'Soon it will be safe to go' - Happy Fence Friday (HFF) Everyone!
Rothley Station Great Central Railway (GCR), Leicestershire - pictured here at 10.45am on Saturday 23rd October 2021, is the point (where behind me) the 4 mile double track Main Line from Loughborough Central becomes single track for the remaining 4 miles to Leicester North.
Britain in the 19th Century, developed a 'Token System' to enable safe single line working. They come in various forms: staff (as shown in the hand of the platform railwayman), tablet, key and ball.
On the left BR Standard Class 5 4-6-0 73156 has just returned from Leicester North. Upon arrival the Driver handed over his single section token which is about to be replaced in 'Grey Cabinet', before a different token can be removed and given to the Driver of the awaiting BR Class 45 Diesel D123 Leicestershire and Derbyshire Yeomanry so it too can safely depart to Leicester North. Within the grey box this procedure triggers a series of 'Electrical Impulses' via a series of relays to the nearby Signal Box - alerting the signalman so the signals and points can be safely and correctly set.
Because the tokens have different configurations, by this means it ensures that at any one time only one and the correct token is available to be issued to the Driver.
Coincidentally, Friday 22nd October 2021 saw D123 celebrate its 60th Anniversary - being built at Crewe works in 1961. It was withdrawn from service in 1987 and arrived at GCR in 1998.
Mindful the UK is now seeing a rapid resurgence in COVID variant outbreaks and many areas in the North are experiencing severe weather and flooding this week, I very much hope you are all still keeping safe and well.
Happy Fence Friday everyone. Have a great weekend too!
'Soon it will be safe to go' - Happy Fence Friday (HFF) Everyone!
Rothley Station Great Central Railway (GCR), Leicestershire - pictured here at 10.45am on Saturday 23rd October 2021, is the point (where behind me) the 4 mile double track Main Line from Loughborough Central becomes single track for the remaining 4 miles to Leicester North.
Britain in the 19th Century, developed a 'Token System' to enable safe single line working. They come in various forms: staff (as shown in the hand of the platform railwayman), tablet, key and ball.
On the left BR Standard Class 5 4-6-0 73156 has just returned from Leicester North. Upon arrival the Driver handed over his single section token which is about to be replaced in 'Grey Cabinet', before a different token can be removed and given to the Driver of the awaiting BR Class 45 Diesel D123 Leicestershire and Derbyshire Yeomanry so it too can safely depart to Leicester North. Within the grey box this procedure triggers a series of 'Electrical Impulses' via a series of relays to the nearby Signal Box - alerting the signalman so the signals and points can be safely and correctly set.
Because the tokens have different configurations, by this means it ensures that at any one time only one and the correct token is available to be issued to the Driver.
Coincidentally, Friday 22nd October 2021 saw D123 celebrate its 60th Anniversary - being built at Crewe works in 1961. It was withdrawn from service in 1987 and arrived at GCR in 1998.
Mindful the UK is now seeing a rapid resurgence in COVID variant outbreaks and many areas in the North are experiencing severe weather and flooding this week, I very much hope you are all still keeping safe and well.
Happy Fence Friday everyone. Have a great weekend too!