Berwick Upon Tweed and Perth

[Aictos]

Having gone though the place to Edinburgh for a day out, I notice there's a bay platform or siding which has been electrified but with no track.

This is to the immediate right of the platform as you come into the station from the Newcastle end just after you finish crossing the bridge.

Can anyone explain?

Secondly standing on platform 2 at Perth, there's the remains of the old though line which is still there but ripped up at the ends where it used to connect with the platform lines, when was that done?

Thirdly, when did steam heat trains stop running out of Perth?

 

[CarterUSM]

Can't really help with your first two queries , but i believe steam heating was eradicated from services in the Perth area in the 70's or early 80's, the last steam heated services were the Far North services until the allocation of 37/4's in 1986ish, i'll no doubt stand corrected though.

 

[Aictos]

Well it helps so far, it's just there's still a steam heat hose at the end of one of the platforms at Perth. just curious that's all.

 

[142094]

At Berwick there indeed used to be the bay, and IIRC there were services from Newcastle that went to Berwick in the days of Regional Railways. I've seen a picture with a 143 in TW PTE livery in the bay. Not sure when it was taken out, my guess is sometime around electrification. I'll try and find that picture for you.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Can't actually find the photo of the yellow 143 in the bay but here is another 143 at Berwick.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

When the ECML was electrified, it was anticipated that loco-hauled freight would use the line. That explains extensive electrified sidings elsewhere, but I'm sorry to say that I don't know if that explains the trackless siding at Berwick.
But if it did, then you wouldn't be surprised to see bays where a light loco could be stabled.

You might also have noticed a disused loop to the west of the station platform? That had a "christmas" tree growing in the four foot a few years ago - suggesting that too was rather underused !

 

[jopsuk]

The Berwick bay you're thinking of is here, yeah?. Always thought that looked a bit curious too- too short for a passenger train, not a very logical location for a loco head-shunt.

 

[Aictos]

The Berwick bay you're thinking of is here, yeah?. Always thought that looked a bit curious too- too short for a passenger train, not a very logical location for a loco head-shunt.

That's the place, all the OHLE is in place, it's just missing the track.

I suppose it's like Gordon Hill's former platform 4, the OHLE is still there but the track has long gone.

 

[rail-britain]

As you have rightly identified there used to be track there
Why it has been removed I do not know

This siding was intended as an emergency relief siding, in case a Class 91 loco had to be stored / removed at this location
Otherwise a southbound loco would have a long route in order to change as points could not be installed on the bridge, thus blocking the ECML for some time (as the loco would have to cross the bridge four times in order to complete the swap and dump the loco in the passing loop)

Ironically this never happened and the use of thunderbird locos means it is unlikely to be needed, thus the points can be removed

 

[NightatLaira]

Secondly standing on platform 2 at Perth, there's the remains of the old through line which is still there but ripped up at the ends where it used to connect with the platform lines, when was that done?

I have often wondered this myself - but I have a photo in a book of this same thing looking just as it does today from 1981 - so it's been there in its current state for quite a while now!

 

[caliwag]

Photo in this set (chronological) showing it ripped up in 13/7/03.

I did much of my early spotting at Perth from mid 1959 and I cannot say I ever saw it used. Locos rarely changed in 1 and 2. I have seen early 50s photos with stock storage in the middle road, presumably from the Perth to Dundee West stoppers.

http://www.railbrit.co.uk/location.php?loc=Perth