Bicester Town

[euryalus]

I was at "Bicester Town" the other say (or, as I still prefer to call it "Bicester London Road") I noted that the front wall of the Cotswold stone station building has survived, and the former down line has been retained as a siding, but the signal cabin has been abolished. The level crossing has been equipped with colour light signals and flashing lights, but I wondered how this crossing was controlled - is it now worked from Oxford?

 

[RPM]

I might be wrong here because I don't sign that route but I think the crossing is driver operated via a lineside push button panel. The Bicester bypass crossing is certainly operated this way and I think London Road & Langford crossings are the same. Obviously this will all change when the line is upgraded.

The wall of the old station building is set to be swept away when the station is rebuilt.

 

[euryalus]

I think the crossing is driver operated via a lineside push button panel. The Bicester bypass crossing is certainly operated this way.

Sounds potentially-lethal!

 

[Buttsy]

Sounds potentially-lethal!

The road is single lane, isn't particularly busy by what's interpreted as 'by-pass' standards and the full barrier crossing is close to the Launton Road roundabout. I also understand that the binliner that runs over this route runs at night so less inconvenience to road traffic.

As seen northwards:

 

[Tomnick]

Sounds potentially-lethal!

Why? Whoever's operating the crossing (locally) can, once the barriers are lowered, check that it's clear before allowing the movement to commence - how's that any different to any other full-barrier level crossing?

Does anyone know whether the fixed signals (plated 'BT') are provided solely to protect the level crossing, or do they somehow divide the single line into two sections?

 

[Buttsy]

Why? Whoever's operating the crossing (locally) can, once the barriers are lowered, check that it's clear before allowing the movement to commence - how's that any different to any other full-barrier level crossing?

I think he was thinking it was a 70mph dual carriageway bypass with heavy traffic, rather than what it actually is

 

[barrykas]

Looking at the Sectional Appendix, London Road Level Crossing marks the boundary between two Tokenless Block sections.

For passenger trains terminating at Bicester Town from the Oxford direction the Driver contacts the Signaller at Oxford on arrival and when ready to depart.

For through trains:

There are two signals at the crossing (BT100 and BT200), each with a control cupboard. Before operating the crossing, the Guard indicates the train is complete and then requests access to the next block. Assuming it's given, the Guard initiates the crossing sequence.

Once the barriers are proved lowered, the signal should clear, at which point the Guard locks the cupboard and rejoins the train. The barriers automatically raise once the train has cleared the crossing, and there's an indicator 1/4 of a mile further on to confirm that.

If the indicator fails to illuminate, the Guard has to walk back and check, then try raising the barriers with the raise button in the control cabinet, and if that doesn't work, the barriers have to be raised manually.

 

[euryalus]

Many thanks for that very informative explanation - I thought there must be a link of some kind to Oxford!

 

[Andyjs247]

The road is single lane, isn't particularly busy by what's interpreted as 'by-pass' standards and the full barrier crossing is close to the Launton Road roundabout. I also understand that the binliner that runs over this route runs at night so less inconvenience to road traffic.

As seen northwards:

The Avon 'binliner' stopped running a couple of years ago. In the last few weeks though there has been some 'as required' traffic on weekdays - AFAIK fly ash from Didcot to Calvert running in the same timings that the binliner did. Typically the train runs up to Calvert in the evening with the empties returning next day around 1200 through Bicester. Saw 56312 working this the other day.

Looking at the Sectional Appendix, London Road Level Crossing marks the boundary between two Tokenless Block sections.

For passenger trains terminating at Bicester Town from the Oxford direction the Driver contacts the Signaller at Oxford on arrival and when ready to depart.

For through trains:

There are two signals at the crossing (BT100 and BT200), each with a control cupboard. Before operating the crossing, the Guard indicates the train is complete and then requests access to the next block. Assuming it's given, the Guard initiates the crossing sequence.

Once the barriers are proved lowered, the signal should clear, at which point the Guard locks the cupboard and rejoins the train. The barriers automatically raise once the train has cleared the crossing, and there's an indicator 1/4 of a mile further on to confirm that.

If the indicator fails to illuminate, the Guard has to walk back and check, then try raising the barriers with the raise button in the control cabinet, and if that doesn't work, the barriers have to be raised manually.

Just to add, London Road crossing is TMOB. The guard of a train heading to Calvert would contact the signaller at Claydon LNE junction for authorisation.