How times have changed since 1980 when Leander was stuck at Kirkby Stephen on a southbound CME, some way behind failed 40179 on an up freight. BR allowed Leander to detach, cross over and run wrong line to get ahead of the failure. After crossing back to the up main 5690 reversed back, hooked up to 40179 and hauled it and the freight south to a siding at Garsdale.
A slightly different scenario in 1980; Leander will have been an assisting engine (run as 1Z99), in one of the exact scenarios for which wrong line working rules are designed. Not permitted for convenience... which is what running round constitutes.
Whilst there is another way to do the run round (shunt the train to down platform, run round right line), that might have required detraining all passengers (because the trailing crossover will usually not have facing point locks) and blocking the down line as well for a half hour minimum.
Whatever solution was used, it would be operationally messy. I reckon the chosen solution this time was, sadly, the most robust and simple operationally, even if boring and disappointing.
Worth considering how the delay affected available crew hours too, continuing might have pushed too close to the maximum.
