The tragedy was heightened by the fact that the Absolute Block system which would have prevented the disaster ( by preventing more than one train from occupying a section of route at the same time ) was being installed at the time; and was due to be switched on only 10 days later.
42.
With the adoption of'absolute block'working in 1892 ( at the insistence of the Board of Trade ), the section between Thelkeld and Troutbeck had to be converted into two blocks ( by the addition of a signal box just to the west of the Mosedale Viaduct ) to prevent excessive delays.
43.
The number of collisions which resulted from this led to the gradual introduction of the " absolute block " principle; all systems of working other than this ( including time-interval and permissive block ) were outlawed on passenger lines in 1889, and all passenger lines were suitably equipped by 1895.
44.
Operation of the complex stretches of single line had been done by Absolute Block working, but without any form of physical train staff ( supplemented by telegraphic train orders issued from an office at Glastonbury ), so the L & SWR set about replacing this by the Electric Train Tablet method of single-line control.
