Chesterfield Platform 3

[Steveoh]

I was wondering why Chesterfield has a platform 3 which doesn't seem to have any scheduled services, does anyone know why it was built? It was used today I was travelling on http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/Y36861/2015/09/22/advanced which appeared to pass a signal at danger just south of Sheffield station. Looked like it switched to red just before the train got there (very smooth braking indeed I might add). Some services were then routed into platform 3.

 

[louis97]

There are a few trains booked to use it. It was built as a means of serving the station during engineering works. Previously trains could not call at Chesterfield if the mainline was blocked.

 

[Crossover]

I suspect it was used fairly intensively during the problems at Dore last year when everything was routed the other way round

 

[bradders1983]

The 0539 departure to Liverpool (from Nottingham) uses platform 3 as it goes the "old road" to Sheffield.
The 0626 departure to Leeds (originating at Chesterfield) also uses platform 3, coaching stock comes from Sheffield and sits in Platform 3 for a good 8 minutes before starting the journey.

Other services use it too. A couple of XC and EMT services use it in the morning.

 

[Steveoh]

So it does. I thought I'd checked a few weeks ago I must have been wrong. Thanks all

 

[bradders1983]

A few years ago on my way back from Leicester, an EMT stopped short in Chesterfield as it was delayed by an hour, went into platform 3 to allow the usual traffic to use the normal platforms. So its a handy platform to have available.

 

[LowLevel]

1652 Lime Street to Nottingham is booked to use it too as I remember.

 

[Steveoh]

A few years ago on my way back from Leicester, an EMT stopped short in Chesterfield as it was delayed by an hour, went into platform 3 to allow the usual traffic to use the normal platforms. So its a handy platform to have available.

Yes that's more or less what happened to me yesterday. We were stuck under the Chesterfield South signal gantry, (i was more or less underneath it which is why I think it was a SPAD) whilst the following XC service overtook us by using platform 3. I can see operationally how it's useful, but it seems like a luxury.

 

[swt_passenger]

Yes that's more or less what happened to me yesterday. We were stuck under the Chesterfield South signal gantry, (i was more or less underneath it which is why I think it was a SPAD) whilst the following XC service overtook us by using platform 3. I can see operationally how it's useful, but it seems like a luxury.

It was paid for by the CP4 'seven day railway' fund, and was justified as 'providing for a half capacity railway', i.e. avoiding routine full line closures.

 

[Jonny]

Well, it does see some use, including quite a few freight calls (driver changes presumably), assuming that today's RTT represents a normal day.

https://web.archive.org/web/2015092...5/09/23/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=call&order=wtt

 

[Kite159]

I've used it earlier in the year when a late running Liverpool - Norwich was put into P3 to allow an St Pancras service to call at P2.

 

[bradders1983]

I've used it earlier in the year when a late running Liverpool - Norwich was put into P3 to allow an St Pancras service to call at P2.

Seems odd they didnt let the St Pancras go from Sheffield first, unless the delay was accrued between Sheffield and Chesterfield.

 

[Tomnick]

Seems odd they didnt let the St Pancras go from Sheffield first, unless the delay was accrued between Sheffield and Chesterfield.

Most of the London semi-fasts certainly used to have loads of pathing time approaching Ambergate, and between there and Derby - if that was the case for that train at that time, it'd seem sensible to knock it for a minute or two to avoid sticking another five or six into the Norwich. Putting the latter in platform 3 at Chesterfield, thereby allowing the London a clear run into 2 whilst it was carrying out station duties, might have avoided any delay to the London as opposed to a couple of minutes if it was reoccupying the same platform. Usually there's a good reason for every regulating decision!

 

[MCR247]

Is it possible to use Platform 3 and still go via Dore, as I'm sure I've been on an EMT Liverpool service that has used it before but has crossed over north of the station?

 

[button_boxer]

Is it possible to use Platform 3 and still go via Dore, as I'm sure I've been on an EMT Liverpool service that has used it before but has crossed over north of the station?

Yes, there is a full set of crossovers both ways both north and south of the station.

 

[Mugby]

I always think it's a very odd sort of structure which doesn't blend in with the rest of the station at all.

It's perfectly accessible from Platform 2, simply by going to the right of the waiting room and yet there's a separate pathway along it's entire length at ground level which appears to be gated off and never used, in fact there are now weeds growing through it's block paving. Does anyone know what purpose it serves?

 

[Crossover]

Presumably platforms 1 and 2 aren't accessible from the "old road" (otherwise pl 3 would be slightly more superfluous)?

I always think it's a very odd sort of structure which doesn't blend in with the rest of the station at all.

It's perfectly accessible from Platform 2, simply by going to the right of the waiting room and yet there's a separate pathway along it's entire length at ground level which appears to be gated off and never used, in fact there are now weeds growing through it's block paving. Does anyone know what purpose it serves?

When I saw it, I presumed it to be an emergency route

 

[OxtedL]

Presumably platforms 1 and 2 aren't accessible from the "old road" (otherwise pl 3 would be slightly more superfluous)?

I think someone has already mentioned this, but the LNE Sectional Appendix (link - 35MB pdf) on the Network Rail website shows crossovers both ways between the two sets of tracks, both north and south of the station.

You're looking for the panel with LOR LN3201, Seq 43, which on my pdf reader is page 401.

 

[WillPS]

1 & 2 can definitely access the Old Road, it happened 3 times per hour in each direction in late 2008 while the Bradway Tunnel was closed.

 

[onlinespotting]

Isn't this similar to Shrewsbury platform 3 which even has a separate entrance without ticket barriers? I don't think any train uses it though.

 

[PHILIPE]

Isn't this similar to Shrewsbury platform 3 which even has a separate entrance without ticket barriers? I don't think any train uses it though.

Quite a lot of trains use Platform 3 at Shrewsbury. There is only access to the Chester line and towards Sutton Bridge. You can run in from Birmingham but signalling does not allow departure in that direction. More trains still have been using it since the additional Cambrian services started last May. You can use RTT to sus it out.

 

[onlinespotting]

Quite a lot of trains use Platform 3 at Shrewsbury. There is only access to the Chester line and towards Sutton Bridge. You can run in from Birmingham but signalling does not allow departure in that direction. More trains still have been using it since the additional Cambrian services started last May. You can use RTT to sus it out.

Ahh - this shows his behind with the times I am, I used to go to Shrewsbury quite often until about 4 years ago and back then nothing used platform 3.