End-of-track lights

would there be much damage to the train if it hit the buffers?

On LUL, there are always speed controlled trainstops where a train in service approaches a buffer stop, plus a fixed trainstop just before the buffers. So, it would be difficult to hit the buffers at much speed.

Is there any truth in what I was told, that if you hit the red lights at olympia or triangle sidings it sets off an alarm in the control room?

I used to like to nudge the stop lights at Ongar as there was no fixed trainstop or track circuitry to inform the signalman.

Buffer stops are usually preceded by sand drags, in the rare event any train could get close to them. I've always been surprised at the extent of the safety margin used in LT station terminating roads, which is far more generous than commonly provided on Network Rail, but the distance passengers have to walk between ticket barrier and train at Stratford Jubbly is verging on the ridiculous.

Russ

P.S. Here's a buffer stop in one of the sidings at Acton Town, in what I call 'poisonous snake' livery:


pic: James Moorhouse

Yes, because you cant fit a 96ts through the manual gate! ;D

Its not the lights that we worry about. They aren't alarmed. The track circuit interrupter is soldered on the inside of the running rail beyond where a train would normally be expected to stop. If a train goes too far, the flange snaps off the interrupter setting an alarm off in the relevant control room.

The reason they are at a location such as triangle, is that there are no policeman controlling our speed in the siding. The siding however is only entered at 5mph but they are tight. If a train does overrun it is into the buffer and then a rather large brick wall, and as there are no LUL staff based there (security guards are there 24hrs, but not trained in such matters) the interrupters are just insurance so the emergency services are called, if a train should overrun.

At a terminal station, its the buffers and whatever is beyond we need to worry about. Once again just because the TCI's been sheared off, doesn't mean any damage has been done, because it is unlikely the train has gone that far, but the TCI is there just in case. We do a lot of things safer than they need to be done, but personally I rather like it that way.