Barnham station improvements

[London_123]

A couple of years ago the bridge to the east of Barnham station was widened I think to extend the Bognor branch line some how. I thought this was to allow platform 1 to be used as a passing loop for stopping services to allow a faster service between Portsmouth and Brighton.

However nothing seems to have happened? Am I missing something? Does anyone know why the work was done and if there will be a service improvement in the future?

Thanks,

 

[swt_passenger]

The bridge was widened so that the junction east of the station could be moved, to allow the island platform to be both lengthened for 12 car trains, and to allow for both sides to be used bidirectionally.

All the increased functionality they intended was provided as planned as far as I can see. The current layout allows for trains to be looped at Barnham in both directions, but that doesn't mean the day to day timetable actually uses the feature - they may have decided to provide the extra moves just for service recovery if, or when, needed.

The West Coastway timetable was completely rewritten for the 2008 timetable change - I don't think there are any more planned major changes.

 

[paul1609]

A couple of years ago the bridge to the east of Barnham station was widened I think to extend the Bognor branch line some how. I thought this was to allow platform 1 to be used as a passing loop for stopping services to allow a faster service between Portsmouth and Brighton.

However nothing seems to have happened? Am I missing something? Does anyone know why the work was done and if there will be a service improvement in the future?

Thanks,

The bridge was rebuilt at the same time as the Barnham Resignalling. It was done to allow an up 12 coach train to call at Platform 2 with the necessary signal sightings. There are instances where trains overtake in the down direction but none in the up direction in the normal timetable. To be honest this isnt normally needed because subsequent up trains trains diverge at Arundel Junction to remain on the main line to Victoria or turn off right to continue along the coastway to Brighton. During times of disruption on the coastway Southampton/ Portsmouth portions of the Bognor service often do not split and run complete to Bognor. Having Platform 2 as fully reversible aloows greater flexibility. It also allows a Up coastway service to arrive at platform 1 or 2 and then reverse to Bognor which wasnt possible before useful for stock movements to Bognor.