Doncaster platform 0 project

[NorthernSpirit]

Thought it had been suggested to put a bay platform in at the northen end of Doncaster station between platform 1 and 3, should be enough room to get a 3 car set in. Then the train from Hull/ Scunthorpe to pull in out of the way and wait its departure back leaving platforms 1 and 3 free for other train movements. It would also keep the platform within the station area as against how would you get from the station to a platform at the back of the bus station? Can you imagine station staff trying to direct a passenger coming off a train at the north end of platform 8 and wanting platform 0, station staff pointing to bus station saying thats the platform that you want to get to Scunthorpe, you need to go to the front of the station and get to your platform as its not on the station.

If a platform was wedged in at the north end of platform 1 and 3, would it make sense to number it 2N as in 2 North, the current platform 2 would become 2S as in 2 South.

To built a platform 0 at Doncaster would be easy to do, just close the customer unfriendly and rude staffed Subway at the entrace opposite WHSmiths. The space allocated by the closure would become a small waiting room which would double up as an entrance to platform 0.

Don't know if its physically feasible as regards paths, but wouldn't a solution to the blockage of Platform 1 by the stoppers be to run them through to Lincoln or Gainsborough Central, replacing the EMT service on the former, and possibly extending to Brigg/Grimsby/Cleethorpes on the latter. Include a stop at Robin Hood Airport (Finningley) and possibly somewhere like Walkeringham. If the Hull/Scunthorpe stoppers are hourly, then run alternately to Lincoln/Gainsborough? ?

Could be done but as mentioned elsewhere on the thread a station would need to be built as close as physically possible to Epworth. The only place for a station would be on the A161 at Viking Lodge, Haxey (going by GSV), see link.
http://http://goo.gl/maps/Ni4tW

 

[D6975]

There isn't room for a platform between 1 and 3. End of building to end of platform is approx 85 metres. The end of the platform is also very narrow, so even a single sided inset bay wouldn't be able to start at the current end of platform position, it would be 15-20m back at best. Add on the need for buffer stops and it won't be long enough for a 3 car (non-pacer) unit.
Having argued aginst its feasability, I would now point out that even if you move the approaching tracks to make the space wider, it still wouldn't work because it would have to be an inset bay as there definitely isn't room for a double sided one. This would mean reducing the length of either P1 or P3, which would either make P1 too short for full ECML sets or make P3 (north section) too short to be used by anything more than a 2 car pacer going across to the Sheffield line (it's already too short for a 5 car Voyager).
That's why the proposed position just to the NE of 1/3 has been chosen as there is plenty of space, there are currently 2 sidings there which are usually used for stabling track machines.

 

[Tracked]

From our local paper:

http://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/news/business/on-track-for-21m-doncaster-rail-upgrade-1-7215858

The timeline of Doncaster’s proud rail history is on track for another landmark moment as it steams towards a £21 million cash injection.

Network Rail has confirmed it is planning to invest the substantial sum of money in expanding and improving Doncaster’s train station.

The work is scheduled to start in May, providing planning permission is granted, and will include the addition of a new bay platform as well as a bridge to provide passenger access to it.

The new addition - platform zero - will be used for trains terminating in, or starting from, Doncaster and is set to be located at the end of the station near to the Frenchgate shopping centre.

Paul Rutter, area director at Network Rail said of the plans: “Doncaster is an extremely busy interchange not just for passenger trains but also for freight trains.”

He added: “This investment at the station to create platform zero will help us to make services more reliable and is part of a wider programme of investment which will allow more trains to run in the future. Work is due to start this summer and the platform will be open for business in December.”

This announcement follows Doncaster being chosen as one of two national sites for the prestigious HS2 Rail college, which will be based in Doncaster’s Lakeside, which is already home to household names in the rail industry such as DB Schenker, Volker Rail and Hitachi.

Would've thought - and I think someone said on here once somewhere - that more through platforms would be more useful, looks like the platforms next to the bus station then.

 

[DarloRich]

Work has already started on platform 0 - and new through platforms? Where will they go then?

 

[brompton rail]

Work has already started on platform 0 - and new through platforms? Where will they go then?

The only place more through platforms could be constructed at Doncaster is on the western side, where the goods lines are. These would need to be separated in order to build an island platform. This would involve removing some of the sidings next to the plant works.

However, as a quick look at real train times will show the goods lines are in frequent and regular use, leaving a problem of how to accommodate the freight services. Therefore I think this additional platform is probably a non-starter.

It will be interesting to see which trains use Platform O when it opens at the end of the year. The only terminator is the hourly Hull stopper, which currently uses Platform 1 and has to shunt to a siding between arrival and departure. Perhaps when Doncaster - Sheffield is electrified the Scunthorpe stoppers could be sensibly terminated at Doncaster.

 

[Class 170101]

The only place more through platforms could be constructed at Doncaster is on the western side, where the goods lines are. These would need to be separated in order to build an island platform. This would involve removing some of the sidings next to the plant works.

However, as a quick look at real train times will show the goods lines are in frequent and regular use, leaving a problem of how to accommodate the freight services. Therefore I think this additional platform is probably a non-starter.

Ae both Two Way Goods No. 1 and Two Way Goods No.2 in regular use, as Quail shows Two Way Goods No.1 as being out of use?

 

[DarloRich]

The only place more through platforms could be constructed at Doncaster is on the western side, where the goods lines are. These would need to be separated in order to build an island platform. This would involve removing some of the sidings next to the plant works.

However, as a quick look at real train times will show the goods lines are in frequent and regular use, leaving a problem of how to accommodate the freight services. Therefore I think this additional platform is probably a non-starter

Not going to happen - it is hard enough to get stock in and out of works without impacting on through traffic let alone routing the freight somewhere else.

Ae both Two Way Goods No. 1 and Two Way Goods No.2 in regular use, as Quail shows Two Way Goods No.1 as being out of use?

I think they are all in use

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

Don't forget plans are in place for two services to end at Doncaster each way on the TP Express South Route when the next franchise starts (from ITT document response). Platform Zero is needed for them.

 

[Intercity91]

Doncasters 'The Star' has a short article about it with an artists impression.

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/busin...rack-for-21m-doncaster-rail-upgrade-1-7215858

 

[ic250]

It looks like they're demolishing a lot of the station buildings as well.

 

[brompton rail]

It looks like they're demolishing a lot of the station buildings as well.

I don't think they need to., but haven't checked. As far as I can recall the platform awning only extends the length of the current buildings, and the artists impression shows that in situ.

Maybe the interchange time between trains at Doncaster will need to be lengthen, as it is a long trek from Platform 5 (or the south ends of Platforms 4 & 8) through three sets of stairs (or lifts) to get to platform 0!

 

[D6975]

Ae both Two Way Goods No. 1 and Two Way Goods No.2 in regular use, as Quail shows Two Way Goods No.1 as being out of use?

Definitely both in use. I saw a freight overtake another freight there just a couple of weeks ago.

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

This will be very awkward when leaving a rail replacement bus from Sheffield and getting to this platform 0 for trains to Humberside to continue the journey.
Especially with luggage or if you're disabled or elderly with all these stairs.

Wouldn't a better use of money be building the platform at either Tickhill, Robin Hood Airport or Bessacar and have the trains use a new turn around point there?
It would only add 5-10mins to the train timetable and would relieve capacity at Doncaster while serving a new area.

 

[DimTim]

Plans here http://planning.doncaster.gov.uk/on...iveTab=externalDocuments&keyVal=NMFZBZFX05K00
http://pad.doncaster.gov.uk/AnitePublicDocs/00644487.pdf
http://pad.doncaster.gov.uk/AnitePublicDocs/00644492.pdf

 

[Tomnick]

Wouldn't a better use of money be building the platform at either Tickhill, Robin Hood Airport or Bessacar and have the trains use a new turn around point there?
It would only add 5-10mins to the train timetable and would relieve capacity at Doncaster while serving a new area.

It wouldn't relieve capacity - at best, each hourly service would occupy a through platform twice an hour, which is exactly what the current turnbacks from the Thorne line do (generally recessing in the carriage sidings south of the station). If the Up East Slow line wasn't made no-directional (fairly extensive signalling alterations required), it'd also introduce an additional move across the whole layout in the Down direction, as well as putting more pressure on the Down side island (whereas platform 1 is a little more out of the way). There might be other means of justifying a service to the above named places, but I don't think it's justified on the basis of operational convenience in this case!