The LNER Encyclopedia

A news release last month regarding upgrade on the Leeds - Harrogate line mentions installation of a 'Turnback' at Horsforth.

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk ... yID-4.aspx

I have not encountered this term before - is it another inherited 'Americansm'. What exactly is a turnback? A simple cross-over or a siding accessed by both up and down lines? It mentions aquisition of land to facilitate this work so it sounds like additional track is being installed.

If it is an Americanism, it isn't one I've heard! "Switchback" perhaps, but I don't think Horsforth is ever going to be in danger of needing one of those!
(rare in the UK, the NER did have some mining switchbacks)

Wavey wrote:I have not encountered this term before - is it another inherited 'Americansm'. What exactly is a turnback? A simple cross-over or a siding accessed by both up and down lines? It mentions aquisition of land to facilitate this work so it sounds like additional track is being installed.

The term commonly used is "turnback facility" and that is used in the opening lines of that page. I don't think it is an americanism, I fist came across it many years ago.

A turnback facility allows trains to reverse at that point. This can be a simple crossover but more commonly involves a siding known as a reversing siding where the train can tuck out of the way whilst the driver changes ends and awaits time. A third method uses an additional platform. The page refers to new sleepers and ballast being required so I would guess a siding of some sort is to be provided. There may be more clues there - I have only scan-read it.

John

Wavey wrote:A news release last month regarding upgrade on the Leeds - Harrogate line mentions installation of a 'Turnback' at Horsforth.

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk ... yID-4.aspx

I have not encountered this term before - is it another inherited 'Americansm'. What exactly is a turnback? A simple cross-over or a siding accessed by both up and down lines? It mentions aquisition of land to facilitate this work so it sounds like additional track is being installed.

the signalman has nailed it, I believe: a dead end where a train can be stabled, then run back from where it came.

I thought it was an Anglo term, too - I encountered it on the Hong Kong MTR when one was built at Quarry bay. In that instance, the lines were rerouted, and a scissor crossing, where trains from either track could cross to the other, was installed between the last and second-to-last stations so terminating trains could arrive at either platform and go back the way they came, on the correct track... all 20 flights of stairs underground, on Hong Kong Island (the lifts/escalators had not been installed when I was lucky enough to visit).

This is the crossover cavity:

The classic "Turnback siding" was at Liverpool Central.
2 platforms on an island in the tunnel.
For Cross Mersey stoppers Arrivals one side, departures the other.
Arriving Train stops and unloads, moves forward into turnback siding (Centrally located between the main lines) and reappears on the other platform loads and departs.
I seem to remember a 4 minute turnround.

Bryan wrote:The classic "Turnback siding" was at Liverpool Central.
2 platforms on an island in the tunnel.
For Cross Mersey stoppers Arrivals one side, departures the other.
Arriving Train stops and unloads, moves forward into turnback siding (Centrally located between the main lines) and reappears on the other platform loads and departs.
I seem to remember a 4 minute turnround.

Another long-lived example (probably pre-dating use of the 'turnback' term), perhaps better known and a little more easily visible, is that (used to be two) at Harrow & Wealdstone, north of the station, sited between the Down and Up D.C. lines, and used by TfL's reversing Bakerloo Line trains at their 'end of the line'.

All this money and work and all it needs is a trailing crossover just past the platform end.

At Shipley some years ago I worked for Metro [West Yorkshire P.T.E] and they were altering the layout at Shipley.
Trains from Bradford stopped at platfoirm 2 and to Bradford at platform 1
We suggested that platform 1 be closed, plus taking out of use the grotty, graffity covered drug den of a subway so all trains to and from Bradford used 2, but no B.R spent thousands extending 1 as well as 2 so the return intercity could stop there.