Reversing formation for Damage

[SteveP29]

I was on the 16:30 Edinburgh to Kings Cross today.

We struck something just north of Morpeth and the nearside windscreen was damaged (it was a Class 93/DVT unit).
We arrived into Newcastle about 7 minutes late.

The train was then reversed and it continued south via the High Level bridge.

Obviously when it reaches Kings Cross, the damaged DVT will be facing the direction of travel again, so with a replacement DVT be brought in from Bounds Green or will the unit travel north at reduced speed until it can be replaced at either Newcastle or Edinburgh?

 

[ASharpe]

Can't answer your question, but I've had a delay due to a broken windscreen wiper before on a Grand Central service. We had to change trains if I remember so I doubt a train would travel very far at all with a smashed windscreen.

 

[MrPIC]

They'll swap out the smashed windscreen loco with a different one, it would be okay to run at the rear of the formation, but should be taken out of service at the first opportunity, and I doubt any driver would work a train with a smashed windscreen.
Out of interest, what is nearside? I always hear it on police programs etc but no idea what side it is!
On trains we generally use driving and non-driving(second man's) side when talking about cabs

 

[driver9000]

They'll swap out the smashed windscreen loco with a different one, it would be okay to run at the rear of the formation, but should be taken out of service at the first opportunity, and I doubt any driver would work a train with a smashed windscreen.
Out of interest, what is nearside? I always hear it on police programs etc but no idea what side it is!
On trains we generally use driving and non-driving(second man's) side when talking about cabs

On a road vehicle nearside is the passenger side or kerbside. I assume he means the Drivers side in the case of the train.

 

[jopsuk]

The train probably proceeded out of service to Bounds Green, at low speed.

 

[Surreytraveller]

Nearside is driver's side. The other side is offside. On a road vehicle nearside as stated above is kerbside - the other side is outside.

 

[GB]

Nearside is driver's side. The other side is offside. On a road vehicle nearside as stated above is kerbside - the other side is outside.

The other side on a road vehicle is "offside".

 

[MrPIC]

bugger it, ill carry on calling the passenger side in my car the second man's side haha

 

[TheEdge]

The train probably proceeded out of service to Bounds Green, at low speed.

Is what I expect would have happened. Get it London with the good cab, get a spare set from Bounds Green to replace it on its diagram at Kings Cross then gingerly get it back to Bounds Green, depending on the damage maybe with a second driver assisting with sighting.

 

[Bungle965]

Is what I expect would have happened. Get it London with the good cab, get a spare set from Bounds Green to replace it on its diagram at Kings Cross then gingerly get it back to Bounds Green, depending on the damage maybe with a second driver assisting with sighting.

Spare set... VTEC... On a Friday?
Got to be having a laugh surely?
Sam

 

[Welshman]

At that time of night it could have been scheduled back to Bounds Green anyway.

 

[gray1404]

As I'm not familiar with the area in Newcastle, can someone please explain the track layout in area whereby a train is able to arrive in to Newcastle from the North heading South, change direction on departure but still remain heading South on its journey?

Is there also a XC unit on one of the services daily (I recall seeing on the forum mentioned) - perhaps this is heading in the opposite direction to the EC service mentioned here - that joins up to another unit at Newcastle and changes direction of travel out of the station?

 

[button_boxer]

As I'm not familiar with the area in Newcastle, can someone please explain the track layout in area whereby a train is able to arrive in to Newcastle from the North heading South, change direction on departure but still remain heading South on its journey?

Newcastle station is actually oriented more or less east-west, and it sits between two bridges over the river Tyne. A "southbound" service can depart via either the east or west end, and the routes over the two bridges join up again on the south bank.

 

[najaB]

As I'm not familiar with the area in Newcastle, can someone please explain the track layout in area...

A picture is worth a thousand words.

 

[gray1404]

Thanks guys.

So if I've got this right a train departing Newcastle can leave in either direction for departures both North and South? ??????

 

[najaB]

Thanks guys.

So if I've got this right a train departing Newcastle can leave in either direction for departures both North and South? ��

Yes. Though, as you likely know, generally they leave to the west to head south, and to the east to head north to avoid the formation being turned.

 

[gray1404]

Thanks very much!

 

[endecotp]

Thanks guys.

So if I've got this right a train departing Newcastle can leave in either direction for departures both North and South? ��

It can leave in either direction to head South.
I can't imagine how it could leave Westwards to head North.

 

[swt_passenger]

It can leave in either direction to head South.
I can't imagine how it could leave Westwards to head North.

If you had a similar problem arise on a northbound train before its arrival at Newcastle you'd just have to make the decision early enough to enter the station over the High Level from the East. Then you'd be the right way round to head north using the original back cab...

 

[najaB]

It can leave in either direction to head South.
I can't imagine how it could leave Westwards to head North.

Indeed, you are correct. For some reason I thought that there was a right-hand chord off the High Level Bridge.

 

[6Gman]

Indeed, you are correct. For some reason I thought that there was a right-hand chord off the High Level Bridge.

I fear that would make rather a mess of the castle wouldn't it?

 

[najaB]

I fear that would make rather a mess of the castle wouldn't it?

Bah, castles are highly overrated anyway. Seen one, seen them all.

 

[swt_passenger]

I fear that would make rather a mess of the castle wouldn't it?

The excellent book by John Addyman and Bill Fawcett on the High Level Bridge and Central Station includes an NER 'working map' with a proposed route for such a chord, it would have passed to the east of the castle keep, leaving it marooned in the middle of a triangular junction. Interestingly the two track line would have left the alignment of the road bridge further south than the existing curve.

(To clarify that, the road deck is dead straight, the railway deck curves away, IYSWIM.)

The railway viaduct they did build, out towards Manors, does actually pass right through the castle - the Black Gate is on the north side of the tracks , and is separated from the keep by the railway. It isn't such a scene of destruction as in Berwick, but the railway got away with a route that would probably never be allowed nowadays...

 

[edwin_m]

Bah, castles are highly overrated anyway. Seen one, seen them all.

It makes an excellent vantage point for views over the station. Congratulations are due to whoever built it for such foresight - unlike the idiot at Berwick who put the castle just where the railway was going to go.

 

[Zamracene749]

I can't imagine how it could leave Westwards to head North.

They can and do- only when they are diverted via Carlisle mind

 

[AnonymousUser1]

Thanks guys.

So if I've got this right a train departing Newcastle can leave in either direction for departures both North and South? ��

fundamentally that is the case

 

[snowball]

Thanks guys.

So if I've got this right a train departing Newcastle can leave in either direction for departures both North and South? ��

No. A train departing for the north has to head eastward out of the station. There's only one route to/from the north. (Unless it's diverting via Carlisle!)

Here's what it looks like on the OS 1:50000 map:

http://streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=425165&Y=563575&A=Y&Z=120

 

[Bookd]

Southbound trains can leave in either direction with potential for confusion. Many years ago in Durham we were expecting a friend who was coming by train from Newcastle - he didn't arrive and eventually phoned to say he had just arrived in Berwick!

 

[MCR247]

Isn't that just a case of him getting the wrong train then?

 

[Bevan Price]

Is what I expect would have happened. Get it London with the good cab, get a spare set from Bounds Green to replace it on its diagram at Kings Cross then gingerly get it back to Bounds Green, depending on the damage maybe with a second driver assisting with sighting.

Or if one was available, couple a spare 91 in front of the DVT and let that drag the stock to Bounds Green.