Thameslink rerouting oddity (9K45 routed via Herne Hill on 31/10)

[KoleonGray77]

First time posting so please inform me if there's a more suitable place to post this
At the time of writing this I'm on 9K45 to Orpington and it seems we've been rerouted through Herne Hill and Beckenham Junction.

 

[Mayfair1501]

First time posting so please inform me if there's a more suitable place to post this
At the time of writing this I'm on 9K45 to Orpington and it seems we've been rerouted through Herne Hill and Beckenham Junction.

Driver took wrong route , fast to shortlands

 

[JonathanH]

Driver took wrong route , fast to shortlands

Driver accepted or was given non-timetabled route surely?

For the record
9K45 1611 Kentish Town to Orpington
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L85914/2023-10-31/detailed

Was there any announcement on board to say the stops on the Catford Loop were being omitted?

 

[ComUtoR]

Driver accepted or was given non-timetabled route surely?

'Took wrong route' is completely acceptable and understood.

'Wrong route offered and taken' is official wording.

 

[KoleonGray77]

I fell asleep actually and by the time I woke up I was at Herne Hill, though asking the gentlemen next to me I believe it might've been announced beforehand, but I'm not too sure on the details

 

[Mayfair1501]

driver accepted wrong route

 

[Deepgreen]

First time posting so please inform me if there's a more suitable place to post this
At the time of writing this I'm on 9K45 to Orpington and it seems we've been rerouted through Herne Hill and Beckenham Junction.

Welcome.

 

[kacper]

Ive seen this before while waiting for a train at Herne Hill. Announcement played that a train is not stopping at the station, and shortly after a Thameslink train stopped and released the doors

 

[43066]

driver accepted wrong route

Certainly a possibility but, can I ask, are you in a position to know that for a fact? They could equally have been diverted that way for various reasons, eg issues on the Catford Loop.

 

[XCTurbostar]

I assume this stopped somewhere between Elephant & Castle and Shortlands? Given the circumstances, would stopping to disembark angry passengers for the missed stations not be the best course of action?

 

[43066]

I assume this stopped somewhere between Elephant & Castle and Shortlands? Given the circumstances, would stopping to disembark angry passengers for the missed stations not be the best course of action?

Standard approach would have been to make appropriate on board announcements, but run non stop via Herne Hill and Kent House, stopping at the next available on-route stop, so Shortlands in this case. Passengers would be advised to double back from there.

Stopping a diverted/wrong routed train out of course is generally avoided, as it creates further confusion and the risk of passengers boarding the wrong train; eg if this train had stopped at Herne Hill, passengers would likely have joined it assuming it was a Sutton Loop service.

 

[30907]

Standard approach would have been to make appropriate on board announcements, but run non stop via Herne Hill and Kent House, stopping at the next available on-route stop, so Shortlands in this case. Passengers would be advised to double back from there.

There really isn't anywhere useful to stop at in preference to the Shortlands routing - except possibly Herne Hill for Denmark Hill - as the routes are a fair way apart.

 

[SE%Traveller]

There really isn't anywhere useful to stop at in preference to the Shortlands routing - except possibly Herne Hill for Denmark Hill - as the routes are a fair way apart.

Stopping at Herne Hill is what has happened in my experience on all but one occasion. it's useful enough for Denmark Hill and certainly enough people disembarked. The Driver/ staff made it obvious it was going to Sevenoaks and is a frequent enough occurrence at weekends when there's engineering work too not catch out too many locals I'd have thought.Probably eases the pressure on buses at Elephant too (to the extent that's a consideration!)

 

[MotCO]

Whatever happened, the RTT report suggests that it was on time at Shortlands and Orpington, so either it was a lucky coincidence, s/he waited time somewhere, or this was a planned route diversion.

Realtime Trains | 9K45 1611 Kentish Town to Orpington | 31/10/2023

Real-time train running information for 9K45 1611 departure from Kentish Town to Orpington on 31/10/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[ComUtoR]

or this was a planned route diversion.

No

 

[30907]

Whatever happened, the RTT report suggests that it was on time at Shortlands and Orpington, so either it was a lucky coincidence, s/he waited time somewhere, or this was a planned route diversion.

Realtime Trains | 9K45 1611 Kentish Town to Orpington | 31/10/2023

Real-time train running information for 9K45 1611 departure from Kentish Town to Orpington on 31/10/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

As there was a Vic-Orpington stopper immediately in front it would be a slow run, but it got overtaken by a Ramsgate fast en route, which suggests it was looped at Kent House.