Yes, I’ve read about them before. Sounds pretty scary to me. I wonder how many times they overshot or stopped short due to not having their own power.
When I first came across them I thought someone was on a windup and thought they could be dangerous but apparently not. I wonder if they had to get out and push if they came too short, lol. Fascinating stuff though.
I would imagine an experienced train crew could probably get it down with some accuracy after doing it for a while. The only question is what happens to the car once it has stopped at the platform. There must have been a switcher on permanent standby.
I think the coaches were put in sidings after then picked up from there. According to the video passengers in the slip coach didn't have access to the rest of the train, so no buffet for you!
Each coach also needed a member of staff aboard to control it adding to operational expense. Hmm... A good bit of that "unknown copyright" footage is obviously from the BBC's Railway Roundabout.
May implement the hump yard first? If I remember correctly, for MSTS (good old days) I saw an Amercan route where the helper engines would be uncoupled while the train was still driving.
Was 1958 that the last two local shunting horses were retired. Would probably have been sooner if not for the war. Funny to think that large stations had stables in the early years of the last century.
The last BR shunting horse worked at Newmarket appropriately and retired when the station closed in the '60s. His name was Charlie IIRC.
Just had this listed by YouTube and, if I'm not mistaken, there's a slipped coach about 20 seconds in: It looks as if the loco' has dropped the coach to let it roll past rather than go to the bother of stopping and running round. (Anyone else think this has the makings of a good DLC BTW?) (grammer edit)