Hope Valley Stations

[Haydn1971]

I travel almost daily on the first EMT service to Manchester from Sheffield, I'd say that on at least 3 out of 5 days, the train manager/guard makes the announcement that "because of the short platforms" passengers will have to alight via the front carriage. This is more often said at Grindleford, but often also used at Hathersage and Bamford. What perplexes me, is that some days, the exactly same length train does fit ! So, is this purely a train driver decision based upon track knowledge ? The only thing I can think of is that these three stations may suffer from leaf oil issues, and/or the platforms are "just" long enough for the 4 car 158, thus some drivers may take a cautious view of stopping a bit short to compensate ?

 

[LowLevel]

Hathersage is a 2 car platform regardless. At the other stations it depends where the driver stops. Everywhere bar Grindleford will fit 4 if the driver draws right up the useable length of the platform. Grindleford will fit 4 if you don't mind being in the reasonably poorly paved section. Some drivers will draw up there, some aren't keen. The guard should make sure no one wanting to alight is in that part of the train either way.

Bamford, Edale and Chinley are all easily 4 car length. Hope you have to draw down a bit further than the board which is really set up for a 3 car train but 4 does fit.

The guard and driver will come to an agreement between them on how to work the train. In the dark more often than not you will find the train is local door worked at Grindleford owing to poor lighting.

 

[Haydn1971]

Hathersage is a 2 car platform regardless.

Sure about that ? The 4 car 158 sometimes stops without requiring local door use.

Bamford, Edale and Chinley are all easily 4 car length.

Bamford in particular varies in that some days it's all doors, some days it's a local door

The guard and driver will come to an agreement between them on how to work the train. In the dark more often than not you will find the train is local door worked at Grindleford owing to poor lighting.

Makes sense, thanks

 

[Intercity 225]

Seems a bit of a daft situation at Grindleford considering that it technically has platforms that would be adequate for six cars (at least) if they weren't covered in undergrowth!

How much effort would it be to bring the currently unused sections to an operational standard?

 

[RichmondCommu]

Seems a bit of a daft situation at Grindleford considering that it technically has platforms that would be adequate for six cars (at least) if they weren't covered in undergrowth!

How much effort would it be to bring the currently unused sections to an operational standard?

Well exactly! It's probably down to the cost of providing extra lighting rather than anything else.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Seems a bit of a daft situation at Grindleford considering that it technically has platforms that would be adequate for six cars (at least) if they weren't covered in undergrowth!

How much effort would it be to bring the currently unused sections to an operational standard?

Well exactly! It's probably down to the cost of providing extra lighting rather than anything else.

There's quite a few stations where the "in use" section of platform is only part of the physical structure. Some would need raising and resurfacing (such as Ravensthorpe, which due to low usage doesn't need it anyway) but some just need a bit of weedkiller. There's other issues at play though: Lockwood and Honley could fairly easily have unused sections reactivated but as the Penistone bay at Huddersfield can only take 2x23/3x15 there's little point in doing so, even though it'd be useful for when Sheffield Wednesday come to town!

 

[LowLevel]

Sure about that ? The 4 car 158 sometimes stops without requiring local door use.



Bamford in particular varies in that some days it's all doors, some days it's a local door




Makes sense, thanks

Absolutely sure in that I will have definitely been your guard before if you're a regular and I work the first and last trains fairly often as I sign the regular diversionary routes around Toton or Derby plus it's booked route via Beighton

Hathersage is 2 car 15x only. Don't always release the same door though, I usually do one in the bike space because there's a regular cyclist.

 

[bunnahabhain]

Sure about that ? The 4 car 158 sometimes stops without requiring local door use.



Bamford in particular varies in that some days it's all doors, some days it's a local door




Makes sense, thanks

Hathersage is restricted to two cars maximum unless formed of 2 X 142 units. If the the train is formed of more than two carriages then the rear unit(s) MUST be locked out of use if calling at Hathersage. Almost nobody alights from the service between Dore and Chinley so you'll quite often find the guard and driver will come to an understanding about the working of the train in particular for Grindleford and Hathersage.

 

[Haydn1971]

Hathersage is restricted to two cars maximum unless formed of 2 X 142 units. If the the train is formed of more than two carriages then the rear unit(s) MUST be locked out of use if calling at Hathersage.

I'll take your word for it

Almost nobody alights from the service between Dore and Chinley so you'll quite often find the guard and driver will come to an understanding about the working of the train in particular for Grindleford and Hathersage.

And also Bamford occasionally...
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Absolutely sure in that I will have definitely been your guard before if you're a regular and I work the first and last trains fairly often as I sign the regular diversionary routes around Toton or Derby plus it's booked route via Beighton

I better keep on my best behaviour then ! Haha... Yes, the Beighton route, which I wasn't aware of until I got the first train from Sheffield and it came in from the north - I live about half a mile from the track at Beighton, shame the station went many years ago

Hathersage is 2 car 15x only. Don't always release the same door though, I usually do one in the bike space because there's a regular cyclist.

Yes, often seen running down the platform to the open door

 

[LowLevel]

I'm a lot more chilled out in real life than I am on here, I do indulge in a bit of venting online

 

[Haydn1971]

Stumbled on the recent planning documents for the Bamford overtaking section and the second platform for Dore - interesting that the platform being proposed is 153m, which translates to 6x 23m with 15m spare - or a doubled up 185 with 10m spare. The existing being just 114m, which obviously makes stopping for a doubled up 185 difficult !

 

[bunnahabhain]

I'll take your word for it

Read the sectional appendix then.

 

[Haydn1971]

Read the sectional appendix then.

Sigh... What I'm saying is that some days the first train stops fully on the platforms, then other days it doesn't - but hey, what do I know, I'm only a passenger daily !

 

[bunnahabhain]

Which is a physical impossibility at Hathersage with its 2 car platforms.

 

[Haydn1971]

Which is a physical impossibility at Hathersage with its 2 car platforms.

And at Grindleford and Bamford ????
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I'm rather bemused here, that the mere suggestion by me that a train crew may not stick to the book some days - it's almost heresy