Chesterfield Station 3rd Platform ???

[Meridian richard]

If you have recently been to Chesterfield Station you will have noticed they are building a 3rd platform which will be a bay platform. What on earth will this be used for as no trains terminate at Chesterfield. Unless they are adding new services than what is the point?

 

[Wyvern]

How odd. I thought it was for what was the goods line to serve trains to and from the Erewash Valley,

 

[Jordy]

I thought it was a through platform personally! Are you sure its a bay? Seems a bit pointless if it is as you say

 

[Meridian richard]

They have added a new line coming off the main line so I assumed it was a bay but what will it be used for because if it's not a bay all trains that use it will go on the goods line and come into Sheffield via Woodhouse and Darnall

 

[adamp]

Maybe it's to stable the odd units overnight? Sounds weird though!
-Adam

 

[Meridian richard]

Has it been completed yet
not been through Chesterfield for a while

 

[Jordy]

In which case its probably a loop off the freight line. It will be possible for trains from Nottingham to call at that platform and then continue to Sheffield via Dronfield (there is a crossover north of Chesterfield). I think it may be bi-directional so it can be used the other way round too.

 

[Wyvern]

But the OP is suggesting that it is a bay

 

[tbtc]

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=32811 - there was a thread here a while back.

In essence, in the last decade the service from Sheffield to Birmingham (XC) has doubled, the service from Sheffield to Nottingham (EMT & Northern) has doubled and the service from Sheffield to London (EMT) has doubled, so there's need for additional capacity at Chesterfield (not all stop at Chesterfield, but an additional platform would allow more to stop).

The "semi fast" London - Sheffield service (e.g. the extension of the Derby trains) couldn't stop at Chesterfield on a lot of hours because there were no paths - this will allow more trains to stop there.

AFAIK the only trains to have terminated at Chesterfield in recent years was the Sheffield - Dronfield - Chesterfield "Arriva Trains Northern" service (withdrawn a few years ago - well before the Nottingham "Northern" service) and the EMT Norwich train terminated there too when the Dore/ Totley tunnel was blocked.

 

[Max]

I'm fairly sure it is not going to be a bay having seen the construction works a few times recently.

 

[button_boxer]

If you have recently been to Chesterfield Station you will have noticed they are building a 3rd platform which will be a bay platform.

It's definitely not a bay, it's on the through goods line behind the current platform 2 and there are crossovers both north and south of the station so platform 3 is accessible from all 3 approaches (Sheffield, Derby and Nottingham). It would certainly make sense for them to run northbound not-shf trains into platform 3, and possibly the southbound ones too assuming they've signalled it for both directions.

 

[CallySleeperKid]

It's definitely not a bay, it's on the through goods line behind the current platform 2 and there are crossovers both north and south of the station so platform 3 is accessible from all 3 approaches (Sheffield, Derby and Nottingham). It would certainly make sense for them to run northbound not-shf trains into platform 3, and possibly the southbound ones too assuming they've signalled it for both directions.

Quite right, it is not a bay platform, and I believe it is intended to be used by as many of the trains using the Erewash Valley line as possible, Although I have noticed the northbound Northern Nottingham to Leeds service and the southbound Liverpool to Norwich service often pass there, so maybe only the northbound or southbound services will use the platform but I would assume trains travelling in either direction will be able to use it.

The platform will also easily accommodate a HST of which there is one(?) southbound and two northbound every weekday that use the Erewash Valley line, so I would expect them to use that platform to.

 

[swt_passenger]

Quite right, it is not a bay platform, and I believe it is intended to be used by as many of the trains using the Erewash Valley line as possible...

I expect it only looks like a bay because people are seeing what will become the back of the new platform; because it is offset to the south of the existing P2, there appears to be a cutout.

Is this because there isn't enough width between the tracks for a conventional island including buildings/waiting rooms etc?

I think if you didn't already know different you'd have got a similar impression looking at the back of what ecame the new P6 at Rugby from the direction of P4, if you see what I mean. It has a similar 'extended overlapping' layout...

 

[omnibologist]

It is definitely a through platform, and the space that looks like a bay seems to be filling up with access footways etc.

 

[PhilipW]

Apparently it is an emergency platform that will just be used when the two main lines through Platforms 1 and 2 are out of action for engineering works.

Here is the link to the Network Rail Press Release
http://www.networkrailmediacentre.c...-STATION-UPGRADE-14d9/SearchCategoryID-4.aspx

Without this new platform (Numbered 3) trains would not be able to stop at Chesterfield.

During normal operation the Platform will be closed and locked with the public barred from access. Hmm.

 

[shinkansen1966]

£2.6 million for a platform. Which looks one of those temporary structures you see at concerts, and it won't even be used that much.

Jeez....you'd think Network Rail could have a got a better quote from some other builders.