Came back from Skegness to Nottingham yesterday on a 3 car ex-Southern EMR Turbostar. Between Grantham and Nottingham we were sat at the very rear of the train in the former first class area. Upon leaving Grantham, the guard announced that passengers for Bottesford and Aslockton should travel in the front two coaches as the doors in the rear coach would not be released due to platform lengths. However at both stations the train was easily fully in the platform (by at least 20m) and there seemed to be no reason for this restriction at all. Can anyone shed any light on it?
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Bottesford and Aslockton platforming
- Thread starter Rob F
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R
RailUK Forums
Whilst the platforms may have physically accommodated the train, the full length may not be available for operational use.
For planning purposes, Aslockton's platforms are 76m in the Down direction (towards Nottingham) and 73m in the Up direction (towards Grantham/Sleaford), and Bottesford's are 139m/121m.
A three car 170 is just short of 72m long, so Bottesford should have been fine, but Aslockton would have been a bit tight.
It also seems that some platform lengths may have changed, as those given in the Timetable Planning Rules don't match the Sectional Appendix (last updated December 2006.)
For planning purposes, Aslockton's platforms are 76m in the Down direction (towards Nottingham) and 73m in the Up direction (towards Grantham/Sleaford), and Bottesford's are 139m/121m.
A three car 170 is just short of 72m long, so Bottesford should have been fine, but Aslockton would have been a bit tight.
It also seems that some platform lengths may have changed, as those given in the Timetable Planning Rules don't match the Sectional Appendix (last updated December 2006.)
There was a bit of rebuilding work going on a few months ago at Bottesford - whether that has any bearing on things I have no idea.
High Dyke
Established Member
It will also depend what information is in the station notes for guards. The suggestion about low sections of platform makes sense. Whilst a 3-car unit does fit, a number of guards prefer not to take the risk in a passenger accident at Bottesford. The building work at Bottesford is complete. Some of that was new access arrangements and replacing some of the support walls.
Bottesford: A recent notice issued to staff states: "Down platform will take a 4-car 15x and 3-car 170."
Bottesford: A recent notice issued to staff states: "Down platform will take a 4-car 15x and 3-car 170."
The layout for the stations is tricky.
Aslockton:
Up platform towards Grantham would physically fit 3 coaches if you drew up to the end, but you have to stop short of the signal on the platform so in practice it is a 2 coach platform, the 3rd coach has over half a coach off the back.
Down platform: has a particularly low height at the Grantham end and whilst it can in theory be used most guards will just use the front 2 coaches which are on the raised section.
Bottesford has just been totally rebuilt, the build work looked complete but wasn't at the time of the OP on the down so only the front 2 coaches were permitted to be used. It's now been commissioned.
Aslockton:
Up platform towards Grantham would physically fit 3 coaches if you drew up to the end, but you have to stop short of the signal on the platform so in practice it is a 2 coach platform, the 3rd coach has over half a coach off the back.
Down platform: has a particularly low height at the Grantham end and whilst it can in theory be used most guards will just use the front 2 coaches which are on the raised section.
Bottesford has just been totally rebuilt, the build work looked complete but wasn't at the time of the OP on the down so only the front 2 coaches were permitted to be used. It's now been commissioned.
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