Re: Signalling in Victoria

[Notagunzel <notagunzel@bigfoot.com>]

Christopher_Martin GORDON wrote:
 
> The homes at Diamond creek are controled from the platform, does the
> driver change these?  How does it work when train cross at Diamond
> Creek?

Diamond Creek is a classic Victorian Non-interlocked crossing station,
once found in their zillons in the country.  There is only one Home
signal in each direction, and the main line points are secured by
plunger locks.  They can be found in Train Staff and Ticket, Electric
Staff and Train Order areas.

(View this drawing with a fixed width font)

  Down Home
  ______[]                  Platform.
                 pl     |______________|      pl
__________________+___________________________+______________________
                   \_________________________/
                hlb \_______________________/hlb             ________
                                                             []
                                                             Up Home

This drawing is of a 'generic' non-interlocked station.

The Homes are worked from 2 levers on the platform, for the normal moves
into the platform.  When the Signalman wants to admit a train into No. 2
road, he ensures that the Home it at stop.  He then proceeds to the
points, unlocks the plunger, reverses the points, and pulls the signal
off from a quadrant lever adjacent to the points.  When a home is pulled
off from the platform, it detects that the facing points are normal, and
the plunger is normal.  When a Home is pulled off from the points, there
is no detection.  Points into No. 3 Rd usually were secured by hand
locking bars & padlocks.

When such a station is a temporary staff station, both homes are left
off when the station is closed, and when it's open, only one Home is
supposed to be off at any one time.  When Diamond Creek is open, a
Signaller is in attendance to work the points & signals, issue and
collect the Staff and Tickets, give ACRE's etc.  On the railway formerly
known as the PTC, trains are crossed at such stations only by a
Signaller.  Trains may pass thru a staff station Driver in Charge, e.g.
Sommerville.  On the old VR, and on the Victorian Tourist Rlys, Guard in
Charge Crosses are done.

Diamond Creek also has a 2 position signal at the crossing associated
with the Level Crossing

The Victorian Plunger locks are I beleive unique in Australia.  They are
actually Indian in origin.
At Crossing stations; South Australia generally used Switchstands,
Tasmainia and Queensland use padlocked 'throwover' or 'cheeseknob'
levers, and as for NSW, I think they had Groundframes A thru Z :o)

> What is the indication at Hurstbridge when a train is approaching?
> once the train is in the platform does the driver return the signal
> to stop?

At Hurstbridge, the Home is left off if the arriving train is on a Staff
and is then departing.  If a Train arrives on a Ticket, the Home must be
replaced before giving the ARCE.  If a Train has to shunt in or out of
the Sidings opposite the station, the Home also has to be replaced.

B.