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Post by metrailway on Dec 14, 2021 20:02:20 GMT
There are at least a couple of examples still located in Amersham. They look different from the one at Ricky being a square block and hung from the canopy.
The 'ON' and 'OFF' terminology comes from the very early days of semaphore signalling, probably well over 180 years old now. Back in those days, a signal would be put on (so visible to the driver) if there is danger ahead, and put off (so near invisible to the driver) if the line is clear.
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Post by metrailway on Aug 26, 2019 17:06:42 GMT
I've done some further online research and apparently in 1986 the Hastings DEMU farewell railtour ran to Watford (Met) as well as Stanmore and Finchley Road! There some interesting pictures of the tour at Watford, Moor Park, Cannons Park and Stanmore: Six Bells Junction linkPreserved Thumpers link
c1992,the NSE Planning Department and the CrossRail team of the day paid a visit to the Met with a cl47 and one of the engineering saloons. I'm pretty sure that we had no tripcock, only an LU Inspector for the section beyond HotH. It got quite crowded in the cab... There was a certain amount of, shall we say, joshing in the cab, as in "Dave, I don't think the LU signalling can see us" and "There's an A60 right behind you, can you go a bit faster?". We didn't go to Watford but, naturally, to Aylesbury. The trip ended back at OOC, where the MOMI arranged for a stopper to call and pick us all up. Couldn't do it now. Alas, I have no pictures My understanding is that prior to the 2000s, it appears that LU were less strict on BR trains operating without tripcocks on the Met. The Class 115s which were the mainstay for Marylebone - Aylesbury services for 30+ years were not tripcock fitted.
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Post by metrailway on Aug 25, 2019 14:05:29 GMT
The class 33 is tripcock fitted; it was fitted ahead of a railtour on 29/04/2018 from Marylebone to Quainton Road. This weekend’s tours are a repeat of that, with an additional trip to Watford each day. flic.kr/p/25jtU8pNo trains are permitted to operate over the Metropolitan line, in traffic hours, without tripcocks fitted. The only exception to this is Chiltern class 172 units which must be buried between other units with tripcocks at both ends. Thanks, I wasn't aware that D6515 was tripcock fitted as I couldn't see one. Presumably the LUL Senior Operating Officer still has the right to waive this requirement? Mod edit: Posts relating to rule book waivers have been moved here.
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Post by metrailway on Aug 25, 2019 13:17:10 GMT
Does anyone know when was the last time BR/NR units ran on the Watford branch, excluding Steam on the Met events? I know the last regular 'mainline' services were withdrawn by the LNER in 1926 after the General Strike, but have there been any workings since? This question has been prompted by the this weekend's railtour from Marylebone to Quainton Road which includes a very unusual working by a Class 33 (which I believe is not tripcock fitted) via Watford (Met).
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Post by metrailway on Aug 24, 2019 14:43:28 GMT
The Bakerloo Line Supplement to the Rule Book and infrastructure diagrams show Willesden Junction bay as “un-electrified track” The bay is definitely electrified. During engineering works on the North London Line, the bay is used for running diversionary Willesden Junction (LL) to Stratford via Primrose Hill services.
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Post by metrailway on Jul 28, 2018 7:50:43 GMT
The FT has published a couple of articles this week on HS2:
From Thursday:
Another article was published this morning:
It should be noted that even with the original budget, HS2 had a BCR of under 2, which for normal rail projects mean a refusal of Treasury funding. Indeed, the first article quotes the Treasury permanent secretary as saying the scheme was a political vanity project. More info can be found following the links above (particularly for the first article).
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Post by metrailway on Jun 8, 2018 18:20:56 GMT
I understand they will be hybrid units and deployed on the 'Boarderlands' (Wrexham Central - Bidston) Line. Interesting that both the Borderlands line has been chosen and that the Class 230 will be battery powered. It has been a recent aspiration of Network Rail to operate battery trains to allow through running beyond Bidston to Birkenhead and Liverpool. It would make that line far more viable. How many units/carriages maximum might VivaRail be able to offer as rolling stock should the orders come in, given some of the reserved carriages will only ever be used as spares/donors? 75 units I believe There is a presentation by Adrian Shooter to LTM Friends posted last month on Youtube. Starts from 27:00 onwards:
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Post by metrailway on Jan 3, 2018 19:26:51 GMT
It tends to be an expensive way to borrow, particularly considering TfL/GLA AFAIK are the only local bodies in the country with the power to raise bonds themselves allowing them to obtain money at very low interest rates.
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Post by metrailway on Dec 10, 2017 19:03:48 GMT
I believe about 7 inches of snow fell in the Chilterns today. Not just the Met having problems; most trains on the Chiltern line via High Wycombe were cancelled and the A41 has been closed most of the day.
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Post by metrailway on Jan 9, 2017 20:05:05 GMT
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Post by metrailway on Jan 3, 2017 18:09:41 GMT
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Post by metrailway on Dec 29, 2016 13:13:04 GMT
I have to agree A60stock . The new system appears to be worse than the old light boxes. Displaying the same train on two or three DMIs is confusing for passengers. It is also inaccurate. Presumably it gives extra work for station staff as well as there are 'platform alterations' for every service. Not stating Aylesbury anywhere in the DMI seems bizarre considering all NB Chiltern trains call at Aylesbury. Most passengers don't care who operates the service, they want to know where it is going. Arguably with these changes, LU have failed to meet the Accessible Train Station Design for Disabled People: A Code of Practice which covers all LU stations where NR trains call at. Ironically, it appears the old light boxes pass more of the code of practice criteria than the DMIs! Has anyone been at Harrow Platform 1 at evening peak? Does anyone know how the DMI handles trains not stopping at Rickmansworth? AFAIK, there is only one train description (LM2) available for Chilterns calling at Harrow.
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Post by metrailway on Dec 24, 2016 17:16:00 GMT
Ultimately, unless we have suddenly discovered iron ore mines in this country, at best all of the steel required is going to have to have been made from imported ore, which means buying it in another currency. Those costs will have been passed on as higher prices for the end-product - the steel. You're probably right about the complexity increasing costs, but I can't believe for a moment that this could have come as a surprise. That there would be an interface between 4th and 3rd rail and LU and NR signalling at Watford High St. Junction would have been obvious from day 1. Around 25% of the cost of production of UK steel is from abroad, the rest is incurred within the UK. Although the LU/NR interface would have been clear from day 1, it is unlikely that the cost implications would have been clear to Herts CC or to its consultants considering there has not been a new electrified link between LU and NR since the war AFAIK.
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Post by metrailway on Dec 23, 2016 14:04:52 GMT
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Post by metrailway on Dec 22, 2016 20:20:24 GMT
I'd love to see a costs breakdown to see where the money is supposed to be going. That said, raw materials are the most vulnerable parts of any UK project to currency exchange rates, and the pound's hammering since the summer won't have helped. Coupled with the quantitative easing by the bank having the net effect of devaluing the existing budget we may have some hints as to how the costs have risen so dramatically. Still, infrastructure spending is the ideal place to be spending that new money to stoke the economy, so perhaps an argument can be made that this is still the sort of shovel-ready project the government should be putting money into... I doubt the depreciation of the pound would have had a massive impact on the cost - as I understand it both Network Rail and London Underground tend to source the vast majority of materials from within the UK. I suspect what has caused the link to be costly is the interface between NR and LU. Different electrification systems (LU 4th rail and NR Bonded 3rd rail) and different signalling systems (conventional LU, conventional NR, LU ATO) etc would add complexity compared to a bog standard diesel line. A quick back of the fag packet calculation using the £350m figure indicates that the BCR for the link is less than 1. The BCR for this scheme was 2.61 in 2011. Assuming the benefits have risen in line with inflation, the BCR would now be 0.54.
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Post by metrailway on Dec 22, 2016 19:04:08 GMT
Thanks for the photo Knap.
Interesting that it merely states "Chiltern Railways Service". Presumably the system is unable to differentiate where the Chiltern is going beyond Amersham?
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Post by metrailway on Dec 17, 2016 23:47:56 GMT
My first post here for sometime... Although the link makes sense from a transport planning viewpoint, at it's current budget the link sadly does not make political or financial sense at the moment. The £284.4m agreed budget is apparently not sufficient to fund the link according to the Government on the 13/12/16 (see Here) so TfL will have to put more money in the kitty to bridge the funding gap. According to LR, the cost of the project is expected to rise to £350m. £350m for a link which is only 3 miles long! Even at it's agreed budget of £284.4m, the Croxley link would be as expensive on a £/mile measure as High Speed 1. As mentioned by others above, funding the shortfall provides little electoral benefit for the Mayor, particularly if it potentially removes funding for other projects/policies in London. I suspect the only way this project would go-ahead is if costs are pruned significantly. I doubt having single track on the branch is feasible so the only major capital saving I can envisage is Cassiobridge not being built and keeping Watford Met open instead.
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Post by metrailway on Nov 15, 2015 12:49:17 GMT
A link to a Youtube video was posted in another rail forum today showing the Class 230 in action in August 2015:
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Post by metrailway on Oct 25, 2015 11:59:41 GMT
As a mere layman, I can see risks if the system on the Met is basically a moving block system working in parallel with a fixed blocked system, as there is scope for confusion when there is a failure of some kind.
I can see a scenario where a NR train, after obtaining MA to pass a red signal, runs into the back of a Met train because the signaller has got their headcodes confused and therefore mistook the NR for a Met service. The NR train would not have any protection (bar the initial tripcock application).
I know in theory it shouldn't happen, but under pressure errors occur. I believe headcodes do go missing occasionally on modern signalling systems on NR or they are incorrectly applied.
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Post by metrailway on Aug 30, 2015 1:39:38 GMT
Before reading what I have written below, please note that I am NOT a lawyer! Under the GLA Act 1999, which sets out the powers TfL have in using Penalty Fares on LUL and Buses it states in Schedule 17 - Penalty Fares: In philthetube 's instance, a Priv single from Harrow to Great Missenden is £2.00. The cheapest ticket philthetube can buy at the POMS at Harrow costs £4.80. Since there were no facilities to pay the necessary fare for his journey it could be argued that he should not be liable to pay a penalty fare charged under the GLA act if challenged.
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Post by metrailway on Aug 3, 2015 12:42:39 GMT
Expected to be completed by the end of 2023, some five years later than originally planned.
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Post by metrailway on Jul 23, 2015 21:13:58 GMT
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Post by metrailway on Jul 18, 2015 20:13:31 GMT
Yes, that's exactly the reason. Many thanks I do find it interesting that LUL have applied the blue and white surround to RJB1, a repeater signal. AFAIK this isn't done on NR.
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Post by metrailway on Jul 18, 2015 19:57:40 GMT
Is there a particular reason why over the past year or two some LUL signals have gained blue and white surrounds instead of the usual black?
RJB1 and JB1 on the approach to Harrow on the Hill spring to mind.
Is LUL copying the NR practice of making SPAD prone signals more prominent?
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Post by metrailway on Jul 13, 2015 19:04:49 GMT
The Guardian also picked up the story. Well worth a read that article ;-) Nice to see the Graun giving this forum a plug...
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Post by metrailway on Jun 25, 2015 16:55:05 GMT
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Post by metrailway on Jun 4, 2015 21:17:55 GMT
In addition to Phil's points re Aylesbury - Watford service:
Firstly, it is outside Greater London so TfL will not be subsidising at the expense of other services that are within the boundary. A Watford - Aylesbury/Amersham service has no chance unless it is subsidised significantly by the DfT.
Although there may be demand between Aylesbury and Watford, it is tiny compared to Aylesbury/Amersham - London demand so any new service can not take a path away from a London service. Is there spare capacity at peak between Amersham - Rickmansworth for an additional service? Unlikely as this would have already been taken by a service to/from London.
Thirdly, any potential rail journey between Aylesbury and Watford would be too slow. By car Aylesbury - Watford takes about 40 minutes. By rail it would take over 55 minutes. Very few people would use the rail service over the car particularly at 1 or 2tph. Yes it would be an improvement over the bus which takes 2 hours but apart from those using free passes (of whom most would not pay to migrate to rail) very few use the 500 for end to end journeys. Most potential passengers in this area drive and own a car.
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Post by metrailway on May 27, 2015 21:06:24 GMT
Rumours abound that Arriva Train Wales are interested in using these units.
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Post by metrailway on May 27, 2015 21:00:57 GMT
Speed through Wembley Park is IIRC 50mph so a minute or two could be saved by skipping it.
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Post by metrailway on Apr 23, 2015 16:51:44 GMT
Apologies for the language, but as it is Mr Hendy I hope it is okay. He has some less than complementary views regarding Mainline services. In an interview with Management Today, Peter Hendy said: “People hate the suburban rail service, they hate it. If you make a mistake on your oyster card on the tube, we’ll refund it. On South West Trains, they’ll fine you. That’s a big philosophical difference.” He continued: “On Southeastern, the trains are like the wild west. They are s**t, awful. And then every now and then some people who look like the Gestapo get on and fine everyone they can. It doesn’t improve your day, does it?” Link to full interview is here: Interview
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