TheManOnThe172
Member
- Joined
- 1 Aug 2014
- Messages
- 344
I've previously banged my head against the wall at what seem to be daft decisions about despatching of trains north from Derby, where slow Matlock trains (calling at Duffield and Belper on the main line) have the potential to hold up faster trains.
Others here helped me realise that a Matlock train may be despatched on time to hold up a late-running Leeds train because EMT control the signalling, so they make sure that their own stats don't suffer, however suboptimal this may be for passengers as a whole.
But last night saw something that is even more dysfunctional: the 1951 Matlock (2A62) was (according to RealtimeTrains) sent out on time, only to be held north of the station to let a late-running Leeds train (IE63) go ahead. I was through Derby an hour later and there seemed no issue with platform availability as a possible reason for needing to despatch bang on time.
Had the Matlock train been held in Derby station, passengers from IE63 could have transferred (a connection recommended by journey planners). Instead, passengers from IE63 will have missed the Matlock connection (waiting 58 minutes at a station with minimal facilities at that time of night), to no discernable operational benefit: the Matlock train still ran 7 late from Duffield.
Is this an example of someone on the operations side slipping up, or will it have been a deliberate decision to get the Matlock train away on time so that the datapoint for Derby departure helped keep up average stats, whatever the cost to passengers attempting the connection?
Others here helped me realise that a Matlock train may be despatched on time to hold up a late-running Leeds train because EMT control the signalling, so they make sure that their own stats don't suffer, however suboptimal this may be for passengers as a whole.
But last night saw something that is even more dysfunctional: the 1951 Matlock (2A62) was (according to RealtimeTrains) sent out on time, only to be held north of the station to let a late-running Leeds train (IE63) go ahead. I was through Derby an hour later and there seemed no issue with platform availability as a possible reason for needing to despatch bang on time.
Had the Matlock train been held in Derby station, passengers from IE63 could have transferred (a connection recommended by journey planners). Instead, passengers from IE63 will have missed the Matlock connection (waiting 58 minutes at a station with minimal facilities at that time of night), to no discernable operational benefit: the Matlock train still ran 7 late from Duffield.
Is this an example of someone on the operations side slipping up, or will it have been a deliberate decision to get the Matlock train away on time so that the datapoint for Derby departure helped keep up average stats, whatever the cost to passengers attempting the connection?