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Ely West Curve
- Thread starter Jimcam
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RailUK Forums
dk1
Veteran Member
Yes, that’s the only regular booked passenger service.
It'll be to maintain route knowledge for the EMR crews. That said I'm struggling slightly to see how one instance a week is enough, even if it's only Norwich crews that sign it.
It's used during disruption to make up time by skipping the Ely reversal.
It's used during disruption to make up time by skipping the Ely reversal.
dk1
Veteran Member
I think it’s just route retention for the crews. It’s been only that train for around 20 years now. Others do occasionally traverse the curve if there is say a problem with equipment in the rear cab.
It was Nottingham crews for at least 20 years, then changed to Norwich in May, prompting the usual panic to make sure they were all current on it.
In practice it's usually just refreshed on route refresh days by watching a short video. Nothing really to it!
Most crew at both depots sign it.
Route refresh can be done using route learning films etc.
It can be that if a depot does not have any booked work over a route the depot ceases to sign that route or part of that route so 1 train a week is there to keep the Ely West Cirve on the depot route card.
NSE
Established Member
- Joined
- 3 Mar 2010
- Messages
- 1,909
It also means a train traverses it each week so they can check the route is good to use. It allows a crew to see if there’s any over growing foliage, dodgy rails etc. so if there’s a closure and they suddenly need to send multiple trains down there a day, they know the route is ready for it.
dk1
Veteran Member
Several freight trains use it every day.
Peterthegreat
Established Member
I suspect it is also a "closure protector".
If the service were to be withdrawn they would have to go through the rather laborious and expensive closure procedure.
If the service were to be withdrawn they would have to go through the rather laborious and expensive closure procedure.
dk1
Veteran Member
It wouldn’t close. It’s used by many freight trains every day.
Peterthegreat
Established Member
But it would for passenger services. That's what causes issues.
dk1
Veteran Member
Other passenger services use it in times of disruption. If any drivers refuse to take it they can simply change ends behind CA303 then proceed towards March.
William3000
Member
I’m aware of the ones from Middleton Towers but not aware of much else freight wise on the Breckland and Fen lines north of Ely North junction. What other freight trains use the west curve?
I'm not sure how often they run but you have stuff to/from Eccles Road and to/from Trowse. Some traffic also to Lowestoft/Great Yarmouth and the odd Whitemoor turning move.
dk1
Veteran Member
Yes as mentioned Norwich Yard & Norwich Trowse can produce daily stone trains each along with Brandon which is also busy these days. They’ve been joined by Eccles Road & Lowestoft and now even Yarmouths Vauxhall sidings. Not sure if it’s still the case but there was some additional traffic operating from Middleton Towers.
Until around 10-15 years ago when bi directional traffic was permitted on the curve, anything from the Peterborough direction had to run-round at Ely. That restriction was imposed in 1992.
ac6000cw
Established Member
They don't/can't use the West Curve (they run around at Ely), but there have been some Middleton Towers to Brandon workings running for a while, usually operated by a DCR class 60.
zwk500
Veteran Member
Which obligations, regulations or legislation would be being breached by diverting the existing service to Ely and maintaining the existing line at passenger standard?
The ban on eastbound services using the curve was imposed following the Newton collision in 1991.
Accident at Newton (Lanark) on 21st July 1991 :: The Railways Archive
Archive of UK railways documents
But that ban was lifted a while ago now. For example, this morning 4H83 March Up Yard to Middleton Towers ran via the curve:
Peterthegreat
Established Member
Railways Act 2005.
ac6000cw
Established Member
The Middleton Towers to/from Brandon workings don't use the curve because they are not travelling to/from the March line, not because there's a ban on using it - below, from top to bottom on the right are the March, Kings Lynn (Middleton Towers) and Norwich (Brandon) lines. The other Middleton Towers freight workings do use it because they are travelling to/from the March line.
