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Up and down lines & platforms

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Andy873

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I know this may sound like a silly question, but historically up lines tended to go towards larger towns / cities while down lines went away from them (but not always - so I am told).

My problem is this:

1. There are two platforms.
2. Each platform has one line each serving it.
3. The platforms are noted as a) the up platform & b) the down platform.

So here is my silly question:
If you take the up platform, is the line that serves it the up line and vice versa?

Documentation states the up lines was removed first but that's not what I remember - so is the documentation wrong?
or more likely I have got my facts wrong?

Thanks,
Andy.
 
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Andy R. A.

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Then there are certain places like Hastings where trains depart in the Up direction at both ends. East via Ashford, and West via Tunbridge Wells and Eastbourne. Down trains arriving likewise at each end as well.
 

hexagon789

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I know this may sound like a silly question, but historically up lines tended to go towards larger towns / cities while down lines went away from them (but not always - so I am told).

My problem is this:

1. There are two platforms.
2. Each platform has one line each serving it.
3. The platforms are noted as a) the up platform & b) the down platform.

So here is my silly question:
If you take the up platform, is the line that serves it the up line and vice versa?

Documentation states the up lines was removed first but that's not what I remember - so is the documentation wrong?
or more likely I have got my facts wrong?

Thanks,
Andy.
Generally speaking the up platform would be served by the 'up' line and the down platform by the 'down' line, yes.
 

30907

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Airedale
Answering your second question: if the documentation and photographic evidence conflict, then the documentation is wrong (even if it is official).
Personal memory on its own, from maybe 55+ years ago, is less reliable, though if several people remember the same I would trust it more.
You then need to ask - why the discrepancy?
 

Andy873

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Answering your second question: if the documentation and photographic evidence conflict, then the documentation is wrong (even if it is official).
Personal memory on its own, from maybe 55+ years ago, is less reliable, though if several people remember the same I would trust it more.
You then need to ask - why the discrepancy?
Thanks every one.

I know it might have sounded a very basic question, but it had me doubting myself.
Turns out it was me who got the facts wrong, and the documentation is correct after all.

It is although much appreciated that you all have taken the time to reply.

Thanks,
Andy.
 

Lewlew

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London
It was my understanding that "up" generally means towards London.
It is generally towards London but I believe it was originally towards the railway companies headquarters, so you get Up lines towards London, Derby Edinburgh amongst others
 

yorksrob

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It is generally towards London but I believe it was originally towards the railway companies headquarters, so you get Up lines towards London, Derby Edinburgh amongst others

Ah thanks - I never knew that !
 

D6130

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Sometimes the direction designation of a line changes mid-route, depending on the administrative history of the original owning company. The Down East Coast Main Line for example, changes (or possibly now did change) to being the Up line on reaching the Scottish Border at Marshall Meadows (Transition from North Eastern Railway - HQ at York, to North British Railway - HQ at Edinburgh) and then, leaving Edinburgh towards Glasgow Queen Street or the Forth Bridge, you would be on the Down line again. A similar situation applies when travelling from Aberdeen to Inverness, where you would be on the Down line as far as Keith Junction (Great North of Scotland Railway - HQ in Aberdeen), then on the Up line from there to Inverness, which was the HQ of the Highland Railway. I'm sure others will be able to think of other examples elsewhere.
 

midland1

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wigston
The line from Bristol to Derby was and is the up line to the Midland HQ. But the line from St Pancras to Derby was down away from London, north of Derby it was still the down line.
 

Ken H

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Wasnt/isnt there a complicated up/down arrangement at Greenhill Upper and Lower Junctions in Scotland?
 

Highlandspring

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Sometimes the direction designation of a line changes mid-route, depending on the administrative history of the original owning company. The Down East Coast Main Line for example, changes (or possibly now did change) to being the Up line on reaching the Scottish Border at Marshall Meadows (Transition from North Eastern Railway - HQ at York, to North British Railway - HQ at Edinburgh) and then, leaving Edinburgh towards Glasgow Queen Street or the Forth Bridge, you would be on the Down line again. A similar situation applies when travelling from Aberdeen to Inverness, where you would be on the Down line as far as Keith Junction (Great North of Scotland Railway - HQ in Aberdeen), then on the Up line from there to Inverness, which was the HQ of the Highland Railway. I'm sure others will be able to think of other examples elsewhere.
Neither of those are current direction changes. It's Up from Inverness to Aberdeen and from Edinburgh to Berwick.

Wasnt/isnt there a complicated up/down arrangement at Greenhill Upper and Lower Junctions in Scotland?

The Up Greenhill Branch becomes the Down Perth at Greenhill Lower Jn, then the Up Carmuirs at Carmuirs West Jn, then the Up Grahamston at Carmuirs East Jn. The Down Carmuirs becomes the Up Perth at Carmuirs West Jn then becomes the Up Greenhill Branch at Greenhill Lower Jn and the Down E&G at Greehill Upper Jn. There's a further change of direction at Grangemouth Jn with the Up Grahamston diverging onto the Down Grangemouth Goods. It's complicated to describe as I have just donw but it's not hard to get your head round in reality.
 

HamworthyGoods

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Guildford is another complex one.

Going from Woking to Portsmouth it’s down away from London and up to London.

However on the North Downs it’s up to London Bridge via Reigate so you would arrive at Guildford from Reading on the up Ash, travel through Guildford to Shalford Jn on the Down Portsmouth and then at Shalford Jn go back onto the Up to continue towards Reigate!!
 

steamybrian

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An unusual circumstance occurred on the Tunbridge Wells to Eridge line before its closure in 1985. Originally built by the LBSCR their route to London (up line) via that companies route was westbound via Groombridge (then either via East Grinstead or Ashurst)..
Closures in the 1960s lead to the lines from Groombridge to East Grinstead and Ashurst being closed leaving the direct route (eastbound) to London via Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge accordingly the original up line became the down line and down line became the up line.
Where else has that happened..?

I am unsure about the Thameslink lines between Blackfriars and Farringdon being in the centre of London...!
 
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