Weirdness at Westbury (freight train looped on the avoiding line)

[stuu]

I'm on the 1904 Paddington to Plymouth. It's been trundling along behind a freight train, which according to Real Time Trains should have been looped at Woodborough. The freight train has been halted on the Westbury avoiding line and this train sent via the station. Never known that in hundreds of journeys along here.

What's the logic there?

 

[godfreycomplex]

I'm on the 1904 Paddington to Plymouth. It's been trundling along behind a freight train, which according to Real Time Trains should have been looped at Woodborough. The freight train has been halted on the Westbury avoiding line and this train sent via the station. Never known that in hundreds of journeys along here.

What's the logic there?

Best guess - freight train too long to sit in the station for a long period of time without disrupting other operations

 

[74A]

The 1836 to Plymouth was also following it. That train stops at Westbury which explains why the freight was sent via the avoider.

 

[30907]

The freight shows a 10min stop at Woodborough. Some sort of problem must have arisen that prevented it being held there for the correct time, and whatever it was, the solution was to run it forward and use the next opportunity to regulate it.

 

[louis97]

The freight shows a 10min stop at Woodborough. Some sort of problem must have arisen that prevented it being held there for the correct time, and whatever it was, the solution was to run it forward and use the next opportunity to regulate it.

The train was running overlength and therefore too long for the loop.

 

[embers25]

On Thur 13th Feb, a freight was routed via the avoider and blocked it whilst it waited for the delayed 1806 to go to Westbury and Frome. They then let the freight out to turn into Frome loop in front of the late running 1836 slow to Plymouth that was in Westbury. By this point we were right behind the freight on the bypass on the 1903 to Plymouth as we'd already pretty much caught up the 1806 and 1836. However, they held us to let the 1806 and freight go and then they let the 1836 go first too. So we both ended up late for absolutely no reason and they had to hold the Barnstaple and Penzance trains at Exeter for us. I think another reason it's happening more recently is the works at various times on the West of England line meaning more trains are reversing in Westbury taking up platforms the limited number of platforms.

 

[Class15]

The train was running overlength and therefore too long for the loop.

Would FL have been charged for that?

 

[Class 170101]

Would FL have been charged for that?

Would have got the delay minutes most likely.