Gomshall Crossover

[Deepgreen]

Yesterday evening the North Downs line service was completely suspended from about 1745 owing to what we were told was a broken down car on a level crossing at Chilworth. Now, aside from the question of why the car could not be pushed clear to allow the crossing to operate (had it crashed, rather tha simply broken down as we were told, perhaps?), I am wondering why it was felt necessary to curtail the service right back to Reigate, when there is a crossover at Gomshall (the station before Chilworth).

I am aware that this crossover is only passed for non-passenger workings, but I am interested to know why the train I was on could not have continued to Gomshall (serving Betchworth, Dorking Deepdene and Dorking West en route) and reversed there, working ECS over the crossover and back eastwards, either shunting into the EB platform at Gomshall, or re-entering service at Dorking West. Is that crossover only controlled from a ground frame (as is the one at Betchworth)? If so, it does call into question the value of having the facility if it can't be used to manage the service during disruption.

As it was, no replacement transport was provided and information was sparse to say the least (nothing whatsover at Reigate, for example!). Meanwhile, passengers for the intermediate stations had to make their own arrangements in the pouring rain.

 

[zoneking]

Indeed, at Guildford we were told to get the 18.00 SWT and change at Clapham Junction for Redhill, Reigate, Gatwick. The problem was that the 18.00 did not stop at CLJ, even though it was scheduled to. There was a points failure but I can't see why it could not stop at platform 8. It was a 5-car train. There are many platforms with equally large gaps - eg South Croydon, Lewisham platform 2, East Croydon platform 2.

 

[HarleyDavidson]

Actually it was someone who drove a car onto the track a Chilworth station, I'd suspect that they followed a sat nav a little too literally, when it said turn right!

The crossover requires a MOM to operate it and unless one's available then it stays out of use, I'd have thought that the MOM may well have been occupied with the incident at Chilworth.

 

[Deepgreen]

Actually it was someone who drove a car onto the track a Chilworth station, I'd suspect that they followed a sat nav a little too literally, when it said turn right!

The crossover requires a MOM to operate it and unless one's available then it stays out of use, I'd have thought that the MOM may well have been occupied with the incident at Chilworth.

Thanks for the information. I suppose "a broken-down car", as we were told, almost covers it! The road layout at Chilworth (with a junction very close to the level crossing) is such that, in the dark and bad weather, I suppose it is just conceivable that someone could make an innocent error (under orders from a Sat-Nav), but I would have thought the presence of barriers would give a clue! My rule is to obey my eyes before anything else.

 

[HarleyDavidson]

Thanks for the information. I suppose "a broken-down car", as we were told, almost covers it! The road layout at Chilworth (with a junction very close to the level crossing) is such that, in the dark and bad weather, I suppose it is just conceivable that someone could make an innocent error (under orders from a Sat-Nav), but I would have thought the presence of barriers would give a clue! My rule is to obey my eyes before anything else.

Eh? How can you mistake the road layout at Chilworth station! It's got a full barrier crossing and is fully floodlit! It just proves that some people should never be allowed to have a driving licence.