Trivia: Stations on triangluar junctions (such as Earlestown)?

[318259]

The Berlin U-Bahn has a station called “Gleisdreieck” (rail triangle) for this very reason.

After a nasty accident, it was completely rebuilt as a grade separated crossing and the station has platforms at both levels.

 

[xotGD]

Confusingly, Winnersh Triangle isn't on the list.

 

[alistairlees]

Triangle station was not actually triangular (it served the village of Triangle).

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Confusingly, Winnersh Triangle isn't on the list.

Named after the nearby business park, isn't it?

 

[alistairlees]

For historical purposes Forres was once a triangular station, albeit this station has been demolished and replaced with a new one a few years ago.
Interestingly no map I can find shows the east to south platform, however this photo confirms that it did exist - https://www.railscot.co.uk/img/26/534/

The platform is marked on the 1892 25 inch map (though hard to see): https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/sid...60983&lon=-3.62412&layers=168&right=ESRIWorld

 

[GusB]

I have some vague memories of the triangular layout at Forres, but I would have been quite young at the time. Construction of the bypass wiped most of it out, with only the east-west platform left. Of course, the realignment of the track and construction of the new station has done away with the rest. It's interesting (and quite saddening) to see the side by side view of the old map and the satellite view.

 

[Ken H]

Down trains ran past Bingley Junction and reversed into the Bradford platform. Introduced with the post-Beeching rationalisation of services and closure of all the smaller stations.

The S and C services (so the loco-hauled ones) didn't call and never had, and maybe one or two others.

The present platform 1 (Up from Skipton) came with Leeds NW electrification.

Shipley used to have 4 platforms. Non on the avoiding line. Dont know when the south to West line was singled nor why. Its on a very sharp curve.
The cymbersome operating arrangements were feasable then. Not that many trains.

 

[Howardh]

Did Bolton Trinity at ever have a platform on the loop? I have never seen evidence but you experts will know!

 

[Flying Claret]

I’m surprised no one has mentioned that Accrington was a triangle, with platforms on the Bury line in addition to the existing ones.

Yep. But I dont think there was a platform on the Manchester-blackburn spur. Freight only, but I could be wrong...

 

[Kingston Dan]

Inverkeithing has (or used to have) and east west link between the Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy line and although it never has been a triangular station it wouldn't take much to turn it into one if there was ever a direct Dunfy - Lang Toun service.

 

[Midland Man]

Shipley used to have 4 platforms. Non on the avoiding line. Dont know when the south to West line was singled nor why. Its on a very sharp curve.
The cymbersome operating arrangements were feasable then. Not that many trains.

Up until the 1960s a few down trains did combine portions, with the Leeds portion backing into platform 1 (over unlocked points) while up trains were split at Saltaire, or (later) at Keighley or Skipton. The first major changes came with the timetable change friom 22nd March 1965 when up trains from Skipton to Leeds were routed via platforms 2 and 3, while down trains went via platforms 4 and 1. This changed in April 1966 when they set back into platform 1 from the down main - a move so frequent that a facing point lock (lever 4) was deemed necessary, fitted to no 8 points (and no 14 crossover, removed in 1969). A new down main platform (no 5, now no 2) was provided from 14th May 1979 - bi-directional from 9th March 1980. Platforms 1 and 2 were on such a tight curve that from the introduction of the DMUs in 1959 all coaching stock trains were signalled as 'out of gauge' and could not pass in these platforms. By 1980 it was realised that only one platform was needed and following a short period of single line working through platform 1 that platform was taken out of use from 30th March with all trains using platform 2 (now platform 5). Finally the up main platform 1 was brought into use on 25th July 1992, although one train stopped there unofficially on the previous evening due to a points failure.

 

[Halish Railway]

I seem to remember being told by an elderly man at Church who has now unfortunately passed that Leeds to Skipton trains would pass what is now known as Shipley platform 3 and the signal protecting Shipley South Junction. The guard would then go into the other cab and sound the buzzer when the signal protecting the junction had showed an aspect clearing the train into platform 5, at which point the driver would reverse the train into platform 5.

Unfortunately, the addition of platforms 1 and 2 hasn’t been as transformational as it could have been, as people travelling from Baildon to Leeds or any other Wharfedale station to Apperley Bridge and Kirkstall Forge still have to wait 20-25 minutes for a train from Bradford Forster Square, seeing as Ilkley to Bradford trains arrive into Shipley one minute before a Skipton to Leeds train leaves, unless there is a Carlisle/Morecambe to Leeds train right behind it, in that case the connection is feasible.

I would say that Wharfedale line passengers being being able to connect onto a train going to destinations beyond Skipton has been incredibly useful.

 

[Ken H]

I seem to remember being told by an elderly man at Church who has now unfortunately passed that Leeds to Skipton trains would pass what is now known as Shipley platform 3 and the signal protecting Shipley South Junction. The guard would then go into the other cab and sound the buzzer when the signal protecting the junction had showed an aspect clearing the train into platform 5, at which point the driver would reverse the train into platform 5.

...

Skipton/Keighley - Leeds trains ran into what is today, platform 5. The driver would change ends, the tail lap would be moved, and the guard would sit in the cab towards Bradford. He would buzz the driver out of the platform and past the signal box (Shipley Bradford Junction). One clear of the points, the driver would then, driving from the front cab, go back through the other platform (sometimes stopping, sometimes not) and off towards Leeds.
No idea why some stopped twice.
One does wonder about the train travelling towards Bradford with a tail lamp at the front. Was there a special order about that? What did they do when the electric lights on modernisation DMU's were used instead of tail lamps?

This was especially cumbersome when there were several units coupled together. But the big Leeds - Morecambe summer saturday service (Frequently 8 carriages) went via Bradford, so no shunt at Shipley.

 

[JRT]

Was away to mention Forres.

Someone has compiled a list of triangular stations, also mentioning uncertainty on the east-south Forres platform: http://www.railwaycodes.org.uk/stations/trivia.shtm#triangle

Shipley wasn't BUILT as a triangular station, it was built as a station on the Leeds –Bradford and Bradford –Skipton lines.

 

[507020]

Shipley wasn't BUILT as a triangular station, it was built as a station on the Leeds –Bradford and Bradford –Skipton lines.

Why wouldn’t a station have been provided on the Leeds - Skipton line? Would the 4 tracks or MML traffic have had anything to do with it?

 

[JRT]

Shipley Station was originally slightly south where the lines join. The first line was Leeds –Bradford, then Shipley (Bradford Junction)–Skipton. The station moved to its present site afterwards, then a Leeds – Skipton line was built through the present car park on a tight curve.
It was probably planned to have a North platform but at the time it wasn't needed as passengers were served by the other two services. Leeds– Morecambe trains ran via Bradford and MML expresses didn't call.

The manoeuvre description above came into place after the Leeds – Bradford services were dropped

The original platform 1 opposite the present platform 5 was unable to be used as both tracks couldn't be used because of clearances on a tight curve

 

[Bantamzen]

There was also a second station at Shipley, serving the long since closed Shipley & Windhill Railway. If you stand at the north end of P3 at Shipley, you can still see the former station building on the far side of the bridge just to the east of the station.