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Last minute platform changes, East Croydon

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Jan Mayen

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I thought sidings, such as those formerly at Redhill, were owned by Network Rail. Is that not the case?
 
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R

RailUK Forums

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Look on the other side: the sale of the Redhilll siding has allowed DB Cargo to keep on running for a little longer. NR kindly bought a whole range of sidings across the country, which had been historically transferred to DB-C as they were exclusively used by freight. Always felt a little like State Aid....

Returning to East Croydon, in practice Platform 3 is the 'down main' for both Southern and Thameslink and, particularly in the peak periods (when I think there are still a few extra trains), Platforms 1 and 2 have to be used for the up trains. If they all used Platform 1, the delays of course just build up. So if your down train is Platform 2 be very sceptical... There used, ie. pre 2020, to be some Brighton fasts that went from P2 but now they can all go through P3. If ever the route does get ETCS-fitted, then the need for platform alterations should reduce as that system allows trains getting to Platform 3 to run closer together, increasing the throughput slightly (if NR don't absorb the gain with other things eg even longer dwells whilst to ensure 'on time southbound departure from East Croydon'!)

Whenever I have to clamber up the bridge I silently curse whichever committee it was (Stedeford?) that said all new bridges should be built for sufficient clearance for 25kV using proper standards. This adds c. 8 steps on top and the climb is noticeably harder than the ramps as the Down end of the platforms. Can't the ex-Post Office underground ramps be resurrected?!!! Does seem slightly unlikely that 25kV will make it deep in the heart of South Central, but I suppose we have to lookg to the future!

Re the question of NR doing the switcheroos to save Delay Minutes, it would be great if they did have plans as worked out as this. But, in practice, NR operations just take its situation as it comes and don't seem to worry that much about delay minutes.... In any case, payments for delays will going out the window soon as GBR takes shape.
 

Surreytraveller

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21 Oct 2009
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Look on the other side: the sale of the Redhilll siding has allowed DB Cargo to keep on running for a little longer. NR kindly bought a whole range of sidings across the country, which had been historically transferred to DB-C as they were exclusively used by freight. Always felt a little like State Aid....

Returning to East Croydon, in practice Platform 3 is the 'down main' for both Southern and Thameslink and, particularly in the peak periods (when I think there are still a few extra trains), Platforms 1 and 2 have to be used for the up trains. If they all used Platform 1, the delays of course just build up. So if your down train is Platform 2 be very sceptical... There used, ie. pre 2020, to be some Brighton fasts that went from P2 but now they can all go through P3. If ever the route does get ETCS-fitted, then the need for platform alterations should reduce as that system allows trains getting to Platform 3 to run closer together, increasing the throughput slightly (if NR don't absorb the gain with other things eg even longer dwells whilst to ensure 'on time southbound departure from East Croydon'!)

Whenever I have to clamber up the bridge I silently curse whichever committee it was (Stedeford?) that said all new bridges should be built for sufficient clearance for 25kV using proper standards. This adds c. 8 steps on top and the climb is noticeably harder than the ramps as the Down end of the platforms. Can't the ex-Post Office underground ramps be resurrected?!!! Does seem slightly unlikely that 25kV will make it deep in the heart of South Central, but I suppose we have to lookg to the future!

Re the question of NR doing the switcheroos to save Delay Minutes, it would be great if they did have plans as worked out as this. But, in practice, NR operations just take its situation as it comes and don't seem to worry that much about delay minutes.... In any case, payments for delays will going out the window soon as GBR takes shape.
The ramps weren't Post Office. It was a subway for passengers. The Post Office had an overhead bridge
 

Nicholas Lewis

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9 Aug 2019
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8,007
Location
Surrey
Look on the other side: the sale of the Redhilll siding has allowed DB Cargo to keep on running for a little longer. NR kindly bought a whole range of sidings across the country, which had been historically transferred to DB-C as they were exclusively used by freight. Always felt a little like State Aid....

Returning to East Croydon, in practice Platform 3 is the 'down main' for both Southern and Thameslink and, particularly in the peak periods (when I think there are still a few extra trains), Platforms 1 and 2 have to be used for the up trains. If they all used Platform 1, the delays of course just build up. So if your down train is Platform 2 be very sceptical... There used, ie. pre 2020, to be some Brighton fasts that went from P2 but now they can all go through P3. If ever the route does get ETCS-fitted, then the need for platform alterations should reduce as that system allows trains getting to Platform 3 to run closer together, increasing the throughput slightly (if NR don't absorb the gain with other things eg even longer dwells whilst to ensure 'on time southbound departure from East Croydon'!)

Whenever I have to clamber up the bridge I silently curse whichever committee it was (Stedeford?) that said all new bridges should be built for sufficient clearance for 25kV using proper standards. This adds c. 8 steps on top and the climb is noticeably harder than the ramps as the Down end of the platforms. Can't the ex-Post Office underground ramps be resurrected?!!! Does seem slightly unlikely that 25kV will make it deep in the heart of South Central, but I suppose we have to lookg to the future!

Re the question of NR doing the switcheroos to save Delay Minutes, it would be great if they did have plans as worked out as this. But, in practice, NR operations just take its situation as it comes and don't seem to worry that much about delay minutes.... In any case, payments for delays will going out the window soon as GBR takes shape.
At least there are closing up signals at ECR which gives reasonable platform reoccupation times. What really would help the dwell time is if self desptach was operated on all stock. A 700 achieves 15-20secs quicker cycle time than a Southern and can be a lot longer if they don't have a full compliment of dispatchers along the platform and someone close by the RA/CD buttons.
 

Falcon1200

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14 Jun 2021
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Neilston, East Renfrewshire
NR, GWR and Southern have all passed the buck regarding providing the necessary 2/3car stop sign (£20?)

My understanding is that provision of 2/3 etc car stop signs is entirely a TOC responsibility, and NR would not normally be involved; Unless there are perhaps signalling implications?

In any case, payments for delays will going out the window soon as GBR takes shape.

Payments maybe, but delay investigation and attribution will continue!
 

Nicholas Lewis

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9 Aug 2019
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8,007
Location
Surrey
Payments maybe, but delay investigation and attribution will continue!
Absolutely essential to driver performance to investigate delays but what goes by the wayside is all the arguing over the numbers and monetary impact and the back office staff involved in the money go around. They also need to scrap Sch 4 as well
 
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