Driver took a wrong route

[bluegoblin7]

Most frequently wrong routes accepted and taken by the driver is when the driver frequently uses both potential routes e.g. going through the middle road when booked to stop at a station in a loop. It’s extremely rare for a driver to accept a route they do not sign. For example on the Metropolitan Line route Chiltern trains are occasionally given the route accross from the Fasts to the Slows which Chiltern trains cannot take. It was extremely rare for a driver to accept the route as it would be a very unusual move for a mainline train.

It would be very unusual for Chilterns to be in a position to cross from the Fasts to the Slows...

The lines north of Harrow-on-the-Hill are the Main and the Local. Chilterns only use the Mains and are not cleared to use the Locals. Wrong-routes at Watord North Junction aren't unheard of, but they are rare. Acceptance of them is rarer still. The same goes for Harrow North Junction, although this has happened in the not too distant past...

South of Harrow the lines are the Fasts and the Locals. Access is at Wembley Park and Harrow-on-the-Hill only.

Certainly within LUL signallers should inform drivers if they are going to be diverted via any route they are not booked to use, even if they do sign it. Examples include the Locals/Fasts on the Met and even something like a re-platforming at Edgware Road. Indeed, the latter is common and is a necessity to keep the area moving and flowing freely - although giving a wrong route at Praed Street Junction can have much bigger implications (no, I've not done it...!).

 

[LAX54]

Slightly concerning, is the JI not supposed to be proved lit before the signal can clear?

The JI lights up just before the signal clears, if there is a fault in the JI / Lunar Lights, signal stays red.

 

[Dieseldriver]

The JI lights up just before the signal clears, if there is a fault in the JI / Lunar Lights, signal stays red.

Which is why I involuntarily take a sharp intake of breath when in the cab with a driver who releases the brake and takes power the second the feather comes off. A very dangerous tactic...

 

[DavidGrain]

This is a real incident recorded by District Dave, sadly no longer with us
http://www.districtdave.co.uk/html/confession_time.html

 

[Llama]

Which is why I involuntarily take a sharp intake of breath when in the cab with a driver who releases the brake and takes power the second the feather comes off. A very dangerous tactic...

Absolutely - I have had two instances where junction indicators illuminated but the signal stayed at danger. There was a spad a few years ago at WN565 signal, Earlestown area where the same happened. Some drivers don't help themselves.

 

[dctraindriver]

Which is why I involuntarily take a sharp intake of breath when in the cab with a driver who releases the brake and takes power the second the feather comes off. A very dangerous tactic...

100%. Wait a couple of seconds, what’s a couple of seconds? Don’t understand It whatsoever.

 

[EvoIV]

Neither do I. Some drivers are like a coiled spring as soon as they see a train clearing points ahead they're taking the brake off and putting the reverser in forward etc in anticipation of the signal clearing. You're making such a big trap for yourself for no sensible or rational reason. You aren't going to save any meaningful amount of time. Especially if you have a roll back or worse a roll by.

 

[Jasperpro]

It would be very unusual for Chilterns to be in a position to cross from the Fasts to the Slows...

The lines north of Harrow-on-the-Hill are the Main and the Local. Chilterns only use the Mains and are not cleared to use the Locals. Wrong-routes at Watord North Junction aren't unheard of, but they are rare. Acceptance of them is rarer still. The same goes for Harrow North Junction, although this has happened in the not too distant past...

South of Harrow the lines are the Fasts and the Locals. Access is at Wembley Park and Harrow-on-the-Hill only.

Certainly within LUL signallers should inform drivers if they are going to be diverted via any route they are not booked to use, even if they do sign it. Examples include the Locals/Fasts on the Met and even something like a re-platforming at Edgware Road. Indeed, the latter is common and is a necessity to keep the area moving and flowing freely - although giving a wrong route at Praed Street Junction can have much bigger implications (no, I've not done it...!).

It’s not very unusual for LU signallers to give the wrong wroute thought....

I should know seeing as I drive it everyday for 6 years!

 

[Signal Head]

Of course, there's been the odd stalemate the other way round, late at night, when the signaller has allowed a possession to go ahead, believing from their notices that the last train to call at Redhill had already run, whereas the next driver has then stopped at Stoats Nest Jn shortly afterwards, stating their schedule card said they are still booked to call, and refusing to take the wrong route...

Put it this way, many taxis from Horley have had to be arranged from time to time...



Hurst Green Junction by any chance? Although that might have been more recently.

A driver took the proceed aspect on the GPL shunt signal at Hurst Green, in order to head Down from the Up East Grinstead to Down Uckfield line, after confirming the route with the signaller (as required by the local rules). The signaller did not, however, mention that the next signal was at danger. This next signal is in close proximity, round a blind bend, and normally protected by a single yellow during normal three-aspect approach from the Down EG. Of course the driver did not have said usual warning, by means of a single yellow, that the signal was at danger, only having seen the two whites on the shunt signal instead. So they took power for the 70mph limit after the shunt, and went straight past the red around the corner.

The argument by the TOC was, allegedly, that there was a high and very predictable risk the driver would not anticipate the next signal being held at danger, which is in any case extremely rare - let alone after seeing double whites and not a single yellow. They believed the signaller should have advised the driver of the unusual sequence during their phone call before the shunt.

The Network Rail (or predecessors') argument, which was (unfortunately for the driver & co.) entirely correct, was that the driver should have expected the most restrictive aspect at the next signal, seeing as shunt signals never usually have any way to display the possible aspect of the next signal, and there is never an intended meaning as such.

Which is why, for quite a few years now, it has been the practice to provide main aspects on siding outlet signals in most cases. This had been done on scheme I inherited part way through development, and the siting of a full size post with main, sub, and two sizes of route indicator was causing a few problems.

I argued (successfully) that the SPAD risk at the following signal was very low, as soon as the driver got through the siding connection (at 15 mph) and out on the main line, the next signal is clearly visible at the other end of the intervening station, approx 300m away, along dead straight track.