Press releases from North Wales branch
+++ Railway Development Society North Wales Branch Cymdeithas Datblygu Rheilffyrdd Cangen Gogledd Cymru ++++ Press Release ++++ Datganiad I'r Wasg ++++ 3rd January 2000 Contact: David Sallery 01745 889783 Rod Fairley 01352 756964
Victorian signalling still in place on International main line
Major investment in signalling on the North Wales Coast Main Line is needed urgently. Last year at Abergele, Railtrack installed a new semaphore signal lit by paraffin, 19th Century technology which is planned to last well into the 21st Century.
2000 will be an exciting time for passengers in North Wales. New 100mph Coradia trains will begin service for First North Western in the Spring and work is already taking place to up the main line's maximum speed to 90mph. And in 2002, Virgin will introduce high-tech tilting trains on its Holyhead-London route.
The Railway Development Society, however, is concerned that signalling on the route and its branches is not being modernised, to reduce the cost of running trains. Manual signal boxes, one dating from the 1860s, are still controlling the passage of high-speed trains on this important international link between Britain and Dublin, one of Europe's fastest growing cities. RDS is calling for progressive modernisation towards the goal of just one signalling centre that controls the Crewe-Holyhead Main Line and the Llandudno and Blaenau Ffestiniog Branches.
Dave Sallery, spokesman for RDS North Wales Branch, said: "By reducing the staffing and maintenance costs, new signalling would make it cheaper to run trains. This could translate into cheaper fares and additional passenger and freight services.
"For example, the Conwy Valley line now has to have 2 signalmen on duty every time a train runs, one at Tal-y-Cafn level crossing and one at Llanrwst. Converting Tal-y-Cafn to automatic operation and introducing modern signalling, as on many other rural lines in Britain including the Cambrian Coast, would reduce operating costs. This would make it feasible to run at least one train every Sunday throughout the year, so that Blaenau Ffestiniog, Betws-Y-Coed and Llanrwst have connections at Llandudno Junction with trains to and from London, Chester, Bangor etc. The small investment needed would be an ideal candidate for Objective 1 grants."
Mr Sallery added: "We stress that we have NO safety concerns in relation to the old signalling technology still used in North Wales, which is extremely safe."
The 3 mile branch line from Llandudno Junction to Llandudno is covered by 3 signalmen and is closed at 9.30 each night. Between September and May it has no trains at all on Sundays. This is inexcusable for a town and resort of such importance.
Services across Anglesey have been hampered for many years by the closure of the basic signalling functions of Ty Croes signal box, which is still used to operate a level crossing. We understand that Railtrack may be considering bringing Ty Croes back into full use. This work or preferably replacement of the signal box with remote-controlled signals and crossing equipment, is needed urgently to allow trains to follow each other more closely when forming ferry connections at Holyhead.
Mr Sallery said: "We are disappointed that Railtrack's Network Management Statement for the next 10 years does not mention any specific investment in North Wales, when we would have expected a plan for wholesale upgrading to modern signalling standards."
NOTES: Semaphore signals were invented long before electricity. A system of levers, wires, pulleys and counterbalances is used to move a coloured board up and down, to indicate line clear or danger. Complex mechanisms in signal boxes ensure that signals and manually operated points can not be set for unsafe movements. This system can not control signals more than a mile from a signal box.
Most other main lines in Europe are signalled using electric colour-light signals (similar to traffic lights) which can be located miles away from the nearest signal box, therefore control can be centralised. Lines resignalled in recent years in Britain have a computer to do most of the routine setting of signals and points, with strict safety monitoring.
Detailed information about signalling at individual locations in North Wales is available from Dave Sallery on 01745 889783.
The Railway Development Society is an independent, voluntary group representing 20,000 rail users in the UK. It is not funded by train companies, political parties or trade unions.