Trivia: Current services where the train reverses ends, mid-journey.

[Zooty]

Interesting! So, depart Heysham Port -> Morecambe (Platform 2 - Change ends) -> Bare Lane (Platform 2) -> Carnforth (Platform 2 - Change ends) -> arrive Lancaster (Platform 4?)

As the train to/from Heysham Port originates from Lancaster, could you legitimately do the round trip via Carnforth on a £4.50 CDR ?

Yes you can.

 

[RH Liner]

There's a once a week reversal at Newark flat crossing on a Lincoln to Nottingham Sunday afternoon service (calls at both Newark stations).

Isn’t there a daily service in each direction that does this?

 

[Busyboy89]

Thanks for the info. I was thinking it was just the mid afternoon Sunday one, but still valid nevertheless.

They may well stop calling at Newark NG as LNER increase their services Lincoln to kings cross.

Isn’t there a daily service in each direction that does this?

Yep first one off Lincoln to Nottingham, and last one off Nottingham to Lincoln

 

[Andy Pacer]

Isn’t there a daily service in each direction that does this?

See post 57...

 

[Deerfold]

Yep - all of the peak LNER extensions reverse at Leeds. Assuming it starts as planned in 2022 the two-hourly daytime Harrogate service won't reverse as it will enter and exit Leeds from the east. The Huddersfield extension will start then as well, so another reversal.

Almost all.

The Saturday Skipton to London doesn't reverse.

 

[AM9]

Liverpool St to Great Yarmouth (was Yarmouth Vauxhall) had direct trains that used to reverse at Norwich (then Thorpe). I don't know whether there are still some summer services from London or elsewhere that do the same.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Don't know about the current timetable, but there has usually been a Chester/Cardiff-Holyhead which runs first to Llandudno and then reverses to Llandudno Jn for the onward leg to Holyhead, so two reversals (and maybe one at Chester).

Wolverhampton-Walsall/Rugeley via Birmingham New St might involve a reversal there via Soho, but not if routed via Aston.
Peak services via Colchester Town reverse there.

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

The Germans have a phrase for it: 'Zug verkehrt heute mit umgekehrter Wagenreihung', means something like 'the train is running backwards today', quite fun with ICE1 sets, one might have to walk through ten carriages to reach ones first-class seat. Might happen if a delayed train is diverted to avoid calling at Frankfurt/Main where it normally reverses.

 

[Isaiah]

Manchester Victoria - Leeds reverses at Bradford Interchange

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Manchester Victoria - Leeds reverses at Bradford Interchange

Indeed. See also post #1 at the top of this thread.

 

[43055]

Don't know about the current timetable, but there has usually been a Chester/Cardiff-Holyhead which runs first to Llandudno and then reverses to Llandudno Jn for the onward leg to Holyhead, so two reversals (and maybe one at Chester).

Not seen that one before in the normal timetable. There were some in the last year when the service was reduced to something like every 2 hours.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Ascot - Guildford (Hourly, Sundays only) reverses at Aldershot

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Sunday only: Guildford to ascot reverses at Aldershot

Ascot - Guildford (Hourly, Sundays only) reverses at Aldershot

Thanks for confirming.

 

[steamybrian]

Inverness to Wick trains reverse at both Georgemas Junction and Thurso.

 

[rower40]

Do any passenger services reverse more than twice?
(0643 Nottingham to Reading reverses at Derby and Birmingham New Street. I'm sure lots of other examples of double-reversal above.)

But are there any triple-reversals?

 

[43055]

Do any passenger services reverse more than twice?
(0643 Nottingham to Reading reverses at Derby and Birmingham New Street. I'm sure lots of other examples of double-reversal above.)

But are there any triple-reversals?

Before the reductions last year the Nottingham - Reading service continued to Bournemouth so would reverse at Derby, Birmingham and Reading.

 

[swt_passenger]

Do any passenger services reverse more than twice?
(0643 Nottingham to Reading reverses at Derby and Birmingham New Street. I'm sure lots of other examples of double-reversal above.)

But are there any triple-reversals?

A couple of us mentioned earlier that the SWR Saturday service Waterloo to Wareham ran via both Yeovil stations and Weymouth. So 3 reversals and a fourth on the occasions it ran through onto the Swanage Railway.

 

[trainmania100]

Close the brighton mainline south of three bridges and it's reversals galore. London to Brighton via reversal at Littlehampton, and if the works are south of keymer junction, occasional reversals at Lewes turn back as well, or reversal at Brighton. Love a bit of diversion down my way.

Although for wtt down my way, I can only thing of reading to Gatwick rev Redhill, and Eastbourne reversals ore <> Brighton/london

 

[30907]

Close the brighton mainline south of three bridges and it's reversals galore. London to Brighton via reversal at Littlehampton, and if the works are south of keymer junction, occasional reversals at Lewes turn back as well, or reversal at Brighton. Love a bit of diversion down my way.

Although for wtt down my way, I can only thing of reading to Gatwick rev Redhill, and Eastbourne reversals ore <> Brighton/london

There used to be a double reversal - the 2359 fast ex Victoria ran to Ore via Brighton and Eastbourne pre privatisation (and pre nationalisation too!). That presumably still happens when there are engineering works Keymer-Lewes.
There was also the period where East and West Coast were linked via P2/3 at Brighton, so theoretically could have had a triple reversal - I don't think that has ever been done in conjunction with an Arun Valley diversion, as the restriction to 4 cars is a big problem.

Have there ever been booked workings East-Brighton-Preston Pk-West? I don't think so, but the empties from West Marina when the Brighton-Exeter was Hastings units must have done that (4 reversals!)....

 

[Mcr Warrior]

There used to be a double reversal - the 2359 fast ex Victoria ran to Ore via Brighton and Eastbourne pre privatisation (and pre nationalisation too!). That presumably still happens when there are engineering works Keymer-Lewes.
There was also the period where East and West Coast were linked via P2/3 at Brighton, so theoretically could have had a triple reversal - I don't think that has ever been done in conjunction with an Arun Valley diversion, as the restriction to 4 cars is a big problem.

Have there ever been booked workings East-Brighton-Preston Pk-West? I don't think so, but the empties from West Marina when the Brighton-Exeter was Hastings units must have done that (4 reversals!)....

Interesting but wasn't looking for historic such services, just ones currently or in the last few years. Post #1 refers.

 

[Sean Emmett]

Haven't we done this before?

Some through Westbury - Glos/Cheltenham trains reverse at Swindon.

Through Exmouth - Paigntons reverse at St Davids. Odd Gunnislake train reverses at Plymouth.

Pre covid there was a Bristol - Pad which reversed at Westbury, making that station one of the few which sees reversals at both ends.

Prob needs a new thread, but could add New St and Sheffield to that list?

 

[AlbertBeale]

Interesting but wasn't looking for historic such services, just ones currently or in the last few years. Post #1 refers.

[Re post 79 in fact.] When there were West Coastway - East Coastway through services via Brighton, they were only via Platform 3; I don't remember there ever being a time when the layout would allow any other platform to reach both west and east lines out of Brighton. Though restricted to 4-car services, it's still a pity (in terms of connections across the Brighton & Hove conurbation) that through services don't exist these days. I'd have thought a stopping service between Worthing(ish) and Lewes would be useful for many people. (I do understand that there are pathing considerations getting across all the London lines from Platform 3 to the Lewes line.)

 

[norbitonflyer]

On the MML, services like Derby-London(via Corby) reverse at Leicester I think(correct me if I am wrong).

Such services don't run via Leicester - they run direct from East Midlands Parkway to Melton Mowbray via the north side of the Syston triangle.

There's a once a week reversal at Newark flat crossing on a Lincoln to Nottingham Sunday afternoon service (calls at both Newark stations).

This involves a double reversal - first in Northgate station and then east of the flat crossing.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Do any passenger services reverse more than twice?
(0643 Nottingham to Reading reverses at Derby and Birmingham New Street. I'm sure lots of other examples of double-reversal above.)

But are there any triple-reversals?

One there used to be (but which no longer runs) was the Selby to Wakefield Westgate services which reversed at Bradford Interchange, Huddersfield and Wakefield Kirkgate.

 

[tony6499]

Thameslink and Southern services(London and beyond to Brighton) reverse at Lewes on diversion.

As do diversions via Hove

 

[DanNCL]

Pre covid, Newcastle - Southampton services would reverse en-route twice, first at Birmingham New Street then again at Reading.

 

[RichardKing]

The Worthing portion of the 00:02 ex Victoria reverses at Brighton. When there's overnight work between Keymer Junction and Lewes, the Eastbourne portion also reverses at Brighton (the train divides there instead of Haywards Heath).

Services on the West Sussex Coastway line used to reverse at Littlehampton- perhaps others can confirm.

I think there are still one or two stopping Portsmouth-Brighton (and vice versa services) that reverse at Littlehampton.

 

[AlbertBeale]

The Worthing portion of the 00:02 ex Victoria reverses at Brighton. When there's overnight work between Keymer Junction and Lewes, the Eastbourne portion also reverses at Brighton (the train divides there instead of Haywards Heath).


I think there are still one or two stopping Portsmouth-Brighton (and vice versa services) that reverse at Littlehampton.

I'm aware that only Platform 3 gives access to both west and east (albeit only 4 coaches to the west). But does, eg, Platform 2 at least allow access to the north (even though not the east) via some of the stabling tacks to the west of the main lines to the north? Otherwise, the Worthing portion of the 00:02 ex Victoria could only reverse at Brighton if it was just 4 coaches. And if a train with portions for both Eastbourne and Worthing divided at Brighton, then (by definition) that must be more than 4 coaches, so would that require shunting in and out to do the split?

 

[RichardKing]

I'm aware that only Platform 3 gives access to both west and east (albeit only 4 coaches to the west). But does, eg, Platform 2 at least allow access to the north (even though not the east) via some of the stabling tacks to the west of the main lines to the north? Otherwise, the Worthing portion of the 00:02 ex Victoria could only reverse at Brighton if it was just 4 coaches. And if a train with portions for both Eastbourne and Worthing divided at Brighton, then (by definition) that must be more than 4 coaches, so would that require shunting in and out to do the split?

Theoretically, you could access the BML from platform 2 at Brighton (8 car maximum); this would require a movement via the West Carriage Road and through Lovers Walk. I believe the 442 railtour in 2017 used this route.

In terms of the 00:02 ex Victoria, when the service splits at Brighton it does indeed arrive on platform 3. The rear 8 coaches (at the London-end) detach and head off to Eastbourne, which leaves the front 4 Worthing portion able to use the cross over to head west.

 

[kieron]

A couple of us mentioned earlier that the SWR Saturday service Waterloo to Wareham ran via both Yeovil stations and Weymouth. So 3 reversals and a fourth on the occasions it ran through onto the Swanage Railway.

They don't seem to be running at the moment. There is a London Waterloo-Yeovil Junction train a week tomorrow which calls at both Yeovil stations, but that goes via Warminster and doesn't reverse at all.

A train which is running now is the 0247 from York to Manchester Airport. The route this takes varies quite a lot, but its default route is:

York - Castleford - Leeds - Huddersfield - Hedben Bridge - Manchester Victoria - Salford Crescent - Manchester Piccadilly - Manchester Airport

This gives reversals at Leeds, Huddersfield and Salford Crescent. The service's only intermediate calls are at Leeds, Huddersfield and Manchester Picadilly.