What's the furthest away your train has been diverted ad hoc?

[mm333]

Travelling on the Settle & Carlisle this week reminded me of the time in 2017 when I was heading from Leeds to Glasgow via the S&C. Due to issues north of Settle, we were diverted non-stop from Long Preston to Lancaster, so those of us heading to Carlisle and beyond could pick up a northbound WCML train there.

What the furthest away from your intended destination that one of your trains has been diverted once you've got on board?

 

[sot]

Are you talking off routes along the journey or at the end of the journey/service?

I suppose one person's middle of journey is likely someone else's destination.

 

[Harpo]

South Wales to London services occasionally get sent via Gloucester or Bath but not both.

I was once on an unplanned divert from Severn Tunnel to Gloucester because of Sodbury flooding. The crew then heard Kemble was blocked so got sent via Charfield to Bristol Parkway, around the Rhubarb and up through Bath.

I’m also aware of a fairly epic tale of a Deltic diversion via Carlisle, the GSW & Shotts. Hope someone digs it out.

 

[Iskra]

A railtour I was on from The Bluebell Railway to East Midlands Parkway via Bletchley and Bedford reached Bletchley to find the line ahead closed due to engineering works. The railtour had to thus continue up the WCML for a circuitous tour of lines around Birmingham before heading towards East Midlands Parkway, very late.

 

[Purple Train]

I was once on a Manchester-Cardiff service which was diverted from Crewe to Shrewsbury via Wrexham General, which added over an hour onto the journey. I was travelling from Scarborough to Exeter on the cheapest split I could find, and I'd imagine the conversation with the ticket inspector on the Exeter train would have been interesting if the service hadn't separately fallen down around Bristol and ticket restrictions eased into nothingness!

 

[Minnietheminx]

I was travelling from Bradford to Birmingham shortly before Christmas 1991. The cross-country train from Leeds to Birmingham was diverted twice: first from Sheffield to Doncaster (not unreasonable, Sheffield station was flooded) and then after leaving Derby, heading towards Brum via Leicester rather than Burton-upon-Trent (which was also flooded). Only about 150 minutes late arriving into New Street.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Apart from Carlisle to Preston (via Appleby/Blackburn) which were probably actually pre-planned diversions due to weekend engineering works, the only 'ad hoc' diversions I can think of were Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston (via Wolverhampton, Aston, Stechford and then via Northampton) and Manchester Piccadilly to Shrewsbury (via Wolverhampton, reversal required).

 

[ainsworth74]

Whilst it's never happened to me if things go wrong north of Newcastle LNER have diverted via Carlisle on an ad hoc basis. It doesn't happen often as it requires a bimode unit (or HST back in the day) as well as a guard and driver who both sign the route. It also takes so long that sometimes the line has re-opened and the diverted train reaches either Newcastle or Edinburgh around the same time as serivces which had been held waiting the line to open do

But that's got to be up therefore an on the day diversion!

Personally I've been on LNER services that have diverted via the Hartford Loop unexpectedly (first I knew about it was when we flew over the ECML at Alexandra Palace rather than going straight down the mainline!) and also on a service that diverted between York and Doncaster by going via Leeds (which was doubly fun as we'd also gone down the York avoiding line, which was booked, so it was like a mini railtour!). Both of those times were due to the mainline being blocked for one reason or another so things aligned to allow for us to be diverted to keep trains moving.

 

[jfollows]

I was diverted Stafford to Cheadle Hulme via Stoke on Friday, thanks to a good path we lost no time so were still 11 minutes late at Stockport, but of course missed Wilmslow so I got Delay Repay for 30-59 minutes submitted Saturday and approved Monday.

Better, in 1983 or so, I was diverted Euston-Manchester to Saint Pancras-Manchester via Stoke, arranged at short notice and announcements on the Underground told me to go to Saint Pancras instead of Euston. Not going to happen today, at least not because of an incident blocking the line.

 

[sot]

Euston to Stoke 'fast' through Birmingham i.e. not via usual stopping service route, due to issues on Trent Valley.

Other way dumped at Rugby and transfer across to via Birmingham stopper route and rejoin with a near 200 minutes delay. Journey was actually to destination on Brighton main line.

I am sure of a few other people having the issue heading towards Kings Cross when booked fast lines but having to go on the slows due to delayed services running into planned engineering work.

 

[Cheshire Scot]

In 1987 I was on an overnight from Zurich to Milan booked via the Gotthard but diverted via the Lotschberg and Simplon due to problems with flooding in southern Switzerland/Northern Italy.

Then, in 1994 on the overnight Rome to Brussels, again booked via the Gotthard but again, this time for reasons not known to me, diverted via the Simplon and Lotschberg.

 

[aar0]

South Wales to London services occasionally get sent via Gloucester or Bath but not both.

I was once on an unplanned divert from Severn Tunnel to Gloucester because of Sodbury flooding. The crew then heard Kemble was blocked so got sent via Charfield to Bristol Parkway, around the Rhubarb and up through Bath.

I’ve had via Gloucester and Bath on the same train at least twice, during pretty severe rain. Worst ever was Swansea-Cardiff via the Vale of Glamorgan line, with a reversal at Bridgend, long way round via Gloucester, and then kicked off at Swindon as we were now 3 hours behind our path.

 

[theblackwatch]

Anyone beat Blackpool North vice Aberystwyth?

 

[Kite159]

London to Salisbury diverted via Southampton when the usual route via Andover has been blocked,
Salisbury to Yeovil Junction, diverted via Westbury instead of via Gillingham, again when there has been issues.

 

[Trainguy34]

Anyone beat Blackpool North vice Aberystwyth?

Are you sure you got the right train?!

 

[Rover]

Anyone beat Blackpool North vice Aberystwyth?

I can't beat it but I can join it! Pathfinder's Snowdonian 37406, I also went to Blackpool.

 

[Tester]

My 1970s Sheffield-Manchester diversion via Woodhead instead of Hope Valley doesn't count because pre-planned, but did anyone manage this ad-hoc?

 

[The exile]

My parents managed once to be on a Bristol - Edinburgh train that only covered the normal route as follows: Temple Meads - Filton, Gloucester - Norton Jn, Stoke Works - New Street, Stafford - Norton Bridge, Preston station, Carlisle-Carstairs. Haymarket - Waverley. OK - almost certainly pre-planned, but they didn’t know.

 

[Western Sunset]

On an advertised day excursion from Derby to Plymouth in early 1973, on the return there was flooding at Draycott (not uncommon) so we were diverted via Castle Donington and the line through Chellaston. Might have been the last passenger train to traverse the route through Chellaston.

 

[xotGD]

Derby to Birmingham ad-hoc diversion via Leicester and the old Nuneaton flyover.

Birmingham International to London ad-hoc diversion via Oxford into Paddington. And back later in the day.

 

[Harpo]

Birmingham International to London ad-hoc diversion via Oxford into Paddington. And back later in the day.

Called CP (contingency plan) one on the Western.

For any Brum-Euston blockage, OOC turned out a set of stock plus a type 4, men and guard to start the London end and work to Brum. By the time that left London the first LM diversion would be on the way.

Saltley sent type 4s to New Street to work to Paddington and any crew needed (e.g. vice Euston).

Insert rare LM traction types into Padd as required. More usually though, via Wycombe.

 

[theblackwatch]

Are you sure you got the right train?!

Well there were around 400 others who got on the same train, including the someone who posted right below you...

I can't beat it but I can join it! Pathfinder's Snowdonian 37406, I also went to Blackpool.

From your link, I've realised our original destination was Pwllheli rather than Aberystwyth. It's been over 20 years....

 

[ainsworth74]

I can't beat it but I can join it! Pathfinder's Snowdonian 37406, I also went to Blackpool.

Cracking tour report at the bottom. I particular enjoyed this complaint:

Where are the HSE when you need them – oh yes I forgot, they are far too busy putting secondary locks on Mark 1 charter train doors

Shades of todays opening window complaints. The more things change...

 

[Rover]

Well there were around 400 others who got on the same train, including the someone who posted right below you...

From your link, I've realised our original destination was Pwllheli rather than Aberystwyth. It's been over 20 years....

They re-ran the tour to Pwllhelli a year later and all went to plan, two 37s 411 and 417, those with original tickets having a free ride, not much consolation though for those that couldn't make it.

 

[jfollows]

Called CP (contingency plan) one on the Western.

I once had a copy of the London Midland contingency plans, they were fascinating, leading to the Saint Pancras to Manchester service I mentioned above on the day of disruption, for example. Essentially they described what happened when lines were blocked in specific places. Now it’s primarily about ticket acceptance on alternative services. Times change!

 

[Gloster]

On a Cup Final Saturday, one of those when Chelsea were playing (possibly against Portsmouth), I had to go from Portsmouth Harbour to Woking. Somebody had thrown a supermarket trolley on the line and it had got tied up in the shoe-gear of a unit; there were jokes about a Chelsea scarf being tied to the the trolley. Eventually they set up a train which, except for a crew change at Eastleigh, ran non-stop via Winchester. We then sat outside Woking while the train that had come up the reopened Portsmouth Direct used the platform; it wasn’t even the first train after the line had reopened. Much as it was well-intentioned, there was a definite lack of communication between Network Rail and South Western Trains: Network Rail reported the line clear before the train left Portsmouth, but SWT stuck to their revised plan.

 

[theblackwatch]

They re-ran the tour to Pwllhelli a year later and all went to plan, two 37s 411 and 417, those with original tickets having a free ride, not much consolation though for those that couldn't make it.

If I recall right, it wasn't free - after Pathfinder (F&W) ceased trading, Pathfinder (2006) made a charge of £25 for going on the 're-run'.

 

[D1537]

In the big freeze of winter 1985-86 I was on a NE-SW train that was diverted from Leeds to Birmingham via Stalybridge, Stockport and Crewe. It was one of the few loco-hauled services of the day, so the rare sight of a HST going that way didn't happen.

 

[xotGD]

Called CP (contingency plan) one on the Western.

For any Brum-Euston blockage, OOC turned out a set of stock plus a type 4, men and guard to start the London end and work to Brum. By the time that left London the first LM diversion would be on the way.

Saltley sent type 4s to New Street to work to Paddington and any crew needed (e.g. vice Euston).

Insert rare LM traction types into Padd as required. More usually though, via Wycombe.

I've dug out the gen:

26th February 1990

47831 International - Paddington
47462 Paddington - New Street

 

[Peterthegreat]

Shortly before Covid struck I caught a Wien to Budapest service which was diverted via Slovakia due to flooding in Hungary.