wrote:
On Thu, 29 May 2014 20:06:14 +0100
Steve Fitzgerald ] wrote:
In message ,
d writes
On a similar note - how far down the piccadilly line towards heathrow can
surface stock venture?
Hounslow Central; assuming S stock has now been cleared past
Northfields.
How would they clear it - is it all done in a computer sim or would they
actually drag a train down there at night to see if it bumped the scenery?
Not sure, but I notice there's an article in the latest Rail magazine about
S stock venturing to Northfields, Ealing Broadway, etc. As these are all
places where older surface stock went, I assume they have a pretty good
idea that S stock will fit, and drive the first train slowly. If in doubt,
I suppose they could use a gauging test vehicle first, with polystyrene
cladding.
One reason cited for going to Northfields was to be be reassured what would
happen if a future District line train was accidentally sent that way
(ditto to North Ealing, etc, as mistakes do happen at that junction, and
that branch of the Picc is sometimes used for SSL stock transfers). These
were, of course, originally District line branches anyway, and engineered
for surface stock.