You could also go:
The link at Brighton Platform 3 between the West Branch and the Main or East Branch is only 4 cars long so they won't do that.
Noted. Are the higher number platforms at Brighton not capable of accommodating an 8 or even 12 car train off the Brighton main line before it then reverses out via London Road / Moulsecoomb towards Lewes / Eastbourne? How long is the Statesman, BTW?
The East Branch junction is well off the end of the platforms so trains to/from Lewes can use the full length of 3-8, all of which are 240-250m long. It's only trains to/from Hove in P3 that have a particular issue.
I feel fairly sure that you could run an 8 car Electrostar in the manner described into a platform such as 7 or 6.
You can run up to 12 cars from the main line (Preston Park) to platforms 3-8 and reverse out to the East Branch
| Haywards Heath | 2 | 12:46½ | 12:16 30 Early | 2 | ||||||||||
| Keymer Junction | 12:19 | Off route | ||||||||||||
| Preston Park | 12:30 | 12:29 | Off route | |||||||||||
| Hove Signal T674 | 12:33 17 Early | 12:38 12 Early | 7 | |||||||||||
| Keymer Junction | 12:50½ | No report | Path: 4½ | |||||||||||
| Lewes | 1 | 13:05 | 12:53 12 Early | 3 | ||||||||||
| Southerham Junction | 13:08 | 12:56 12 Early | Path: 5 | |||||||||||
| Polegate | 13:22 | 13:10 12 Early | 2 | |||||||||||
| Willingdon Junction | 13:26 | 13:13 13 Early | ||||||||||||
| Hampden Park | 2 | 13:26½ | 13:16 10 Early | Path: 3 | 2 | |||||||||
| Eastbourne | 3 | 13:33 | 13:21 12 Early | Train finishes. | 3 | Terminated |
That make more sense - thanks
I was on this trip and on the way to Eastbourne is reversed via platform 7 (Platform 6 had a "DONT USE" berth code at the time) and then platform 5 on the way back.
