If engineering works finish early.....

[SC43090]

If engineering works finish early & the train your on should have gone via diversionary route.... Should it still go via diversionary route or go on the main line????


SC 43090

 

[1e10]

I guess it would depend on whether reverting back to an original route would result in a revised calling pattern

 

[yorkie]

I don't see how there can be any answer other than "it depends...."!

If there is no reason to take the diversionary route, and no reason not to take the usual route, then sure, it can take the usual route.

But there may be reasons why this isn't done, which may not be obvious, such as retaining route knowledge over the diversionary route.

 

[The North Briton]

If there’s a risk it would arrive early at the next calling point on the usual route, it may sit waiting time and block a platform unneccessarily.

 

[dk1]

We have often had works finish hours & hours before official time on the GEML. It's just best to leave everything inc RR buses as they are as once you mess with traincrew & train/unit diagrams you are on a hiding to nothing without the headache of passenger confusion too.

 

[TheBigD]

Today's 0855 Newcastle-Kings Cross should have run via Lincoln this morning but as the ECML possessions had been given up early it ran via Retford instead. It passed Werrington around 35 minutes early, then sat outside Peterborough for around 20 minutes, and arrived Peterborough around 15 minutes early.

A similar situation happened last year as well with a northbound service that was running late so went mainline to make up the delay.

 

[robbeech]

Even if the diversion is before its destination stop with no intermediate stops it seems fairly normal to just go ahead as planned though there will always be exceptions.
It’s difficult as every situation is different and every passenger’s journey is different.
A train to a station that is able to arrive 60E due to not needing to use a diversionary route is going to be a great thing to passengers who are parked in the car park or who live / are staying a short distance away but difficult for those passengers that may have an inward connection that is booked train / bus only or may have booked a taxi or a lift from a friend at a certain time. They’ll now have an extra hour on apotentiakly cold, wet platform or station in an area that may be unfamiliar to them and potentially unsafe. This is in addition to the reasons given above.

 

[big all]

so many variables
if its full crew in and or out with any stations via diversion fully served then the answer may be yes
but often driver gaurds catering staff etc changes can be at a point over the divertionary route and can take a brave man to work it all out
remember the person who sticks there neck out to transfer back to booked route will take full responsibilities for delays to there employer for what is now a diversion
you also need to remember intermediate calling points will have a vastly different calling pattern so reverting to "normal " may cause delays by those turning up at the revised time because when they get off the replacement bus 40 mins later than normal to meet the diverted train that has now left 40 mins earlier