Derby Resignalling - 22 July - 7 October 2018

[43055]

DW is surely Derby-Wichnor Jn - especially since Wichnor Jn-Water Orton has the prefix WW.

EC could be Etches Park-Chaddesden?

Yes it is only used in that area and along the pilot line. Possibly platform 7 as well?

Yes, DW is also shown as Derby - Wichnor on the 3 Sept update to the railway codes website here:
http://www.railwaycodes.org.uk/signal/signal_boxese.shtm

Yes, Wichnor would make more sense.

 

[chorx18]

Views of North end of Derby station today:

 

[The_Engineer]

View of North end of Derby station today:
View attachment 52574 View attachment 52575

Thanks!! I see the Chaddesden line over the river and to the station is now in and the associated crossovers. Good progress..... There are still a number of freights in and out of the work area each day.

 

[civ-eng-jim]

Thanks!! I see the Chaddesden line over the river and to the station is now in and the associated crossovers. Good progress..... There are still a number of freights in and out of the work area each day.

The crossover on the Derwent Bridge (Or is it a viaduct?) is an existing one being heavily refurbished to save a few bob.....But at the last minute guard rails were deemed necessary on the outer tracks so that saving quickly went out the window!

 

[grumpyoldman01]

.But at the last minute guard rails were deemed necessary on the outer tracks so that saving quickly went out the window!

Is that why the sleepers on the outer tracks look "strange"?

They look to be full of holes!

 

[civ-eng-jim]

Is that why the sleepers on the outer tracks look "strange"?

They look to be full of holes!

They're made of Swiss cheese.

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/new-track-question.66414/

 

[The_Engineer]

Three pictures of work under way on track and signalling to the north of Derby:

https://twitter.com/Jay_Tee71/status/1040942160315654144

 

[Skymonster]

Significant problems in the Derby area earlier this evening reportedly due to either a points failure or signal failure depending on which source you take as gospel. New infrastructure involved? Has it only taken two weeks?

 

[civ-eng-jim]

Three pictures of work under way on track and signalling to the north of Derby:

https://twitter.com/Jay_Tee71/status/1040942160315654144

Some good snaps there. I'll go for a wander around and get some pictures of the northern end of the scheme tomorrow.

 

[LowLevel]

Significant problems in the Derby area earlier this evening reportedly due to either a points failure or signal failure depending on which source you take as gospel. New infrastructure involved? Has it only taken two weeks?

It was a points failure which is generally reported as a signalling failure.

Are you familiar with the bell curve concept? The theory being that equipment is least reliable at the start of it's life as it beds in and towards the end as it degrades. Very little in life works perfectly out of the box.

 

[nlogax]

Huge difference between the efficient and sleek signal gantry in that tweet and the ones that lurk at the end of platforms (see video upthread, also Reading and Waterloo as examples). Is this a case of different gantries for different use cases or a new NR design direction entirely?

 

[civ-eng-jim]

Huge difference between the efficient and sleek signal gantry in that tweet and the ones that lurk at the end of platforms (see video upthread, also Reading and Waterloo as examples). Is this a case of different gantries for different use cases or a new NR design direction entirely?

I believe the gantries at the platform ends also act as "over track" crossings for other cabling (other than that feeding the signal heads) so includes a walkway too.

 

[edwin_m]

It appears NR have decided that in some circumstances signals don't need to be accessed in position. With individual signals this has resulted in the fold-down designs with no ladders or work platforms, which would need at least a short line blockage to access as the signal would have to be taken out of use. If the same can be done with a gantry then eliminating the walkway reduces the weight and wind loads and starts a sort of virtuous spiral where the structure itself can be lighter. As the layout allows some tracks to be taken out of service at quieter times, I assume routine maintenance would be done with a road-rail cherrypicker under possession and the LEDs are considered reliable enough that there is no need to provide for quick replacement of failed "bulbs".

 

[nlogax]

I believe the gantries at the platform ends also act as "over track" crossings for other cabling (other than that feeding the signal heads) so includes a walkway too.

Thank you, yes, it's a good and very obvious reason ..end of the platform being the clue I guess

 

[civ-eng-jim]

Thank you, yes, it's a good and very obvious reason ..end of the platform being the clue I guess

And what edwin_m said.....

There's another "robust" gantry with walkway to the North of Alfreton Road which (guessing from the photo) has junction indicators on.

 

[martinr1]

The scene on Wednesday 19th September with the west end in full operation. Please excuse the quality as the wind strength was trying to blow me away! There was a distinct lack of all those continuous annoying announcements for folding push chairs, see it etc, have water with you, smoking etc.

 

[43055]

The scene on Wednesday 19th September with the west end in full operation. Please excuse the quality as the wind strength was trying to blow me away! There was a distinct lack of all those continuous annoying announcements for folding push chairs, see it etc, have water with you, smoking etc.

The digital announcements were broken yesterday so manual announcements had to be made.

 

[Belperpete]

-The canopy is incomplete on the southern end of one of P4/5 but it was supposed be up to the first lighting column but I understand contractor had their access prematurely removed. The foundations are in the ground for the supports but not the designers are looking a temporary measure of supporting the PA/lighting until the contractor can come back and finish the work.

I spotted some scaffolding handrails on the southern end of the platform 4/5 canopy. Don't think it was there when the south end of the station was commissioned? No sign of any foundations for additional supports, but could be hidden under paving.
If it is necessary to take a possession of platform 4 for any of the residual canopy works, with the new layout this would presumably only leave platform 3 for all the services that reverse at Derby? If so, I suspect this work won't be done until after the north end of the station has been commissioned, and NE-SW services are once again through services using platforms 1&2, rather than reversing in platforms 3&4.

 

[martinr1]

A pleasant Friday 28th September:-

 

[civ-eng-jim]

I spotted some scaffolding handrails on the southern end of the platform 4/5 canopy. Don't think it was there when the south end of the station was commissioned? No sign of any foundations for additional supports, but could be hidden under paving.
If it is necessary to take a possession of platform 4 for any of the residual canopy works, with the new layout this would presumably only leave platform 3 for all the services that reverse at Derby? If so, I suspect this work won't be done until after the north end of the station has been commissioned, and NE-SW services are once again through services using platforms 1&2, rather than reversing in platforms 3&4.

I'm reliably informed that the foundations and tying-down bolts are in and just covered with paving. I don't think these works will be completed any time soon - definitely not until the remaining track and signalling works are complete. Christmas/Easter are possible times to get in and get the work done with disrupting passengers and trains.

 

[grumpyoldman01]

I'm reliably informed that the foundations and tying-down bolts are in and just covered with paving. I don't think these works will be completed any time soon - definitely not until the remaining track and signalling works are complete. Christmas/Easter are possible times to get in and get the work done with disrupting passengers and trains.

The north end of platform 4/5 looks completed and is shorter than the others, but on the plans submitted to Derby City Council all look to be of a similar length.

Does anyone know if this is the finished job, or will it be extended northwards at a later date? Is this a task also deferred, like the southern end conopies?

 

[civ-eng-jim]

Does anyone know if this is the finished job, or will it be extended northwards at a later date? Is this a task also deferred, like the southern end conopies?

That's the finished length. Fence, steps, signal post, speed board are all in.

 

[martinr1]

Peace will return to the Erewash Valley next week!

 

[43055]

Looks like tamping has started on the new F&I? line this morning. (The line behind platform 7/pilot line).

 

[duffield]

Peace will return to the Erewash Valley next week!

I'm having a last trip tomorrow. Going from Nottingham to Exeter, instead of my usual change at Derby I'll go via Chesterfield, that way I get the double diversion (Toton yard + Newport). Nice long ride on (hopefully) an HST.

 

[Tom Quinne]

I would guess that the logic for doing the work at all is that the station area needs to be completely ripped up and changed to reflect the new track layout. Doing the Burton workstation recontrol then is logical because it's a low cost way to get closer to the ROC ideal (albeit that if you want Burton signallers sharing a building with the appropriate controllers you probably want them in the WMSC). The cost of maintaining the building and the signallers trained in panel operation is possibly higher than the recontrol in any case.

The thing that makes less obvious sense is *not* recontrolling south of Bristol. I'm guessing that's got more to do with space at TVSC though.

Regards TVSC and space, there’s enough room on the ops floor to easliy have Bristol “A Panel”, Gloucester (one panel) and Westbury (Two panels).

 

[chorx18]

View of Derby north today:

Trackwork seems to be mostly complete. They were fitting a guard rail on the line to Chad sidings, the down main (?) still needs its guard rail fitting.

There have been a few tampers around the north end of the station over the last week, and the Orange Army!

 

[43055]

View of Derby north today:
View attachment 53440 View attachment 53441
Trackwork seems to be mostly complete. They were fitting a guard rail on the line to Chad sidings, the down main (?) still needs its guard rail fitting.

There have been a few tampers around the north end of the station over the last week, and the Orange Army!

The lines to the north are known as A line to D line and then the Pilot line. It has been busy this week getting everything done for Monday morning.

 

[68000]

Handed back in the early hours of this morning... well done

 

[M60lad]

Now there's a fault with the signalling system meaning no trains but rail replacement buses between Matlock and Derby for the time being and also delays of upto 30mins to trains between Derby and Chesterfield until 11:00