Interlockings: Difference between revisions

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The interlockings controlled by Swindon Panel have a standard circuitry design known as BR(WR) E10k, derived from the reference number of the series of drawings describing this design (E10000 series).  It is a freewired interlocking design (Western Region never used geographical interlockings).  The term 'freewired' means that all of the interlocking is bespoke to its particular location, consisting of individual relays wired together to suit that particular application.  By contrast, a geographical interlocking consists of pre-wired generic packs of relays which are combined together like building blocks to build up the interlocking.  Geographical interlockings are quicker to install and require less on-site testing but as not all of the available functions in each relay pack may be required there can be considerable redundancy.  The wasted expenditure of this redundancy and the higher initial cost of pre-packaged units has to be balanced against the savings in installation and testing costs.  Western Region decided that, in their opinion, freewired interlockings provided better value for money.
The first E10k interlocking was installed at West Ealing in 1955.  The panel at West Ealing was supplied by MV-GRS to their standard NX Turn-Push design and the E10k interlocking system was influenced by MV-GRS interlocking practice.
The table below shows the interlockings in the Swindon Panel area:
The table below shows the interlockings in the Swindon Panel area:


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The Uffington interlocking was commissioned before Swindon Panel came into existence as it was originally controlled by Uffington signal box.  It migrated to control by Swindon Panel on 3 March 1968.


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 14:11, 3 July 2014

The interlockings controlled by Swindon Panel have a standard circuitry design known as BR(WR) E10k, derived from the reference number of the series of drawings describing this design (E10000 series). It is a freewired interlocking design (Western Region never used geographical interlockings). The term 'freewired' means that all of the interlocking is bespoke to its particular location, consisting of individual relays wired together to suit that particular application. By contrast, a geographical interlocking consists of pre-wired generic packs of relays which are combined together like building blocks to build up the interlocking. Geographical interlockings are quicker to install and require less on-site testing but as not all of the available functions in each relay pack may be required there can be considerable redundancy. The wasted expenditure of this redundancy and the higher initial cost of pre-packaged units has to be balanced against the savings in installation and testing costs. Western Region decided that, in their opinion, freewired interlockings provided better value for money.

The first E10k interlocking was installed at West Ealing in 1955. The panel at West Ealing was supplied by MV-GRS to their standard NX Turn-Push design and the E10k interlocking system was influenced by MV-GRS interlocking practice.

The table below shows the interlockings in the Swindon Panel area:

Interlocking Site Code Type Commissioned De-commissioned
Uffington S.277 30 May 1965[1] Extant
Bourton S.280 01 October 1977[1] Extant
South Marston S.282 11 June 2000[1] Extant
Highworth S.283 03 March 1968[1] Extant
Swindon S.296 03 March 1968[1] Extant
Wootton Bassett East S.306 23 March 1968[1] Extant
Chippenham S.318 23 March 1968[1] Extant
Thingley Jcn 23 March 1968[1] 11 February 1975
Thingley S.320 11 February 1975[1] Extant
Wootton Bassett West S.308 ca. early 1980[1] Extant
Hullavington S.313 23 March 1968[1] Extant
Purton?
Minety S.332 Extant
Kemble S.332 27 July 1968[1] Extant

The Uffington interlocking was commissioned before Swindon Panel came into existence as it was originally controlled by Uffington signal box. It migrated to control by Swindon Panel on 3 March 1968.

References

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 British Power Signalling Register (http://www.bpsr.org.uk)

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