Delay due to signalling problems between Barrhead and Dunlop

[kylemore]

Just been delayed 1 hour due to signalling problems between Barrhead and Dunlop, seems to be a recurring problem in the Lugton area.

Can anyone explain why a Victorian contraption of brass levers, wires running along little wheels and mechanical signal arms still controls traffic on a busy commuter line in 2020!

 

[Mills444]

Because they are generally reliable and there is likely no business case for upgrading them.

 

[kylemore]

Because they are generally reliable and there is likely no business case for upgrading them.

The line from Glasgow to Barrhead has modern signalling, and from Lugton on is also modern signalling, it's just a wee bit in the middle, common sense should have dictated they replaced this at the same time as they did the rest.

If it's a good "business case" that recurring problems cause countless hours of delay for customers on what is generally a reasonably reliable line then we truly do have a mad rail system!

 

[Tomnick]

Just been delayed 1 hour due to signalling problems between Barrhead and Dunlop, seems to be a recurring problem in the Lugton area.

Can anyone explain why a Victorian contraption of brass levers, wires running along little wheels and mechanical signal arms still controls traffic on a busy commuter line in 2020!

I understand that the problem was a power supply failure to a colour light signal, so not really directly attributable to the contraption of brass levers (they’re not brass), wires running alone little wheels and mechanical signal arms. Seems to have been the sort of failure that’d have caused a problem on any single line regardless of the method of signalling, handled by the fairly rapid introduction of modified working to keep trains moving.