East Coast Services Trough Newcastle

[Stuart0742]

This may be normal or usual, but yesterday was the 1st time I had travelled south through Newcastle on a East Coast service

The 14:50 HST service from Aberdeen to Kings Cross, depart Newcastle 19:08.

The train reversed at Newcastle and used the High Level Bridge to leave Newcastle, I was expecting it to continue forward and use the King Edward Bridge.

Is this normal?

Was there a reason last night?

 

[Fred26]

This may be normal or usual, but yesterday was the 1st time I had travelled south through Newcastle on a East Coast service

The 14:50 HST service from Aberdeen to Kings Cross, depart Newcastle 19:08.

The train reversed at Newcastle and used the High Level Bridge to leave Newcastle, I was expecting it to continue forward and use the King Edward Bridge.

Is this normal?

Was there a reason last night?

If the stock is in reverse formation, this happens. As far as I'm aware, stock can be in the wrong formation if there's been engineering work and diversions.

 

[Welshman]

I don't know the particular reason for this happening last night, but it's sometimes done if there's a fault in the leading cab, or if the train needs turning to restore the 1st class back to the London end.

 

[Stuart0742]

Last night it would have ended up with the 1st class at the London the end

 

[scotsman]

Last night it would have ended up with the 1st class at the London the end

The move would have been to correct the reverse formation

 

[142094]

Happens rarely when the 1st class is at the wrong end so has to be turned. There also used to be a few moves to allow for route knowledge, but these normally happened when empty (the set would just do a loop over the bridges after coming in from London, go over the High Level and King Edward, and then go back towards London over the King Edward). That is the main reason for one track over the High Level being electrified.

 

[silentone]

It's not just turned to make sure 1st Class is at the London end. The hundreds of reservations onboard will have specified FACE or BACK which would no longer apply.

 

[MCR247]

I thought when they were refurbed under NX/GNER HSTs and 225s both had interior seats renumber so opposed to being 67F 68F 67B 68B they would just be 67A 68A 69A 70A etc so that wouldn't matter?

 

[brompton rail]

I thought when they were refurbed under NX/GNER HSTs and 225s both had interior seats renumber so opposed to being 67F 68F 67B 68B they would just be 67A 68A 69A 70A etc so that wouldn't matter?

I am sure that you are correct.
The likely reason for reversing that train is that it came off Leeds in the morning the wrong way round. HST sets at Leeds cannot be easily turned, other than by using the triangle at the west of City station which would require the driver be signed for the freight line on the west side. As no Leeds - London services currently go via Hambleton junction, and therefore leave Leeds eastwards, there is no other way to correct a train in reverse formation.

 

[rail-britain]

The likely reason for reversing that train is that it came off Leeds in the morning the wrong way round

Northbound it could have reversed at Newcastle or at Edinburgh, either north or southbound

 

[142094]

Northbound it could have reversed at Newcastle or at Edinburgh, either north or southbound

Can only reverse it if going southbound at Newcastle, as there is no connection between the ECML northbound and the High Level Bridge.

 

[markydh]

There must be because I've been on trains that have done just that!

 

[tbtc]

There must be because I've been on trains that have done just that!

Same here, we had a dodgy windscreen wiper on an Aberdeen bound HSt a few years ago, which added a couple of minutes running round at Newcastle...

 

[Hydro]

Can only reverse it if going southbound at Newcastle, as there is no connection between the ECML northbound and the High Level Bridge.

There is. Approach from the south and crossover all lines onto the Gateshead Dn/Up and over the High Level on the Dn or Up Sunderland to come into Newcastle from the north end.

 

[YorkshireRider]

Yep, you can go via high level bridge north or south bound, done it many times as the last few posts confirm. The likley reason for the train not doing it north bound was that it was already delayed (0710 LDS-ABD) and so as not to lose anymore time EC control decided against it. The usual reason for HSTs to be in reverse off Leeds on a morning is that for whatever reason they went via Hambleton Jn the night before.

 

[rail-britain]

Can only reverse it if going southbound at Newcastle, as there is no connection between the ECML northbound and the High Level Bridge

That is correct, the original crossover that allowed this was removed under electrification
However if planned in advance the southbound service can be held at the station, allowing the northbound service to run "wrong way" and then into the loop line, allowing access to complete the loop and turn the set

 

[142094]

Not sure what I was thinking when I posted that, more than likely waiting for MOTD and the best comeback a Premier League match has seen
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

That is correct, the original crossover that allowed this was removed under electrification
However if planned in advance the southbound service can be held at the station, allowing the northbound service to run "wrong way" and then into the loop line, allowing access to complete the loop and turn the set

I agree that a train going northbound can reverse to its correct formation but going over the High Level instead of the King Edward, but there has never been (to my knowledge) a direct link between the High Level and the the lines beside the Keep (in effect all trains had to pass through the station going north). Unless you are meaning a different crossover, that is.

 

[silentone]

I thought when they were refurbed under NX/GNER HSTs and 225s both had interior seats renumber so opposed to being 67F 68F 67B 68B they would just be 67A 68A 69A 70A etc so that wouldn't matter?

Sort of. That system isn't used anymore mainly because of the difference in HST & MK4 layouts, but you can still get Forward & Back facing seats so having the train in reverse formation creates a lot of unhappy folk onboard.

If it's going Northbound and has to be turned it has to go into the station from the North. The 0752 NCL-KGX service also does a round trip every morning over the high level.

Trains can in theory be turned at Edinburgh going via the South but it adds like 30 minutes to the journey time and so is never done.

 

[laird]

On Saturday doesn't the Harrogate - Kings Cross HST go straight out through Leeds and on to Doncaster via Hambleton?
Without looking it up is it possible that there was a set running round with the First Class at the North end having been diverted from Darlington to Ferryhill (as on January weekends?).

 

[YorkshireRider]

On Saturday doesn't the Harrogate - Kings Cross HST go straight out through Leeds and on to Doncaster via Hambleton?

Yes..