Darlington Station Lines

[Norther Monkey]

As a regular passenger through Darlington it has always seemed to me to have more lines passing through than it needs.

I understand the use of the 'loop' lines outside the station, but there is the line adjacent to the southbound platform's line. This looks used, but by what? There would already seem to be ample capacity. Also does anything use the buffer stopped line next to the northbound platform line.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can indulge my idle curiosity!

 

[DarloRich]

As a regular passenger through Darlington it has always seemed to me to have more lines passing through than it needs.

I understand the use of the 'loop' lines outside the station, but there is the line adjacent to the southbound platform's line. This looks used, but by what? There would already seem to be ample capacity. Also does anything use the buffer stopped line next to the northbound platform line.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can indulge my idle curiosity!

Do you mean platform 1?

The line there is used often by rolling stock going up the Bishop Auckland Branch to the NRM or Weardale.

I will link some Flickr pics ( not mine) when i get home

 

[QueensCurve]

As a regular passenger through Darlington it has always seemed to me to have more lines passing through than it needs.

I understand the use of the 'loop' lines outside the station, but there is the line adjacent to the southbound platform's line. This looks used, but by what? There would already seem to be ample capacity. Also does anything use the buffer stopped line next to the northbound platform line.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can indulge my idle curiosity!

It may not satisfy your idle curiosity, but my recollection is that the problem Darlington has is that the through lines are both to the East of the station and low speed turnouts for the station itself.

 

[cuccir]

Does anything use the buffer stopped line next to the northbound platform line.

Is that platform 3? I've used it before, trying to recall in my mind where it was for! I think it's used by the Tees Valley Line services to Middlesbrough and Saltburn which terminate at Darlington.

 

[Norther Monkey]

Is that platform 3? I've used it before, trying to recall in my mind where it was for! I think it's used by the Tees Valley Line services to Middlesbrough and Saltburn which terminate at Darlington.

No, it's not a platform, but is adjacent to the northbound platform line. It can be approached from the south.

Cheers for the replies. DarloRich, can I take it that Bish can't be reached from the south avoiding the station shed?

 

[Darandio]

can I take it that Bish can't be reached from the south avoiding the station shed?

Correct

 

[TBY-Paul]

If I knew how to add a picture, I would add one that show Platform 4, with the track that runs to the buffers visible.But if someone knows how to add pictures it can be found here:-
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/Platform_4,_Darlington_station.jpg

 

[Daz9284]

If I knew how to add a picture, I would add one that show Platform 4, with the track that runs to the buffers visible.But if someone knows how to add pictures it can be found here:-
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/Platform_4,_Darlington_station.jpg

I think it's a headshut for the ex jarvis/fastline track plant place to the south-west of the station

regards,
darryl

 

[najaB]

I think it's a headshut for the ex jarvis/fastline track plant place to the south-west of the station

Probably it started life as a run-around loop and then got cut back to being a headshunt.

 

[91104]

No, it's not a platform, but is adjacent to the northbound platform line. It can be approached from the south.

Cheers for the replies. DarloRich, can I take it that Bish can't be reached from the south avoiding the station shed?

I think you're referring to the bypass line. As platform 4 is bi directional and has signals in both directions halfway down splitting the platform in 2 this allows one train to be stopped in the southern end of the platform and a northbound train to get round it to occupy the northern end of the platform.
I used it yesterday when driving 1S22 (15.00 KX-Edinburgh) to get round a Bishop Aukland Pacer but that was the first time I'd used it in years so not sure if it's used that often or anything is actually booked to use it.

 

[DarloRich]

Also does anything use the buffer stopped line next to the northbound platform line.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can indulge my idle curiosity!

The buffer stop line gets used as a by pass for ic trains to overtake a Bishop Line train in P4a. I haven't seen anything up against the buffers since the Jarvis depot closed down. That might change soon though

 

[ainsworth74]

Probably it started life as a run-around loop and then got cut back to being a headshunt.

Darlington station and surrounds are significantly scaled back compared to what was there in the 60s. Run around loops on both platforms plus a stabling siding on platform 1 side. The south facing bays also had shunt releases as well.

This should give you some idea of the former track layout of the station itself.

Outside of the station there was also a small good yard with plenty of sidings and reception roads on the other side of the ECML (where the car park is now) and also more sidings were present to the North of the station (some still exist and can be seen holding track machinery quite often).

Darlington used to have considerably more railway infrastructure than it does now and this shown by some of the oddities noticed by Norther Monkey. The other reason for the head shunt is that trains off the ECML heading north can use that line to gain the north end of Platform 4 and allow a Northern unit to sit at the south end of the platform either to continue to Bishop or (rarely) to head off to Saltburn.

 

[gimmea50anyday]

Platforms 1 and 4 are bi-di. Althought 1 is usually used for up trains and 4 for down trains. The loop beside P1 is used for stock holding, often a northern unit but charters and TRT's use it on a regular basis aswell. As mentioned earlier platform 4 is 2 platforms. Platform 4a starts at the end of the roof and a bypass loop enables trains to access platform 4 when 4a is occupied. There is an evening TPE that often runs round a terminated northern unit at around 21:45 (19:10 off liverpool, 21:08 off york Newcastle service) the buffer stops off the bypass being a headshunt.

There is talk of building a platform on the other side of the main line which enables up services to stop at Darlington without having to cross the down main. Often when a passenger service is scheduled to stop at darlington, a northbound freight runs through the station, this prevents the traffic conflict, but reduces linespeed and capacity as a result.

 

[Pinza-C55]

Darlington station and surrounds are significantly scaled back compared to what was there in the 60s. Run around loops on both platforms plus a stabling siding on platform 1 side. The south facing bays also had shunt releases as well.

This should give you some idea of the former track layout of the station itself.

Outside of the station there was also a small good yard with plenty of sidings and reception roads on the other side of the ECML (where the car park is now) and also more sidings were present to the North of the station (some still exist and can be seen holding track machinery quite often).

Darlington used to have considerably more railway infrastructure than it does now and this shown by some of the oddities noticed by Norther Monkey. The other reason for the head shunt is that trains off the ECML heading north can use that line to gain the north end of Platform 4 and allow a Northern unit to sit at the south end of the platform either to continue to Bishop or (rarely) to head off to Saltburn.

That plan must be from when Bank Top was rebuilt because between the line marked "Newcastle" and the wall there were several sidings and a loop line.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darli...Bank_Top_railway_station_geograph-2135041.jpg

 

[DarloRich]

None of these are my pictures

P1 through line in use:

47712 at Darlington by Akexander Cromarty, on Flickr

LNER A4 No. 60007 'Sir Nigel Gresley' at Darlington - 15th Oct 2014. by Allan McKever, on Flickr

The north bound platform also had a similar through line until around about the time of electrification

here is the "by pass"/platform 4a:

142065-DT-24062009-1 by Rich Mackin, on Flickr


47749-DT-15112010-2 by Rich Mackin, on Flickr

 

[ainsworth74]

That plan must be from when Bank Top was rebuilt because between the line marked "Newcastle" and the wall there were several sidings and a loop line.

I think actually that the plan was intended to show the layout within the station and the two main lines bypassing the station are only shown so that the way the station lines interact with them can be demonstrated. Hence any other lines are omitted as they aren't necessary to showing the station layout.

I've been looking for a track plan of the entire area but have not, as yet, been successful.

 

[Pinza-C55]

I think actually that the plan was intended to show the layout within the station and the two main lines bypassing the station are only shown so that the way the station lines interact with them can be demonstrated. Hence any other lines are omitted as they aren't necessary to showing the station layout.

I've been looking for a track plan of the entire area but have not, as yet, been successful.

Westinghhouse produced a brochure for the resignalling of Darlington during which East and West boxes (above the platform) were abolished and it had a pull out track and signalling plan. If you live close to Darlo the library will probably have 25" to the mile OS plans in the local studies section.

 

[Norther Monkey]

Many thanks to all who replied, interesting reading.

 

[Monstaink]

Over the years and photo's gone by, there is a lot of change to darlington station, I'm only 52 and was a trainspotter back in the late 70's, where i clearly remember platforms 5 and 6 at darlington station, these were the bishop auckland to darlington terminus platforms, the main lines north and south for all through trains were located outside the station where very few through trains acctually came through the station. platform 1 was primarily used for all south bound traffic and 4 was used for all northbound.
Its been a long time since i was on the platform at darlington I may have to have a visit see if some of my other memories of the place come back.

 

[DarloRich]

not sure about platform 5 and 6 but the north facing bay (s?) used for the Barnard Castle trains are now car parking

 

[Greenback]

Whenever I've passed through Darlington over the last few decades, it's always struck me how much spare land there is which was presumably once yards, sidings and other branch or diversionary lines, now closed. It's nice to get some more detailed information.

 

[DarloRich]

Whenever I've passed through Darlington over the last few decades, it's always struck me how much spare land there is which was presumably once yards, sidings and other branch or diversionary lines, now closed. It's nice to get some more detailed information.

there is loads of former railway/industrial land. All the way from Geneva yards south of the middlesbrough line junction to the river skerne and Stretching all the way out along the Bishop line way past north road.

 

[Greenback]

Even 20 years ago I thought it was fascinating to see the empty spaces where the trains once trundled along. Maybe it's because as a child there were similar vast expanses of sidings and other former railway land in Swansea, but as I got older they vanished and were built over.

Most people now wouldn't even know what was once there, but many other places are like Darlington and the evidence remains.

 

[deltic08]

Even 20 years ago I thought it was fascinating to see the empty spaces where the trains once trundled along. Maybe it's because as a child there were similar vast expanses of sidings and other former railway land in Swansea, but as I got older they vanished and were built over.

Most people now wouldn't even know what was once there, but many other places are like Darlington and the evidence remains.

Have not been to Swansea since Victoria closed. I don't suppose that site is still undeveloped? There used to be an overnight TPO from York via the Central Wales. Hard to believe now.

 

[Greenback]

The site was swept away forty years ago and the city's leisure centre now occupies most of the area. The viaduct lines across the city closed before I was born, but they were still standing while I was growing up.

But let's stick to Darlington, I didn't mean to sidetrack the topic!

 

[DarloRich]

Most people now wouldn't even know what was once there, but many other places are like Darlington and the evidence remains.

Although it is going. For instance the old Cleveland Bridge works next to the station is now a retail/housing development and the track bed for the Stockton and Darlington line has recently become a new road serving Lingfieild Point which is itself a regeneration of the vast Patton and Baldwins wool site.

On the other side of town part of the old railway workshops is now a housing estate and the central park development will use up a vast area of waste land directly to the north of the station, part of which is occupied already by the new collage while the old DMU depot is now home to a Banatynes health club

 

[Greenback]

Aye, it's happening everywhere and there's no way to prevent it - not that I'd really want to unless there is a very realistic chance that there could be further railway use ina few years time.

 

[AndrewE]

Quite a lot of stations have addditional through roads adjacent to platform lines (even when, as at Darlington, there are perfectly good through fast lines as well.) I think it dates back to when there was a lot more portion working and also vehicles like parcel vans, milk tanks and horseboxes which were attached and dropped off all over the place. There were scissors crossings half way along the platforms to allow the release of a loco which had drawn a "rear portion" in behind the main train.
They are still in use at Chester, where it allows 2 trains to use 1 platform at the same time with no risk of collision, the first comes to a stand at the arrival end and the second "overtakes" it and pulls in to the departure end of the platform.

 

[Greenback]

I was only talking to my father in law the other day about traffic that used to go by rail. He started it off by mentioning fish trains, then moved on to cattle docks. The point he made was that all of this required a lot of sidings, goods yards, plus the headshunts and run round loops that went with them.

He's not a rail enthusiast by any means, but a relative of his used to work in a signal box so he does have a bit of an interest in the subject.

 

[Pinza-C55]

I don't think it has been mentioned but I seem to recall that BR once wanted to remove the overall roof, I think this was not ling after the roof at Stockton was demolished in 1978 ?