Weirdest Oddities Still on the UK Network?

[HaggisBotherer]

"Off at a tangent" -- rather a habit of mine -- but I congratulate myself on having thought of a fine 1894-compatible solution for the "big cities drowning in horse manure" issue: which would have been effective, even if the advent of internal combustion had not been just round the corner. The problem is addressed as follows: inaugurate narrow-gauge freight-type tramways, with steam or maybe electric traction (not horse-worked -- that would have added to what was having to be tackled), running in all directions from the city centres, as far out into the countryside as proved necessary. The purpose of the tramways would be for horse manure to be loaded, in the city, onto their wagons; and conveyed into the countryside, for the benefit of anyone cultivating the land in any way, for whom it would be of use as fertiliser. Sell the stuff to the cultivators if possible -- if not, give it away free. Empty stock worked back into the city: repeat "in perpetuity".

I congratulate you on having that amount of time on your hands to dream up such a scheme. Wish I did

 

[bluegoblin7]

I seem to recall that Tube timetables were timed to the half-minute, rather than the more usual whole minute.

The Victoria line is now timed to the nearest five seconds, since the introduction of 36tph.

 

[cool110]

no wigwag lights like on a level crossing. who did the risk assessment for that?

That's standard for a tramway, no need for wigwags when they're running line of sight.

 

[Ken H]

That's standard for a tramway, no need for wigwags when they're running line of sight.

looks like a tight bend to me. are they really sure no idiot in a car will crash the lights there?

 

[craigybagel]

looks like a tight bend to me. are they really sure no idiot in a car will crash the lights there?

Given the same standards allowed a 50mph straight through 2 tunnels and a deep cutting to end at a very tight corner with no warnings or over speed protections necessary, just up the line from that location, I'd say using traffic lights rather then wigwags aren't all that worrying in comparison!

 

[TheEdge]

Possibly a unique oddity near Gunton on the Norwich Sheringham line.

Heading up road from Roughton Road the line speed for everyone is 55mph. On the approach to Gunton it changes, the "normal" speed drops to 35mph but it goes up to 60mph for units. Obviously the 55 to 35 drop is enough to demand a PSR warning board which it rightfully gets. The oddity is there are two boards, one for the 35 but also one for the 60. So we are left with a PSR warning board "warning" drivers of a 55mph increase in speed.

Does anyone know of any others?

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Possibly a unique oddity near Gunton on the Norwich Sheringham line.

Heading up road from Roughton Road the line speed for everyone is 55mph. On the approach to Gunton it changes, the "normal" speed drops to 35mph but it goes up to 60mph for units. Obviously the 55 to 35 drop is enough to demand a PSR warning board which it rightfully gets. The oddity is there are two boards, one for the 35 but also one for the 60. So we are left with a PSR warning board "warning" drivers of a 55mph increase in speed.

Does anyone know of any others?

One possible similar thing is leaving Huddersfield towards Lockwood. From leaving platform 2 (or 1 or 4 with a feather!) under what I presume is a 25mph limit, at Springwood Junction and the start of Paddock viaduct the speed becomes 60mph (iirc) for units but 10mph for everything else.