Trivia: Stations/Lines that receive a better service during times of disruption

[mister-sparky]

The shortest route is via Epsom, Raynes Park, Wimbledon, Point Pleasant Junction, Clapham Junction, Stewarts Lane and Victoria. I agree that the normal route was via Sutton but that route is longer. It was a LSWR v LBSCR thing. In Network SE days the southwestern division were making noises about extending their Waterloo to Dorking service down the Arun Valley to Littlehampton but nothing ever came of it.

They did run to from Waterloo to Horsham until the 90s I think

 

[paul1609]

Yes, a quick timetable check for Cheam to Amberley today on NRE suggests you go via Clapham Junction, and at Clapham Junction there is only a 5 minute connection.

What could possibly go wrong there?

If you want to go via Dorking on the same journey there is a 50 minute wait at Horsham.

Thats unusual is that a peak time train? The connection at Horsham southbound is normally something like arrive xx 45 , depart xx 04.

 

[peteb]

When Lickey incline route is closed for engineering the Kidderminster loop gets a huge infux of passenger and freight traffic, often all through the night, however nothing extra stops at Kiddy, even though it would be really useful if it did!

 

[30907]

Thats unusual is that a peak time train? The connection at Horsham southbound is normally something like arrive xx 45 , depart xx 04.

The xx04 doesn't call at Amberley offpeak, so that particular flow (trickle?) is less well catered for.

 

[NorthernSpirit]

Sometimes diverted Transpennine trains call at Brighouse to reduce Rail Replacement Bus mileage

When the Transpennine's are diverted, Brighouse will often be staffed by the rail replacement co-ordernators who will also use the ticket machine as their "ticket office".

 

[Timmyd]

There’s a fairly regular one when the Thameslink route has engineering work that Wimbledon/Sutton trains run non-stop Tulse Hill to London Bridge, skipping the usual five intermediate stops that Southern serve

 

[Egg Centric]

Various services on the London, Tilbury and Southend railway - enhanced service from Liverpool Street or more trains for the loop.

 

[LancasterRed]

Carlisle to Newcastle received a better service when the Northern ECML was closed.

 

[lawried123]

Until about 1978.

I lived in Cheam at that time, and we would often go down to Littlehampton or Bognor for the day on the direct service from Sutton.

Now you have to change at Horsham.

I also used to live at Cheam and loved watching the Bognor trains at speed through the middle fast lines at Cheam (now removed). As I think they were 4Cors, I seem to remember the corridor connections bouncing around. Happy memories.

 

[py_megapixel]

During engineering works there are often more Avanti services calling at Wilmslow, Stockport and/or Stafford.

 

[TFN]

During disruption or engineering works, Thameslink to/from Rainham can divert via Lewisham, giving Lewisham a through service all the way via the Core.

I love when it happens because it means I don't have to change trains at London Bridge.

 

[AY1975]

I remember some years ago, Enfield Town received extra trains to Liverpool Street calling only at Seven Sisters. This was during engineering work on the West Anglia, I believe there were replacement buses from Enfield Town to stations further north.

Likewise, I seem to recall that at least in BR days if there were engineering works on the East Coast Main Line south of Stevenage and all ECML trains were diverted via the Hertford Loop, Hertford North (which only normally gets a stopping service formed of Class 717 (and before that Class 313) EMUs with Standard Class only seating and no toilets) got a fast service to King's Cross with 1st class and toilets because the King's Cross-Cambridge trains called there.

Hertford Loop diversions still happen today, but I don't know whether Hertford North still gets a fast King's Cross service when that happens. Given the present day pathing constraints (at least pre-Covid) I would suspect probably not.

 

[roversfan2001]

When the line via Chorley was being electrified, Leyland regularly saw non-stop services to and from Bolton, and even Manchester Piccadilly later on in the evenings.

 

[mister-sparky]

When there’s engineering work around Sevenoaks, then the Hastings trains divert and give Redhill and East Croydon a half hourly service to Charing Cross

 

[Peter0124]

Newton when the WCML is closed, the Lanark services towards Bellshill stopped there.

 

[Malcolmffc]

The Chessington branch has a 2tph service throughout the week. But when the line to Epsom is closed the trains are diverted to Chessington and it gets a 4tph service!

 

[southern442]

Sticking with the Littlehampton theme...

The current Gatwick works amended timetable (without the COVID cuts) gives 2tph to each of Littlehampton and Eastbourne, instead of 2tph running combined. Which means that passengers on either of these two lines get both a more reliable service and a longer train.

 

[zwk500]

Sticking with the Littlehampton theme...

The current Gatwick works amended timetable (without the COVID cuts) gives 2tph to each of Littlehampton and Eastbourne, instead of 2tph running combined. Which means that passengers on either of these two lines get both a more reliable service and a longer train.

Although this is largely because of the Gatwick Works, I believe the intention is to retain them as two separate services going forward, precisely for the 2 reasons you mention.

 

[Cdd89]

Battersea Park - platform 2 (normally a parliamentary London Overground service, receives a lot of LO trains in the event of disruption).

I’ve caught LO trains there surprisingly frequently actually considering it doesn’t officially offer a service!

 

[Joey Beauchamp]

I've been meaning to start a similar thread, but didn't get round to it!

My local station, Pevensey Bay, received more services than usual for the majority of lockdown.

When the first restrictions came in and the service was reduced severely to an "enhanced Sunday service", Mon-Fri stops were put in on the hourly London Victoria - Ore service at similar times to the usual services (4 Westbound and 5 Eastbound). However, in addition, an early morning Brighton - Hastings stopper was added, calling everywhere apart from London Road. I assumed this could have been for route knowledge?

During the second lockdown, Pevensey Bay received an even greater gift - Saturday services! The stops were back to their normal times, but changed to Mon-Sat inclusive. I expect it was simpler for staffing rotas to keep the same timetable.

Now there's only 4 trains each way Mon-Fri, the 16.56 has been culled.

 

[Fuzzytop]

St Neots? When it's being used as an LNER bus transfer point during closures of King's Cross, it gets InterCity trains up the East Coast that usually pass it by.

I seem to remember St Neots was one of the stations (along with Biggleswade?) that saw a temporary one-a-day LNER call in the height of the Thameslink timetable fiasco. I guess it was to cover other cancelled services, so not a 'better' service per se, but a Mk4 is a definite improvement over a 700 comfort-wise...

 

[rower40]

Ingatestone on GEML - because it's got quick and easy access to the A12 for buses to London.

When Leicester to Nuneaton was shut once, and I was wanting to travel from Cambridge to Derby, I got a direct train from Cambridge to Tamworth (via the Sheet Stores to Stenson Junction line - passing only about 3 miles from my intended destination), then had to retrace my steps some 20 miles back to Derby.

 

[GoneSouth]

Gloucester has benefited in the past when the Severn Tunnel is closed. Paddington to Cardiff trains are diverted north and make an additional call at Gloucester.

 

[mangyiscute]

When Paddington was shut, my 45-ish minute Reading to Ealing Broadway journey took just 20 minutes since all of the fast trains terminated at Ealing

 

[AlbertBeale]

Raynes Park is on the line to and from Waterloo.

I wasn't aware that there was any track connection to enable services to run Raynes Park - Wimbledon - Earlsfield - Clapham Junction - Battersea Park - Victoria.

Is there really no link across from the Waterloo lines, just after Clapham Junction, onto the route to Battersea Park and Victoria? I thought I'd at least seen tracks doing the opposite, ie allowing a Victoria-bound train to carry on towards Waterloo. Certainly there's a link between the Windsor lines and tracks into Victoria.

No-one has mentioned London Underground. When there are problems (planned or otherwise) on the Circle and/or Hammersmith lines, the Circle often reverts to its old circular self; which is great because you can get "round the corner" at Edgware Road without changing trains. A big "plus" for many travellers.

 

[zwk500]

Is there really no link across from the Waterloo lines, just after Clapham Junction, onto the route to Battersea Park and Victoria? I thought I'd at least seen tracks doing the opposite, ie allowing a Victoria-bound train to carry on towards Waterloo. Certainly there's a link between the Windsor lines and tracks into Victoria.

There is no link from the Waterloo 'Main' Lines to Victoria. Not even a crossover. Trains from the Windsor side must use the Ludgate lines to Longhedge Jn then the Battersea Reversible and Stewarts Lane Jn to access Victoria.

 

[Ianno87]

When the West Anglia Route south of Stansted is shut, Greater Anglia run Stansted-Cambridge North shuttles, which run evenly every half hour (rather than the 20/40ish pattern normally)

 

[GatwickDepress]

When the Marshlink line is shut, Winchelsea usually gets an hourly bus service instead of one train every two hours in the off-peak.

 

[AY1975]

Is there really no link across from the Waterloo lines, just after Clapham Junction, onto the route to Battersea Park and Victoria? I thought I'd at least seen tracks doing the opposite, ie allowing a Victoria-bound train to carry on towards Waterloo. Certainly there's a link between the Windsor lines and tracks into Victoria.

No-one has mentioned London Underground. When there are problems (planned or otherwise) on the Circle and/or Hammersmith lines, the Circle often reverts to its old circular self; which is great because you can get "round the corner" at Edgware Road without changing trains. A big "plus" for many travellers.

Similarly, Edgware Road-Wimbledon trains have occasionally been diverted to Richmond or Ealing Broadway in times of disruption on the Wimbledon line, which has unusually enabled passengers to travel through from stations on the Ealing/Richmond branches of the District Line to stations between Earl's Court and Edgware Road. In the days of C69/C77 and D78 Stock this led to the rare appearance of C Stock trains on the Ealing and Richmond branches.

It has also been known for a Hammersmith & City Line train to be changed into a District Line train (or vice versa) on arrival at Edgware Road (not sure whether this was because of disruption or some other operational reason), thus saving passengers from having to change trains who would otherwise have had to do so.

 

[riceuten]

When I worked in Huntingdon, GNER trains would occasionally call at the station during times of disruption, and occasionally even let passengers on the train - particularly if there was a OHL damage and the train was a 125.

35-40 mins from there to London was a rare enough experience.