We have had this conversation several times even in the few years I've been here. Southbound, the train crawls through Normanton - so slow that it might as well stop. I think I'd rather have a three-car unit though as services do get busy in the peaks (yes, I know, P17 at Leeds).
All platforms at Kirkgate are permissively signalled.
that shouldnt really matter though should it? seeing as theres a xover to the up doncaster and kirkgate spur just south of the platforms
Both platforms have access to and from the curve, but only one has access to and from the prison siding. By using Wrenthorpe to reverse it could use whichever platform was available first, but if using the prison siding it has to use the Down side.
Surprised by that, as you say it isn't used much and I can't recall ever seeing it being used. I do recall during the 90s there was a SYPTE-sponsored service from Sheffield via Barnsley which terminated at Wakefield Kirkgate- not sure how or where it turned back.
I mostly agree, but I think there's some slack in the semi-fasts timetables. Pre-Covid when I did that return leg to Leeds daily, we'd pause at Barnsley most days, and Kirkgate. Leeds, we'd sometimes arrive early and have to wait for the semi-fast to depart so we could take its place on P17. Plus, that crawl after Horbury Junction towards Kirkgate.
And online journey planners shove everyone onto an already wedged Voyager when there are spare seats on the Northern service.
No idea but this would be an ideal opportunity to remove the pointless Castleford diversion on the Sheffield-Barnsley-Leeds stoppers that adds 15 unnecessary minutes to what is an already slow service.
It'll replace northern's Huddersfield-Wakefield-Castleford service, but that's it. There's no recasting on Five Towns services in the works that I've heard.
It's only pointless if you're travelling from Leeds or Woodlesford to Normanton. You can catch the semi-fast to Kirkgate and change there to the stopper for Darton, anything else you catch the semi-fast to Barnsley and change there for intermediate stations to Sheffield.
One of the advantages of the original plan to divert the Nottingham service to the Westgate route is that would no longer use Platform 17 at Leeds. Until that happens, those services will be limited to 2-car units.
This was meant to have happened in the May TT, hence the Northern services stopped, but TPE didn’t start theirs - for various reasons.
Is the Castleford - Burton Salmon section not already a diversionary route for knowledge/retention purposes? I remember hearing that the point of starting regular services that way was to improve the resiliency of driver/guard route knowledge on what will be a key diversionary route for Neville Hill - Church Fenton electrification.
BLN 1425 P41
This is my understanding too
That’s correct, out of the the sections of the triangle, Castleford to Hull/York is the one with the least amount of traincrew knowledge
Sorry for the cynicism- this forum gets a bit painful sometimes!
I know people will want to speculate on this, so here is a thread where people can do so:
www.railforums.co.uk
Yes, my understanding is that Northern were told TPE would be taking it over, so withdrew the service at DfT's request (of course, rather predictably the timelines are not quite aligned!)
Yes this is very good news, I am looking forward to using them and glad it has now been clarified that they will call at Normanton and Castleford. Running through non stop would massively detract from their usefulness.
www.realtimetrains.co.uk
I’d be surprised if they added fares in.
