interesting diversions?

dannypye9999 · 19 Sep 2013

Travelling home from Blackpool on the 03:37 to Manchester Airport the other week and we took an interesting diversion via Wigan North Western then along a section of track to Bolton rather than the usual route. This gave me an idea to start a thread about any encountered unexpected diversions. These can happen at short notice on longer routes, mainly in night time hours due to engineering work but they can also happen anytime of the day.

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Cherry_Picker · 19 Sep 2013

I'm not sure how interesting it is because it will always be dark, but the last Reading - Birmingham train of the day takes a couple of diversions from it's normal path. It takes the 'scenic' route around Didcot, via Foxhall Junction and instead of going directly to New Street from International it goes via Stechford, Aston and Soho before coming into New Street via the north tunnel.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/P30151/2013/09/19/advanced

jopsuk · 19 Sep 2013

The Edinburgh South Suburban is a fun one, done it a couple of times

D841 Roebuck · 19 Sep 2013

The 1746 Southampton to York seems to cover all sorts of odd loops and curves North of Birmingham. Presumably for route knowledge retention purposes?

High Dyke · 19 Sep 2013

Cherry_Picker said:
I'm not sure how interesting it is because it will always be dark, but the last Reading - Birmingham train of the day takes a couple of diversions from it's normal path. It takes the 'scenic' route around Didcot, via Foxhall Junction and instead of going directly to New Street from International it goes via Stechford, Aston and Soho before coming into New Street via the north tunnel.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/P30151/2013/09/19/advanced

Did that run a few months ago, purely for the PSUL (service over the unusual lines). The normal 6 minutes (or so) run from Stechford turning into a marathon 25 minute meander - as mentioned.

Highlight of the trip, apart from the few passengers on the service, being the Auto Announcer on the train stating "We are now approaching.... Please take all your personal belongings with you when leaving the train." The train had been sat at Oxford for a few minutes before she actually stated the station was Oxford, the announcement just leaving a gap where the station should be mentioned.

tractakid · 20 Sep 2013

Again, unsure if it's considered interesting, but my VT back to Milton Keynes tonight is still proceeding on to Manchester via Crewe and Heald Green.

MCW · 20 Sep 2013

Interesting diversions happened about a month back when Coleshill parkway was down with cable theft. The Birmingham stanstead services were diverting via Tamworth and derby then running down the MML into Leicester!

SeanG · 21 Sep 2013

Done the XC via Leicester last October, can't remember the reason.

The TPE via Wigan is a regular one. Sometimes via Bolton/Westhoughton, sometimes via Daisy Hill. Of course soon they'll be going via Eccles all the time so this cannot happen.

TPE from Leeds - Huddersfield via Castleford avoiding line and Wakefield Kirkgate I've done before.

S&C vice WCML

GN Joint line vice ECML

Through Totton and round by Barrow Hill vice MML

Tyne Valley and WCML vice ECML

causton · 21 Sep 2013

Think the best diversion I've ever been on is the sleeper via the ECML

bb21 · 21 Sep 2013

MCW said:
Interesting diversions happened about a month back when Coleshill parkway was down with cable theft. The Birmingham stanstead services were diverting via Tamworth and derby then running down the MML into Leicester!

Are you sure it was via Derby? Normally round that way XC on diverts would be going via Castle Donington and emerging on to the MML at Sheet Stores Jn. There is no reason to go all the way into Derby and then back out.

SeanG said:
Through Totton and round by Barrow Hill vice MML

That is quite a diversion.

IanXC · 21 Sep 2013

My best diversion has got to be Hull to Doncaster via Wakefield Kirkgate! It was the first weekend after the Hatfield landslip and a planned closure meant Hull Trains couldn't go via Selby either.

Route was Hull-Brough-Goole- (Snaith)-(Knottingley)-(Crofton)- (Wakefield Kirkgate, reverse, swap route conductors with the northbound HT) -(Hare Park Junction)-(Adwick)- Doncaster

dannypye9999 · 21 Sep 2013

One diversion I just about remember was on Sundays around 1998/99, the diversion was subject to engineering work at Coventry. Euston to Wolverhampton services were running Euston to Birmingham International via Stafford and would sit at platform 6 at Stafford for a Loco reverse. From Euston these would call at Watford Junc, Milton Keynes, Rugby, Nuneaton (for quicker connections to Birmingham), Stafford, Wolverhampton, Sandwell & Dudley, Birmingham N St and Birmingham Intl. - Total Journey time between Birmingham and London was increased by about an hour and ive never seen trains operating on this diversion since this 1998.

starrymarkb · 21 Sep 2013

One unusual one I've had was Taunton - Bristol TM - Parkway - Swindon - Reading non stop

Though the route isn't that unusual going through BTM non stop on the through roads certainly was.

LewFinnis · 21 Sep 2013

Many moons ago when I worked in Sutton Coldfield, I used to catch the one train of the day that ran from Wolverhampton to Lichfield. After a problem outside New Street which had shut down its western approaches, we ran from Smethwick to New Street via Perry Barr and Aston. I rang my boss at work to say that I was going to be late (we'd been hanging around for at least half an hour by then) and to say that my train was just passing through Aston - adding (to his surprise) that we were on our way into New Street. At least at New Street we quickly reversed and headed off up the Cross-City line.

ValleyLines142 · 22 Sep 2013

Quite an interesting one for me personally is when the South Wales Main Line between Cardiff and Bridgend (i.e. via Pontyclun) is shut and all trains are diverted via the Vale of Glamorgan Line. Had a good trip on 175006 via Barry! There have been times when the Manchester services have called at Rhoose, Llantwit Major and Barry! Very interesting indeed!

I also like the CrossCountry diversions via Newport too. Got some great Advances on a trip to Taunton a few weeks ago.

The Planner · 22 Sep 2013

dannypye9999 said:
One diversion I just about remember was on Sundays around 1998/99, the diversion was subject to engineering work at Coventry. Euston to Wolverhampton services were running Euston to Birmingham International via Stafford and would sit at platform 6 at Stafford for a Loco reverse. From Euston these would call at Watford Junc, Milton Keynes, Rugby, Nuneaton (for quicker connections to Birmingham), Stafford, Wolverhampton, Sandwell & Dudley, Birmingham N St and Birmingham Intl. - Total Journey time between Birmingham and London was increased by about an hour and ive never seen trains operating on this diversion since this 1998.

Happens all the time if the cable fairies are out between New St and Rugby.

PHILIPE · 22 Sep 2013

I recall an occasion before privatisation travelling on a Poole (later cut back to Bournemouth) to Glasgow which travelled from Oxford via the Cotswold Line, Worcester Shrub Hill and Lickey into Birmingham New St. Now they have bustitution between Oxford and Banbury or wherever. Privatisation killed off a lot of variable Route Knowledge.

chorleyjeff · 22 Sep 2013

dannypye9999 said:
Travelling home from Blackpool on the 03:37 to Manchester Airport the other week and we took an interesting diversion via Wigan North Western then along a section of track to Bolton rather than the usual route. This gave me an idea to start a thread about any encountered unexpected diversions. These can happen at short notice on longer routes, mainly in night time hours due to engineering work but they can also happen anytime of the day.

This was a regular route for a few years recently for Windermer to Manchester trains.
In the good old days it was the way ( or via the Whelley line - avoiding Wigan ) for LNWR trains to get from Preston to Manchester Exchange. And the LNWR and L&Y sections continued much as they always had before grouping.

mm333 · 22 Sep 2013

Going the 'wrong way' non-stop through Wakefield Westgate platform one was fun. On a Saturday evening Goole-Leeds, a signalling problem near Woodlesford lead to us sitting in Castleford for at least an hour. At which we were then sent via Kirkgate, up the Westgate Curve, through p1 non-stop and crossing-over back to 'right' track north of Westgate.

Speaking of the Westgate Curve, I've now done that with four different TOCs: Northern obviously, Virgin Cross Country (Leeds-Westgate-Westgate Curve-reverse at Kirkgate-Barnsley-Sheffield), Grand Central (Bradford-Whitehall Curve-Westgate-Westgate Curve-Kirkgate) and EC (Leeds-Doncaster via Askern).

Dreadnought · 22 Sep 2013

August 2009 I travelled on the 17:30 ATW service from Manchester Piccadilly to Crewe via Warrington Bank Quay due to a blockage at Wilmslow. Train started in P3, reversed just past where Mayfield station is and then proceeded though Piccadilly P13 and Oxford Road P4, both bi-directional running, before heading off to WBQ and a 'fast' run Up the WCML.

Bevan Price · 22 Sep 2013

Unfortunately these days, they are often more likely to use rail replacement buses than send trains on interesting alternative routes. Travelling on sundays when the WCML was being electrified in the 1960s, routes taken from Liverpool to Euston included trips via :
1. Halton Curve & Chester triangle, then Crewe & Euston.
2. Runcorn, Middlewich, Crewe & Euston.
3. Bushbury Jn, Walsall, Sutton Park, Nuneaton, and to Euston.
4. Diverted at Willesden Jn to terminate at Kensington Olympia instead of Euston.
Any of the above might also go via Northampton.

Elsewhere, I omce did St. Pancras to Derby via Nottingham, Sheet Stores Jn., Castle Donington & Chellaston.

OuterDistant · 22 Sep 2013

On the subject of the WCML electrification, London-Manchester expresses occasionally ventured onto the Potteries Loop in the 60s: off the main line at Longport to go up the normally freight only Pinnox Branch, a steep climb to Tunstall, then back on at Kidsgrove.

Buttsy · 22 Sep 2013

Back in 1985 on a trip with a mate on an ALR, we caught the Sunday 'Wessex Scot' from Oxford to Edinburgh. On leaving Oxford we took a left up the Cotswold line to Worcester, then, rather than go up the Lickey, we were routed through Kidderminster and Stourbridge to get to Birmingham New Street.

On leaving New Street without a reversal, we went past Aston, which made me think of a Soho diversion, but soon Bescot was upon us, so automatically thought we'd head up to Wolverhampton, but no, Walsall next and the Cannock line to Rugeley (the only time I've done that line).

All went well until we pulled in at Wigan North Western, when we reversed out of there to Lostock Junction (no Lostock station in those days), when we proceed on to Preston. having spent so much time diverted, we were hoping for the 'big one' and be diverted through Blackburn and up the S&C, but it wasn't to be. WCML to Carstairs before the train split, fortunately still with the Edinburgh portion at the rear.

A wonderful start to our spotting trip north of the border.

SeanG · 22 Sep 2013

did it reverseat Lostock or carry on to Bolton to do so?

dannypye9999 · 23 Sep 2013

Back in the days of First north Western there was an 01:10 and 03:10 Manchester Picc to Birmingham New Street via Man Airport. When the WCML closed between Crewe and Wilmslow, this train began its journey at Man Airport then ran to Piccadilly before running non stop to Stafford via Stockport, Macclesfield and Stoke. Then from Wolverhampton it would divert via Bescot and then through Aston and into Birmingham using the south end.

On one occasion I travelled on this train and it was a hired Essex express train used on services to Clacton, then the 323 took over the job and began to work the service instead. But once at Birmingham International for the journey home I had the privilege to see two 323's of both liverys, central trains and first north western. Shame I lost the pictures..

Hyphen · 23 Sep 2013

Maybe not massively interesting, but on weekdays the last southbound XC of the day from Sheffield (Glasgow to Birmingham New St) goes north out of Sheffield, headed to Chesterfield via Darnall and Woodhouse then onto the usually freight only line via Barrow Hill.

The first time I got on this service (after a few good hours in the Sheffield Tap) and started going north I panicked I was on the wrong train!

I presume this is a diversionary route should the tunnels south of Sheffield be shut for any reason - shame this service only runs at night, I'd like to have seen it when it's light.

Buttsy · 23 Sep 2013

SeanG said:
did it reverseat Lostock or carry on to Bolton to do so?

Reversed at Lostock rather than going on to Bolton

D6975 · 23 Sep 2013

starrymarkb said:
One unusual one I've had was Taunton - Bristol TM - Parkway - Swindon - Reading non stop

Though the route isn't that unusual going through BTM non stop on the through roads certainly was.

It's normal at TM for West of England diversions to use the through roads. There often isn't any choice as there isn't the spare capacity through the platforms.

Bevan Price · 23 Sep 2013

Buttsy said:
All went well until we pulled in at Wigan North Western, when we reversed out of there to Lostock Junction (no Lostock station in those days), when we proceed on to Preston. having spent so much time diverted, we were hoping for the 'big one' and be diverted through Blackburn and up the S&C, but it wasn't to be. WCML to Carstairs before the train split, fortunately still with the Edinburgh portion at the rear.

A wonderful start to our spotting trip north of the border.

But where you there on one of the several sundays when a pair of Class 20s did the drag from Wigan to Lostock Jn ??

Buttsy · 23 Sep 2013

Bevan Price said:
But where you there on one of the several sundays when a pair of Class 20s did the drag from Wigan to Lostock Jn ??

If I remember correctly, it was just a run-round of the 47 that hauled us to Wigan (it had run round at Wigan originally).

interesting diversions?

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