Unusual Diversions.

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Got a XC service earlier this year from York to Leeds, didnt know that there was a broken down train between church fenton and Leeds and got the shock of my life as we turned left at Church Fenton and went via castleford with the double voyager set into Leeds from the west, where the train reversed.

Quite some years ago, when we were travelling from Manchester Airport to York (TPE first class in a Class 185) to take a 3-day break there, as we were passing near to Dewsbury, we were informed that there had been a line blockage at Neville Hill depot and no trains in either direction were passing the depot. At Leeds, we reversed and went via Castleford to then access the line to York.

 

[Magdalia]

Yes, you are right. The Cambridge diversions always seemed a bit elusive to me, whereas the Joint Lines were relatively common, so I guess the respective spread of weeks per year wasn't at all equal.

That makes sense. There's 80 miles of ECML track between Peterborough and Doncaster, but only 44 miles of ECML track between Hitchin and Peterborough (and with a lot more quadruple track too), so there ought to be more diversions via Lincoln than via Cambridge.

The "Chester Triangulation" moves always took place in the same direction, regardless of whether the train was ultimately heading northbound or southbound, i.e. you always propelled around the avoiding line from North to South, never South to North.

In 1992 there was a Sunday Crewe-Blackpool and return that went via Chester, reversing on the triangle. I did the triangle on the return journey but unfortunately I didn't record which way we did the triangle. My notes say nothing about the triangle in the morning. I joined the train at Chester but I can't remember whether the train only called in the station after it had done the triangle.

 

[D1537]

In the late 80s Sunday in Yorkshire was a cornucopia of random tracks if you were on the Cross-Country services

A quick look through just a few months on the Newcastle-Poole (and vice versa) sees

(a) via Beighton and run round at Sheffield
(b) run round at Wakefield W and then via Kirkgate - Normanton - Altofts
(c) via Woodlesford - Cudworth - Wath Road to Sheffield
(d) simply via Doncaster to Wakefield
(e) via Doncaster and Pontefract
(f) via Barnsley and Kirkgate (missing out WW)

including a number that did both (a) and one of the others, and probably more I haven't written down

The southbound often went via Leamside as well, and both regularly did Whitacre.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Does Manchester -> Shrewsbury via Wolverhampton count? Same train and a change of direction (reversal) at Wolverhampton, obviously. Some problem on the more normal route via Nantwich.

 

[Whistler40145]

I've had some unusual diversions in the North West over the years

Preston to London Euston diesel hauled dragging an 87 via St Helens Junction to Edge Hill sidings, then the AC loco worked via Runcorn to London Euston

Blackpool North to London Euston via Hartford Curve and Middlewich to Crewe, AC loco dragged by a 40 from Warrington Bank Quay

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Fairly recently: XC New St-Burton on Trent, out via Aston, Sutton Coldfield and Lichfield City, and back via Tamworth, the Sutton Park line, Walsall and Aston.
A figure of eight really, the routes crossing over near Sutton Coldfield.

 

[Whistler40145]

A few years ago, XC diverted services from Stoke-on-Trent to Stafford reversing at Colwich Junction in both directions

 

[Ste37]

In br days when working on wcml between preston and wigan on sundays, diesels were attached at either end and were then diverted via hindley, lostock junction,reverse and chorley in either direction.electrics stayed in formation and diesels used were mainly 47s or 20s.

 

[Tracked]

Did the route down the back of Meadowhall on a 170 (possibly TPE iirc) mid-afternoon some years ago, a few days before Christmas 2010 and as a result of a broken down train at Meadowhell.

The siding at the back of the Sorting Office near Sheffield in 2018, as a result of a brake issue on the EMT HST I was on.

Doncaster platform 4 to Doncaster platform 3 in a brake van pulled by an 08, either late 80's or early 90's, which might've been something to do with the lifts or work on the subway?

 

[nw1]

Not particularly obscure lines, but around late 1997 an XC HST from Bournemouth to Manchester that I was on was diverted (due to engineering work) from Reading to the Old Oak Common area, then up to Willesden and the WCML and on to Coventry.

Notable as I don't remember diversions that way being common.

Also did the XC Cotswold route mentioned by the OP on the last Sunday in June 1990 (47 and coaches); to date, my only coverage of any of that track. No intermediate stops though, other than signal checks. Remember the small halts approaching Oxford were still very 'classic' in appearance, with BR-era 60s/70s style lighting.


It's of note that these sorts of lengthy diversions (such as the XC diversions via the Cotswold line) barely seem to happen these days.

 

[Woolos 22]

Cardiff to Waterloo on saturday was an interesting journey when you left bristol

 

[Taunton]

Flooding in the west country in the 1960s gave some unusual ones; the Atlantic Coast Express section from Ilfracombe was diverted from Barnstaple via Taunton to Yeovil Junction, joining the main train there, presumably due to flooding at Cowley Bridge. The distance was actually a bit less than the normal route.

 

[Bevan Price]

Several from the 1960s & 1970s. Except for trains to London, I usually boarded at St. Helens Jn, but the trains originated at Liverpool Lime St. (LIV).
1. LIV - Newton Le Willows - Parkside West to North curve - Golborne Jn - Bamfurlong Jn - Amberswood West Jn - Hindley South - Strangeways East Jn - Bickershaw West Jn - Tyldesley - Eccles - Manchester Exchange.

2. LIV, as 1 to Bamfurlong Jn - Amberswood West and East Jns - De Trafford Jn (reverse, change loco) - Hindley No, 2 Jn - Atherton - Manchester Victoria.

3. LIV, as 1 to Bamfurlong Jn - Wigan Station Jn - (just beyond) Wigan Wallgate (reverse) - Atherton - Manchester Victoria

4. LIV - Stafford - Bushbury Jn - Walsall - Sutton Park - Water Orton - Nuneaton - London Euston.

5. As 4 to Bushbury Jn, then Stechford - Coventry - Rugby - London Euston.

6. Warrington Bank Quay - Preston via Whelley line.

7. Preston - Rufford - Burscough, North to West curve - Southport avoiding line - Liverpool Exchange

Also done several others already posted previously by others.

 

[Calthrop]

Fairly recently: XC New St-Burton on Trent, out via Aston, Sutton Coldfield and Lichfield City, and back via Tamworth, the Sutton Park line, Walsall and Aston.
A figure of eight really, the routes crossing over near Sutton Coldfield.

I "got" the earlier part of your figure of eight, long ago -- in summer 1967, travelling from Derby to Oxford via Birmingham: for whatever reason, train was diverted between Burton-on-Trent and Birmingham, turning right at Wichnor Junction -- now resident in the Birmingham area, I harbour a bit of hope of one day enjoying that piece of good fortune again. (I remember noting, on that diverted journey in '67, Erdington station as we passed through -- no inkling that that was where I'd be living, decades later.) I covet the Sutton Park line -- have had no opportunity to date, to travel on it.

Some time in the 1970s, on a through journey between Bristol and Birmingham (maybe started south of the former and / or going on to north of the latter; don't remember now): something wrong on the main line north of Cheltenham, caused my train to be diverted Cheltenham -- Winchcombe -- Stratford-on-Avon, and along the North Warwickshire line into Birmingham. I had actually travelled previously over the routes concerned, on a day's "line-bashing" in 1967; figuring-in, the sparse service which still existed between Cheltenham and Stratford -- that withdrawn the following year, if I have things rightly. However, diverted journey some years later felt like a much-appreciated treat, as regards covering Cheltenham -- Winchcombe -- Stratford once again.

 

[CW2]

A few more for you:
It was quite normal whenever the Trent Valley was blocked for trains to be diverted Rugby - Coventry - Stechford - Aston - Bescot - Bushbury.
I recall one weekend when there were works taking place in the Birmingham area, so Euston - Wolverhampton services were going via Stechford - Aston - Soho to enter New Street from the Wolverhampton end, then (to save reversal) continuing to depart via Duddeston to Aston, then back down to Soho, and along to Wolverhampton. So if you stood somewhere around Aston you would see the same train twice in half an hour, going in the same direction! The Wolverhampton - Euston services were doing the same diversion in reverse (i.e. a clockwise loop around Birmingham).

When WSMR were running services through from Marylebone to Wrexham with class 67s, there were occasional weekends that threw up interesting diversions (including some curves I'd never done before or since). This was the best of them (for me at least):
Sat 30/01/10
(I travelled from Tame Bridge Parkway to Marylebone and return).
67010 0723 Wrexham - Marylebone via Aston, Stechford, Weedon, Acton Canal Wharf, Acton Main Line, Greenford, South Ruislip (reverse).
67014 1922 Marylebone - Wrexham via South Ruislip (reverse), Greenford, Acton Main Line, Acton Wells, Willesden South West Sidings, Mitre Bridge Jn (reverse), Weedon, Stechford, Aston
Sunday 31/01/10
67012 1702 Wrexham - Marylebone via Aston, Stechford, Weedon, Acton Canal Wharf (reverse), Neasden Junction
So three varieties of route in the London area over two days.

 

[Whistler40145]

Once had a Glasgow Central to London Euston loco hauled service in the early 90s diverted via Shawlands, King's Park, Newton, Hamilton Central, Motherwell, Holytown and Wishaw to Law Jn

 

[d9009alycidon]

Once had a Glasgow Central to London Euston loco hauled service in the early 90s diverted via Shawlands, King's Park, Newton, Hamilton Central, Motherwell, Holytown and Wishaw to Law Jn

Done that in the opposite direction, brings up the peculiarity of an up WCML service working right line on the down line, if only for a few yards.

 

[MadMac]

Done that in the opposite direction, brings up the peculiarity of an up WCML service working right line on the down line, if only for a few yards.

Wouldn’t an Up service be ‘Down‘ (and vice versa) from Lesmahagow Junction to Mossend South/Milnwood in those circumstances?

 

[Falcon1200]

Once had a Glasgow Central to London Euston loco hauled service in the early 90s diverted via Shawlands, King's Park, Newton, Hamilton Central, Motherwell, Holytown and Wishaw to Law Jn

It was during one such (planned) diversion in November 2000 that a Euston-Glasgow C service derailed on the sharp curve between Mossend East and South Junctions. That made for an interesting night shift.....

 

[Whistler40145]

On a Pathfinder Tours railtour, we found out whilst in Lincoln that the wires and a headspan had collapsed over all four lines at Hitchin, considering that all ECML services had been brought to a complete standstill south of Peterborough, Network Rail provided us with a diversion via March, Ely, Cambridge, Cheshunt to Stratford then over the North London Line, motive power was a Class 56 dragging a Class 92 to Stratford

 

[70014IronDuke]

The Pines Express went via the Somerset and Dorset until I think September 1962, and up to that point used New Street not Snow Hill.

When it was diverted off the Somerset and Dorset to go via Basingstoke, then it started to use Snow Hill. The southbound train was Snow Hill 12.43 pm and the northbound 2.27 pm.

Well, that narrows the date down - almost certainly in the first week of the winter TT (my school term usually started Sept 17 - 21). I feel certain it was the northbound working, so that would put back my visit to Snow Hill by about three hours. If this was the last train we saw, it means the first train off New Street would have been about 15.10 or so, and I'd guess that means we'd have hit Leamington - at a guess - around 15.50, or perhaps a bit later, making it just about right to pass the 14.10 ex-Pad, with a Castle trying to keep to Cl 52 timings. (I can imagine that was a tough ask, especially on that road with the usual heavy loads - 11 - 12 Mk1s being the norm, I'd assume?)

Thanks too to @Harvester

 

[Dr_Paul]

I can't recall the exact date, it was in the early 1980s, I was at a union conference in Southport and travelled back to Euston via Liverpool. From Liverpool Lime Street we went normally, but at some point we branched off the West Coast Main Line and went along a very creaky line at a very low speed, ending up going through Sandbach and rejoining the WCML at Crewe. Looking at the map, I take it we came off the WCML just after Acton Bridge, joined the Chester to Manchester line, then went along the freight line through Middlewich. Was -- or is -- this a common diversion?

I didn't travel on them, but I did notice about a year back that when the Great Western main line was out of commission at weekends, some services were diverted at Didcot and went via Oxford, Bicester, High Wycombe and Greenford and back to the GW at West Ealing. On some days, if I remember correctly, some were diverted this way but went straight into Marylebone. A good use of the new connection at Bicester, I thought.