Eric
Member
why have Northern started stacking trains on platforms one and two at Forster Square? The extra walk down the platform for the train means you are exposed to the elements like today.
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Stacking trains at Bradford Forster Square
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Can you provide more information please?
They stack at certain times of day and Sundays to stable trains between peaks. Previously they stabled a 321 all day in platform 3 but they now need all 3 platforms due to the longer turnaround times at Bradford. Leeds station hasn’t got the platform space to stable a couple of 4 carriage trains and paths upto and off of Neville Hill are sparse so easier to just put them in the long platforms at Bradford FS
Bantamzen
Established Member
I noticed this on Friday afternoon (off the 16:11 from Baildon), with 2 333s sat on P2. Just glancing at RTT, it seems to vary from hour to hour, so I wonder if this is in preparation for accommodating the future bi-hourly LNERs? Either way, it does need attention if only to extend the covered area on P1/2. Unfortunately, the funding for the various improvements for the entrance area to Forster Square has been delayed, so work on it isn't expected to start until next year so the will remain precious little comfortable space to wait there either.
Eric
Member
It was yesterday afternoon. The weather in Bradford was biblical and both platforms one and two had parked up 333s in the platforms so everyone for Leeds or Ilkley had to go right down to the end of the platform which of course doesn't have a roof.
Last week they were only stacking in platform one but now it would appear they are at in two also.
These trains that are just left in the platforms are these extra services for the peaks?
Eric
Member
For a major city station, Forster Square is simply inadequate. This isn't just some end of the line halt but a major interchange station with over 2 million passengers a year.
DarloRich
Veteran Member
Goodness me. i wonder how you would cope at Euston where you have to walk miles to get to the "front train"!
Eric
Member
I've been to Euston many times and always found my walk to the train to be undercover and thus stopping any chance of getting soaking wet from the elements.
DarloRich
Veteran Member
It depends which platform you use, how many trains are "stacked" ( and it will be more than 2/4 carriages) and whether you need to get on the train at the very country end of the platform. I got soaked the other day waiting for the doors to be opened.
Bantamzen
Established Member
To be honest for the 6tph (plus eventually the bi-hourly LNERs) it has generally been big enough with 3 platforms, though a fourth might be nice to prevent these kind of problems. However for me the rebuilding of the concourse, adding waiting rooms, toilets, retail units is more of a priority.
I don't use Euston much, if at all these days, but at Forster Square, indeed much of this area we have developed our own brand of "sideways rain" that can penetrate pretty much any cover we care to throw over stations!! So being soaked waiting for the train (and sometimes on one of the older DMUs) is really much par for the course.
(Of course if the sun comes out for too long, we complain about that too....
)
DarloRich
Veteran Member
I don't use Euston much, if at all these days, but at Forster Square, indeed much of this area we have developed our own brand of "sideways rain" that can penetrate pretty much any cover we care to throw over stations!! So being soaked waiting for the train (and sometimes on one of the older DMUs) is really much par for the course.
(Of course if the sun comes out for too long, we complain about that too....
try upwards rain on Roker beach in January. Bracing!
This happened to me on Saturday 25th May, arriving late at Forster Square after delays up the line beyond Bingley. It wasn't raining much though. I wondered why we weren't sent into the empty platform 3. Same happens at Manchester Vic platforms 1/2, where the platform ends are open to the weather. Platforms 1 and 2 are favourites for sticking an out-of-service TPE unit which has arrived late and turned back short.
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This approach was detailed in the RAIB report into the Norwich collision, where there had been stacked not one but two trains in a platform, and then a third one was signalled in with the expectation that just the frontmost door would fit to detrain all the passengers. Although nobody told the driver that.
Apparently the traditional approach, to stable trains in sidings, was considered "too expensive", as Network Rail charge by the movement and doing it this way saves costs, and also crew costs for driving the trains to and from the sidings. And then they had a collision.
A similar collision later happened at Plymouth.
Apparently the traditional approach, to stable trains in sidings, was considered "too expensive", as Network Rail charge by the movement and doing it this way saves costs, and also crew costs for driving the trains to and from the sidings. And then they had a collision.
A similar collision later happened at Plymouth.
Bantamzen
Established Member
Ah yes, the North East coast rain. I can remember some of it at trips to Feethams before you moved, and at that other place that has an aversion to monkeys. Nowadays I usually try some each year a little further down the way at Whitby, its always a challenge to know which way to point your brolly, before the wind takes it off of course!
DarloRich
Veteran Member
Look at you with your fancy brolly!!!!!!!! Jacket, not done up. head down, jaw set, purposeful stride. That is all the weather protection needed
Bantamzen
Established Member
Look at you with your fancy brolly!!!!!!!! Jacket, not done up. head down, jaw set, purposeful stride. That is all the weather protection needed
Its for my wife you understand, I'm just trying to be a gentleman.....
Eric
Member
To be honest for the 6tph (plus eventually the bi-hourly LNERs) it has generally been big enough with 3 platforms, though a fourth might be nice to prevent these kind of problems. However for me the rebuilding of the concourse, adding waiting rooms, toilets, retail units is more of a priority.
I don't use Euston much, if at all these days, but at Forster Square, indeed much of this area we have developed our own brand of "sideways rain" that can penetrate pretty much any cover we care to throw over stations!! So being soaked waiting for the train (and sometimes on one of the older DMUs) is really much par for the course.
(Of course if the sun comes out for too long, we complain about that too....
But what are these trains doing in the platforms?
Are they extra peak services? If they are I've not heard anything about extra peak services. It seems ridiculous to have them there for the majority of the day. I guess better than having them stuck in the bays at Leeds but that's a long way to shift them out of the way.
Bantamzen
Established Member
As mentioned earlier in the thread, there always used to be a 321/322 stabled at Forster Square on P3 for much of the day, which would then swap with a 333 mid-afternoon to allow the latter to run ECS back to Leeds. I don't know what exactly has changed, but I imagine it is partly to allow units to come off service because the capacity at Leeds is so tight. Far from ideal, but in reality it only means occasionally having to walk the length of a 4 car unit. It will be no different for passengers using the LNERs when they start.
Eric
Member
I think both Forster Square and the Interchange could do with an extra platform.
It's become noticeable that when coming from Manchester into Bradford you are kept at the last signal before the platforms.
The other day we waited a good five minutes for a platform because there were two class 180s in platforms one and two.
Leaving just three and four to handle all other services.
Looking at RTT: one set arrives ECS from Leeds at 1016 and another (not the same, so some swapping happens) departs at 1724 to cover the evening peak (RTT suggests the 1756 LDS-SKI).
Of course, they could stable it in a platform at Leeds instead, but isn't there a thread on that?
BTW the rain was much worse in London
Of course, they could stable it in a platform at Leeds instead, but isn't there a thread on that?
BTW the rain was much worse in London
xotGD
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I was on the 17:56 Skipton yesterday and confirm that it arrived into Leeds ecs. Now I know where it comes from!Looking at RTT: one set arrives ECS from Leeds at 1016 and another (not the same, so some swapping happens) departs at 1724 to cover the evening peak (RTT suggests the 1756 LDS-SKI).
Of course, they could stable it in a platform at Leeds instead, but isn't there a thread on that?
BTW the rain was much worse in London
Looking on RTT a train is stabled in Platform 1 from 1016 to 1611 so all other services using this platform between these times will come in on top.
A train is stabled in Platform 2 between 1553 and 1724 so the 3 services that use this platform in between will come in on top
It also looks like the 0546, 0646 to Ilkley, 0558 to Leeds and 2316 to Ilkley also use the north end of the platforms
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Eric
Member
Cheers, I'll have arrived just before the one set off from platform one.
There will have been some sort of disruption, as only one Grand Central service should be in Bradford at once on weekdays (indeed they have Platform 2 to themselves until 7pm and it sits empty from 1022 to 1403 and from 1451 to 1801)
Two sets are there around 0800, one being the crowdbuster to Leeds.
I’d forgotten about that. Of course it’s running for Northern at that point.
Old Yard Dog
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Look at you with your fancy brolly!!!!!!!! Jacket, not done up. head down, jaw set, purposeful stride. That is all the weather protection needed
I remember seeing people surfing at Hartlepool (Seaton Carew) at 6 pm on a miserable rainy day in March 1989 after an equally miserable game against Halifax.. They'd blocked the entrances to the beach with boulders but that didn't stop these hardy souls. Is Hartlepool twinned with Honolulu?
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