What has been the longest planned or emergency diversion on the British Rail network?
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Posted 21st January elsewhere on the site
"Recall the nightmare of BR days when on an early midsummer morning taking an Inter-City - Edinburgh/Glasgow - Penzance when they used to couple the 2 sections of the train at Carstairs and the West Coast line was used.
Just south of Lancaster - a delay - more than 2 hours then a reversal back through Carnforth to Hellifield - then down to Clitheroe-Blackburn-Preston. At Preston a further delay more than 2 hours. Then to Birmingham New Street where we were told to get off the train and cross over to another service to Bristol Temple Meads. The tickes were checked and when we arrived at Bristol there was an announcement for passengers to Penzance to make themselves known. There were two of us! We were put on a train to Reading and told to pick up the sleeper to Penzance there! Fortunately at Reading we were expected - put into a first class sleeper and nothing more said. Arrived home more than 12 hours late. Stares silence and disbelief from the lady - remember no mobiles/internet in those days.
Would that happen in these days? Certainly not. we'd be dumped at New Street and told to wait for the first XC service to Penzance in the morning - even if we'd have been allowed to divert Carnforth-Blackburn. "
Another Classic Paddington-Penzance with a diversion during BR days. The overnight 23:55 heading westwards. Fell asleep, woke up, we were in Oxford waiting to go forward. Slight panic on my behalf, am I on the right train. Next we were in Worcester 03:00 am +, now total panic! find a guard - yes this is the Penzance train - detour due to an accident. Then down to Hereford - Maindee North - Maindee East to the Severn Tunnel - Bristol TM and then normal route home. (reckon this was midsummer mid 70's) had never done Didcot- Hereford before and never knowingly since - but it's filled in on my track map.
Longest on a short journey but not techically a diversion - At Uni in Bristol - early days (especially on Sundays at Bristol Parkway) arranged to go Bristol TM to Parkway return Sunday evening to meet a fellow student for a pint or two and take the last service back to Bristol TM! Driver forgot to stop at Parkway - taken to the old Gloucester Station, before the changes to the single station, and told to stay on the train and go to Cheltenham. The train we picked up was to drop us at Bristol Parkway, for a connection to South Wales. It was the last train to call at Parkway to go onwards to Temple Meads and the train I was due to return home on. So I just stayed on the train back to TM. Cost of the journey Bristol TM/Cheltenham return? Something like 32p back in the day. My friend said he saw the train speed through Parkway with utter disbelief.
