Well, the days of having diversion standby locos at either Kirkby Stephen, Garsdale or Blea Moor are long gone........
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Avanti West Coast via Settle (for WCML Bridge replacement next January?)
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For anyone who doesn't know (I live in Clifton by the way 
) there's a rather complicated road diversion plan (in summary, the A6 from Shap to Penrith will be Northbound only other than for local traffic, with Southbound traffic coming off the M6 at Junction 40 and being diverted onto the A66) but most of us locals are intending to avoid going anywhere over those weekends if we can possibly avoid it (either by car or train come to that). I shall be mainly enjoying having a ringside seat for all the bridge action!
) there's a rather complicated road diversion plan (in summary, the A6 from Shap to Penrith will be Northbound only other than for local traffic, with Southbound traffic coming off the M6 at Junction 40 and being diverted onto the A66) but most of us locals are intending to avoid going anywhere over those weekends if we can possibly avoid it (either by car or train come to that). I shall be mainly enjoying having a ringside seat for all the bridge action!Once on the A66, where are they then sending the south bound traffic?
Off the A66 at Brough & A685 via Kirkby Stephen to rejoin the M6 at Tebay?
Yes- that's the plan currently.
I wonder how that’s going to be enforced.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
What's the benefit of that with the exception? You will just have a pointless empty lane.
It's partly to allow emergency services to get around. Also, the village of Eamont Bridge (which lies on the A6 just before the A66 interchange roundabout near Penrith) has a bridge which is too narrow for two-way traffic. Usually it's traffic light controlled (and would therefore cause a complete gridlock) but obviously it won't need to be with traffic only travelling one way.
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There's to be marshals/police. Much the same arrangement as when Kendal Calling is on.
Excellent, that's worth knowing, thanks.
Yes, you mentioned Eamont Bridge before I could, and yes it does have the potential to cause mayhem if not properly managed/enforced.
As a resident of Kendal, I just hope the local authorities have a similar plan to prevent total gridlock when the work moves south to the Tebay & Low Borrowbridge M6 bridges.
It’s a bit of a shame that these S&C diversions are not stopping anywhere (right?). I remember being on an S&C diversion maybe 30 years ago that stopped at Appleby and it seemed as if half the town had turned out in their Sunday Best to see it, including a “station master” dispatching the train in a fabulous vintage costume.
duffield
Established Member
S&C diversion times are now in RTT for week commencing 05/01/2026.
Looks like I can do a circuit Nottingham->Newark->Newcastle->Carlisle->Preston->Manchester->Nottingham starting around 0830 and getting back around 1830, incorporating the diversion on 1Z89 1321 Carlisle to Preston, with this important part in daylight and with civilised start and end times.
I'm hoping if I target 6th or 7th January (Tuesday/Wednesday) the diverted service will not be too crowded - any thoughts about this?
Looks like I can do a circuit Nottingham->Newark->Newcastle->Carlisle->Preston->Manchester->Nottingham starting around 0830 and getting back around 1830, incorporating the diversion on 1Z89 1321 Carlisle to Preston, with this important part in daylight and with civilised start and end times.
I'm hoping if I target 6th or 7th January (Tuesday/Wednesday) the diverted service will not be too crowded - any thoughts about this?
The Planner
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Most are 10 cars and the crank element should have finished frothing by then.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
I guess the weekends and within the school holiday are likely to be busy with the "crank" element.
and especially so when they run direct from Wigan to Blackburn...
duffield
Established Member
So if I don't travel with the other "cranks" does that mean I escape being called a crank? 
(I'm pretty sure I don't ever "froth"!)
My main reason for this trip will be to cover Hellifield to Blackburn, which I've never done; I know there are some Northern passenger services over this line, to Ribblehead, but this is a lot more convenient for me as part of a nice circuit and I get to do it in 1st.
(BTW I do think it would be a bit cranky of me paying whatever eye-watering amount this circuit would cost if I didn't get free travel!)
(I'm pretty sure I don't ever "froth"!)
My main reason for this trip will be to cover Hellifield to Blackburn, which I've never done; I know there are some Northern passenger services over this line, to Ribblehead, but this is a lot more convenient for me as part of a nice circuit and I get to do it in 1st.
(BTW I do think it would be a bit cranky of me paying whatever eye-watering amount this circuit would cost if I didn't get free travel!)
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
The ultimate circuit would be something like Preston/Wigan-S&C-Carlisle-Cumbrian Coast-Preston/Wigan, though I don't know if that'll be possible on any of the blockaded days.
duffield
Established Member
Also we currently have no idea how long the Whitehaven tunnel will be closed for.
(Unless I've missed something).
If trains are going Wigan to Blackburn direct, doesn't that imply that there will be RRBs from Lancaster to Wigan? I have just looked at 3rd Jan and can't see anything southbound from Lancaster. (Apart from TPE trains which I'm guessing just haven't been knocked out of the timetable yet.)
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Also we currently have no idea how long the Whitehaven tunnel will be closed for.
(Unless I've missed something).
Only a short walk to the next station though so I'd not let that put me off!
185143
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I've done that before, though not with a divert being involved.
pokemonsuper9
Established Member
Should be more than possible, via Whitehaven will take ~5 or 6 hours (they haven't put the schedule for the tunnel closure on RTT yet), Avanti via Settle only takes 2.
tumbledown
Member
There are some wacky services on RTT for the Preston blockade, including Blackpool South - Blackpool North with reversal at Kirkham&Wesham.
www.realtimetrains.co.uk
Realtime Trains | Departures from Blackpool North around 1615 on 03/01/2026
Train information at Blackpool North around 1615 on 03/01/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
www.realtimetrains.co.uk
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Through replacement buses from Ormskirk to Buckshaw Parkway too - has that ever been done before?
Barrow-Windermere via Lancaster, for another one!
Barrow-Windermere via Lancaster, for another one!
lrbvoyager
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Does anyone know what TPE are doing when Preston is closed?
I did do out via the S&C, back via Shap with WCRC a few years ago. Got a few unplanned bonuses too: going from Warrington to Wigan via NLW due to a Tesco train with a loose curtain, using the Farington Old Curve to skip Preston to make up time because one of the 47s had conked out at Helsby and the other had to be run around at Warrington onto the front, finally due to wires down at Lockerbie we skipped all three planned recesses into loops and had a non-stop run from Carlisle to Carnforth behind Leander. Cracking day.
D1537
Established Member
A shuttle from Manchester Airport to Buckshaw Parkway, and a shuttle from Glasgow Central to Edinburgh. Nothing inbetween.
lrbvoyager
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Are they not doing a Glasgow or Edinburgh to Carlisle? I don’t really get the point of a shuttle from Glasgow to Edinburgh when Scotrail and lumo will already be doing that?
A look on Real Time Trains shows TPE are doing Edinburgh/Glasgow to Carlisle services.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
It looks very much like Penrith is getting nothing at all. This seems unacceptable. Or wouldn't the RRBs be in yet?
Not all of the amendments are in yet. The publication date for the alterations in the first week of the Clifton Bridge job is not for two weeks.
What you can see on RTT now is what the operators have submitted to NR. These could change when the timetable is finalised.
Buckshaw parkway! That’s a strange one. Looking at it they aren’t even serving Chorley which would make way more sense or at least call there
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