Location
Betchworth, Surrey
On the face of it, setting back one or two car lengths would seem to be the obvious thing, but - if the platform starter (there is one at Merstham) had gone back, then it's even less simple. Many stations, when part of re-signalling schemes, are losing their starters in favour of signals spaced more evenly, but not necessarily positioned at stations. This means that a short overshoot will at least not conflict with signals and should allow a short setback with permission. I say, 'should", because I know it's not that simple. I do wonder whether having to change ends on a 12 car train to set back, say, one or two cars is sensible - why can't the driver set back from the front cab at a crawl until in the correct position (when protected in rear by the previous signal)? Freight drivers reverse their trains from their cabs for far greater distances.
Regarding SDO, having both ends enabled with the feature would allow safe platform access from a minor overshoot.
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

Dieseldriver

Member
Joined
9 Apr 2012
Messages
971
On the face of it, setting back one or two car lengths would seem to be the obvious thing, but - if the platform starter (there is one at Merstham) had gone back, then it's even less simple. Many stations, when part of re-signalling schemes, are losing their starters in favour of signals spaced more evenly, but not necessarily positioned at stations. This means that a short overshoot will at least not conflict with signals and should allow a short setback with permission. I say, 'should", because I know it's not that simple. I do wonder whether having to change ends on a 12 car train to set back, say, one or two cars is sensible - why can't the driver set back from the front cab at a crawl until in the correct position (when protected in rear by the previous signal)? Freight drivers reverse their trains from their cabs for far greater distances.
Freight Drivers reverse their trains for far greater distances when the move is being controlled by someone on the ground whom they are in constant contact with.
 

Dren Ahmeti

Member
Joined
17 Oct 2017
Messages
550
Location
Bristol
I noticed earlier this year that signs have appeared at the front end of the Wigan-bound platform at Hindley station which just say "Your next stop is?". I'm guessing that's to remind drivers to stop at Ince if they're driving one of the few trains that are actually booked to stop there.
There’s a similar sign at Didcot Parkway saying:
“Driver, are you stopping at Radley?”
 

philthetube

Established Member
Joined
5 Jan 2016
Messages
3,749
LU Rules now allow a train to be set-back (ie. reversed from leading cab) by up to one-car length on most of the network; except Wimbledon-Putney Bridge, Network Rail lines, stations with platform edge doors.

But not over points.
 

mervyn72

Member
Joined
23 Jul 2015
Messages
187
Once on a Swanline service made of double 153's we overshot Pyle. Driver announced that only one of the dogboxes brakes applied. I thought this was odd as we'd stopped at Bridgend no problem. After a few minutes we set back and doors opened. Driver detached and reattached and off we went with no further problems...
 

Dieseldriver

Member
Joined
9 Apr 2012
Messages
971
Novice question here.
Could he not just reverse under the signallers guidance?
Yes. You could be authorised to change ends and make a wrong direction move to position the train back into the platform. Depends on a few different factors as to whether that would happen though.
 

Llanigraham

Established Member
Joined
23 Mar 2013
Messages
6,073
Location
Powys
Novice question here.
Could he not just reverse under the signallers guidance?

Because in many areas the signaller can't see the train.
I had an UP direction overshoot at Ludlow station once. First I knew about it was phone call from Control; no way could I have seen something 3 miles away.
 

Trainfan344

Established Member
Joined
13 Oct 2012
Messages
2,306
Not sure if you've seen the length of the 700s though. Not sure I'd fancy walking the length of that twice.
 

Llama

Established Member
Joined
29 Apr 2014
Messages
1,955
Novice question here.
Could he not just reverse under the signallers guidance?
One of our drivers did that not many years ago, Kidsgrove I think. They were lucky to ever drive again. I think the signaller got brought off too.
 

Grannyjoans

Member
Joined
29 Mar 2017
Messages
403
I overrun a platform once but it was due to poor railhead. Phoned the signaller, changed ends (via the trackside, not through the train as the passengers are watching) and returned to the station.

Due to the fact that it was due to poor railhead, and not due to me making a misjudgement, it could not be used against me.
 

Llama

Established Member
Joined
29 Apr 2014
Messages
1,955
Likewise, I had one of those years ago. You can't alter the laws of physics and sometimes no matter what you do you're going through. The train behind me was asked to do a controlled test stop and went through too which is always a nice backup!

So long as you do everything by the book during and after it, there's nothing they can blame you for.
 

Joliver

Member
Joined
29 Apr 2018
Messages
224
The TOC I work for has a forward only policy. If you overshoot that's it, no going back.
 

Horizon22

Established Member
Associate Staff
Jobs & Careers
Joined
8 Sep 2019
Messages
7,446
Location
London
Depends on the severity and whether SDO is in operation and whether its permitted by the signaller. If it's several coach lengths its likely seen as a serious "operational incident" and train might move forward to next station and then ECS to a depot and taken off duties to speak to the DM. If it's a "small" overshoot, there might be an opportunity to reverse.
 

westcoaster

Established Member
Joined
4 Dec 2006
Messages
4,223
Location
DTOS A or B
Not sure if you've seen the length of the 700s though. Not sure I'd fancy walking the length of that twice.

Hopefully you would not have to, on a 700 the SDO system only works backwards so you can open 1 to 12 coaches, but not 2-12.
What you can do if authorised is electrically lock out the coaches via the train computer, so if you only have the last two coaches platformed. Electrically lock out coaches 1-10 and use the last coaches to board through.
 

Meerkat

Established Member
Joined
14 Jul 2018
Messages
7,419
Hopefully you would not have to, on a 700 the SDO system only works backwards so you can open 1 to 12 coaches, but not 2-12.
What you can do if authorised is electrically lock out the coaches via the train computer, so if you only have the last two coaches platformed. Electrically lock out coaches 1-10 and use the last coaches to board through.
How long would you wait for passengers in 1 to squeeze their way down to 11?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top