Not only did we accomplish slip working, but we accomplished it with no greater impact on safety than with any modern train! To think that we achieved something so finely engineered yet (Possibly) risky in an era where radio sets were such a rare find, yet can't accomplish this today in an era where every smartphone is a supercomputer... :-o ;-)
Similar to hump marshalling yards. The concept that rail transport could be enhanced momentum doesn’t seem to have phased anyone. Love to see someone try that today.
Its not that we cant use slipcoaches anymore, its because they are no longer necessary. Slipcoaches were used because steam locomotives could not accelerate quickly after stopping at a station. The slipcoaches were a solution to that problem by allowing the train to not stop at all while still dropping off passengers at a station. Diesel engines did not have the same problems as their steam counterparts therefore, slipcoaches were no longer needed since trains could now stop at all stations without losing time.
Slip coaches gave express speeds for travellers to small commuter stations to avoid the slower commuter trains. I never knew they had one at Bicester and that was the end. How sad. Thanks for posting.
Not surprisingly, Thomas brought me here. Regardless, the slip coaches are as much of a fascinating concept in real life as they are in a children's program.
+MeganekkoFury1126 Indeed, I can say the same. "Duck and The Slip Coaches", and I think "Last Train Before Christmas" are the slip coach episodes. I was curious as to whether or not slip coaches were a real thing, but here is the proof.
Slip coaches were introduced to give intermediate stations on the route a fast service at express speed without stopping the express. GWR had most of them. Pax were locked in to stop other pass getting in the wrong carridge and to prevent them opening the doors before the carridge stopped at the station. Control of the carridge needed skillful handling as each carridge was different in running characteristics, don't know if line side markers gave any help as the release speed had to be constant but likely wasn't therefore the great skill needed. Don't know of any accidents with slip coaches?
There were some accidents, the favourite was running into the back of the train they'd been slipped from if it then had to brake, the worst (that I've heard of) injured over 30 people. The whole concept breaks the cardinal rule of train/signalling safety of only ever having one train on any given section of track, the moment it splits you have two, & a potential for one to hit the other.
For anyone asking why don't we do this anymore, it's because unlike steam engines modern train with diesel, electric locomotives or even electric multiple units, simply have enough acceleration and efficiency to stop at each destination.
Today is the *4* year anniversary of when you uploaded this video. 🤓 EDIT- 5:49 P.M.: *finishes video 5 minutes later* I had never heard of slip coaches until now.
Indian Railways are very much British in their DNA even after Independence names given to express trains like Inter-City Express etc. They still follow the centuries old traditions even today, even though the rolling stock is very modern and comfortable. A slip coach or coaches that are detached even though they are not slipped on the run. 1. What is a slip train in Indian Railways (IR) ? In IR, sometimes to save cost and time, few coaches do not go to the final destination of the train. They are detached from the train and left behind. Those coaches are called slip coaches of train and they might be picked up by another train or that could be the final halt for them. The train which has slip coaches in it is called slip train. 2. Do I need to change coaches while travelling in a slip route train? No, you don’t have to change to any other train at any station. During reservation itself, you will be placed in the respective slip coach. 3. What is the difference between a slip coach and through coach? A through coach is similar to a slip coach but it is later reattached to another train so that it can proceed to another destination. On the other hand, slip coaches may or may not be sent forward after they are detached. All slip coaches and through coaches are that have reserved seating. Unreserved passengers are not allowed to board these coaches. The SLR (Seating Luggage Rake) or Guard Brake Van which is usually the last coach of a consist, but if the train has a slip or through coaches then the SLR Coach stays as it is and the slip/through coaches are coupled to the SLR/ brake van, so when the slip/ through coaches are detached, the crew check brake air pressure and connectivity and move onwards to the destination, leaving behind the slip/through coaches which are attached to another train taking them to their destination or are shunted to a siding if that particular station is their destination. Extra coaches eg. Railway Inspection Coaches, tourists group coaches are attached to the end of trains and they are dropped off according to their scheduled stations as per their itinerary where the group tours that particular area and then board the same coach which is parked at a siding and travel to the next destination.
There's an interesting book called "The Railway Journeys of my Childhood" that was written by a retired brigadier about his experiences of travelling on the railways as a child in the Edwardian era. He also illustrated it himself with drawings. I don't have it in front of me but there's a chapter dedicated to the experience of travelling in slip coaches as I recall.
At first I thoughthathe SLIP coach fell behind the express train and was switched onto the station track. It rolled into the station area and was gently braked to a stop as close to the station as possible.
I wonder why the passengers were locked in prior to departure from Paddington? I used to call class 153s slip coaches especially when detaching one off a long distance Alphaline service.
Stepney The Bluebell Engine For me,it is unknown. But probably there are. But not used as the slip coaches. They ARE slip coaches,but are used as normal ones,because of safety,and because they got the BR Mk.01 coaches.
Though audible the background noise is a little loud in comparison to the narration right at the start but when the train leaves the station it's perfectly fine on my PC.
First of all. I was under the impression that slip coaches were slipped into a station with a bay platform where they would terminate. I had no idea they were shunted into another waiting train. Also, why not slip it onto the back of the train in the platform loop, rather than detaching the loco from the waiting train and shunting onto the front? It would need a shunter with good timing to switch the turnout after the express had passed, but in those days they wouldn't be afraid of doing something like that :-)
The turnout on the main line would've been part of an interlocking worked from a signalbox, and would not be a hand-worked set of points. For reasons that should be obvious, switching a set of facing points between the main train and its slip coaches was not considered an acceptable practice.
as well as the isues of the points being locked by the signalling system there are also issues with a coach at speed moving onto the back of a loaded passenger train... if the brakes were to fail (or the guard become incapacitated) as the slip approached the 'obstruction' it could be somewhat "messy", by keeping it on the main line they've maintained over run protection
To re-attach the car they hitched it to a cable going up a slope to a stationary engine, winched it to the top, passengers got on then at the right moment released the carriage which hurtled down the slope, through sprung points, and onto the back of a passing train. ;)
the idea is you could board your train in London, then not have to change trains even if you wanted to travel down a branch line. So, you'd get in the correct coach, it would slip, then it would be attached to another train that would start and continue down a branch line, this made journey times faster as, not only did you not need to stop the train in many stations, the passengers didn't need to disembark and remebark meaning the branch line train could leave as soon as the coach arrived.
More common than slip coaches were through coaches. So if you wanted to travel from a minor route to a major city destination, you didn't need to change trains as happens today. The original locomotive would uncouple, and your coach would be coupled to the express without you having to leave your seat. Fixed units meant this was no longer possible. I was surprised to hear slip coaches were still being made as late as 1958.
It meant express trains didn’t have to stop at stations, which reduced journey times, while at the same time people who wanted to get off at a station a coach was being slipped they could.
A classic example of a bad idea that was made to work using labour. A skilled guard on the coach, a driver and fireman on the shunter, and at least one man to couple the coach; then repeat on the return, with the guard as spare man. As the commentary says; only those going to Bicester North benefited from this cost. Those going down the branch line would almost certainly have got there faster if the expressed had stopped and there was a connection waiting; and only way back was on a service slowed by stopping at Bicester.
