'Flying Scotsman' on the Seven Valley Railway - BBC4

[John Webb]

I mention this excellent documentary here as the signalling side of things got some specific mentions from the engine crew, including the token exchanges, the sighting of signals by the driver and fireman, the white light at an AOCL and even a concise explanation of tokenless block working between Bewdley South and Kidderminster. Worth a look when repeated at 9pm on BBC4 New Year's Day.

[John Hinson]

and even a concise explanation of tokenless block working between Bewdley South and Kidderminster.

Shhh, don't tell them it isn't Tokenless Block but TCB Single Line . . .

J

[Russell Maiden]

It's actually Acceptance Lever working - trains are offered and accepted (or not as the case may be) rather than just being described, with the Acceptance Lever at the box in advance being reversed to 'accept' a train, but no conventional block instruments as used with Direction Levers.

[John Webb]

It's actually Acceptance Lever working - trains are offered and accepted (or not as the case may be) rather than just being described, with the Acceptance Lever at the box in advance being reversed to 'accept' a train, but no conventional block instruments as used with Direction Levers.

Ah! I wasn't listening quite closely enough to the programme - on replaying it the driver, as they pass Bewdley South box, actually says that they are not picking up a token as there is another system "Tokenless block by Acceptance Lever. It's all done electrically." covering the section from Bewdley to Kidderminster.

[John Hinson]

It's actually Acceptance Lever working

Correct me if I am wrong but I understood that the official term is Track Circuit Block (Single Line) whether acceptance levers are provided or not. Perhaps the SVR Regulations vary from main line practice, or maybe things have changed in recent years?

Ah! I wasn't listening quite closely enough to the programme - on replaying it the driver, as they pass Bewdley South box, actually says that they are not picking up a token as there is another system "Tokenless block by Acceptance Lever. It's all done electrically." covering the section from Bewdley to Kidderminster.

But it is still not "Tokenless Block" which is a completely different system.

John

[Russell Maiden]

The latest incarnation of this method of working single lines may well be 'TCB on Single Lines', but, being a heritage railway we use heritage terminology. The basis for the SVR's Acceptance Lever working is the BR(WR) Circulars XR 579, headed 'Regulations for Train Signalling on Single Lines worked by Acceptance Levers', and XR 580, 'Single Lines worked by Acceptance Levers - Instructions to Trainmen and Others', dated June 1961.

[John Hinson]

The latest incarnation of this method of working single lines may well be 'TCB on Single Lines', but, being a heritage railway we use heritage terminology. The basis for the SVR's Acceptance Lever working is the BR(WR) Circulars XR 579, headed 'Regulations for Train Signalling on Single Lines worked by Acceptance Levers', and XR 580, 'Single Lines worked by Acceptance Levers - Instructions to Trainmen and Others', dated June 1961.

Fair enough . . . thanks.

John

[mossend4]

I watched the TV programme. The factors which left the deepest impression on me were (1) the constant verbal interchange between Driver and Fireman on the footplate on the aspect displayed by signals they were approaching, and some surprise at the use of 'red' and 'green' for semaphore signals during daylight hours ('the "red" banner signal!); and (2) the whistle, otherwise in almost constant use during the journey, wasn't used (twice) when approaching a stop signal at danger and (twice), when those same signals had been cleared (after being brought to a stand by them).

I wondered if other arrangements applied on Heritage lines, and / or had these footplate men been habituated into adopting 'universal' terms from running over MAS main lines.

[kbarber]

The latest incarnation of this method of working single lines may well be 'TCB on Single Lines', but, being a heritage railway we use heritage terminology. The basis for the SVR's Acceptance Lever working is the BR(WR) Circulars XR 579, headed 'Regulations for Train Signalling on Single Lines worked by Acceptance Levers', and XR 580, 'Single Lines worked by Acceptance Levers - Instructions to Trainmen and Others', dated June 1961.

The same terminology was used in the Colchester/St Botolphs area for the single lines there; somewhere I have a set of instructions dated for the early '60s (was it done as early as '61?) that, as far as I recall, replicate the SVR instructions exactly (including references to 'lowering' signals!) That particular feature makes me wonder if the ER borrowed the WR instructions rather than going to the bother of thinking up their own.