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Section 21: Stopping Markers

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In May 2012, a sign displaying a letter "P" [21.159] was installed at the south end of Platform 2 at Oxford station. This sign is folded shut when not in use. When the sign is opened, and providing that the platform line is clear throughout, drivers must ignore the usual stop marker applicable to their train and must instead stop at the "VT 8/10" car stop marker at the north end of the platform.

[21.159] "P" Sign. Area:Oxford Usage: Low Status: Current

A car stop marker applicable to South West Trains services may have a reminder to drivers to check the aspect shown by the platform starting signal, where provided. The text "check signal!" appears at the top and bottom of the marker, on a white background with blue and white diagonally striped edging on either side [21.160].

[21.160] Car Stop Marker with reminder to check signal (e.g. applicable to 8-car Class 455 trains). Area:South West Trains Usage: Low Status: Current

A stop marker bearing the legend "4W car stop" [21.161] was installed at Platform 1A at Bedford station in August 2014. This marker applied to 4-car electric multiple units that required to use the carriage wash facility.

[21.161] "W" Car Stop Marker. Area:Bedford Usage: Low Status: Historical

From October 2015, stop markers were provided at stations on the Govia Thameslink Railway network in connection with the introduction of new Class 700 electric multiple units. These are fixed length units, formed of either eight or twelve cars. Stop markers applicable to 12-car units bear the letters "FLU" for 'full length unit' [21.162], while those applicable to 8-car units have "RLU" for 'reduced length unit' [21.163]. Stop markers applicable to both full length and reduced length units bear the word "all" [21.164]. Where Selective Door Operation applies, the letters "SDO" appear on the marker's upper edges [21.165]. A stop marker indicating the stopping position for services turning back was originally provided with an additional "T" sign underneath [21.166]. Turnback markers were later introduced with the letter "T" and the appropriate train length legend both appearing on the same sign [21.167].

[21.162] Class 700 Stop Marker for Full Length Units. Area:Govia Thameslink Railway Usage: Medium Status: Current	[21.163] Class 700 Stop Marker for Reduced Length Units. Area:Govia Thameslink Railway Usage: Medium Status: Current	[21.164] Class 700 Stop Marker for All Units. Area:Govia Thameslink Railway Usage: Medium Status: Current


[21.165] Class 700 Stop Marker / SDO Board (e.g. for all units). Area:Govia Thameslink Railway Usage: Medium Status: Current	[21.166] Class 700 Stop Markers for services turning back ( (a) - e.g. for full length units; (b) - for reduced length units ). Area:Govia Thameslink Railway Usage: Medium Status: Obsolescent	[21.167] Class 700 Stop Markers for services turning back ( (a) - e.g. for all units; (b) - for reduced length units ). Area:Govia Thameslink Railway Usage: Medium Status: Current

A stop marker that applies to Class 700 units may be set against a square background with black and yellow diagonal stripes [21.168].

[21.168] Class 700 Stop Marker (e.g. for all units). Area:Govia Thameslink Railway Usage: Low Status: Current

Car stop markers bearing various letters are provided on Platform 1 at Banbury station [21.169]. In the Down direction, markers with the letters "A" and "C" are situated near the middle and the north end of the platform, respectively. In the Up direction, markers with the letters "X" and "Z" are situated near the middle and the south end of the platform, respectively. The "A" and "X" markers at the middle of the platform are located on either side of an axle counter train detection boundary. Through trains will usually stop at the appropriate "C" or "Z" marker, and terminating trains will usually stop at the appropriate "A" or "X" marker to leave the other portion of the platform free for another train.

[21.169] Car Stop Markers. Area:Banbury Usage: Low Status: Current

Although a car stop marker bearing a letter "S" usually applies to all trains, in some instances a supplementary plate may be provided to indicate that it does not apply to trains of a specific length or class [21.170].

[21.170] "S" Car Stop Marker with "Trains Other Than" Plate (e.g. not applicable to 8-car Class 455 trains). Area:South West Trains Usage: Low Status: Current

From 2017, stop markers for the new Class 80x Intercity Express Trains (IETs) were being provided. These have a white figure on a purple square and a black and yellow diagonally striped surround [21.171]. More than one figure is shown where the stopping positions for trains of different lengths coincide [21.172]. The relevant platform number is specified at the bottom of the sign in each case.

[21.171] IET Stop Marker. Area:Various Usage: Medium Status: Current	[21.172] IET Stop Marker. Area:Various Usage: Medium Status: Current

In December 2017, Great Western Railway introduced a new style of stop marker applicable to Class 387 'Electrostar' electric multiple units. These have a white figure on a blue roundel and a black and yellow diagonally striped surround [21.173]. More than one figure is shown where the stopping positions for trains of different lengths coincide [21.174]. Where Selective Door Operation applies, the number of cars that may have their doors opened at the platform concerned is indicated underneath [21.175].

[21.173] EMU Stop Marker. Area:Great Western Railway Usage: Medium Status: Current	[21.174] EMU Stop Marker. Area:Great Western Railway Usage: Medium Status: Current	[21.175] EMU Stop Marker / SDO Board. Area:Great Western Railway Usage: Medium Status: Current

Where a platform has alternative stopping positions for trains of different lengths, there may be a sign at the start of the platform, prompting drivers to check the formation of their train. The sign contains the image of a car stop marker that has a question mark in place of the number of cars, along with the text "check formation!" [21.176].

[21.176] "Check Formation" Sign. Area:South Western Railway Usage: Low Status: Uncertain

From 2018, car stop markers bearing the letters "ZZ" on a teal background [21.177] were being provided for Caledonian Sleeper trains.

[21.177] "ZZ" Car Stop Marker. Area:Caledonian Sleeper Usage: Medium Status: Current

Additional car stop markers are provided on the Up platform at Strawberry Hill station to indicate the position where a train should stop before making a shunting movement into Strawberry Hill depot or carriage sidings. These markers have the legend "depot" at the top, and the left-hand portion includes a warning triangle and the signal number F93 on a black background [21.178].

[21.178] "Depot" Car Stop Marker. Area:Strawberry Hill Usage: Low Status: Current

From 2018, stop markers for the new Class 717 electric multiple units were being provided at Great Northern stations. These bear the number "717" in white on a black background [21.179].

[21.179] Class 717 Stop Marker. Area:Great Northern Usage: Medium Status: Current

The stop markers introduced by London North Eastern Railway from November 2018 for their Class 80x Intercity Express Trains have a similar appearance to those previously installed for this type of train (see [21.171 & 21.172]), but more information is displayed. The legend "Class 80x" appears at the top of each sign, and a letter "L" or "R" in the appropriate bottom corner indicates on which side of the train the doors must be released [21.180]. A stop marker that applies to all lengths of Class 80x trains bears the word "all" [21.181] instead of the usual letter "S".

[21.180] IET Stop Marker (e.g. platform on left-hand side). Area:London North Eastern Railway Usage: Medium Status: Current	[21.181] IET Stop Marker (e.g. platform on right-hand side). Area:London North Eastern Railway Usage: Medium Status: Current

Turnback boards with the letters "TB" in black on a square white background, together with the relevant distance [21.182], were provided at some locations between London St. Pancras and Bedford from April 2020. These boards, which are mainly provided for Class 700 electric multiple units, are installed at locations remote from station platforms to present a different appearance from the "FLU" and "RLU" stop markers that are used at stations (see [21.166 & 21.167]).

[21.182] Turnback Board. Area:Govia Thameslink Railway Usage: Medium Status: Current

On the Crossrail Central Operating Section, which opened in March 2021, reversing signs are installed at locations where trains may turn back. The sign, which has the letters "REV" in black on a square white background [21.183], indicates the position where a 9-car Class 345 electric multiple unit is clear of the points.

[21.183] Reversing Sign. Area:Crossrail Usage: Low Status: Current

Around 2021, Great Western Railway began providing car stop markers bearing the letters "ZZ" on a blue background [21.184] for their "Night Riviera" sleeper trains that run between London Paddington and Penzance.

[21.184] "ZZ" Car Stop Marker. Area:Great Western Railway Usage: Medium Status: Current