Bi directional working

My knowledge of moves on the Jubilee line is very vague. However, I do recall seeing two wrong road Secure Route Indicators north West Ham and one just south of the Stratford point work which is where you would expect them for bi directional running.

Thanks for that Punkman.

There are bits around, for example there is the odd Northbound train runs into the Southbound train to reverse or stable at Rickmansworth'

Not in passenger service, but on the Northern trains can do quite a distance wrong road if reversing South to North at East Finchley, this feels weird to drive as it is a rare move, assuming it is still available since ATO

zbang , There are plenty of wrong road moves around sidings, depots and reversing points around the network however full bi-directional working on LU is much rarer confined mostly to the single lines and exceptional circumstances such as what Chris M mentioned which was a 15 min shuttle service between Hammersmith and Wood Lane with a train locked in each line.

Was between Stanmore and Kingsbury.

Many years ago, there was also a one train shuttle on the Central line running from Woodford bay platform to Snaresbrook using the westbound road only.

Indeed I was! I was involved in the initial discussions of getting 'Single Line Working (Train Locked In)' set up at Hammersmith cabin, and part of operating it too.

As mentioned, this involved two trains, one on each line, running up and down between Hammersmith and Wood Lane. In the 'normal' direction of travel full signalling was used (with the exception of OZ4b signal, permitting entry into platform 1 and a particular irritant for me personally!), with trains running double-staffed and with trip-docks cut out in the opposite direction.

At the start and end of each traffic day, points were unsecured to allow movements in and out of the depot for stock changeover and train prep purposes.

Prior to this, the previous use of 'Single Line Working (Train Locked In)' was indeed on the Jubilee line, between Stanmore and Kingsbury, as part of planned engineering work. It was indeed featured on the original 'The Tube' programme, notably the failure of one train and involving a bit of faff to get it changed over.

As mentioned, there's plenty of places where small amounts of bi-directional working can take place, but very little of significance. Perhaps one pertinent and relevant example is the 'new' CBTC reversing move from Finchley Road back to Baker Street, utilising the pre-existing cross-over at Swiss Cottage. I'm not sure if it's been used in anger yet, but this introduces a significant stretch of theoretical bi-di running for emergency purposes. The new crossover at Paddington isn't dissimilar, being able to be used from Royal Oak westbound back to the eastbound also. This sort of thing is much easier with digital signalling, and is a fairly standard part of Seltrac, although LU have gone to great lengths to 'design it out' of most areas.

The only 'true', significant bi-di stretches in regular use would be the Chesham single and Mill Hill East branch.

I recall 1979 Leyton collision with no service Bethnal Green to Leytonstone. Someone had the idea of a shuttle on westbound between Mile End and Stratford. The collision was all over the evening papers of the day, so everyone knew what had happened. Travellers were arriving at Mile End knowing all about it, and asking how they got to Stratford. We told them to go to the westbound Central line platform and catch the train going the wrong direction to normal! They all asked could they get a bus! I don't know why they wouldn't trust us!

It’s not called “bang road” for nothing! 😂😂

Motorised points are bi-directional by design regardless of signalling permitting such use. Spring/Toggle points would need to be secured if moving in the anomalous direction but these are now almost exclusively found in depots and sidings.

A memorable caveat to this was the former 33 points off 24 road (now abolished) at Uxbridge sidings which was spring operated in the trailing direction coming from the platforms at Uxbridge but motorised for the return to let trains get into the station.

During asbestos removal from Bull & Bush station site in 1978, Northern line worked single line Golders Green to Hampstead on the northbound for about a month. No problems except first Sunday one of the first southbound trains hit a misaligned negative current rail which came up through the car floor!

When Totteridge southbound platform road slipped on the bank, the service worked to and from Barnet single line on the Northbound.

Indeed! I'm pretty sure this was also the last use of the former handworked Royal Oak crossover too - unless anyone can say otherwise?

There was briefly a plan to use it a couple of years back as part of a 4LM test weekend (albeit only from Royal Oak, so with Pilot Working but not very far), but it was shelved largely due to the 4LM delays.

It has, yes.



That's interesting, where would the pilot working apply?

Replaced, of course, with one at Paddington - which has seen a lot of use since commissioning!