great central Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 The Norwich bound services cause extra confusion at Sheffield as they split at Nottingham so there are announcements about travelling in the front or rear parts of the train, but which is which? They regularly get the auto announcements mixed up, both Lime St and Piccadilly saying use the front portion for Norwich, wheras it's on the back until Sheffield, confused? Also the last service of the day to Nottingham/Norwich doesn't reverse and leaves north from Sheffield and takes the GC and then the Midland Old Road to chesterfield for route knowledge purposes. I assume the reverse service also does but I've never caught it Regarding EMT services the first Nottingham-Liverpool (05.20) goes via Beighton, as does the one mentioned above (21.37 from Lime St) AFAIK the first Northern Sheffield-Nottingham goes via Beighton and (possibly) the last one in the evening, which also go via Derby for route knowledge. Edit: actually, I've just caught it, looked out the window expecting to see Dronfield and I see Barrow Hill! Annoying, if I'd realised I'd have waited and caught the next service and got to Sheffield sooner (assuming they aren't all diverted today) That's why the Nottingham-Sheffield timetable shows a change at Derby to get to Sheffield faster! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
108 Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Belfast (Great Victoria Street) Killarney (twice for each through journey to/from Tralee- the station is on a spur off the main line) Kilkenny for all stopping trains. Through services can use Lavistown Curve. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted January 2, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 2, 2015 Interesting. my experience in the first half of the 1960s was that many if not most of the north of England to south coast trains that came through Oxford avoided Reading General and only stopped at Reading West though there were some that reversed at General usually in one of the far platforms. If I wanted a ride behind a Bulleid Pacific that meant getting one of the trains from Oxford including the Pines Express that did avoid Reading General usually followed by the trolleybus from West to General to pick up a Paddington-Worcester train. Notwithstanding all the investment in increased capacity at Reading General, I would not be that surprised to see XC services use the direct chord as they used to if they build the proposed new station at Green Park. Green Park with its big business park would be a much more suitable stop for XC than Reading West. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Londontram Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 After the direct route from Great Yarmouth South town station to Beccles closed in the late 1950s the Yarmouth to london expresses were routed vie Gorlestone and Hopten to Lowestoft were it reversed and went from there to Beccles and on to London. Now days only Yarmouth vauxhall is open and its just on the end of a branch from Norwich. When there is a London train from yarmouth its usually just a split couple of coaches and an electric power loco (sorry know nothing about modern electrics) pulled by a class 47 as Yarmouths not on the overhead so is not a reversal in the true sense but a split section of the train from Norwich Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWeatheringMan Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Notwithstanding all the investment in increased capacity at Reading General, I would not be that surprised to see XC services use the direct chord as they used to if they build the proposed new station at Green Park. Green Park with its big business park would be a much more suitable stop for XC than Reading West. Hi, Dont recall if this one has been mentioned already so appologies if it has. Plymouth to Gunnislake trains reverse at Bere Alston do they not. Its many years since i've been on the line so I hope memory hasn't failed. Also many years ago there were some services that used the Banbury - Cheltenham line that ran into and out of Kingham station rather than going over the direct Kingham East Jcn. to Kingham West Jcn. line - the well know 'Ports to Ports' express did avoid Kingham station though. Regards Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncan Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Not sure if Inverness & Fort William have been mentioned, apologies if they already have. In the 80s/90s the trains from Glasgow/Edinburgh to south coast via Birmingham & Reading had a reversal at Carstairs, I am assuming joining/splitting the the 2 trains at Carstairs to make one train is a reversal (class 47s engines at outer ends in station). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted January 2, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 2, 2015 Notwithstanding all the investment in increased capacity at Reading General, I would not be that surprised to see XC services use the direct chord as they used to if they build the proposed new station at Green Park. Green Park with its big business park would be a much more suitable stop for XC than Reading West. Trouble is that Green Park - if it ever happens - will be no good for diversionary purposes as it is a longish and slow road journey out of the town whereas Reading West isn't too bad despite town centre traffic. I can't ever foresee booked Cross Country services avoiding Reading in normal operation as it would break the half-hourly pattern on what is seen as a core part of their routes (Reading - Brimingham). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DY444 Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Ascot - Guildford at Aldershot Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted January 2, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 2, 2015 Trouble is that Green Park - if it ever happens - will be no good for diversionary purposes as it is a longish and slow road journey out of the town whereas Reading West isn't too bad despite town centre traffic. I can't ever foresee booked Cross Country services avoiding Reading in normal operation as it would break the half-hourly pattern on what is seen as a core part of their routes (Reading - Brimingham). I take the point. But following the logic to its extreme, we would have no "Parkway" stations. And they are usually very successful. How many people arriving on an XC service at Reading station are actually visiting the town centre rather than another nearby location? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWeatheringMan Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 I take the point. But following the logic to its extreme, we would have no "Parkway" stations. And they are usually very successful. How many people arriving on an XC service at Reading station are actually visiting the town centre rather than another nearby location? Hi, Based on past knowledge i'd venture to suggest that many passengers arriving on a XC service at Reading are very likely to be changing onto other services. This being so then running the XC services via Reading General, especially in its new expanded form, makes better sense than stopping them at an out of town station - although stopping at something such as the proposed 'Green Park' in addition would seem to have some merit. Regards Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Ian Hargrave Posted January 2, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 2, 2015 The Norwich bound services cause extra confusion at Sheffield as they split at Nottingham so there are announcements about travelling in the front or rear parts of the train, but which is which? They regularly get the auto announcements mixed up, both Lime St and Piccadilly saying use the front portion for Norwich, wheras it's on the back until Sheffield, confused? Also the last service of the day to Nottingham/Norwich doesn't reverse and leaves north from Sheffield and takes the GC and then the Midland Old Road to chesterfield for route knowledge purposes. I assume the reverse service also does but I've never caught it Regarding EMT services the first Nottingham-Liverpool (05.20) goes via Beighton, as does the one mentioned above (21.37 from Lime St) AFAIK the first Northern Sheffield-Nottingham goes via Beighton and (possibly) the last one in the evening, which also go via Derby for route knowledge. Edit: actually, I've just caught it, looked out the window expecting to see Dronfield and I see Barrow Hill! Annoying, if I'd realised I'd have waited and caught the next service and got to Sheffield sooner (assuming they aren't all diverted today) That's why the Nottingham-Sheffield timetable shows a change at Derby to get to Sheffield faster! On Sat afternoon 13th Dec.last,there was an "incident" on the line between Sheffield and Chesterfield which caused havoc to XC,East Midlands and Northern Rail services. Two XC services,Reading bound were stranded for a while platform bound at Sheffield,showing on the indicator board as "cancelled".Wanting to board the 16:54 Plymouth bound XC...which stops at Burton...we scurried to Platform 8 to find the two stranded 220's now coupled together...God knows how long they'd been there. I went to the South end and spoke to the train manager to enquire what was happening.It was "news to him " that the service was cancelled as they were ready to depart.We took a chance and boarded,thinking that the Plymouth train we were to have boarded would be subject to even further delay.Change at Derby but no matter.At this point,opinion of the passengers on the combined train was that it was destined for EITHER Reading or Plymouth. The train indeed soon departed....in the opposite direction...slowly via Beighton to Chesterfield....by which time it was announced that BOTH halves of the train would terminate at New Street.The train manager then did a fantastic job of assisting his passengers in rearranging their journeys until we left the train at Derby.He was a true pro.and an accomplished diplomat as are most XC train crew. Ironically our delayed train was close on our heels after 10 minutes,so only 40 minutes were lost to ourselves in total. Use of the Beighton line is not unusual,especially if there is engineering work in Bradway tunnel. If Clay Cross tunnel or other parts of the North Midland main line are out of action,trains follow the Erewash Valley line via Toton and Long Eaton,with reversal at Derby. And the reason for our visit to Sheffield before Xmas ? To see a performance of "Anything Goes" at The Crucible Theatre.An apt title for the journey as well,I think. On a nationwide tour after the end of January. Great stuff !! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talltim Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Actually my train was diverted due to trees on the line at Dronfield, so they were making use of their route knowledge! I only caught it because it was a couple of minutes late, if I had missed it and caught the next train I would have been 10 minutes earlier into Sheffield as they had cleared it by then. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Ian Hargrave Posted January 2, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 2, 2015 Cardiff/Birmingham to Nottingham XC services at Derby. Until 1963,Pontypool Road to Swansea /Carmarthen trains via Vale of Neath line reversal at Neath General and Swansea High Street. Present day reversals continue at both Swansea and Carmarthen and at Llanelli for Central Wales services to Shrewsbury Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_mcfarlane Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 The train indeed soon departed....in the opposite direction...slowly via Beighton to Chesterfield.... The rings a bell - the EMT Norwich-Liverpool services that I've been on via that route have entered Sheffield from the north and haven't had to reverse to access the Hope Valley line like they normally do. At one point a few of these trains ran via Loughborough instead of Grantham, which needed another reversal at Nottingham to access the MML (to give 3 in total between Liverpool and Norwich). I think the only ones that take this route now are early morning services which start at Nottingham. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernard Lamb Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Surprised not to see a mention of Newcastle. Pretty sure some ECML services reverse there from time to time. I remember a women a few years ago getting very worked with the train staff as she had particularly booked a seat facing forward Bernard Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold DaveF Posted January 2, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 2, 2015 Newcastle is sometimes also used for turning trains to get the first class at the correct end by entering or leaving the station via the High Level Bridge instead of the King Edward Bridge. Thinking of short term line closures requiring a reversal on the journey I remember a trip from Newcastle to London when the line between Darlington and Northallerton was closed for some reason. We headed east from Darlington towards Middlesbrough as far as Eaglescliffe where we stopped just beyond the station. At this point the person sitting across the aisle from me fell asleep. A short time later he woke up again, just as we passed Eaglescliffe for a second time in the opposite direction before heading south to rejoin the ECML at Northallerton. He looked very worried until someone explained what was going on. David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreedyHarry Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 I think I'm right to say that Bristol Parkway has a couple of reversing trains in the morning that are enroute from Temple Meads to South Wales. If not, there certainly was in the recent past. Also the last London to South Wales service often goes via Temple Meads on a Saturday so reverses at Bristol Temple Meads and then ten minutes later reverses again at Bristol Parkway. Other reverses at Temple Meads are the previously mentioned Portsmouth to Cardiff services and the Weymouth to Great Malvern services as well. There are also a few other oddities like Severn Beach services that originate from or continue to the Westbury area. I think most of these are current. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim H Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 I was once on an overnight York to Manchester train that reversed three times, due to weekend engineering work closing the direct route through Huddersfield. Once at Leeds (it went via Castleford), then at Bradford and at Salford Cresent. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim H Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 There was a Penzance-Gunnislake working at one point that reversed at Plymouth as well as Bere Alston. Again, probably down to unit diagramming and wasn't advertised in the timetable as a through working. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim H Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 And going abroad, EC "Vauban" from Brussels to Interlaken, reverses at both Luxembourg and Bern, and *twice* at Basel, because the entire train with passengers on board is shunted from the SNCF to the SBB platforms. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreedyHarry Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 I think I'm right to say that Bristol Parkway has a couple of reversing trains in the morning that are enroute from Temple Meads to South Wales. If not, there certainly was in the recent past. Also the last London to South Wales service often goes via Temple Meads on a Saturday so reverses at Bristol Temple Meads and then ten minutes later reverses again at Bristol Parkway. Other reverses at Temple Meads are the previously mentioned Portsmouth to Cardiff services and the Weymouth to Great Malvern services as well. There are also a few other oddities like Severn Beach services that originate from or continue to the Westbury area. I think most of these are current. Sorry, I was wrong about the last London. Looks like it no longer calls at Parkway and just reverses at Temple Meads through the week now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Ian Hargrave Posted January 2, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 2, 2015 The rings a bell - the EMT Norwich-Liverpool services that I've been on via that route have entered Sheffield from the north and haven't had to reverse to access the Hope Valley line like they normally do. At one point a few of these trains ran via Loughborough instead of Grantham, which needed another reversal at Nottingham to access the MML (to give 3 in total between Liverpool and Norwich). I think the only ones that take this route now are early morning services which start at Nottingham. The use of this seemingly "ghost" line is something of a mystery,as is the construction of a new platform at Chesterfield.Are there plans afoot to reintroduce passenger services on a regular timetable along this line ....this facility seems little used since its construction? My only experiences are the special trains run to Barrow Hill on gala days,a special excursion from Lincoln to Carlisle via the S&C and a bizarre incident one Saturday evening in 2011 when a late evening XC service from Sheffield to New Street failed to stop as advertised at Chesterfield and had to reverse wrong line for a mile to regain the station.....the driver had the cringing experience of walking back through the Voyager to regain the other cab.Oops! Yes ,it did happen. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Ian Hargrave Posted January 2, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 2, 2015 One other famous one. Reversal at Dorchester South on Weymouth - Bournemouth SR turns. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium corneliuslundie Posted January 2, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 2, 2015 The Old Road from Chesterfield north is pretty busy with freight. And the third platform at Chesterfield certainly gets used quite often, though I do not know if it is always the same services. Talltim will be able to give more detail. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Market65 Posted January 2, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 2, 2015 Hi. Currently the Northern Rail Scarborough to Hull and Sheffield service reverses at Hull. In the past, the Hull to Newcastle buffet car express, via Market Weighton, reversed at York(changing engines as well). All the best, Market65. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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