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Stations, Junctions, etc
Engine Sheds
Other
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Operating Equipment & Practices
This section will attempt to list some of the items of
equipment or practices required to operate a railway. Initially we will list
such miscellaneous items or practices on this page, but once we have added a
number of such items we will then separate them under the auspices of the GWR,
LMS and LNER. British Railways will be treated as a separate entity.
Use the links below to access the
following sections on this page:
Miscellaneous
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GWR Telegraphs and Telephones
After initially trialling an expensive five wire telegraph
system invented by Messrs Cooke and Wheatstone in 1838, the Great Western
Railway ordered a two-wire system from the Electric Telegraph Company, which
was installed between Paddington and Slough in 1842 for communication purposes.
It was removed seven years later when one of the cast iron support posts
failed, but in 1850 the Electric Telegraph Company obtained the contract to
install a double-needle system alongside the railway between Oxford and
Banbury. This double-needle system gradually expanded along all the main
railway routes and in 1855 the Great Western Railway set up their own Telegraph
Department under Charles Spagnoletti (who invented of several telegraph and
signalling instruments).
The early railways predominately used time-interval
signalling with the major exceptions being for warning systems through long
tunnels. In November 1854 the new line between Hockley and Birmingham Snow Hill
was signalled by electric telegraph and this system was extended through Snow
Hill tunnel to Bordesley shortly after. Single-needle telegraph instruments
were also used on single track lines from 1855 to indicate to other signalmen
when a train staff was being issued, but with few exceptions the block
telegraph was only gradually introduced for main line signalling after 1867.
This changed after the Armagh Railway disaster in 1889, when the Board of Trade
required ‘Lock and Block’ to be implemented on all passenger
lines.
While the Telegraph system became the primary signalling
safety system, Telephone technology gradually superseded it as the general
communication medium. Initially private wire telephone systems were point to
point, many of which evolved into omnibus lines. Then gradually more manual
telephone exchanges were installed at principle locations (see 'gwrbsh3013' and 'Snow
Hill Telegraph and telephone Articles'), with trunk circuits being
installed between them. As technology progressed, links could be made between;
the omnibus lines, company exchange lines and the General Post Office (GPO)
network. The point to point and omnibus lines were generally retained for
operational purposes, but the development of the selector-mechanism allowed the
introduction of Automatic telephone exchanges. As the exchanges became more
complex to maintain, and with call and rental costs falling, GPO telephones
were increasingly provided.
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Signalling Procedure
The first railways employed a simple time-interval system,
with the interval calculated to be sufficient for a train to safely pass
through a section prior to allowing a second train to follow, but as train
speeds and frequencies increased, it became necessary to develop more rigorous
railway operating safety procedures. Telegraph communication allowed
‘absolute Block’ working to be introduced between adjacent signal box
locations preventing more than one train to be on any section. The system was
gradually introduced to main lines, but in response to the Armagh disaster, the
Railway Act of 1889 required all double track passenger lines to employ the
absolute block system. Along with the messages necessary to accept a train in a
block section, a system of Standard Bell codes allowed each train type to be
described.
On single track lines, ‘staff and ticket’ working
procedures were used and this system remained suitable for lines where there
was only a single engine in steam. On busier single lines various types of
electrically interlocked systems (using; staffs, tokens or tablets) were
adopted, some of which could be adapted to allow permanent way staff to use
Occupational keys when they were travelling on or maintaining a section of
track.
The 1889 Railway Act also required interlocking of switch
points and signals to reduce the risk of error and prevent conflicting routes
being set. This resulted in an intensive programme of Signal box construction,
some of which were subsequently abandoned when cheaper operational practices
were introduced (for example 'gwrc874').
Gradually within the signal box other instruments were provided to assist the
Signalman, including arm repeaters and train describers (see 'gwrsh2285'). In particular, indications from
fouling bars (see 'gwrbsh1131a'), and
later electric track circuits, identified the presence of a train on a specific
section of track and this information could be incorporated into the
interlocking.
Communicating to the footplate staff predominately comprised
the normal Stop Semaphore signal, which was preceded by a Distant Semaphore
signal, but to avoid a proliferation of semaphore signals low speed routes
could be signalled with ground disc signals or a single semaphore with a route
indicator (for example gwrbg670a) and there
were also a range of special signals for subsidiary purposes. The arrangement
and sighting of signals was important to ensure they were correctly understood
and there were also physical limitations to mechanically operated semaphore
signals which lead to the introduction of electrically powered semaphore
signals, and eventually to coloured lights. To prevent accidents when
visibility was poor the Great Western Railway introduced Automatic Train
Control (ATC) to acoustically indicate to the train driver if a distant signal
had been past at Danger and the equipment was normally arranged to
automatically apply the brakes, if not acknowledged.
At certain lineside locations point-to-point telephones
allowed footplate staff or guards to communicate to a Signal box, while at
others at established system of engine whistle codes was laid down (for example
'moorstreet-gwr-article5').
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Maintenance of the Permanent Way
Maintaining the track in good running order is critical to
any railway’s operation. Regular inspection were essential to prevent
deterioration, which could cause damage to rolling stock or a potential
accident, however along with the need for increased track quality, there was a
drive to reduce costs (particularly labour costs). This resulted in
mechanisation of working methods and the introduction of specialist
equipment.
Gangers were expected to daily inspect their assigned length
of track, regularly test the; alignment, level and gauge of the tracks,
expansion spaces between the rails, and superelevation (cant) of curves. They
also were required to organise regular maintenance tasks such as; clearing
drainage, maintaining boundaries, vegetation management, checking and replacing
of individual track components and remedying any defects found. Maintaining
longer assigned lengths was made possible by the introduction of the Economic
system of maintenance with; hand trolleys (see 'gwrsf964'), velocipede inspection cars and
subsequently motorised trolleys.
Each Division had Permanent Way Inspectors who were
responsible for the proper examination and maintenance of the line and works
plus the supervision of ordinary maintenance, renewals and new works. They were
specifically tasked with; inspection of structures (viaducts, aqueducts,
tunnels, bridges, subways, footbridges, culverts, retaining walls, etc.),
identification, rectification or reporting of significant drainage or
subsidence issues, prevention of trespass or encroachment, supervision of all
works being undertaken by company staff or contractors (see 'gwrkd111'), and ensuring the safety of staff by;
examination of their competencies, providing suitable equipment and issuing the
necessary operational information and documents.
A renewal programme including; relaying, rerailing,
reballasting or resleepering sections of track and the replacement,
reinforcement or major repair to structures was annually authorised by the
Divisional Engineer, and these together with any new works would be undertaken
by either a larger permanent way gang or issued as a contract to a private
company (see 'gwr/bordesley-viaduct',
'gwr/leamington-station/bridge'
and 'gwrga769'). Other new works could result
from requests by traders for connections to private sidings and occasionally
major unplanned work was necessary following an accident.
One special feature of the Great Western Railway was its
development of a Whitewash coach, which travelled over the main routes to
identify where track defects resulting in rough riding existed and where
superelevation (cant) on curves was incorrect.
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Coaching Stock
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GWR Lamp Headcodes, Tail Lights and Train Identification
Boards
Lamp Headcodes, Tail Lights and Train Identification Boards
were introduced by the GWR to enable railway staff to identify the type of
train from a distance and in the dark. Lamp Headcodes had been introduced in
the 1850’s to inform Signalmen of the expected speed of a train through
their section. This was particularly useful when operating a Time Interval
signalling system, but even after this system was superseded by Block Section
signalling Lamp Headcodes were retained. Tail lamps were essential in
maintaining the safety of the railway. In an era when a significant number of
trains consisted of wagons with unfitted brakes, the presence of the Red Tail
Lamp on the last vehicle of every train confirmed to the Signalman that the
train was complete. Train Identification Boards allowed staff to identify the
train's de[parture and arrival station and in the summer when several trains
made up an advertised service, whether it was the second, third, fourth or
fifth part.
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Ambulance Trains
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Temporary Speed Restrictions
Every week the Great Western Railway issued notices to their
train staff regarding works that would involve speed restrictions. The pages
seen via the thumbnail image are from a notice issued in July 1910 and describe
several track alterations in the Warwickshire region. Details include; the
direction, maximum speed that applied, plus the start and finish points of that
speed restriction.
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GWR Road Horse drawn and Mechanised Vehicles
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LNWR Trackplans
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