Gloucester Loco Spur

[andystonehouse]

Does anyone know which location near Gloucester Station is 'Gloucester Loco Spur'?
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:P10441/2025-12-05/detailed#allox_id=0

Is this at the north west corner of the station (Lydney end of Platform 4), or does this refer to something elsewhere?
I'd previously heard there wasn't a suitable place to store a DMU in between services (without multiple movements to get into the carriage sidings), but this on realtime trains might contradict that? The reason I am interested is largely that i'd heard the above cited as a barrier to re-opening another station (e.g. Stonehouse Bristol Road) south of Gloucester.
Thanks

 

[zwk500]

Does anyone know which location near Gloucester Station is 'Gloucester Loco Spur'?
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:P10441/2025-12-05/detailed#allox_id=0

Is this at the north west corner of the station (Lydney end of Platform 4), or does this refer to something elsewhere?

If the sectional appendix is to be believed, it is at the "Bristol" end of Platform 1:

I'd previously heard there wasn't a suitable place to store a DMU in between services (without multiple movements to get into the carriage sidings), but this on realtime trains might contradict that?

A quick google maps measurement suggests there's only 58m from the buffers to the footpath. This suggests that there's only room for a 2-car unit in the siding. Extending the siding away from the station is not possible because of the level crossing. Allowing the unit to stand foul of the foot crossing does not appear (from high-level) to allow enough room for a 3-car unit even if drawing right up to the blocks (68m between Buffer and apparent signal).

 

[Alex Mihai]

To better see the above, here is a view from Openstreetmap, in which I added labels of Platform 1 and the Loco Spur.

 

[andystonehouse]

Thanks both, thats really interesting to know

 

[Western Lord]

The loco spur was used to house the layover locomotive for cross country trains reversing at Gloucester Central (which was most of them) after the closure of Eastgate, in the days before operational convenience was put before passenger convenience.