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Trivia: Scheduled passenger services that include a reversal.

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plugwash

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I didn't notice it mentioned yet, but not so long ago there were large numbers of trains between Manchester Airport and York, Middlesbrough & Newcastle which reversed at Piccadilly.
Yup, these were claimed to be a cause of congestion in the junction south of Piccadilly, since as well as reversing they also had to cross from the "east" lines to the "slow" lines. As I understand it this was one of the major justifications given for building the ordsall chord and making Manchester Victoria the main station in Manchester for the "north transpennine" route.

Nowadays nearly all trains from leeds to manchester airport go via victoria, the ordsall chord and the through platforms at Piccadilly, but there still seems to be a single train a day that uses the old route. https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/Y80990/2019/09/23/advanced
 
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30907

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Leeds - Lancaster Morecambe would not have reversed in Lancaster. i would have gone straight through Green Ayre. Then they were all sent via Carnforth.....But in those days they didnt serve Lancaster but went straight from Carnforth to Bare Lane.

(As an aside, the up platform was constructed first, and down trains crossed over to run wrong line to call there. Then they built the down platform later)

Hence my comment that the reversal at Lancaster (Castle) was a rather delayed (or indirect) result of Beeching cuts.

BTW Shipley's present down platform (#2) came first, and its original waiting shelter is still there alongside the newer one.
 

Ken H

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Hence my comment that the reversal at Lancaster (Castle) was a rather delayed (or indirect) result of Beeching cuts.

BTW Shipley's present down platform (#2) came first, and its original waiting shelter is still there alongside the newer one.
so did trains run from Hornby to Green Ayre, then up to Castle, then back down to Green Ayre, then on to Morecambe

while we are on about Morecambe, did it ever have 2 stations as this old OS map of Morecambe suggests?
upload_2019-9-24_8-16-17.png

(Map from https://wtp2.appspot.com/wheresthepath.htm)
 

D6975

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The 'king' of the reversals was the summer SWR London to Corfe service, with a total of 4. (This ran during 2018 and 2019)

These were at Yeovil Junction, Yeovil Pen Mill, Weymouth and Wareham. The service now only has 2 (at the Yeovils), as it terminates at Weymouth.

That wasn't the only service with 4 reversals. Back in the 80s the 07xx Plymouth-Glasgow/Aberdeen had 4 reversals on the Aberdeen portion, at Gloucester, New St, Carstairs and Edinburgh.
 
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30907

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so did trains run from Hornby to Green Ayre, then up to Castle, then back down to Green Ayre, then on to Morecambe

while we are on about Morecambe, did it ever have 2 stations as this old OS map of Morecambe suggests?
View attachment 68733

(Map from https://wtp2.appspot.com/wheresthepath.htm)
At Lancaster there was a shuttle between the two stations, plus the Green Ayre to Morecambe Promenade electric. Trains from Yorkshire ran straight through to Bradford-on-sea with no reversals.
Morecambe Promenade (MR) is now the Tourist Information Centre with the passenger station now well back to the old station throat; the other station was Euston Road (LNWR!)and was between the present railway and Euston Road (!). Euston Road was closed in the early 60s but Promenade survived into the 90s.
 

Ken H

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At Lancaster there was a shuttle between the two stations, plus the Green Ayre to Morecambe Promenade electric. Trains from Yorkshire ran straight through to Bradford-on-sea with no reversals.
Morecambe Promenade (MR) is now the Tourist Information Centre with the passenger station now well back to the old station throat; the other station was Euston Road (LNWR!)and was between the present railway and Euston Road (!). Euston Road was closed in the early 60s but Promenade survived into the 90s.
Uptick for Bradford-on-sea :)
Thanks for the other info.
 

Taunton

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A variation on the theme was the situation with the platform slightly off the main line, where trains stopped, reversed back into the platform, and then came forward again. Most have been rebuilt or eliminated, but Killarney in Ireland is still like this, and Limerick Junction used to be famous for everything there doing so. Dorchester South was like it for Up trains into the 1970s, Shipley likewise for main line services, Scarborough for the former Whitby line. Somerset's own one was Templecombe on the S&D.

That wasn't the only service with 4 reversals.
Most extraordinary was Limerick Junction again, where Limerick to Waterford services would reverse four times within the one station area.
 

Sean Emmett

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Westbury for SWR services and a GWR Frome to Warminster.
Also a Temple Meads - Paddington on weekday mornings, which reverses at the other end.

Swindon gets a few through Westbury - Cheltenhams which reverse there.
 
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Sean Emmett

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Twyford for the last train off the Henley branch going to Reading, and Doncaster for a Selby - Scunthorpe and Hull - Adwick. Not sure if there are any reversals at the south end?

So for stations that see reversals at both ends there's New Street and Westbury. Any others?

Edit - add Sheffield.
 

mrcheek

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In general the trains from Birmingham to the South West stop at Cheltenham and omit Gloucester before continuing to Bristol. Gloucester is served by trains from Birmingham to Cardiff. However the Bristol to Worcester locals reverse at Gloucester as do the Cheltenham to Paddingtons

I believe there is still one southbound evening XC service that reverses at Gloucester
 

BantamMenace

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Leeds to Morecambe services reverse at Lancaster.

Been plenty of talk about the Leeds to morecambe trains but not sure anyone has mentioned the at least once daily Lancaster to Leeds via morecambe service that reverse at morecambe then direct to carnforth using the north chord onto the WCML.
 

Zooty

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Been plenty of talk about the Leeds to morecambe trains but not sure anyone has mentioned the at least once daily Lancaster to Leeds via morecambe service that reverse at morecambe then direct to carnforth using the north chord onto the WCML.

None of these have run since the May 2019 timetable change.

There is now an early doors Lancaster to Morecambe that reverses at Carnforth instead!
 

d9009alycidon

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For a while when the Clansman ran via Edinburgh it reversed at Carstairs and Edinburgh Waverley, think it called at Haymarket twice as well. There was historically a double reversal at Malton after 1958 trains from the Thirsk and Malton Line reversed at Scarborough Road junction on the easterly edge of Malton, back down towards Malton station before reversing again for Scarborough.
 

TTD85

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0643 Nottingham - Bournemouth reverses at Derby, Birmingham New Street and Reading
 

153375

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Nottingham - Skegness services reverse at Grantham apart from the 9.55 from Nottingham and the 21:02 from Skegness which bypass the station
 

greyman42

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It is not unusual for the LNER Aberdeen - Leeds to reverse at Newcastle for the High Level if the train is running via Castleford between York and Leeds.
 

james60059

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Historically, Nuneaton was a reversal for the Coventry - Nottingham services, a few sporadic Coventry services would continue on up the WCML to Stafford or Stoke.
 

D6975

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Most extraordinary was Limerick Junction again, where Limerick to Waterford services would reverse four times within the one station area.


Only the afternoon one used to regularly do the 4 reversals. The morning one used the north bay on some timetables. I've done both many times.
 

Ianno87

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King's Cross to Skipton and Harrogate (reversing at Leeds).

There's one daily return Stansted-Birminghsm working that reverses at Stansted Mountfitchet.
 

pompeyfan

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The old Saturday only Brighton - Paignton SWT service formed of 6.159 reversed at both Portsmouth and Southsea and Exeter St David’s. It was one of very few passenger services not booked to call at Fratton in the Down direction.

back in modern times, although partly mentioned already, Eastleigh also has a Saturday 2Y18 service, and the evening GWR 1F99 service which both reverse at Eastleigh.
 

paddington

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There used to be a service that reversed at Welsh's Bridge just outside Inverness.

When I took it three different people thought they were being helpful by explaining what was happening, then seemed disappointed when I told them the reversal was the entire reason I was on that train in the first place.
 

Esker-pades

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There used to be a service that reversed at Welsh's Bridge just outside Inverness.

When I took it three different people thought they were being helpful by explaining what was happening, then seemed disappointed when I told them the reversal was the entire reason I was on that train in the first place.
17:13 Kyle of Lochalsh to Elgin.
 
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