Reading to Gatwick - odd departure platforms

nicksk · 12 Oct 2019

I caught (just!) the Reading to Gatwick service today which was scheduled for a 13.32 departure.

These North Downs line trains normally depart from the bay platforms adjacent to the old ticket hall. But according to the passenger displays, this train was due to depart from platform 15A for some reason.

At 13.28, there’s an announcement that the train will depart from platform 5. The far opposite end of the station. Much muttering from the waiting passengers “But I’ve just come from there!” and “I’m never taking the train to the airport again!”

This is an airport service, and there’s a lot of passengers with large luggage. The train departed platform 5 at 13.34. I had a bike with me, and only just made it. At least one person couldn’t squeeze into the lift with me and others, and I’m not sure if they made the connection.

Why aren’t all GWR North Downs trains scheduled into the bay platforms? And what happened today in particular?

If there isn’t enough capacity in the bay platforms, how is this supposed to work when the North Downs line goes to three trains per hour?

RailUK Forums

dctraindriver · 12 Oct 2019

nicksk said:
I caught (just!) the Reading to Gatwick service today which was scheduled for a 13.32 departure.

These North Downs line trains normally depart from the bay platforms adjacent to the old ticket hall. But according to the passenger displays, this train was due to depart from platform 15A for some reason.

At 13.28, there’s an announcement that the train will depart from platform 5. The far opposite end of the station. Much muttering from the waiting passengers “But I’ve just come from there!” and “I’m never taking the train to the airport again!”

This is an airport service, and there’s a lot of passengers with large luggage. The train departed platform 5 at 13.34. I had a bike with me, and only just made it. At least one person couldn’t squeeze into the lift with me and others, and I’m not sure if they made the connection.

Why aren’t all GWR North Downs trains scheduled into the bay platforms? And what happened today in particular?

If there isn’t enough capacity in the bay platforms, how is this supposed to work when the North Downs line goes to three trains per hour?

There may have been an issue with the train that came out of the depot onto platform 15 which was due to be your service. The train on platform 5 was sat there for a later service which meant someone whose switched on made the decision to use that train instead. As the trains are mainly only 3 cars permissive working won’t be a problem with using the bay platforms in the future.

Hope that helps.

swt_passenger · 12 Oct 2019

RTT suggests this is a booked working from P15A, I just checked the next few Saturdays. So as suggested probably a reaction to a fault.

There are of course a number of early starts from the other side, and late finishes, as that’s the obvious route from or to the depot.

LordCreed · 12 Oct 2019

Set for the 13:32 failed on the depot, so they elected to use the set on P5 instead.

DelW · 13 Oct 2019

The sensible practice would be to delay departure for a few more minutes when there's been a late platform change (especially from one at the other side of a large station) until everyone has caught up. Unfortunately, as noted in several other threads, the current punctuality regime encourages TOCs to dispatch trains on time even when that means leaving intending passengers behind. One of the most annoying that I experienced was an empty train departing Lymington Pier just as a shipload of passengers disembarked from a slightly delayed ferry. Considering it would have had quite a long layover at Brockenhurst, that seemed particularly pointless.

HowardGWR · 13 Oct 2019

In fairness we don't know if any pax were left behind. It would be excerable if they were though. The Lymington example makes one want to weep.

westralian · 13 Oct 2019

DelW said:
One of the most annoying that I experienced was an empty train departing Lymington Pier just as a shipload of passengers disembarked from a slightly delayed ferry. Considering it would have had quite a long layover at Brockenhurst, that seemed particularly pointless.

I've had this happen to me a few times at Ardrossan Harbour when the Arran ferry has arrived later than schedule. There's only a few trains per day and they are scheduled to time with the ferries so whenever this happens it's a 20 minute walk to Ardrossan South Beach to get a Largs train as it saves waiting around.

nicksk · 13 Oct 2019

Thanks all for the insights. As said up thread, to be fair I don’t know if any passengers were left behind.

big all · 14 Oct 2019

over the years out based units at redhill would be fuelled at selhurst but others would often be switched a reading throught the day to keep within the diagrammed mileage 'you would have perhaps 5 or six dmmus at redhill 3 would go to selhurst around midnight to refuell and the others would swap at reading throught the day often changing diagrams with a pad or an oxford service

there indeed used to be an empty dmmu and later a turbo aro und half 2 from the triangle into 4b then around 93/94 when turbos where introduced there was a massive complaint about overly hot unit and they did indeed arrange for an extra 30 mins " key in" at the depot or station for cooling purposes

Esker-pades · 14 Oct 2019

westralian said:
I've had this happen to me a few times at Ardrossan Harbour when the Arran ferry has arrived later than schedule. There's only a few trains per day and they are scheduled to time with the ferries so whenever this happens it's a 20 minute walk to Ardrossan South Beach to get a Largs train as it saves waiting around.

That's no longer the case. Ardrossan Harbour is now served by an hourly service (with some peak alterations).

westralian · 14 Oct 2019

FelixtheCat said:
That's no longer the case. Ardrossan Harbour is now served by an hourly service (with some peak alterations).

Still an issue on Sundays - I just missed the 18:00 train as the ferry due 17:35 was delayed. Walked to South Beach to get the train from Largs just after 19:00 rather than wait until 20:30 for the next train from Harbour. After a day of scrambling on Arran waiting 2.5 hours for the next train didn't appeal to me.

Reading to Gatwick - odd departure platforms

nicksk

Member

RailUK Forums

dctraindriver

Member

swt_passenger

Veteran Member

LordCreed

Member

DelW

Established Member

HowardGWR

Established Member

westralian

Member

nicksk

Member

big all

On Moderation

Esker-pades

Established Member

westralian

Member