Unusual routing of diverted train.

[melmerby]

Hi all

Due to the scrambled knitting north of Peterborough there have been many diversions whilst it is repaired.

 

An EMR service from Nottingham to Norwich would normally go Nottingham - Grantham - Peterborough (via ECML) -March etc.

However the ECML was not available so it went Nottingham - Syston N. Jn.(via MML) - Stamford - Peterborough - March etc. etc.

The odd thing was that when the train got to Peterborough, instead of going straight into it's booked platform (6) from the Up Stamford it crossed to the Up Fast at New England Jn. and back to Platform 6 at Spital Jn.

Why would it do that?

[beast66606]

On 11/12/2023 at 23:23, melmerby said:

Hi all

Due to the scrambled knitting north of Peterborough there have been many diversions whilst it is repaired.

 

An EMR service from Nottingham to Norwich would normally go Nottingham - Grantham - Peterborough (via ECML) -March etc.

However the ECML was not available so it went Nottingham - Syston N. Jn.(via MML) - Stamford - Peterborough - March etc. etc.

The odd thing was that when the train got to Peterborough, instead of going straight into it's booked platform (6) from the Up Stamford it crossed to the Up Fast at New England Jn. and back to Platform 6 at Spital Jn.

Why would it do that?

 

EMR are relatively often* diverted via the MML and across.

 

* as in it's not rare but not every week either. Happens occasionally when there's no obviously issue, maybe it's a quicker route and can be used to recover late running.

 

As to the Peterborough routing it could be a mistake ... or maybe there was something in Peterborough which blocked the normal straight route in and it was crossed over to keep it moving.

[melmerby]

1 hour ago, beast66606 said:

maybe there was something in Peterborough which blocked the normal straight route in and it was crossed over to keep it moving.

It was clear at the time and it was held on the UF for a brief period before cleared to cross back to platform 6.

I was wondering if it was due some arcane way mileages are charged and crossing to the UF meant it approached platform 6 on it's normal route, so changing something somewhere.

It seemed odd, on the signal diagrams you could see it cantering along the Up Stamford line until it got to the crossover then slowed dramatically before crossing to the UF where it was briefly held (a few seconds before the signal cleared*) and crossed back again adding several minutes to the arrival time.

 

*I suppose it might have still been moving slowly before the signal cleared.

[Wickham Green too]

On 11/12/2023 at 23:23, melmerby said:

Due to the scrambled knitting north of Peterborough there have been many diversions whilst it is repaired. ...

Must've been unscrambled by Tuesday morning - my York train got through without any problem.

[melmerby]

3 hours ago, Wickham Green too said:

Must've been unscrambled by Tuesday morning - my York train got through without any problem.

I think it was finished Monday sometime, closed over the weekend.

[Mol_PMB]

It’s not unknown for instructor drivers with a trainee to request a non-standard routing so their trainee has a chance to experience it. 

[beast66606]

EMR  currently using the MML and Melton lines due to a broken down train at Grantham - here's 1L05 heading for East Midlands Parkway and beyond.