Confused at Birmingham New Street

[VideozVideoz]

I'm hoping I'm not going mad here but last week I travelled from Manchester to Bristol Parkway (via Birmingham New Street) facing the direction of travel. I arrived at Bristol Parkway still facing the correct way. On my return journey, I was forward facing again but this time when we got to Birmingham New Street we reversed out and I ended up at Manchester sat the wrong way round?! At no point on the outbound journey did we reverse out at Brum. Can anyone explain what might have happened?! I did not pay much attention to the route as I was working on my laptop....

 

[SS4]

I suspect you went around the Camp Hill line outside BHM as opposed to the XCity line via University.
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That's what happened when I was coming back from Paignton anyway - the train was eventually going to Manchester.

 

[TEW]

Manchester-Bristol trains are generally booked via Camp Hill meaning they don't reverse. Bristol-Manchester trains are generally booked via University so they have to reverse at Birmingham to head out to Manchester.

 

[VideozVideoz]

Ok thanks guys for putting my mind at rest! I'm not very familiar with the lines in and around Brum

 

[Lineside]

Sorry to be a bit slow on this one (not lived in Birmingham for ten years now as I am further up north), but when did the CRoss Country services through Birmingham start getting routed via Camp Hill? It's always made more sense to me because that way they don't get stuck behind the intensive all-stations Cross City trains on the usual Selly Oak route.

 

[Martin_1981]

Crosscountry trains between the South West and the North West have used the Camp Hill Line since at least the mid 90's. The first time I remember going this way was in June 1995 when I was returning from Cornwall on a Penzance-Manchester Class 47 hauled train. The 47 was booked to haul the train throughout to Manchester rather than change to electric traction at New St, in which case it probably would have gone into New St via University and Five Ways and reversed- as it did a year later when I caught the same train.

The line has been used more intensively in the last 3 years, since Manchester-Bristol became hourly, but as TEW states, only southbound trains tend to use this route, with the northbound ones using the route via University.

 

[Lineside]

Crosscountry trains between the South West and the North West have used the Camp Hill Line since at least the mid 90's. The first time I remember going this way was in June 1995 when I was returning from Cornwall on a Penzance-Manchester Class 47 hauled train. The 47 was booked to haul the train throughout to Manchester rather than change to electric traction at New St, in which case it probably would have gone into New St via University and Five Ways and reversed- as it did a year later when I caught the same train.

The line has been used more intensively in the last 3 years, since Manchester-Bristol became hourly, but as TEW states, only southbound trains tend to use this route, with the northbound ones using the route via University.

Oh right, cheers for that explanation. I feel that the Camp Hill line is the best choice for the long distance services to the north - simply because it avoids the need for reversal at [stn]BHM[/stn]. Presently it's been a freight route for ages and there is very little prospect of it being reopened to local passenger services any time soon, even though plans have been drawn with proposals to reinstate them and have a few new stations serving some strategic points (Moseley, Kings Heath, Sparkbrook, etc).

 

[SS4]

simply because it avoids the need for reversal at BNS.

They don't go anywhere near Barnes

 

[Darandio]

They don't go anywhere near Barnes

Yes, welcome to the forum Lineside and the above quote shows a large pet hate for many.

 

[Lineside]

Whoops, sorry - Should have put B.N.S. to distinguish New Street from the abbrev for Barnes.

So many trainspotters here really !!!

 

[SS4]

Whoops, sorry - Should have put B.N.S. to distinguish New Street from the abbrev for Barnes.

So many trainspotters here really !!!

It's all good, BHM is a perfectly acceptable notation for Birmingham New Street though

 

[gnolife]

Putting B.N.S. is still putting Barnes (or possibly Ba.rn.es.)
or you could just put BHM!

 

[Lampshade]

Or you could just put Brum. If you're on about XC it can only be New Street

 

[Crossover]

Or you could just put Brum. If you're on about XC it can only be New Street

Could be International :P

 

[Lampshade]

Could be International :P

*Trying to think of a smart comeback but I can't so...*

 

[transportphoto]

*Trying to think of a smart comeback but I can't so...*

You could put: BirNS

Anyways back on topic:-