Cromer and Sheringham branch

[Clive D. W. Feather]

Can someone who's been there more recently than me (that is, since about
1985) please let me know what the signalling is on the
Norwich-Cromer-Sheringham branch? In particular, are there any signals
at Sheringham?

[Tim Christian]

Post by Clive D. W. Feather
Can someone who's been there more recently than me (that is, since about
1985) please let me know what the signalling is on the
Norwich-Cromer-Sheringham branch? In particular, are there any signals
at Sheringham?

The branch was converted to automatic signals and crossings in 2000. SPAD
was included: as a trial AIUI. I filmed (cine) the semaphore signalling,
tablet exchanges and crossings before and during the changover. I cannot
recall any signalling between Cromer and Sheringham. There are no passing
loops so I assume it is operated as OES. If it is important, I'll check over
the weekend.

If the plan to reinstate the crossing at Sheringham to join the NNR to the
system again, then signalling would be needed.

[Owen Dunn]

Post by Clive D. W. Feather
Can someone who's been there more recently than me (that is, since
about 1985) please let me know what the signalling is on the
Norwich-Cromer-Sheringham branch? In particular, are there any
signals at Sheringham?

Not that I remember seeing in 2004. (The view in the top picture at
http://www.greenend.org.uk/owen/I/R/stnpages/sheringham.html isn't
that good, but I can't see any signals.)

(S)

[Flob]

Post by Owen Dunn

Post by Clive D. W. Feather
Can someone who's been there more recently than me (that is, since
about 1985) please let me know what the signalling is on the
Norwich-Cromer-Sheringham branch? In particular, are there any
signals at Sheringham?

Not that I remember seeing in 2004. (The view in the top picture at
http://www.greenend.org.uk/owen/I/R/stnpages/sheringham.html isn't
that good, but I can't see any signals.)
(S)

The branch is signalled ( sparsely) between Whitlingham Junction and Cromer
, and relies upon axle counters . The controlling box is Trowse Swing Bridge
.
Upon leaving Cromer , when you leave the platform signal , that is it ,
signal wise , all the way to Sheringham .
There are no signals at Sheringham , the old Signal boxes at Wroxham and
Cromer still survive in gentle states of decay , whilst Cromer also has a
couple of disused semaphore signals turned 90 degrees to their original
view.
Flob

[Clive D. W. Feather]

Post by Flob
The branch is signalled ( sparsely) between Whitlingham Junction and Cromer
, and relies upon axle counters . The controlling box is Trowse Swing Bridge
.
Upon leaving Cromer , when you leave the platform signal , that is it ,
signal wise , all the way to Sheringham .
There are no signals at Sheringham , the old Signal boxes at Wroxham and
Cromer still survive in gentle states of decay , whilst Cromer also has a
couple of disused semaphore signals turned 90 degrees to their original
view.

Thanks.

[This is all in view of a potential visit tomorrow.]

[Tim Christian]

Post by Clive D. W. Feather

Post by Flob
The branch is signalled ( sparsely) between Whitlingham Junction and Cromer
, and relies upon axle counters . The controlling box is Trowse Swing Bridge
.
Upon leaving Cromer , when you leave the platform signal , that is it ,
signal wise , all the way to Sheringham .
There are no signals at Sheringham , the old Signal boxes at Wroxham and
Cromer still survive in gentle states of decay , whilst Cromer also has a
couple of disused semaphore signals turned 90 degrees to their original
view.

Thanks.
[This is all in view of a potential visit tomorrow.]

There are several level crossings between Wroxham and Cromer that were not
converted to automatic barriers. These are now effectively occupation
crossings, but make good photo backdrops. The first crossing S of North
Walsham, the first S of Worstead and the first S of Tunstead come to mind.

[h***@yahoo.co.uk]

Cromer - Sherringham is One Train Working without train staff as per
GK/RT/0051 Section H IIRC.

Rest of the line, and the controls for the OTW is from a GE MCS system
at Trowse utilising VHLC interlockings as also used on Bedford -
Bletchley and Sheerness branch.

regards
HN28

[Clive D. W. Feather]

Post by Flob
Cromer also has a
couple of disused semaphore signals turned 90 degrees to their original
view.

These left us rather puzzled. The two bases are almost exactly in line
with each other, something like this:

S S Box
|----------------------------------
############################
|----------------------------------

which makes it look unlikely that they're in their original locations.
On the other hand, the bases look far too old to have been installed
only recently (and why go to the effort of moving one signal when
scrapping many others?).

On a related question, why on earth do several stations on the branch
get skipped by some trains but not others? The minute or two saved
doesn't appear to be significant for pathing elsewhere, so why not just
have a clockface timetable instead of the irregular mess that's there.

Finally, a sign next to one of the platforms says:

Bi-directional working

Trains can be signalled in
either direction on each line
#############################

where the last line of text has been covered over. Anyone know what it
used to say?

[This is an odd place for such a sign anyway; it's next to a platform at
a terminus, rather than out beyond the crossovers where staff would be
more likely to get confused.]

[Peter Masson]

Post by Clive D. W. Feather
On a related question, why on earth do several stations on the branch
get skipped by some trains but not others? The minute or two saved
doesn't appear to be significant for pathing elsewhere, so why not just
have a clockface timetable instead of the irregular mess that's there.

It looks to me as though skipping two minor stations each way means that the
round trip can be completed in 2 hours, so that a regular interval hourly
service (2-hourly at the minor stations) can be worked with two units. It's
also not clear whether it would be possible to operate an hourly service,
calling at all stations over the single track between North Walsham and
Sheringham - the 1642 from Norwich, which does call at all stations, runs
off-pattern so that its return working can cross the 1745 at North Walsham.

Peter