Coombe Junction reversal. Is it unique?

[Graham H]

So the voyager gets to Foxhall Junction, stops, driver jumps off to the other side of the train and then heads off? I can imagine the passengers wondering what on earth is happening

Out of curiosity does the Voyager display Foxhall Junction as the next stop after Didcot (assuming it stops there) or Reading ? The reason I ask is that a few years back track work at Didcot closed the avoiding line and the east curve into the station, this meant all Reading to Oxford trains used the west bound mainline platform, proceeded towards Swindon then reversed and used Foxhall curve. While seeing off a passenger I noticed the external display showed Foxhall Junction as the next stop but unfortunately I wasn't quick enough to get a photo of that unusual display or see if the internal passenger info showed the same.

 

[dk1]

I've known the 15:54 (SuO) Norwich-Liverpool stop & change ends at Ely North Junction rather than go around the West Curve. Not sure if it was due to crew knowledge or signalling issues.

 

[mm333]

When the Liverpool Lime Street blockade was on, didn't London-bound VT services departing Liverpool South Parkway travel a little way towards Liverpool before reversing and heading south?

 

[6Gman]

When the Liverpool Lime Street blockade was on, didn't London-bound VT services departing Liverpool South Parkway travel a little way towards Liverpool before reversing and heading south?

They did.

 

[TB]

One that almost happened many years ago but didn't ...

In the bad old days after Beeching (late 1960s and early 1970s), BR proposed closing the Shipley to Guiseley section of the Bradford FS - Ilkley line, which would have forced trains to reverse at Apperley Junction. BR also proposed discontinuing Bradford FS - Keighley trains. In the event they were persuaded to relent on both proposals and opened a new station at Baildon on the threatened section in 1973.

Staying in this area, there have been rare occasions where services have reversed at Guiseley.

A few years ago, there was work between Apperley Bridge and Shipley on a Sunday. The Leeds to Skipton stopper was replaced by a bus between Leeds and Shipley, but the Carlisle and Morecambe services were diverted via Guiseley. IIRC, none were booked to call, instead reversing at Esholt Junction, but in the event quite a few reversed in Platform 2.

More recently, the reverse has only occurred during disruption, but very rarely.

 

[noddingdonkey]

Apparently pre 1979 there were no platforms on one side of the Shipley station triangle, so Leeds-Shipley-Skipton services had to reverse. More of a shunt then a standard reversal I guess.

 

[Taunton]

The all-time classic was Limerick Junction station in Ireland, at the crossing of the Dublin-Cork and Limerick-Waterford lines. Until it was partially sorted out in relatively recent times (1970s?) the platforms were not on any of the running lines from the four directions, and every service had to stop on the open line and reverse into the platform, some twice.

The locals, of course, had an expression for it : "Every train at the station has to go through it or past it before it can get into it".

 

[30907]

Apparently pre 1979 there were no platforms on one side of the Shipley station triangle, so Leeds-Shipley-Skipton services had to reverse. More of a shunt then a standard reversal I guess.

Down trains reversed in and out of the Bradford-Skipton platform, up trains went round 2 sides of the triangle and reversed at Shipley Bradford Junction.

 

[onlinespotting]

What about the reversal at Allerton junction that virgin trains services do at Liverpool South Parkway when lime street is closed. Something LNWR don’t do and has caused on at least 1 occasion at Euston for the service being displayed as Allerton according to another thread on here

 

[xotGD]

I've done a reversal in Tyne Yard on a diverted Hexham - Newcastle service.

Also in York Holgate sidings when the northern end of York station was blocked for engineering work one weekend. A 31 dragged us back into the station.

 

[341o2]

Edit post and suggest Chinnor, where on return from PR, the loco working the train uncouples and runs into one siding, then a yard loco pulls the carriages into the same yard, the train engine is coupled onto what is now the frount of the train and pulls it back to the platform.

A former reversal not at a station used to happen at Welwyn Garden City prior to electrification, when the train (DMU) would proceed to a point north of the station, it would reverse with the guard in what was now the leading cab, giving firstly 3 bells when given the road and keeping a lookout until back in the station and the driver changed ends

Going overseas, the Central Railway of Peru has several zig zags which all traffic has to negotiate

 

[PHILIPE]

Cross Country services passing through Reading from Manchester to Bournemouth

Plymouth to Gunnislake - reverse at Bere Alston

But that's in a station

 

[paddington]

Re 2145 Reading-Foxhall Jn

No need to jump off. Just walk through the train. Most guards announce the reversal so passengers are aware of the situation. It's a very quiet section anyway. Rarely more than 10 people aboard. Anyone going to Oxford from Reading has a train that leaves behind that arrives earlier

My GF caught that train at some point recently, and she did notice it and mention is to me. Annoyingly it's a PSUL move I intend to do which she accidently beat me to! (No, she didn't care about covering such unusual track.)

I've tried to take this train several times, but first time it just went straight through East and North Jns without reversing (even though it was on time, not sure if the overtaking GWR service was delayed or something)

Second time it was raining so couldn't see anything

Third time I happened to be in Reading at the end of July, but it was too dark to see anything

There is a limited window when it is meant to be still bright enough to see anything - from 17th June to 1st July 2019 the sun should just be dipping below the horizon a few minutes after the train is scheduled to reverse so hopefully I will be able to pick a date next year when it is not cloudy - but it's not cheap to keep trying :P

Out of curiosity does the Voyager display Foxhall Junction as the next stop

First calling point is Oxford but yes the unit does display Foxhall Junction

So the voyager gets to Foxhall Junction, stops, driver jumps off to the other side of the train and then heads off? I can imagine the passengers wondering what on earth is happening

Passengers tend not to pay any attention to the running of the train, and are unlikely to notice. Especially if its dark outside

All the times I've taken it, the train was full of empty alcoholic drink cans/bottles and the guard and driver did mention it several times, even when it didn't do the reversal.

 

[30907]

But that's in a station

Though when the line was first rationalised the points were north of the station, reflecting the old layout.

 

[Melancholia]

Related to the XC Foxhall Jn reversal, GWR run a Tues-Fri 2L01 0351 Oxford - Reading, which reverses at Foxhall Jn before heading into Didcot.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C42770/2018/09/11/advanced

 

[Skipness]

NYMR do run occasional passenger trains between Grosmont (platform 2) and Battersby and return which necessitates reversals at the ground frame north of Grosmont at the junction of the Esk Valley and NYMR lines.

 

[45rpm]

Trains between Mallow & Tralee reverse outside Killarney station as well as at the station. Also,when the Welsh Highland Railway first extended to Porthmadog they had to reverse on The Cob before running into the FR station. I believe the WHR now have their own platform so this reversal is no longer required.

 

[krus_aragon]

Also,when the Welsh Highland Railway first extended to Porthmadog they had to reverse on The Cob before running into the FR station. I believe the WHR now have their own platform so this reversal is no longer required.

Correct, the new platform is along the (widened) Cob.

 

[Sox]

It is possible in theory. But, the reason it reverses at Welshes Bridge is to maintain route knowledge and to have a regular passenger service over the chord.

Is this also because the service is a "parliamentary":

A single parliamentary train is run along the third chord of the triangle each weekday, as part of a through Kyle-Elgin service, which runs across the chord before reversing into the station. In the 2013 timetable, this is currently the 17:14 Kyle-Elgin service.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverness_railway_station

 

[Esker-pades]

Is this also because the service is a "parliamentary":

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverness_railway_station

That's essentially what I said, just without the word "parliamentary". So, yes.

 

[sleeperagent]

That's essentially what I said, just without the word "parliamentary". So, yes.

Excuse the reply coming months after the post but, judging by RTT, the Kyle to Elgin parliamentary now runs only on Saturday since the timetable change.

 

[stut]

Presumably, the slightly odd situation at Coombe is to minimise the number of units needed to work the line, as the timing is marginal.

The journey takes 31 minutes with a stop at Coombe Junction Halt, 27-29 without. With a very tight 3-minute turnaround either end, they can get a not-quite-clockface near-hourly timetable with one unit. With a little jiggery-pokery, there's reasonable mainline connections, some additional recovery and a couple of stops at the halt.

 

[Ken H]

of course there was the shenanegans at shipley before they built the platforms on the north curve.

Leeds-skipton trains would go over the north curve and stop. then reverse into the west curve platform with the guard instructing the guard by bell signals, driver didnt change ends at all.

In reverse the train would go into the west curve platform, the driver would change ends. the guard would sit in leading cab and give bell signals as the train went over the crossovers towards Bradford. Then the train would take the east curve usually without stopping.

 

[Meerkat]

Are drivers still allowed to reverse a loaded passenger train, or do they have to change cabs?

 

[yorksrob]

Battersby on the Middlesbrough - Whitby line has a resemblance to the Coombe Junction scenario but doesn't meet your criterion as I believe all services call at the station. Arguably the settlement wouldn't merit a station if it wasn't a reversal point, however!

I'm not sure. I often see people get on and off there.

 

[stut]

I'm not sure. I often see people get on and off there.

I've used Battersby a number of times. There's some lovely walking round there that you can combine with a trip to Great Ayton (the next stop) and Roseberry Topping.

Mind you, I also use Kempston Hardwick from time to time.