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Weirdest Oddities Still on the UK Network?

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JHurcum

JHurcum

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Hi All

So, I love railway oddities, mostly historical ones, such as Newhaven Marine or 'Charilie' BR's last Shunting Horse for example. Recently I've been thinking how cool it would have been to have seen these things in action. Now I know there is nothing quite as odd as horse powered traction used today on our Rail Network but I was wondering what information people have for strange railway happenings on the UK Network that can be witnessed today. Thanks in advance!
 
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Dr Hoo

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Seeing trains 'flagged' across Tal-Y-Cafn level crossing by the keeper, who also has to swing the gates manually, seems rather quaint. It is ironic that this location may go from 'pre-fixed-signals' directly to something like ERTMS.
 
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Dai Corner

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How about the pan-down / pan-up shenanigans near Steventon on the GWML?
 
JHurcum

JHurcum

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Dr Hoo said:
Seeing trains 'flagged' across Tal-Y-Cafn level crossing by the keeper, who also has to swing the gates manually, seems rather quaint. It is ironic that this location may go from 'pre-fixed-signals' directly to something like ERTMS.
Click to expand...

I shall go check that out soon thank you! It is reasonably close and should make for some half decent pictures!
 
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Shimbleshanks

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I think the old luggage traverser at Brockenhurst is still there, but probably not actually used now. It was a way of getting barrows from one platform to another without using lifts, probably interlocked with the signalling?
 
JHurcum

JHurcum

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Shimbleshanks said:
I think the old luggage traverser at Brockenhurst is still there, but probably not actually used now. It was a way of getting barrows from one platform to another without using lifts, probably interlocked with the signalling?
Click to expand...

Yes I do beleive I have noticed it still in place, think it provides wheelchair access to platforms now rather than luggage
 
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infobleep

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I don't know if this counts but there is a goods train from Ardingly to Haywards Heath on certain weekday mornings. Once at Haywards Heath I seem to think the diseal locomotive is detached and then runs round to the front of the train before being attached and heading north.

Whilst this might be common in some freight yards, I'd have thought it less common at a passenger station.
 
tiptoptaff

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infobleep said:
I don't know if this counts but there is a goods train from Ardingly to Haywards Heath on certain weekday mornings. Once at Haywards Heath I seem to think the diseal locomotive is detached and then runs round to the front of the train before being attached and heading north.

Whilst this might be common in some freight yards, I'd have thought it less common at a passenger station.
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Happens at Liskeard when the Moorswater cement runs.
 
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John Webb

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Shimbleshanks said:
I think the old luggage traverser at Brockenhurst is still there, but probably not actually used now. It was a way of getting barrows from one platform to another without using lifts, probably interlocked with the signalling?
Click to expand...
Here's a view of this oddity from 2012:
Platform swing bridge

© Copyright Mat Tuck and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
It was interlocked with the signalling, by the way.

The station seems to have been under renovation in 2016:
Brockenhurst railway station

© Copyright Jaggery and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
which is when, I assume, lifts were installed as mentioned by Bletchleyite in his post.
(Click on the photos to go to the larger originals on the Geograph website.)
 
xotGD

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DMUs in GWR and Scotrail liveries standing side by side in the platforms at Leeds. Possibly even coupled together on the same service.
 
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Norther Monkey

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John Webb said:
Here's a view of this oddity from 2012:
Platform swing bridge

© Copyright Mat Tuck and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
It was interlocked with the signalling, by the way.

The station seems to have been under renovation in 2016:
Brockenhurst railway station

© Copyright Jaggery and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
which is when, I assume, lifts were installed as mentioned by Bletchleyite in his post.
(Click on the photos to go to the larger originals on the Geograph website.)
Click to expand...

There's still a few stations on the network without disabled access to both platforms, having only a footbridge with stairs. I've often wondered about a solution like this, for 'lightly' used lines.

Modern designs of footbridges with lifts are, in my opinion, universally unsightly spoiling the look and feel of rural stations in particular. I'd thought of something that rose from ground level.
 
Mutant Lemming

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JHurcum said:
Hi All

So, I love railway oddities, mostly historical ones, such as Newhaven Marine or 'Charilie' BR's last Shunting Horse for example. Recently I've been thinking how cool it would have been to have seen these things in action. Now I know there is nothing quite as odd as horse powered traction used today on our Rail Network but I was wondering what information people have for strange railway happenings on the UK Network that can be witnessed today. Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

Not quite the national rail network but if you want to travel by horse power on rails......
http://www.douglashorsetramway.im/
 
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theageofthetra

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Birkbeck always seems like a rural backwater with its single line line and single platform despite being in London.
 
Mutant Lemming

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I always thought of the Water Street entrance to Liverpool James Street as being a bit of an oddity, in it being a sloped entrance to a deep level station.
 
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sw1ller

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Would a DMU with 3 different companies liveries count? If so, it’s worth a look at 175107 with its TfW exterior, ATW interior and FNW pink trim inside beneath the windows. Looks lovely.
 
paulravuslante

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sw1ller said:
Would a DMU with 3 different companies liveries count? If so, it’s worth a look at 175107 with its TfW exterior, ATW interior and FNW pink trim inside beneath the windows. Looks lovely.
Click to expand...
Reminds me of a 158 I saw once in Regional Railways livery, Transpennine branding on a GWR service.
 
paulravuslante

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Not that easy to see but the use of Victorian token machines / signalling equipment on the Heart of Wales line for example is amazing in this modern age.
 
matchmaker

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paulravuslante said:
Not that easy to see but the use of Victorian token machines / signalling equipment on the Heart of Wales line for example is amazing in this modern age.
Click to expand...
Far, far rarer is the use of tablet (rather than key token) instruments on the Stranraer line. Last ones on national rail.
 
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