Re: Big train wreck in England! - 70 Dead?

["Notagunzel" <notagunzel@bigfoot.com>]

For the information of aus.railers, I found this on uk.railway
(Drawing by Ross Hamilton)

<-PADD                                                       SLOUGH->

1 <>-----------------<>---------/-->---------------------------->- DM
                           Q   /
2 <>-----------------<>----*-Y/---<-----+Z----------------------<- UM
                   |-OOO  /            /
3 <>--------<>-----X-----*-\-<------<-/     -------------------->- DR
                         Q  \              /
4 <>----------------<>-------\--\-->------/   ------------------<- UR
                                 \           /
5 <>----------------<>------------\-<-------/

M = Main [fast], R = Relief [slow]; U = Up; D = Down.

The Class 165 DMU was on the Down, i.e. travelling from Paddington, on
Track 3; and the HST was on the Up Main, i.e. travelling into
Paddington.  The now famous signal SN 109 I've added adjacent to point
'X'.  It appears that the 165 passed SN109 at Danger (SPAD), and
collided with the HST at point 'Z'.  The crossover I've marked Q was
normal, as I'd expect, and the fouling point where the lead from Track
3 joins the Up Main, at Z, is probably greater than the standard
British Overlap of IIRC 187 yards/meters.  So, as you can see, it's
all a bit messy.

--
Mr Notagunzel.
Rail Transportation Connoisseur.
notagunzel@bigfoot.com
(Waiting for any move at http://www.bigfoot.com/~notagunzel)