Signalling without signals

[NIR]

I'm just wondering if something as basic as the Heart of Wales line exists in Ireland.

No signals just stop boards 'start of section - obtain permission to proceed', no point motors just trains trailing through loops, no automatic barriers just drivers stopping and pressing plungers to operate level crossings.

Edited October 22, 2020 by NIR

[hexagon789]

21 minutes ago, NIR said:

I'm just wondering if something as basic as the Heart of Wales line exists in Ireland.

No signals just stop boards 'obtain permission to proceed', no point motors just trains trailing through loops, no automatic barriers just drivers stopping and pressing plungers to operate level crossings.

The Heart of Wales uses NSTR (No Signalman Token Remote).

Four other GB lines use this, it is a cheaper and simpler version of the Radio Electronic Token Block used on the likes of the West Highland the Far North and the Kyle Line.

Loops are equipped with hydraulic points which are spring in one direction so can only be traversed at 15mph, if necessary they can be hand-pumped to the opposite side but will automatically slowly return to their 'normal' position.

All loops have a fixed distant board on approach which are equipped with an AWS magnet. The stop boards have a TPWS loop to prevent SPADs exiting loops.

The driver operates the block equipment from small huts at the passing loop stations and this includes de-energising the TPWS loops to proceed out of the loops past the stop boards.

[NIR]

What it looks like

http://www.railsigns.uk/info/nstr1/nstr_f1.gif

Would seem to have been the obvious solution for a three trains a day railway.

(the 'ground signals' are point indicators confirming the lay of the points, the blank board says 'end of section - proceed if platform line clear')

Edited October 22, 2020 by NIR

[hexagon789]

3 hours ago, NIR said:

What it looks like

http://www.railsigns.uk/info/nstr1/nstr_f1.gif

Would seem to have been the obvious solution for a three trains a day railway.

(the 'ground signals' are point indicators confirming the lay of the points, the blank board says 'end of section - proceed if platform line clear')

Much cheaper than manned crossing gates and full semaphore signalling.

Though the GB system has full train protection something lacking outside the DART corridor afaik.

[Mayner]

The nearest thing in Ireland to a signalling system without signals was Tara Junction to Kingscourt which was operated on the one train on line system using a manual staff normally stored in a hut at the Junction, the only fixed signals on the Tara Junction-Kingscourt section was a working home signal(s) at the Junction to allow a train to enter or leave the branch at Tara Junction and fixed distant signals for the numerous hand operated level crossings, a fixed distant signal for Kingscourt yard and possibly a working level crossing signal at Kingscourt for trains arriving from Tara Junction.

Navan-Tara Mines was possibly still is worked on the ETS system with access to and from the Kingscourt branch controlled by a ground frame released by the Navan-Tara mines staff.

Colraine-Portrush has probably the simplest signaling system for a passenger carrying line in Ireland normally operated on the "one train system" I am not sure if there are working signals at the Portrush end of the line but there appears to be a semaphore distant possibly of NCC origin on the approaches to the station.

The main motivation for RETB systems in the UK seems to have been the cost of repairing/replacing overhead pole lines used in conjunction with the single line block system. 

I am not sure if the cabling used in connection with the NSTR in the UK is maintained by Network Rail or the telephone infrastructure provider, traditionally block cabling was maintained by the Dept. of  P&T and more recently Telecom with Block cabling sometimes routed through Telecom infrastructure.