Strangest Diversion

[Whistler40145]

What is the most strangest diversion you have ever been on?

 

[mm333]

Not strange in terms of routing, I suppose, but I enjoyed the opportunity to go the wrong way non-stop through Wakefield Westgate platform one.

I was on a Goole-Leeds service that got stuck at Castleford thanks to signalling problems. So we were sent via Normanton, Kirkgate, the Westgate curve and then the crossover north of Westgate.

 

[Eagle]

I've been on a CrossCountry HST on a Sunday which called at York, Leeds, Wakefield, Doncaster, then reversed with the next stop being Sheffield. I've never been able to work out how it did that.

(Unless I'm misremembering and it reversed at Wakefield Westgate, implying it went via Normanton and Kirkgate.)

Edit: if it helps, I can remember the date was 28/02/10 (my sister's 18th, I called her on the train) and it left Newcastle at about 10.30, destination Plymouth.

 

[Crossover]

The routing I completely and utterly don't get is the start/end of the WY Grand Tour at Wakefield Westgate.

It seems (or this has been the case the last couple of times I have used it...the only 2 in fact) that the terminating train comes in to platform 1, essentially running against the normal direction, and then onto the sidings. It then comes out of the sidings and into platform 2, again running against the normal direction, before crossing over to use the curve. Is there any reason for this operationally?

Also, does anything use the through line at Westgate much?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Also, does anything use the through line at Westgate much?

No passenger train is booked to - I suppose if there's problems at Hambleton the Harrogate Up EC run on a Saturday could run over it. I need it

 

[rail-britain]

Aberdeen - Euston sleeper
Diverted southbound via Cardenden, so had to pickup a ScotRail conductor at Dundee

Euston - Aberdeen sleeper
Diverted northbound via Mossend and Perth (due to late departure from Euston and no path through Edinburgh)

Inverness - Euston sleeper
Diverted through Birmingham International

Glasgow - Cathcart via Mount Florida
Diverted via Maxwell Park due to incorrect signal at Muirhouse

 

[Dreadnought]

What is the most strangest diversion you have ever been on?

Maybe not strange but definitely obscure for me was the following one:

Manchester Piccadilly to Crewe via Warrington Bank Quay after departing P3 at Piccadilly, all due to an incident in the Wilmslow area!

It was an ATW service which reversed to go through P13 at Piccadilly, P1 at Oxford Road and then to Earlestown before running nonstop down the WCML to Crewe!

 

[MidnightFlyer]

There used to be some weird and wonderful stuff for the Anglo-Scotland services during WCML modernisation - start at Coventry, then International, Stetchford, Aston, Bescot Stadium, Wolves, Crewe, Styal, Manchester Piccadilly, Eccles, Wigan, Preston and up the WCML was one.

 

[yorksrob]

No passenger train is booked to - I suppose if there's problems at Hambleton the Harrogate Up EC run on a Saturday could run over it. I need it

I've been on a few trains going non-stop North through Wakefield Westgate (diverions and the last train from London) but they've always used the platform line.

I also remember them doing the diversion from Castleford back through the Wakefield curve to Leeds one Sunday for engineering works. I remember thinking at the time that it was pretty quick, even though we had to double back through Normy and how much prefereable it was to a replacement bus.

Needless to say, this has never been repeated since and whenever engineering works are afoot the dreaded bus always appears.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I though the through line headed Up rather than Down...

 

[yorksrob]

I always thought it was Northbound, but I'm happy to be corrected if thats not the case. All my Southbound diversions have also used the platform line anyway.

 

[gary47]

I have seen one go New street,Nuneaton,Stafford,Stoke,Crewe,Wilmslow,Stockport and Manchester when there was railworks

 

[Crossover]

The through line is in the Northbound (down) direction
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I have seen one go New street,Nuneaton,Stafford,Stoke,Crewe,Wilmslow,Stockport and Manchester when there was railworks

Yeah, I have done that route a couple of times from Stafford - New St.

They reverse at Nuneaton (I think they may have made it a passenger call one time) and then head down through Water Orton

 

[142094]

The routing I completely and utterly don't get is the start/end of the WY Grand Tour at Wakefield Westgate.

It seems (or this has been the case the last couple of times I have used it...the only 2 in fact) that the terminating train comes in to platform 1, essentially running against the normal direction, and then onto the sidings. It then comes out of the sidings and into platform 2, again running against the normal direction, before crossing over to use the curve. Is there any reason for this operationally?

Also, does anything use the through line at Westgate much?

The unit on the Grand Tour normally goes into 1, into the siding, and back into one. Avoids conflicting moves with 2 which is normally expecting something going towards Leeds.

Never seen it do what you say but I suppose Westgate is flexible if a long distance train is coming in, so the Northern unit can be sent into either platform.

 

[table38]

The through line is in the Northbound (down) direction

We thought the Ousing Dove might have used the through line yesterday at Wakey, but we went very very slowly through the platform in a sort of trying-not-to-actually-stop sort of way; and then stopped

Additional random question - which platform(s) do the Great Central services use at Kirkgate?

 

[142094]

We thought the Ousing Dove might have used the through line yesterday at Wakey, but we went very very slowly through the platform in a sort of trying-not-to-actually-stop sort of way; and then stopped

Additional random question - which platform(s) do the Great Central services use at Kirkgate?

Grand Central uses the Konttingley platform which is 3 IIRC.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Additional random question - which platform(s) do the Great Central services use at Kirkgate?

3, or, as I call it, the back one

 

[Lampshade]

Additional random question - which platform(s) do the Great Central services use at Kirkgate?

Usually platform 3.

EDIT: Beaten to it, twice.

 

[142094]

I think we can safely say it is 3!

 

[Crossover]

The unit on the Grand Tour normally goes into 1, into the siding, and back into one. Avoids conflicting moves with 2 which is normally expecting something going towards Leeds.

Never seen it do what you say but I suppose Westgate is flexible if a long distance train is coming in, so the Northern unit can be sent into either platform.

The second time I used it, it was meant to be going out of platform 1 and then they last minute swapped it to platform 2 :roll:
That one caused no end of confusion on platform 2 though with people wanting the Leeds train. Advised a person or two to wait for the next one that was a little more direct :P

We thought the Ousing Dove might have used the through line yesterday at Wakey, but we went very very slowly through the platform in a sort of trying-not-to-actually-stop sort of way; and then stopped

Additional random question - which platform(s) do the Great Central services use at Kirkgate?

Platform 3 I believe. I think they use the same platform in both directions as well

EDIT: As per the rest!!! We are just too good at this!
Thankfully I haven't had cause to change trains there yet :P

 

[yorksrob]

We thought the Ousing Dove might have used the through line yesterday at Wakey, but we went very very slowly through the platform in a sort of trying-not-to-actually-stop sort of way; and then stopped

Additional random question - which platform(s) do the Great Central services use at Kirkgate?

I think it only uses the outer island platform. The signage points GC passengers to that one.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I think it only uses the outer island platform. The signage points GC passengers to that one.

Goodness, I was late off the mark for this one !

 

[mm333]

I've been on a CrossCountry HST on a Sunday which called at York, Leeds, Wakefield, Doncaster, then reversed with the next stop being Sheffield. I've never been able to work out how it did that.

(Unless I'm misremembering and it reversed at Wakefield Westgate, implying it went via Normanton and Kirkgate.)

Edit: if it helps, I can remember the date was 28/02/10 (my sister's 18th, I called her on the train) and it left Newcastle at about 10.30, destination Plymouth.

Are you sure it didn't reverse at Leeds? http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/gensheet/message/13456 suggests it would have gone from York to Leeds via Castleford, meaning a reversal at Leeds before heading out to Wakey

 

[table38]

I think we can safely say it is 3!

Thanks everyone, I'm booked on a GC this week hence the question.

We came through what is left of Platform 4 yesterday and 3 didn't look in much better shape

I couldn't see any platform indicators, and I didn't want to be stood at the wrong platform...

 

[Eagle]

Are you sure it didn't reverse at Leeds? http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/gensheet/message/13456 suggests it would have gone from York to Leeds via Castleford, meaning a reversal at Leeds before heading out to Wakey

That line doesn't even appear on my map, that'll be why I couldn't work it out.

 

[table38]

Are you sure it didn't reverse at Leeds? http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/gensheet/message/13456 suggests it would have gone from York to Leeds via Castleford, meaning a reversal at Leeds before heading out to Wakey

We did that the other week returning from York; it was amusing seeing the faces of the people on Platform 16 as we appeared from the wrong direction, and no doubt 100 people asking the guard "is this the Liverpool Train"

 

[43094]

The through road at WKF is available in the down direction.

It's been used in cases where something has failed in platform 2 at WKF - i've been stood there when this has happened wanting to catch pairs of hellfire valentas which have stormed through the centre instead.

It's not required for me though, as there were 2 weeks a few years ago when 1F01 SuO LEI - YRK was booked that way, due to the normal route SHF - DON - YRK being unavailable as a result of planned engineering.

IIRC, The first week it ended up rather frustratingly using the line through platform 2, though it did run non-stop through Leeds as booked. The second week however a rather large pair of valentas did cover both WKF centre road and the full centre road non-stop through Leeds

That train was often a bit of a 'railtour' service!

 

[Martin_1981]

These are not diversions I have been on myself, just a few that have happened in the past that I have been aware of:-

1. Leeds to Plymouth Virgin XC Sunday service circa 1997/98 diverted via Leicester, Nuneaton (reverse), Coventry, Oxford, Swindon and Bath.

2. Leicester to Paignton IC Holidaymaker service (1991) diverted via Nottingham (reverse), Castle Donnington and Burton. This was the Nottingham-Paignton service which normally ran via Nuneaton, but was diverted and re-scheduled to start at Leicester due to engineering works.

3. Kings Cross-Leeds via Oakham, Syston Curve, Trent Junction and Erewash Valley Line (1993)

4. Penzance-Glasgow/Edinburgh Virgin XC (via WCML) diverted from Birmingham via Derby, Dore South Curve, Hope Valley Line, Manchester and Bolton (1997).

Obviously the more recent ones which many would consider to be strange are Birmingham-Euston via Chiltern Line and of course the Paddington-Bristol services via the Chiltern Line and Banbury last year!

 

[trc666]

Strangest one I've been on was Waterloo - Guildford (via Cobham) - Woking (via Worplesdon) - Basingstoke on a 421 heading towards Bournemouth about 12 years ago.

 

[Eagle]

There was one this morning: the Waterloo–Exeter was diverted via Southampton (as it was yesterday), but for some reason, presumably because it was displacing the Six service, it ran all stops between Southampton and Salisbury. Romsey just got its first London service in a while!

 

[Southern]

HS1 domestic services using the flyover at Ashford because of engineering works. Services reversed at Ashford East Junction.