All apologies for the esoteric nature of this, but I am trying to further understand the token operation at Midge Hall and Rufford in BPO. I have not found the exact information I am looking for elsewhere. To my understanding, the driver would receive the token at Midge Hall and surrender it at Rufford, where it would be placed in a token box. This action would clear Preston to dispatch another train to Rufford, if desired, until the token was removed and given back to the driver on return from Ormskirk. A second train following the first, however, would necessarily have to wait at the loop at Rufford. My questions involve this second train. Did it also receive a token? If so, did the signalman at Rufford have to remove the first token upon the arrival of the second, in order to prevent a third train from entering the line? From what I can gather, if a second train was expected, the first train might only get a ticket. But if only the second train got the token, how could the first train leave Rufford to return to Preston, if the token was still in the box, waiting for the second train? And if the second train was cancelled, the token would never make it to Rufford in the first place. Also, what mechanism was in place to stop Preston from dispatching a train, only to have a return train take the token at Rufford after that train's departure, so that both trains would meet head-on at Midge Hall. Because, to my understanding, Preston could not dispatch a train unless a token was in the box, but what about if it was removed just after a train was dispatched? Would such a train actually end up being held before entering at Faringdon? Although perhaps more detailed than is strictly necessary to play the game, I find that I usually enjoy the game more with a greater understanding of the real-life workings. Thanks to anyone who might answer!
Token machines usually have a number of tokens in the case of another train needing to follow another in the same direction.
I've also wondered that, when more tokens come into play there can be errors ? But then i guess the 2 stations also talk to eachother?
There's also procedures in place for the S&T to transfer tokens between machines or where there is an imbalance of services (not an issue on the Ormskirk line) between locations. Also, as a last resort, under NSTR, if the driver found the token machine on (say) the Up platform, on authority of the signaller he could take one from the machine on the Down platform where inbound trains had replaced them. It is the driver's responsibility to check they are in possession of the correct token for the next section.
Needing to stop at Midge Hall to meet the signalman , seems to be more of a Token gesture than an exact operational procedure at the moment.
It's a plot to make you 3 minutes late in either direction, and blow the 15mph limit at Rufford trying to catch-up. I deny everything btw.
I believe that Midge Hall - Rufford would have used Electric Token Block, so the token machines at each end would contain many tokens but be linked together via wired connection to ensure that only one token could be out at a time, probably one of these: "Staff and Ticket" is a more primitive and less flexible system, described here: https://www.festipedia.org.uk/wiki/Staff_and_ticket
For anyone interested, it’s worth reading up on the Abermule collision in 1921. There’s more than one book about it, but the Wikipedia article gives a good outline. How slack working, poor communication and multiple wrong-assumptions can overcome even the most carefully designed safety system, makes for a chilling tale.
