Re: Signalling in Victoria

[David Langley <del@ancc.com.au>]

Christopher_Martin GORDON wrote:

> I went out to Flemington on Sunday (they were running race trains) and
> had a little look around, since the signalling diagram in 1997 I have
> the following changes have been made:
> Disc Signal to Get from No2 (B) to the end of No2
>
> Arrival Home has three homes:
> No1, No2, No4 and a disc No3.

Yes that's right. They were installed for the operation of empty car trains
now that Flinders Street yard is closed. It was decided that some more
signalled moves were required to avoid the hand signalling of previous years
and also to replace some of the previously signalled moves that had been
abolished in recent years.

> The loop line points at the Showgrounds are clipped and the line
> baulked.  There is a lever in Flemington Box (61) that provides
> control of the loop line to Showgrounds.

Now I wonder when that went in. I can't find any reference to it at the
moment. It wasn't put in on 28Feb1998 when the additional signals for
suburban train stabling were provided. These alterations altered diagram 29
of 1997 which is still the current diagram unless one has been issued this
year. I have yet to see any WN's for this year.

>
> So the signalman at Showgrounds could take off the baulks (just chained)
> and un clip the points, then the signalman at Flemington reverse lever 61
> to give control of the loop line to Showgrounds and then a train
> could be sent down there.

The points are supposed to be spiked not just padlocked.

>
>
> The Rostrum at Showground has some sort of switch for all signals into
> the platform.  He could set say post 12 (up arrival) to be clear, and
> then control to either Showground or 'H' box.

It's a GRS table interlocker adapted for this use. It has three positions L,
C and R. The positions are self explanatory and when the rostrum is
unattended the switch is to be left in the R position which allows up trains
to arrive at Showgrounds platform.

> While I was there in No2 road was one 6 car train, and 3 and 4 roads
> had two six car trains (for the footy)
> as well there was one 3 car train in No1 (buffers) and another in No1
> open, and one out at the down arrival.  Between 1630 and 1650 two
> race train left (From No1 via B to Melbourne, the second came in
> via No2 (B) to No1, passing the other train in No1 (A).
> The 5 footy trains also left.
>
> So with the arrival of the footy trains around 12:00pm and then leaving
> I saw almost all moves.
> (expect shunt to up line, and loop line)
>
> One last thing, overlap protection is provided for trains, ie the
> train will hold at least two signals behind it at stop, and the lock
> bars at Flemington are protected by trains (using track circuits) to
> provent the points being moved under them.

That is a new provision, probably in 1986. Prior to that the facing point
locks had fouling bars attached.

David Langley.