Marston Vale to Milton Keynes

[Rugd1022]

I have been on an in service passenger train that travelled, via the A line at Bletchley in the Up direction. But that is the only time I have ever seen it happen.

Been doing some digging around since my last post - it seems a MOM has to come out to clip the points at the south end to allow this to actually happen, and the driver is cautioned over the route by BY 'box after being assured the route is set and locked, thus getting round the issue of being signalled on a 'goods' line. Still a rare occurance though

 

[DarloRich]

How not possible out of interest? Last February a 350 I was on broke down outside Bletchley. Following trains were diverted through Bletchley CS to rejoin the mainline at Bletchley itself. At least 3, possibly more, services were diverted this way.

When there was the LM fire recently i was stuck on the 1713 Southern off MKC. We ground t oa halt just before the A5 bridge. Cue 2 hour pluys wait.

We eventually started moving and made ur way into platform 5 at Bletchley via the carriage sidings. We came through on i think the up arrival line and over the neck of the sidings into the station.

So it can be done, but clearly this was an emergency!

 

[swt_passenger]

Do these details of the Bletchley remodelling make any sense in the context of running through trains:

The [edited] scope of work includes:
provide 775m goods loop for regulation and hot axle box detector inspection;
platforms 4 and 5 extended to accommodate 12-car standage;
provide bi-directional signalling on platform 5;
turnback facility clear of the Slow lines from the bi-directional signalling on platform 5;
bi-directional loop for regulating a 775 metre freight train; and
turn back in platform 6 for trains up to 4-car length.

Outputs
The following functionality will be provided:
125 mph line speed throughout on the Fast lines including through Bletchley South Junction;
12-car platform capacity provided on platforms 4 & 5;
access to train maintenance depot and adjacent civil engineering freight sidings to be preserved;
direct access to the Bedford lines from the Slow lines independent of whether platform 5 or 6 is occupied;
route for 775 metre freight Up Slow to branch via flyover and vice versa;
the Drayton Road Junction will allow an Up Slow to Up Fast and parallel Down Slow to Down Fast move;
enable entry and exit to the carriage sidings from the north and south;
12-car shunt through carriage sidings washer, remaining clear of running lines;
retain existing stabling for NDS trains;
retain existing stabling facilities in carriage sidings; and
retain stone terminal (CEMEX siding) existing standage (437m).