Railway General Knowledge.

[Nick_C]

You're getting warmer, Chennai area is correct. Note that like Llanfair PG, there is a much shorter colloquial name that's usually used in preference to the full name.

 

[Calthrop]

Dare I ask -- or would that be a giveaway? -- is the "answer name" a multi-word one? I'd had the impression that my Venka-thingy was the longest station name in India.

 

[Nick_C]

It is multiple words, yes

 

[Calthrop]

Feeling curious, I've resorted to Google, thus disqualifying myself; but have found an apparent potential candidate.

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

Chennai Central (Puratachi Thalaivar Doctor M G Ramachandran Central Railway Station)?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Chennai Central (Puratachi Thalaivar Doctor M G Ramachandran Central Railway Station)?

Good lord that really is a mouthful !

 

[Nick_C]

Chennai Central (Puratachi Thalaivar Doctor M G Ramachandran Central Railway Station)?

Is correct! Interesting the full name doesn't actually include the name of the city...

Over to you...

 

[Calthrop]

Chennai Central (Puratachi Thalaivar Doctor M G Ramachandran Central Railway Station)?

That's the one I found on the Net ! (I always regret that New Zealand's rail system never included a line within station-having distance, of that place in the North Island with a name beginning with T; which almost relegates Llanfair PG to the Ely / Wem bracket.)

Random "aside" there -- @LSWR Cavalier : your go, of course.

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

Thanks very much
Actually the Fairbourne used to have the longest station name, Dragonsteeth..
..
The Berliner Ringbahn has stations named Suedkreuz, Ostkreuz, Westkreuz but no Nordkreuz. Which station should be called Nordkreuz?
Bonus points (2) for explaining why this 'misnaming' is unfortunate at the moment

 

[Mag_seven]

Gesundbrunnen?

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

Gesundbrunnen, healthy well/fountain, is correct
It does have 'Nordkreuz' in small letters on the nameboards
It is a shame Nordkreuz was not made the main name, for an extremist prepper group has appropriated the word
Over to you

 

[Mag_seven]

Open Floor

 

[DerekC]

What number links Leeds Holbeck, the date 24th December 1910 and the 1907 St Leger? - and why?

 

[SteveM70]

24/12/1910 was the date of the Hawes Junction crash. Is that relevant to this? Was the loco named after the winner of the 1907 St Leger?

 

[DerekC]

24/12/1910 was the date of the Hawes Junction crash. Is that relevant to this? Was the loco named after the winner of the 1907 St Leger?

Yes and yes.

 

[DerekC]

I would usually issue a clue at this point - but perhaps it's enough to remind you that I am still waiting for a clear signal.

 

[Efini92]

Was the signal that was passed the same number as the depot code for holbeck?

 

[DerekC]

Well, the depot code for Holbeck is certainly something to work on!

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I assume the loco was allocated to Leeds Holbeck?

 

[DerekC]

I assume the loco was allocated to Leeds Holbeck?

For the post-nationalisation years this was a Kings Cross loco, but that's not relevant. Don't forget that the link between the three is a number. I will tell you it has two digits. Now somebody must get it!

 

[GRALISTAIR]

For the post-nationalisation years this was a Kings Cross loco, but that's not relevant. Don't forget that the link between the three is a number. I will tell you it has two digits. Now somebody must get it!

Well Holbeck in my spotting days was 55A but well before my time I think it was 20A - so surely it is one of those numbers. Since your dates are well before that I suggest it must be 20.

 

[DerekC]

You are tantalisingly close, @GRALISTAIR. The change from 20A to 55A seems to have happened at the end of 1956 and my spotters book is the 1958/9 edition!

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I am really struggling with the connection here.

 

[DerekC]

So put the facts you have together. Start from Leeds Holbeck shed codes and think how one of the 2-digit numbers could be associated with an accident (it's not a signal number, to address a point made by @Efini92) and with a locomotive named after a winner of the St Leger. Which famous class of locos were mostly named after famous racehorses?

 

[341o2]

That would be LNER class A1/A3

 

[DerekC]

That would be LNER class A1/A3

That's right.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Also Holbeck Shed Code 55
Deltics Racehorses Class 55
How the hell are they connected to the accident? That is the question

 

[DerekC]

Also Holbeck Shed Code 55
Deltics Racehorses Class 55
How the hell are they connected to the accident? That is the question

That's two out of three - and you will have a bonus point for thinking of a "55" connection I hadn't thought of. My locomotive was LNER No 55 "Woolwinder" - my favourite A3!

 

[xotGD]

Was the train travelling at 55 mph at the time of the accident?

 

[DerekC]

Was the train travelling at 55 mph at the time of the accident?

Not that. It was long before the days of OTMR/OTDRs so I don't think anyone would know exactly. The driver of the down express in evidence stated that his speed was about 65mph when he emerged from Moorcock Tunnel and saw the tail lamp of the two light engines ahead. He made a full application of the vacuum brake but the collision occurred only 5-6 seconds later, according to Major Pringle's estimate.

The link does relate to one of the accident causes, though.