Fast services routed via Catford?

[Sad Sprinter]

Are Ramsgate/Ashford trains still routed via Catford? I’ve seen a Canterbury West train pass Denmark Hill in the late evening, and this morning I saw what looked like a Ramsgate train pass fast through Denmark Hill for some reason. How regularly does this happen?

 

[Stephen42]

It's rarer than it used to be. A couple of Ashford trains are still booked via Catford and a few empty workings go that way as well.

Several are for route retention with mainline drivers covering both the Catford and Herne Hill routes. There remains the instruction that a driver not stopping between Shortlands and Victoria can accept either route without querying it. This morning some late running on trains via Herne Hill caused congestion and the signaller routed a Ramsgate train via Catford to avoid it.

With two stoppers via Catford and four via Herne Hill off peak weekdays will often see a train routed ad hoc via Catford where the fast has missed it's path and a clear run is possible via Catford.