Railway signalling "good reads"

"Also on the subject of "policeman" on LU a policeman is a speed-controlled trainstop without an associated signal, often found in terminus platforms (to ensure trains don't go into a dead-end at excessive speed). I don't know if the root of that name is the same as "bobby" on the mainline.

It's hard to know where the term came from but they've only been around since Moorgate and subsequent incidents occured and the railway has a habit of giving everything a nickname, 'policeman' is apt as policing speed is what speed control and wrong road trainstops are attempting to do."



The term policeman existed before Moorgate, and as stated applied to speed-controlled train stops without an associated signal. These were provided (for example) about halfway into the platforms as part of the onetime speed control system in the District line central area.

It was (perhaps still is) sometimes used as slang for draw-up signals in platforms, which serve the same purpose of ensuring that trains do not approach the starting signal at a speed higher than is safe for the overlap.

I don't think any examples exist today but it used to be fairly common for the last home signal to just be a blind trainstop in a platform. Some evidence of the past is still visible, such as the current rail gap in Oxford Circus SB Bakerloo Platform.

As for blind trainstops in platforms - do you remember the one at Leicester Square EB (which is still there, btw)?

Come to think of it I do recall one in the platform as 75? V although it wasn't really on my patch and I usually did T/T maintenance there rather than signal maintenance. I recall the FRL V at King's Cross because it was one of my regular maintenance sites, I tended to mostly do all the sites with IMRs on the Picc, the original Jubilee and Ealing Broadway.
Thinking about it was Leicester Square E/B the place where the B and C home signals were just yards apart on the same track? I think it was there but I don't recall ever digging out the prints for that section although it stuck in my mind for some reason.

That was relatively common with the introduction of speed signalling - I *think* the numbering underwent a change as it was progressively introduced on the Picc - but I'd have to do quite a bit of archaeology to prove my thoughts.

Unless of course deep level and in tube speed signalling was subtly and ineffably different from the big stuff. Hmmmmm. I suppose it all hinges on what is now left of speed controlled signalling in AUTO areas, rather than controlled. Thinks.....

Never sure if we should refer to the Highgate trainstop as A510c or 510cV.

Fortunately it very rarely gets hit, so the question is unlikely to come up for real.

But when the item is given out it would have to give the number of the asset involved, and it would have to be included in the IRF.