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Post by sudburytown on Aug 7, 2017 20:25:56 GMT
I was on an eastbound Piccadilly from Heathrow this afternoon and it went down the test track from South Ealing to Acton Town. Does anyone know how often this is used in normal service?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 7, 2017 20:31:40 GMT
Usually only used in early morning and late evening only really used during the day if there is congestion around Acton Town
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Post by sudburytown on Aug 7, 2017 21:17:04 GMT
There was no obvious congestion around Acton, certainly had a non-stop, normal speed run. Nice to use it in daylight though, I can only remember a few late night trips.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 7, 2017 22:55:39 GMT
Just though of another reason is that if a I/O requests it as part of train ops training
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Post by crusty54 on Aug 8, 2017 8:07:06 GMT
It's a section of track that can be used for testing.
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class411
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Post by class411 on Aug 8, 2017 8:22:44 GMT
It's a section of track that can be used for testing. Yes, the clue is in the name.
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Post by crusty54 on Aug 8, 2017 8:26:22 GMT
It's a section of track that can be used for testing. Yes, the clue is in the name. My point is that it can be used by service trains when not booked for testing.
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Post by piccboy on Aug 8, 2017 8:44:55 GMT
Also gets used if a train is running early. This can happen when Heathrow Terminal 4 or Terminal 5 are down because of a signal failure, and trains are turned at Terminal 123 thus are running early. The resulting early train are than held at Northfields station on the local (test track) until their correct time.
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rincew1nd
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Post by rincew1nd on Aug 8, 2017 12:20:38 GMT
It's a section of track that can be used for testing.
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Post by fish7373 on Aug 8, 2017 19:05:11 GMT
I was on an eastbound Piccadilly from Heathrow this afternoon and it went down the test track from South Ealing to Acton Town. Does anyone know how often this is used in normal service? And a rusty rail move.
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Post by rheostar on Aug 9, 2017 7:47:15 GMT
The eastbound local's used more often than people realise.
If there's a defective train in the eastbound fast at Northfields, then a train will be put on the local to Acton Town. Similarly, if there's a signalling problem on the fast then the local will be used.
It's not a dedicated test track, it's the eastbound local with the facility to test trains.
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Post by superteacher on Aug 9, 2017 7:56:12 GMT
The eastbound local's used more often than people realise. If there's a defective train in the eastbound fast at Northfields, then a train will be put on the local to Acton Town. Similarly, if there's a signalling problem on the fast then the local will be used. It's not a dedicated test track, it's the eastbound local with the facility to test trains. But was there a time when it was purely a dedicated test track?
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Post by rheostar on Aug 9, 2017 8:42:45 GMT
The eastbound local's used more often than people realise. If there's a defective train in the eastbound fast at Northfields, then a train will be put on the local to Acton Town. Similarly, if there's a signalling problem on the fast then the local will be used. It's not a dedicated test track, it's the eastbound local with the facility to test trains. But was there a time when it was purely a dedicated test track? No, it was never a dedicated test track. Originally, the test track was on the eastbound fast, but was changed to the local about 30 years or so ago. It was safer for the test track to be on the local. When the local's being used for testing, a possession's taken from South Ealing up to the signals protecting Acton Town. We can still use Northfields eastbound local platform if needs be.
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DWS
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Post by DWS on Aug 9, 2017 9:19:26 GMT
The test track used to be on the Westbound fast in the late 1980's.
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Post by bassmike on Aug 9, 2017 11:49:50 GMT
If it's a test track why does it still have dreadful bulhead rail?
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rincew1nd
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Post by rincew1nd on Aug 9, 2017 12:05:15 GMT
Test the trains on terrible track, if it's OK then you know it'll be OK out on normal track.
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North End
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Post by North End on Aug 9, 2017 12:47:25 GMT
If it's a test track why does it still have dreadful bulhead rail? It's a fair presumption that the track has seen just a fraction of the usage that the adjacent track has seen, since virtually all trains are routed via the e/b fast. With limited resources it wouldn't be a priority to replace.
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Post by PiccNT on Aug 9, 2017 13:02:04 GMT
I was routed down there yesterday. I was booked to Uxbridge but went to T5 instead. When I got back to Hounslow Central it was obvious that I would get to Acton Town about 20 minutes early and I was being relieved there so I called the Controller to ask to be held on the EBL at Northfields until my booked time. I do occasionally get sent down there if trains are out of the correct order.
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Post by fish7373 on Aug 9, 2017 19:36:25 GMT
The test track used to be on the Westbound fast in the late 1980's. If you look on the westbound fast the old trip cock tester which is a train stop is still there just before the road bridge.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2017 20:02:42 GMT
When the normal route is under maintenance for some reason, surely they would use the test track instead??
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Post by nig on Aug 9, 2017 20:23:29 GMT
When the normal route is under maintenance for some reason, surely they would use the test track instead?? its not actually called the test track its the east bound local which can be used for testing and yes they do but the problem is trains can only go into eastbound local at Acton town the same platform as district line trains so its not overly used as causes congestion Also there is booked trains that use it think its one in morning and one in evening
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Post by rheostar on Aug 9, 2017 20:44:28 GMT
The test track used to be on the Westbound fast in the late 1980's. Yeah, you're right it was on the westbound fast. Back when I was a Motorman, we'd left South Ealing coming east and I could see that the water was still spraying on the westbound fast test track. Much of it was coming over the eastbound road and would go all over my train. As we approached the water spray I called up my guard and told him to open up his cab door. Being stupid, he did. Seconds later, all I could hear down the phone was a string of soggy expletives aimed in my direction...
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Post by fish7373 on Aug 9, 2017 23:04:19 GMT
How it was.
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Post by scheduler on Aug 16, 2017 22:28:51 GMT
There is at least 1 booked move on the eastbound local in the WTT every day, early morning. I think there is one late night as well. In theory there's a reversing move possible by terminating an arriving train at Northfields in eastbound fast, it can then reverse into depot. Whilst doing this you may wish another train to run through, thus using the eastbound local line. When the Leaf Fall special timetable comes in and when the District engineering works cause the Piccadilly to run 6tph via the local lines between Acton Town and Hammersmith you can pretty sure there will be more booked moves via the eastbound local.
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Post by nig on Aug 17, 2017 4:36:21 GMT
There is at least 1 booked move on the eastbound local in the WTT every day, early morning. I think there is one late night as well. In theory there's a reversing move possible by terminating an arriving train at Northfields in eastbound fast, it can then reverse into depot. Whilst doing this you may wish another train to run through, thus using the eastbound local line. When the Leaf Fall special timetable comes in and when the District engineering works cause the Piccadilly to run 6tph via the local lines between Acton Town and Hammersmith you can pretty sure there will be more booked moves via the eastbound local. There is a booked move at 23.50 down the local line . If reversing into the depot they normally use the local line (trains can still run down the fast ) although the fast would be used if no relief driver at Northfield's or a train comes out the depot and is defective If the Piccadilly is to run 6tph via the local lines between Acton Town and Hammersmith wouldn't it make more sense for the Rayner's branch cover that as they come through Ealing common part of the district line and if need more trains are needed they can always route them in Acton local from the fast For leaf fall it might be worthwhile suspending the local as only a couple of trains use it save trying to keep 2 lines clear of those pesky leaves
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Post by Chris M on Aug 17, 2017 7:43:27 GMT
For leaf fall it might be worthwhile suspending the local as only a couple of trains use it save trying to keep 2 lines clear of those pesky leaves But wouldn't that reduce flexibility in the case of disruption. Within the past month or so I was on a train heading for Heathrow T5 when there were delays on the line (I can't remember if they were advertised as minor or severe). At Acton Town there was a (presumably booked) driver change, but with the new driver came a change of destination to Northfields. We were routed down the local line as when we arrived at South Ealing or Northfields (I was reading a good book so not paying much attention to where we were) we were advised to change here as the train to Heathrow (T4 as it turns out, but the driver didn't specify) was in the adjacent platform, I don't know the sequence of arrivals. I think the train on the wb fast arrived in passenger service, but I'm not sure.
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Post by nig on Aug 17, 2017 13:10:49 GMT
For leaf fall it might be worthwhile suspending the local as only a couple of trains use it save trying to keep 2 lines clear of those pesky leaves But wouldn't that reduce flexibility in the case of disruption. Within the past month or so I was on a train heading for Heathrow T5 when there were delays on the line (I can't remember if they were advertised as minor or severe). At Acton Town there was a (presumably booked) driver change, but with the new driver came a change of destination to Northfields. We were routed down the local line as when we arrived at South Ealing or Northfields (I was reading a good book so not paying much attention to where we were) we were advised to change here as the train to Heathrow (T4 as it turns out, but the driver didn't specify) was in the adjacent platform, I don't know the sequence of arrivals. I think the train on the wb fast arrived in passenger service, but I'm not sure. i was referring to the east bound local the west bound local gets used a lot more as northfields stabler's/ reversers normally use it or if your routed into westbound local at acton you have to use it .. the east bound local gets used once or twice a day unless something goes wrong of course but even during disruption doesn't get used that often as can also effect the district line as can only go into the platform they use at acton town
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Post by A60stock on Aug 17, 2017 14:32:30 GMT
If it's a test track why does it still have dreadful bulhead rail? are there any sections on the underground (where passengers are carried) which still use the bullhead style of track? When did bullhead start to be phased out?
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North End
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Post by North End on Aug 17, 2017 14:38:59 GMT
If it's a test track why does it still have dreadful bulhead rail? are there any sections on the underground (where passengers are carried) which still use the bullhead style of track? When did bullhead start to be phased out? Yes, loads, especially in Tube tunnels. I'd say late 1980s onwards for when it first started to disappear.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2017 17:55:55 GMT
Bullhead rail is on around 70% of the LU still and if a re rail is required due to a defect then its still replaced with Bullhead
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