"Peter Masson" wrote in message
...
|
| "Peter Lawrence" wrote
|
| Maybe there is now no safety objection to a signal in mid-platform
| since slam doors have gone. If the signal is at danger the train will
| stop there but the doors will not open; when it clears the train must
| move on to the platform end for the station stop. This is inefficient
| but not unsafe. Since the signal is for 'wrong line' movement, the
| need to stop at it may never occur anyhow!
|
| AIUI the rule book now requires a train not booked to stop at a platform,
| but which is required to stop by a signal at the platform end, to stop
| immediately before the platform until the signal clears.

That's going to be a bit tricky at Southampton Central. Each platform has a
signal at each end of it, but the curvature of the station together with the
presence of a very substantial overbridge means you can't see the signal
until well along the platform. There are "OFF" indicators provided so the
platform staff can check the driver has the road before giving the "tip".
Banner repeaters would have to be provided on all lines at both ends of the
station to allow this rule (if it does indeed exist) to be complied with.
There weren't any there today when I came home from work (the maximum speed
in the station area is 40mph and the signalling is four aspect). The
timetable may not currently have any passenger services booked to run
through, but who is to say that might not change? And there are some booked
ECS workings through.

And Southampton Central is not unique. There must be many locations where
similar sighting restrictions apply, especially in low speed areas (in high
speed areas the time-in-sight requirements would almost certainly result in
said banner signals being provided).

I have been on a number of slam-door trains which stopped out-of course at
platforms. I would have thought that with modern power door trains this
would be less of a safety issue, unless some clown operates the emergency
egress and does a runner. Rather more of an issue is the absent-minded
driver of a long train who stops at the wrong mark and realises too late to
give in time the special bell code to the guard warning him not to release
the doors. This happens not at all infrequently and is not prevented by the
rule book item mentioned above. Only a few days ago I read a report of a
driver who required *three* attempts to stop at the correct mark - and the
guard (not being able to see from his position what was going on) released
the doors each time.

There are a number of stations with either signals to divide platforms or
"X" plates - Birmingham New Street and Bristol Temple Meads spring to mind.
I am sure we had a long discussion about these some time ago, and this
included what the driver of a train requiring all the platform length or
booked to the far end should do on the approach. There must surely be
something in the signalling system that tells him the platform is part
occupied in these circumstances.
--
- Yokel -
oo oo
OOO OOO
OO 0 OO
) ( I ) (
) ( /\ ) (

"Yokel" now posts via a spam-trap account.
Replace my alias with stevejudd to reply.