How did/do locos get out of terminus stations...?

[portland-docks]

Well you could do it like the scarborough spa express does...

Train pulls into platform,
Passengers get off
Loco propells the stock out the platform into a siding
Loco uncouples and runs round (via turntable if its steam)
Loco propells stock back into platform

Or you could have a shunter pick the stock up, pull it out the way, let the ciesel come out, shunter puts stock back in platform, diesel comes back on...simples

[PostModN66]

These days the 57's push back the sleeper to Long Rock for servicing.

I wonder how the orange man communicates with the driver - and whose fault would it be if there was a SPAD!

Cheers   Jon   

[portland-docks]

Hand held radios between front and rear, same as nymr at whitby really

[Bealman]

Hi

In the late 70s at Manchester a second loco would couple up to the coaches and the train would leave for its destination with the original loco following the departing train slowly up the platform.

Cheers

Paul

I have had that info from many sources, and I think it even applied to the steam age.

But from a model railway point of view, I am (unfortunately, because of the age of my layout) stuck with DC operation. What I am hoping to convey here is that DCC is not necessary to duplicate such a move.

Simple section break with a switch at the end of the platform so loco can be isolated when it comes to a halt, another loco pulls up and couples to end of train, and draws it away. When a suitable distance away (and it can be eyeballed) switch the section back on, and original locomotive follows on the same controller quite obediently. It can then be routed onto an MPD road, or whatever.

I have performed this many times on the terminus of my layout and get immense satisfaction in doing so.

DCC would obviously make such an operation a breeze, but to get the two moving together would possibly require two operators! One person can do it alone with DC!

The older I get, the more I realise I'm stuck with DC. No big prob..... work with whatya got! 

Cheers, George.

[Michael Hendle]

Hi

BR Inter City &Virgin when they had loco hauled trains used a class 86\\87 and 90 at one end and a Driving Van Trailer the other end.out of Euston

BR at Paddington used class 31 to haul empty stock to Old Oak Common,the incoming loco would either go to Old Oak Common,or Ranligh  Road loco siding the later if it was due to haul another Train.

BR Kings X Empty stock would be hauled back to Finsbury Park,incoming loco would also either go to Finsbury Park if going on shed,or to Kings X loco siding.

Scot Rail used a cl47 and Driving Brake second,these were a conversion,they had a driving cab installed at the gaurds van  end,these were cascaded to Anglia,and used on the Liverpool St-Norwich route.

Current GE Anglia use class 90's and ex Virgin Driving van trailers,East Coast use a class 91 Loco and a Driving Van Trailer,these started life as BR Inter City 225 sets.

Mike

[Lankyman]

One very interesting variation on this theme was at Manchester Victoria in the days before the DMU's appeared in about 1959/1960. At this time most local services from Rochdale, Royton and Ashton used the bay platforms at the east end of the station, (now the area occupied by Metrolink.) These platforms were at the bottom of a rather steep incline know as Miles Platting bank. On arrival, the steam loco would be uncoupled and, after the passengers had alighted, the vacuum brakes on the stock would be released and the loco would then push the train out of the station to a point outside Footbridge signalbox. The Guard would secure the train with the handbrake and the loco would drop down into the centre road between the platforms. The stock would then be gravitated back into the station controlled only by the Guard's handbrake!! The loco would then be dropped back on the other end ready for departure.

Such movements would take place several times an hour throughout the day and, as far as I know, there was never a problem such was the skill of the Guards. The whole thing only took a few minutes and was much quicker than running round but the efficiency very much depended on the slick team working of the Driver, Fireman, Guard and Signalman. Of course it would never be allowed today but I would love to see it modelled.

Ron

[martink]

How did locos get out of terminus stations?  Much the same way that the passengers did... through the main entrance.



(The famous train wreck at the Gare Montparnasse in 1895).

[Caz]

        

[Bealman]

 
Probably the inspiration for that Gene Wilder movie... what was it? The Silver Streak or something like that?

[EtchedPixels]

The original Stourbridge Town station had a couple of 'DMU through end wall' incidents, although both cases it stopped hanging over the road and no lives were lost.


The weirdest terminus turn around I am aware of is the use of a crane. This is documented as having occurred on one inspection day for a new line. Having discovered they forgot to put the run-around points in the railway management took the inspector for a very good lunch and while he was safely away the locomotive was craned to the other end without him noting the ommission!

Gravity shunting was another scheme used on a few branches including in some cases for passenger stock (empty). The train arrived and the coach was then pushed back up hill past a suitable siding. The locomotive was put in the siding and the brakes on the coach released to allow it to roll past, and be braked into the platform by the guard. The locomotive then rejoined the train.

It was used for passenger services on places such as Yelverton for the Princetown branch, at Cowes and sometimes at Bodmin Road. In BR diesel days there were a couple of obscure freight branches where gravity shunting was used t run around wagons. The Manx electric only gave it up in 2006, and elsewhere in Europe (notably Switzerland) t is still done.

[edwin_m]

There was a DMU through the wall at Middleton in about 1960 and there have been similar incidents with EMUs at Shepperton and Largs.  There was also the one in Sweden recently when I think a cleaner managed to start the train accidentally because the controls hadn't been secured properly. 

[martink]

In its early days up to 1844 or thereabouts London Euston used a cable-hauled incline to depart trains.  Arrivals detached the loco at the top of the hill at Camden where the passengers' tickets were collected.  The fully loaded string of coaches was then allowed to roll down the hill under control of the brakemen.  For departures, the brakemen pushed the coaches up to the start of the incline, attached them to the messenger rope, then up the hill they went. 

Its really a shame all of this predated the invention of the movie camera.

[fordpop]

Fascinating replies & stories:)

OK, now thinking about my modelling dilemma, how do you think the use of magnetic uncouplers would work on a terminus station model?

So, loco & stock in to the uncoupler, then a second loco couples at the head & hauls the stock out, the orignial loco then moves out.

I run DCC so it's no issue to do, just wondered if it would a) ware thin quickly & b) is too far removed from prototype?

Thanks in advance.....& merry crimbo:)

Dave

[Bealman]

I think it is an excellent idea, and one I hope to incorporate into my own layout - one day....

And mine ain't DCC either!

Merry Christmas! 

George

[Caz]

Fascinating replies & stories:)

OK, now thinking about my modelling dilemma, how do you think the use of magnetic uncouplers would work on a terminus station model?

So, loco & stock in to the uncoupler, then a second loco couples at the head & hauls the stock out, the orignial loco then moves out.

I run DCC so it's no issue to do, just wondered if it would a) ware thin quickly & b) is too far removed from prototype?

Thanks in advance.....& merry crimbo:)

Dave

I'm DCC as well, my terminus has a central release road for the express trains and I have programmed Train Controller to drive the train to near the buffers, wait for the passengers to get off, it then backs the coaches clear of the the release crossover, uncouples the coaches and then moves forward to the head shunt.  Points change, loco moves down release road to the turntable, the next loco to take the train out backs onto the coaches, couples up and is ready to go or the station shunter moves then to where needed.

That is what I love about DCC, so much is possible.