Sutton Park Line Diversions

[dave_wm]

It appears that for a week in February (specifically Monday 17th to Friday 21st), there is some sort of blockade between Birmingham New Street and Water Orton, which leads to some interesting diversions;

Cross Country long-distance services are diverted via the Cross City line, leaving New Street at xx03 to Newcastle via Doncaster and xx30 (calling at Lichfield City) to Edinburgh via Leeds; as such the regular destinations are swapped, and trains will run Plymouth - Newcastle and Reading - Edinburgh. It would be interesting to find out what HST diagrams will be in operation on these days..!

As a result the Cross City Line service is thinned out; the xx05 and xx35 from Birmingham will not operate northwards for most of the day.

But far more rare are the diversions of XC Birmingham - Nottingham/Stansted Airport services; these will run Birmingham - Walsall - Sutton Park - Coleshill Parkway, generally hourly each at xx42 to Stansted via Aston and xx52 to Nottingham via Soho each hour. This must be the first time the Sutton Park line has seen anything approaching a regular passenger service (albeit not calling) for a long while, possibly since the 1960s?!

These are the services running via Sutton Park: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/sea...7/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt&toc=XC

and these are the ones running via the Cross City: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/sea...7/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt&toc=XC

 

[The Planner]

Landor St and Castle Bromwich Junctions are getting ripped up and relaid, that is why the diversions are required.

 

[onein37]

What about the freights that run between these junctions?

 

[The Planner]

Between where and where? Water Orton and Landor St? Lawley St Freightliner is still open via the Up and Down Slow, the rest presumably diverted.

 

[louis97]

It would be interesting to find out what HST diagrams will be in operation on these days..!

Looks like 3 diagrams all week

5V44 0458 Neville Hill to Leeds 0508
1V44 0518 Leeds to Plymouth 1147
1S52 1224 Plymouth to Edinburgh 2128
5S52 2152 Edinburgh - Craigentinny 2202

5V46 0551 Neville Hill to Leeds 0608
1V46 0616 Leeds to Plymouth 1247 (Although is currently timed as Voyager, STP ECS suggests otherwise)
1E56 1324 Plymouth to York 1938
5E56 1953 York to Neville Hill 2034

5V85 0557 Craigentinny to Edinburgh 0643
1V52 0700 Edinburgh to Plymouth 1546
1E67 1625 Plymouth to Leeds 2251
5E67 2259 Leeds to Neville Hill 2309
(Although all services timed as Voyagers, STP HST timed ECS suggests otherwise)

 

[sonic2009]

With the Sutton Park line diversions maybe we could arrange a Forum meet out of it?

 

[heart-of-wessex]

With the Sutton Park line diversions maybe we could arrange a Forum meet out of it?

I'd certainly be interested, make it more interesting than just being on my own. I've done the curve from the New Street direction but need the line both way's on the east side of the triangle that the 170's are doing. I'd be happy to do a XC HST on the Cross City too

 

[Whistler40145]

AFAIK XC infrequently divert trains by Sutton Park?

If this is the case, will XC be diverting ECS moves via Sutton Park & using these for Route refreshers?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[CallySleeper]

This is excellent.

 

[D841 Roebuck]

Ah yes. Nostalgia. Getting the curves in, Sohowise - got the lot Iin an afternoon!

26 February 1986

86218 BHM - BMI (via Soho S Jc, Soho E Jc, Perry Bar W Jc, Perry Bar S Jc, Aston & Stechford)
81012 BMI - Sandwell & Dudley (Stechford, Aston, Perry Bar S Jc, Perry Bar WJc, Soho E Jc Soho N Jc)
86243 S&D - WVH
47616 WVH - S&D
EMU S&D - BHM
DMU BMO - Dorridge
50023 Dorridge -WVH (via Small Heath Jc, Bordesley Jc, Castle Bromwich Jc, Park Lane Jc, Ryecroft Jc, Pleck Jc, Bescot Jc, Perry Bar North Jc, Perry Bar W Jc, Soho E Jc, Soho N Jc)
86206 WVH - BHM

Not a bad evening's entertainment.

I eventually got Park Lane Jc to Water Orton W Jc in 2010, with 59202 on a railtour.

 

[O L Leigh]

AFAIK XC infrequently divert trains by Sutton Park?

If this is the case, will XC be diverting ECS moves via Sutton Park & using these for Route refreshers?

Nothing goes via Sutton Park whatsoever and no XC driver currently signs the route. There will be a route-learning special in the run-up to the blockade.

O L Leigh

 

[Eagle]

Will the route learning be done on ECS to and from Central Rivers?

 

[High Dyke]

Because of the route capacity throughout the day the xx:19 Birmingham - Nottingham and xx:41 Nottingham - Birmingham services will not run. The hourly service between Nottingham and Cardiff will still operate.

 

[cambsy]

I would be up for a forum meet to do the diversions, late morning would be best as be coming up from Devon.

 

[O L Leigh]

Will the route learning be done on ECS to and from Central Rivers?

As posted...

There will be a route-learning special in the run-up to the blockade.

 

[Eagle]

That doesn't actually tell me if it's ECS or passenger service.

 

[O L Leigh]

Neither. It's a route-learning special.

O L Leigh

 

[Whistler40145]

What traction will be used for Route Learning?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Tomnick]

That doesn't actually tell me if it's ECS or passenger service.

Every route learning special that I've ever dealt with has run as ECS (it has to be one or the other, special or not!). They're often timed to make two or three passes over the route in question, so wouldn't be much use to (most) passengers anyway. I wouldn't get too excited about the potential traction either!

 

[Whistler40145]

Would XC have spare units hanging around at Central Rivers to cover route learning?

 

[heart-of-wessex]

Would XC have spare units hanging around at Central Rivers to cover route learning?

I'd imagine a spare 170 in the off-peak from Tyseley might do it since it's the 170's on diversion, so it might be from Tyseley?

Unless they also sign Voyagers too, then possibly Central Rivers