DrJimi
Virtual District Line construction engineer and arborist
Posts: 365
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Post by DrJimi on Jul 29, 2008 23:25:16 GMT
I was perusing the charts that show the area between Tower Hill and Aldgate and noticed what appear to be signals bearing the legend ESL and a number. This is the only location I have noticed these (i.e. either side of Tower Hill). Examples are ESL6 and ESL7 between ROB26 and OB26/ROB27 on the eastbound, and several leaving Tower Hill WB on both the WB and Bay roads. The chart symbol is similar to a shunt signal. Can anyone shed light as to the meaning of 'ESL', what these things look like and their purpose? I'm currently 'modeling' that part of the DR and would like to include them if appropriate.
Thanks, Jimi
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Post by Harsig on Jul 30, 2008 7:31:33 GMT
I was perusing the charts that show the area between Tower Hill and Aldgate and noticed what appear to be signals bearing the legend ESL and a number. This is the only location I have noticed these (i.e. either side of Tower Hill). Examples are ESL6 and ESL7 between ROB26 and OB26/ROB27 on the eastbound, and several leaving Tower Hill WB on both the WB and Bay roads. The chart symbol is similar to a shunt signal. Can anyone shed light as to the meaning of 'ESL', what these things look like and their purpose? I'm currently 'modeling' that part of the DR and would like to include them if appropriate. Thanks, Jimi I would guess they are Emergency Stop Lights. This Thread contains a little extra information but for the purposes of your simulation I think you can ignore them. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2008 7:39:09 GMT
they are emergengy stop lights these were a thing to do with the OPO in the 80's i think
but i do know they were never commissioned bow road also has them on the e/b
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Tom
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Post by Tom on Jul 30, 2008 12:00:36 GMT
80s? Even earlier than that (Mid 70s, generally).
I have a photo of one lit up somewhere...
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Post by railtechnician on Jul 30, 2008 12:12:51 GMT
80s? Even earlier than that (Mid 70s, generally). I have a photo of one lit up somewhere... Yep definitely mid 70s. I started with LT in 1977 at Whitechapel and the heads were covered with sacks then and the yellow plungers plated over at most of the District platforms. Unless I am mistaken the ESL was a red cross on a white background in a yellow signal head (same type as FRL) with a yellow diamond display board. Most of the plungers were removed during station mod works over the years and I expect most of the heads went during various projects but if there's one thing that can normally be guaranteed whatever it maybe there is still one on the system somewhere no matter what it is! |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2008 23:18:00 GMT
80s? Even earlier than that (Mid 70s, generally). I have a photo of one lit up somewhere... I have photos of the one at Quainton Road somewhere in my voluminous collection, but my poor organizational layout means that I can't find it. Were they ever installed anywhere except Zone 1? EDIT: I found the photo, but it isn't a good one. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2008 23:53:14 GMT
I think they still survive departing Bow Road eastbound and Earls Court westbound (towards West Ken or Olympia).
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DrJimi
Virtual District Line construction engineer and arborist
Posts: 365
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Post by DrJimi on Jul 31, 2008 0:04:46 GMT
Fascinating, and thank you all for the insight. I think I agree with Harsig that for purposes of simulation/modeling we can ignore them. But thank you for satisfying my curiosity. Of course, I'll now be looking for them on the DEVs ;D
Best, Jimi
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Tom
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Post by Tom on Jul 31, 2008 22:41:43 GMT
Most of the plungers were removed during station mod works over the years and I expect most of the heads went during various projects Weren't a lot of them removed in a hurry after the Kings Cross wrong-road incident, in order to become FRLs? |
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Post by railtechnician on Jul 31, 2008 22:59:50 GMT
Most of the plungers were removed during station mod works over the years and I expect most of the heads went during various projects Weren't a lot of them removed in a hurry after the Kings Cross wrong-road incident, in order to become FRLs? Yes Tom, now that you mention it I believe they were. I certainly recall a lot of single aspect heads appearing almost overnight at South kensington New Works at the time and being repainted in a hurry. |
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Post by tubeprune on Aug 2, 2008 14:27:13 GMT
The original OPO equipment was authorised at a cost of £1.3million in mid-1973 and installed in 1974-75 along the then C Stock routes with CCTV and emergency stop lights. There was also going to be train radio. The ESLs was operated by platform mounted plungers which, when operated, switched on three ESLs on the exit side of the platform for a train's length. The lamps were yellow with a red cross. The CCTV was monochrome.
We drivers watched this with hope that it would mean a nice big pay rise. By the time it came in 10 years later I was working for LTI in New York City!
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Post by railtechnician on Aug 2, 2008 18:39:17 GMT
The original OPO equipment was authorised at a cost of £1.3million in mid-1973 and installed in 1974-75 along the then C Stock routes with CCTV and emergency stop lights. There was also going to be train radio. The ESLs was operated by platform mounted plungers which, when operated, switched on three ESLs on the exit side of the platform for a train's length. The lamps were yellow with a red cross. The CCTV was monochrome. We drivers watched this with hope that it would mean a nice big pay rise. By the time it came in 10 years later I was working for LTI in New York City! I have no doubt at all that in future station mods around the circle line somewhere some day hence someone will find one or two of those plungers behind a wall and wonder what they are! Certainly at many stations there has been a practice and culture of covering up with new partition walls. Stations such as Embankment are a good example of this, the platforms now are less than half the width they once were in some parts and some areas of the original platform are now hidden behind two partition walls. I'm sure there are more than a few old codgers like me around who know parts of the system that today's employees will never see. |
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Tom
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Post by Tom on Aug 3, 2008 22:58:47 GMT
I have no doubt at all that in future station mods around the circle line somewhere some day hence someone will find one or two of those plungers behind a wall and wonder what they are! It's already happened! Tower Hill was at least one site where we were asked about them and they went soon after once the refurb team heard they were redundant. |
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Post by railtechnician on Aug 4, 2008 13:30:23 GMT
I have no doubt at all that in future station mods around the circle line somewhere some day hence someone will find one or two of those plungers behind a wall and wonder what they are! It's already happened! Tower Hill was at least one site where we were asked about them and they went soon after once the refurb team heard they were redundant. LU could save fortunes if it recovered all its redundant equipment and cable! I spent a lot of my years in Comms installation recovering old kit but some of it beggered belief. Unless things have altered in the last 4/5 years Oakwood and Northfields depots still have up to two previous generations of depot radio systems in situ and powered up even though they have long been out of use. The oldest systems are the original depot loudspeaker systems still extant, but AFAIK unused since depot radio was first installed, still switched on. These work on ex army surplus valve amplifiers which must be close to 50 years old if not older and I wouldn't be surprised to learn that they are still in working order. I discovered the Northfields kit when I was asked to look into shifting the Shunter's signal panel to the new shunter's cabin, a job which subsequently got shelved. AFAIK both the new shunter's cabins are unused (by shunters) and at least one is earmarked for demoilition! |
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Post by c5 on Aug 4, 2008 23:00:48 GMT
The new shunters cabins at Northfields are still un-used for that purpose! Connect 2000 radio is now used.
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Post by 21146 on Aug 8, 2008 16:55:18 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2008 17:05:14 GMT
What did they do?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2008 17:30:56 GMT
Theese were on OPO platforms, they were installed on the C stock operated areas and iwhen operated by passengers would light a series of lights ahead to inform the driver to stop. They were never used as OPO was not agreed at the time of installation. The lights are still in place in the tunnel at Stepney Green on the eastbound.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2008 17:40:59 GMT
One from Tower Hill, only recently removed on modernisation works.  |
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