South Croydon Junction

[Cricketer8for9]

South Croydon Junction is where the five tracks heading south from East Croydon split into two tracks to East Grinstead and four tracks to Purley. From east to west there’s the down slow, the slow reversible, the up slow and two fast line tracks which aren’t part of this discussion. There’s a slow to reversible connection to the East Croydon side of the station and a rarely used up slow to reversible connection on the Purley side of the junction.

The down slow station line (platform 5) to down slow towards Purley has been unused for maybe six weeks now. So platform 5 can only send trains to East Grinstead. Similarly platform 4 cannot send trains to East Grinstead or indeed receive them.

Does anyone know the specific problem and when it will be fixed?

 

[Peregrine 4903]

South Croydon Junction is where the five tracks heading south from East Croydon split into two tracks to East Grinstead and four tracks to Purley. From east to west there’s the down slow, the slow reversible, the up slow and two fast line tracks which aren’t part of this discussion. There’s a slow to reversible connection to the East Croydon side of the station and a rarely used up slow to reversible connection on the Purley side of the junction.

The down slow station line (platform 5) to down slow towards Purley has been unused for maybe six weeks now. So platform 5 can only send trains to East Grinstead. Similarly platform 4 cannot send trains to East Grinstead or indeed receive them.

Does anyone know the specific problem and when it will be fixed?

The quicker route through South Croydon is routing trains through platform 4 towards Purley as there is a 20mph crossover going through platform 5 towards Purley. I don't think there is any issue with sending trains through platform 5 at all towards Purley, no restriction on the move.

It seems the preferred route is to now sends trains through platform 4 which has improved performance.

 

[PGAT]

Similarly platform 4 cannot send trains to East Grinstead or indeed receive them.

Yes they can

 

[Class 170101]

The down slow station line (platform 5) to down slow towards Purley has been unused for maybe six weeks now. So platform 5 can only send trains to East Grinstead. Similarly platform 4 cannot send trains to East Grinstead or indeed receive them.

Does anyone know the specific problem and when it will be fixed?

I have just witnessed 1P57 on Open Train times take the L/End crossover at South Croydon and then run through Platform 4 instead of the booked Platform 5 and then use the C/End Crossover. 1P53 and 1P55 were also routed through 4 vice 5 today according to Real Time Trains (shown in red for booked off route). I would suggest a possible defect on the C/End Crossover preventing their use in the reverse position and therefore only moves from Platform 5 to East Grinstead and Platform 4 towards Purley are currently allowed.

 

[SNDave]

Routing restrictions are in place due to a cracked crossing (1629) at South Croydon Junction. Crossing replacement is scheduled for next month

 

[PGAT]

Anything to save some mileage

 

[Cricketer8for9]

The quicker route through South Croydon is routing trains through platform 4 towards Purley as there is a 20mph crossover going through platform 5 towards Purley. I don't think there is any issue with sending trains through platform 5 at all towards Purley, no restriction on the move.

It seems the preferred route is to now sends trains through platform 4 which has improved performance.

As mentioned above there is a problem which is why the connections are totally rusty.

I have just witnessed 1P57 on Open Train times take the L/End crossover at South Croydon and then run through Platform 4 instead of the booked Platform 5 and then use the C/End Crossover. 1P53 and 1P55 were also routed through 4 vice 5 today according to Real Time Trains (shown in red for booked off route). I would suggest a possible defect on the C/End Crossover preventing their use in the reverse position and therefore only moves from Platform 5 to East Grinstead and Platform 4 towards Purley are currently allowed.

Yes, everything heading to Purley is routed via platform 4.

Yes they can

Cannot at the moment - the rails are rusty.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Routing restrictions are in place due to a cracked crossing (1629) at South Croydon Junction. Crossing replacement is scheduled for next month

plain line it its been a delight to be using that nice 40mph crossover on the london side of Sth.Croydon for the last few months rather than dawdling through the 20mph crossover. Hopefully the signallers will keep it as the main route going forward for Down Slow traffic.

 

[Cricketer8for9]

I don’t disagree. That said the flexibility has been missed occasionally, most notably if a train sits down at South Croydon. It also means nothing can terminate at South Croydon something that is an engineering work option.

Routing restrictions are in place due to a cracked crossing (1629) at South Croydon Junction. Crossing replacement is scheduled for next month

Thanks.

 

[Fenchurch SP]

I don’t disagree. That said the flexibility has been missed occasionally, most notably if a train sits down at South Croydon. It also means nothing can terminate at South Croydon something that is an engineering work option.

Also freights can't be held there to allow passenger trains to pass. There used to be one in the afternoon but it doesn't seem to have run recently.

 

[Sunset route]

plain line it its been a delight to be using that nice 40mph crossover on the london side of Sth.Croydon for the last few months rather than dawdling through the 20mph crossover. Hopefully the signallers will keep it as the main route going forward for Down Slow traffic.

I very much doubt it as the new breed of signallers can only follow the plan printed in front of them instead of using all that brain power they demonstrated to get into the grade in the first place and free think and problem solve, however the few old signallers around will probably still use the quicker route as they’ve always have done.

 

[Thebaz]

Since the thread is in the geographically correct area does anyone know what story is with the speed restrictions on the slows at the north end of Purley station? I wonder whether it's for similar reasons?

 

[Cricketer8for9]

Since the thread is in the geographically correct area does anyone know what story is with the speed restrictions on the slows at the north end of Purley station? I wonder whether it's for similar reasons?

Sorry. I’m a Purley Oaks person - makes me sound posher than the South Croydon in which I actually reside.

 

[physics34]

I sign the routes and have wondered this so thanks for the info lol. I terminate at South Croydon on thursday with an ECS and changing ends.... but coming from London

 

[Sunset route]

I sign the routes and have wondered this so thanks for the info lol. I terminate at South Croydon on thursday with an ECS and changing ends.... but coming from London

That move has only been possible since the layout changed in 2009 ready for the East London Line. Before that you could only reverse at South Croydon from the country end only as the bi directional signalling at the time wouldn’t allow London end reverse moves.