Fail to stop at High Wycombe (30/06)

[507 001]

I witnessed a Barrow train roll straight through Deansgate a week ago or so, straight up to the red protecting Castlefield junction.

Not sure if it was under instruction from control or not (it was about 14 down), but the fact it got held at the signal made it seem quite farcical.

 

[peteb]

Years ago I recall one of the then new class 150 sprinter DMUs not stopping at Hagley when scheduled to do so. Approaching at about 60mph, the red handle was pulled as the train flashed past the station and then the train did stop, albeit a few hundred yards south of the station. On that occasion the train propelled back to allow passengers off.

I guess modern units don't actually stop when the alarm is raised by a passenger? What happens if you do raise the alarm? After all failing to stop is serious and potentially a huge issue if doing so means there's no train to double back on that night.

 

[EnriqueEspaña]

13 minutes late so no delay repay !

If I have understood correctly one of the previous posts, not quite! They arrived at Saunderton 13 minutes later than they should have at High Wycombe, so it will be 13 mins + connection time at Saunderton + travel to Wycombe. So depending on how long that took, possibly delay repay.

 

[800002]

If I have understood correctly one of the previous posts, not quite! They arrived at Saunderton 13 minutes later than they should have at High Wycombe, so it will be 13 mins + connection time at Saunderton + travel to Wycombe. So depending on how long that took, possibly delay repay.

Negative.

Believe passengers for high wycombe ex-london origin arrived high wycombe 13 later than planned, including the detour to Saunderton.

The run time to saunderton is very quick and the london bound train (which folk returned to high wycombe on) was essentially in the up platform at saunderton and thus waiting for everyone to come across from the service which failed to stop.

 

[EnriqueEspaña]

Negative.

Believe passengers for high wycombe ex-london origin arrived high wycombe 13 later than planned, including the detour to Saunderton.

The run time to saunderton is very quick and the london bound train (which folk returned to high wycombe on) was essentially in the up platform at saunderton and thus waiting for everyone to come across from the service which failed to stop.

Ah yes I see now thank you, I was looking at scheduled arrival time at Saunderton, not actual. I used to live in Princes Risborough and just couldn't compute that they managed to get from Wycombe to Saunderton and back with only a 13 minute delay, I convinced myself it was impossible.

It always feels quite slow breaking into and accelerating out of High Wycombe until it gets to the old West Wycombe station, I didn't think there would be a time penalty of around 3-4 mins for a stop there.

 

[800002]

Ah yes I see now thank you, I was looking at scheduled arrival time at Saunderton, not actual.

Quite okay.
I believe, for what it's worth, both operator and passenger got a bit lucky on this occasion. Unless ones journey was reliant on onward public transport (to which i rely on daily in another part of the world).

convinced myself it was impossible.

Anything is indeed possible on chiltern!

It always feels quite slow breaking into and accelerating out of High Wycombe until it gets to the old West Wycombe station, I didn't think there would be a time penalty of around 3-4 mins for a stop there.

So line speed thru High Wycombe in the down is, I believe, 75 or 90 mph (i shall look later, sorry).

It's 8 minutes stop - stop, Gerrard X to Wycombe and only 6 stop - pass (give or take).
And 6 minutes stop - stop, wycombe to saunderton and only 4 pass to pass (give or take) so one can 'save' four minutes by running non stop (passing Gerrards to Passing saunderton). [I think]... math is alluding me right now.

Getting an SRT for passing high wycombe - stop Sunderton is difficult as so ittle traffic does that!

 

[Segedunum]

Getting an SRT for passing high wycombe - stop Sunderton is difficult as so ittle traffic does that!

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:C29755/2026-07-07/detailed#allox_id=0

Five minutes pass to stop per what 1T52 is booked to do (runs non-stop Beaconsfield to Saunderton)

 

[800002]

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:C29755/2026-07-07/detailed#allox_id=0

Five minutes pass to stop per what 1T52 is booked to do (runs non-stop Beaconsfield to Saunderton)

I knew there would be someone out there!

Thank you.

So the calculation becomes more affordable (assuming neither train actually stops at Beaconsfield which is a non-mandatory timing point).
I haven't (and don't wish to) look in this particular case as that confuses the calculation further!

Safe to say that it can cost 3 to 4 minutes of conventional run time to call at High Wycombe as opposed to passing at line speed.

 

[riceuten]

The problem is I don’t trust an RPI not to give me a penalty fare or report me for prosecution if a train misses it’s stop and I have to double back…

Oh, I had this. The train non-stopped Finsbury Park and deposited me at KGX, and the revenue control tried to fine me and various others for overriding. I am not proud to say I walked off, particularly when the RPO said "Pay the fine and we'll check it out and refund you if your story is true"

 

[Vexed]

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:C29755/2026-07-07/detailed#allox_id=0

Five minutes pass to stop per what 1T52 is booked to do (runs non-stop Beaconsfield to Saunderton)

Indeed, it looks like the 16x classes all have a 5 min passing to stopped SRT.

Enter HWYCOMB to SUNDRTN here.

Network and Timing Links - Train Planning - Vail Data

View the Sectional Running Times between two locations, with BPLAN data from Network Links and Timing Links.

vaildata.uk

 

[800002]

That would be Beaconsfield, though.
Not all trains are timed here, which just adds to the calculation issue.

 

[Newshound Mutt]

Why doesn’t the signal turn red to force the driver to stop for the station?

Because most minor and intermediate stations don't have platform signals. And if they do they will probably be automatic

 

[EnriqueEspaña]

So line speed thru High Wycombe in the down is, I believe, 75 or 90 mph (i shall look later, sorry).

So high?! I'd be amazed if it was above 60 even with the super elevated curves. But I've been wrong before!

 

[800002]

So high?! I'd be amazed if it was above 60 even with the super elevated curves. But I've been wrong before!

I will check when I get home, if another knowledgeable comrade is unable to verify before.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Jul 2026 ==

With apologies.

In the down:
Beaconsfield. 100 mph
Shortening to 75, then 60 mph through High Wycombe Station.
Rising to 85 through saunderton and Risborough.

 

[Crossover]

Years ago I recall one of the then new class 150 sprinter DMUs not stopping at Hagley when scheduled to do so. Approaching at about 60mph, the red handle was pulled as the train flashed past the station and then the train did stop, albeit a few hundred yards south of the station. On that occasion the train propelled back to allow passengers off.

I guess modern units don't actually stop when the alarm is raised by a passenger? What happens if you do raise the alarm? After all failing to stop is serious and potentially a huge issue if doing so means there's no train to double back on that night.

On much of the new stock, it is a "passcom" and alerts the driver who can hold off a brake application, rather than the brakes being 'dumped' immediately (but I believe if not responded to, an E-stop would follow)

Aside from anything else, it means the train can be stopped in a controlled and predictable manner (e.g. if there is a medical incident on board, it may be most appropriate to stop at a station. Similarly, there was a knife(?) attack on an LNER service a bit back where the driver was able to continue and stop at the next station a few mins away whereby passengers could safely leave the train and not be detraining onto ballast in the middle of nowhere on a live railway)