BRITISH RAILROADS’ ADVANCE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 143, 30 March 1948, Page 4

BRITISH RAILROADS’ ADVANCE

. AUTOMATIC STOP SYSTEM The new system of automatic train control introduced recently on Britain s south end lines is one of a number of modern ideas handed over to national railway executives with the nationalisation of Britain's railroads. Four main-line railway companies in the past had all instituted their own control systems, either wholly or partially automatic. The system introduced on the south end lines is the newest of these, and is specially suited to that particular line, where good old London fog is prevalent. London’s north-eastern industrial areas combine with the Thames to make this about the most fogged line in Britain. The -system is operated through inductive action between a permanent magnet on the track and a receiver on the locomotive. When a distant signal is at a warning position, the magnet sounds an alarm horn in the driver’s cabin. If within three seconds the driver pulls a lever in acknowledgment of this warning, he remains in charge and puts on the brakes.

But if the horn does not work or the driver does not hear, the brakes get put on automatically within 20 seconds of llie train’s passing the inductor. The safety equipment required has been fitted to IS3 locomotives.