Milton Keynes Central Platform 5

[aal7]

Can anyone explain platform 5 to me? It seems woefully underused, especially given comments in previous threads about lack of capacity at MKC, albeit on the slow lines, not the fast lines. What decides whether a northbound train uses platform 5 or 6 (and for a southbound train, platform 5 or 4)?

 

[gordonthemoron]

I think there's only one train an hour that regularly uses platform 5, a LM service to Birmingham. However it is bi-directional and I've seen southbound Virgin services use it some times

 

[swt_passenger]

The line speeds are optimised through P6, I believe. In other words the normal route through the junctions north and south of the station are aligned so that P6 is the faster option, so given the choice most down fast trains will use P6.

Effectively P5 is available to be used in either direction for service recovery after delays, and it only becomes essential to use P5 if a following train is planned to overtake at MK.

 

[driver_m]

I've usually been put in platform 5 to get something late past me (southbound). It's fairly rare though. Going through 5 will put at least 3-4 minutes on the train so that's why it isn't used often.

 

[calc7]

Platform 5 is now also used by the xx03 southbound VT services, as the xx00 (formerly xx19) ex-BHM service occupies platform 4 at a close time.

Additionally, with the 0807 EUS-LIV calling at MKC now, the 0810 EUS-BNG now departs from platform 5 at xx43, versus platform 6 at xx41 as per pre-December 13.

 

[The Planner]

Not entirely sure why the Bangor needs to do that, could still use 6.