View Single Post
  #14  
Old 17th December 2010, 17:26
Downsman Downsman is offline  
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Sussex
Posts: 38
Quote:
Originally Posted by Belmont Road View Post
Went to Manchester last week no problems.

However, I had to cancel a trip to Shrewsbury.

Huge problems in the south. Conductor rails are poor in bad weather.

I wonder how the Southern Railway coped pre war? It still surprises me that the Southern adopted a system, which was originally designed for underground networks, to use on overland main lines.

Surely the LBSCR had the better alternative? Was it LSWR influence that swayed the board?

I vaguely recall reading many years ago that a big influence on the decision to adopt the third-rail system was concern over the complication of providing overhead power supply in small local goods yards.
It seems unbelievable today, now that the local goods yards have been converted to car parks for private vehicles and ‘Southern lines’ have degenerated into little more than extensions to London Suburban commuter routes.
__________________
Cheers,

Mike
Reply With Quote