Hardest station to depart from?

[Inversnecky]

Which are the hardest stations for a train to depart from? (Thinking inclines making it harder for a longer/heavier train, though other issues may be present.)

 

[superalbs]

I think I read a few years ago that Exeter St Davids to Exeter Central trains must be signalled all the way into the platform, lest they have to stop at the signal halfway up.

 

[Iskra]

Preserved, but Keighley towards Ingrow with both a gradient and a bend to contend with.

 

[Bigman]

Bradford Interchange comes to mind straight away. I in 50 I believe up through Mill Lane Jcn. No doubt Bromsgrove will get a mention given it is as the foot of the Lickey.

Yes, Keighley is another great one, especially when you have a Chopper with a 6 load.

 

[D6130]

Bradford Interchange comes to mind straight away. I in 50 I believe up through Mill Lane Jcn. No doubt Bromsgrove will get a mention given it is as the foot of the Lickey.

Yes, Keighley is another great one, especially when you have a Chopper with a 6 load.

Glasgow Queen Street High Level.......1 in 42 straight up to Cowlairs.

 

[Ianno87]

Manchester Victoria towards Miles Platting

City Thameslink towards Blackfriars

London Victoria

 

[RichT54]

Is this for stations that are open in the present day, or would Folkestone Harbour count?

 

[Ianno87]

Bromsgrove (not quite so bad with the relocated station)

 

[HST43257]

Isn’t Abergavenny on a decent incline? I seem to remember a struggle up the hill on a steam excursion in 2019 after a caution signal at said location. Departing can’t be easy, especially with older stock.

 

[MotCO]

From a passenger perspective, I always thought it was difficult to despatch a train from Waterloo East platform A to London Bridge due to the number of passengers on the platform in the rush hour, front and rear platform entrances and a curved platform.

 

[73001]

Hamilton Square on Merseyrail has a bit of a slope I think.

 

[L401CJF]

Hamilton Square on Merseyrail has a bit of a slope I think.

I'm sure Green lane toward Rock Ferry is quite a short but steep one too . Not that the 507/8s struggle with it even in poor weather, they just sort of well, go up it!

 

[Ken H]

Iant Perth departing for Aberdeen difficult. nasty bend making adhesion difficult.

 

[CyrusWuff]

Platform 3 at Hackney Downs with an 8 car train feels tricky to me, as there's an OHNS just off the end of the platform, combined with a 15mph speed restriction through the platform.

 

[73001]

I'm sure Green lane toward Rock Ferry is quite a short but steep one too . Not that the 507/8s struggle with it even in poor weather, they just sort of well, go up it!

Yes, I think that might be steeper.. and it's always damp there. Can't say I've ever noticed a 507/8 slip or struggle at all leaving any station except during leaf fall or icy weather.

 

[Mojo]

Quite steep going from City Thameslink toward Blackfriars.

 

[Mag_seven]

It's pretty to hard to depart from Denton and Reddish South stations - there are only two trains a week.

 

[Cheshire Scot]

Rannoch - 1 in 53 onto an exposed curved viaduct towards Corrour

In a different context, Cheadle Hulme towards Macclesfield where the conductors line of sight is obscured by passengers making for the exit on a narrow platform which with pre-Covid peak passenger numbers often delayed departure

 

[Llandudno]

I guess with all the passengers on narrow crowded platforms then:
Manchester Piccadilly, platform 14
Liverpool Central, Northern Line, Southport bound

On Metrolink, I guess Old Trafford after a test match or football!

 

[Blinkbonny]

Is this for stations that are open in the present day, or would Folkestone Harbour count?

Or Lancaster Green Ayre to Castle.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Is this for stations that are open in the present day, or would Folkestone Harbour count?

Really hard to depart from now!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

On Metrolink, I guess Old Trafford after a test match or football!

Not necessarily; Metrolink staff only allow a certain number of passengers onto the platforms at a time on a match day, the rest are held back in zig zag metal pens. When the (about to depart) tram is ready to go, the platform is effectively empty.

Biggest issue seems to be in ensuring that the flat crossings at the end of the offset platform(s) are kept clear of people as the trams depart. (The passenger subway/underpass at Old Trafford was done away with some years ago, c. 2009).

 

[Bob M]

Up departure from Upwey is quite steep. The old 442s never really got going until the top of the hill.

 

[Eccles1983]

Shotton high level towards hawarden.

Many a freight train has come a'cropper there in leaf fall.

 

[brad465]

Totnes going up Rattery Bank towards Plymouth must be challenge, especially given the history of piloting and if I recall correctly a HST on only one power car working properly has had to skip the stop to get a run at the bank (back in the days of 7-8 car sets).

Could it be also argued: any station in leaf fall season with very poor adhesion? Although I imagine this is more challenging in tightly-timetabled commuter services.

 

[Carlisle]

Or Lancaster Green Ayre to Castle.

Or Ilfracombe

 

[MrEd]

Rannoch - 1 in 53 onto an exposed curved viaduct towards Corrour

In a different context, Cheadle Hulme towards Macclesfield where the conductors line of sight is obscured by passengers making for the exit on a narrow platform which with pre-Covid peak passenger numbers often delayed departure

The start from Rannoch northbound onto the 1 in 53 curving climb is quite hard, particularly for drivers of loco-hauled trains. As the speed limit is 15mph until the last vehicle of the formation has cleared the loop points, then 30mph over the viaduct, there’s not that much opportunity for the driver of long loco-hauled trains to get a run at the gradient (all trains, since 1988, have had to stop at Rannoch as it‘s a mandatory token exchange point for the RETB- back in the 70s and 80s, heavy freights could exchange tokens on the move passing through the station and get a better run at the gradient). A single 73/9 on load 6 with the sleeper (as was the norm in summer 2018 and 2019) would really struggle in damp conditions; one dreich morning in July 2019 I remember 73971 (working on three traction motors) slipping to a stand just north of the viaduct. The driver had to get permission to set back into Rannoch to have another go at the gradient. I seem to remember that he got up the bank OK a second time- after applying copious quantities of sand and turning off the ETS. It‘s a very difficult balancing act at low speeds with a wet rail, especially as the loco will not take full power in those circumstances.

Before anyone rubbishes the 73/9s, I’ve known the same happen to 37s in the same spot with poor railhead conditions (usually when the loco wasn’t in the best condition). I also remember a 67 (67009) slipping to a stand in lethal railhead conditions one autumn on the 1 in 70 leaving Blair Atholl with the Inverness sleeper.

 

[WrongRoad]

Sunnigdale on the down with a Class 458 when it’s damp or leaf fall can be a challenge.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Manchester Victoria towards Miles Platting

Indeed. Always interesting including with Class 45 and loco hauled coaching stock. Did it dozens and dozens of times. Electrification should make a difference one would have thought.

 

[ComUtoR]

Quite steep going from City Thameslink toward Blackfriars.

tbh, not "hard" to depart from.