Misrouted…

[williamn]

I travel several thousand miles on UK railways every year but I’m currently experiencing a totally new phenomenon - misrouting. On a train from London to Hastings via Lewes. The train split at Haywards Heath with the rear portion heading to Brighton rather than Hastings. The front portion was then wrongly routed to Brighton much to the obvious surprise of crew - apparently this has never happened to the guard or driver before. We’re now sat at Brighton while they figure out what to do…

It’s rather disconcerting that this can happen, probably even more so for the driver!

 

[MrJeeves]

The front portion was then wrongly routed to Brighton much to the obvious surprise of crew - apparently this has never happened to the guard or driver before. We’re now sat at Brighton while they figure out what to do…

It’s rather disconcerting that this can happen, probably even more so for the driver!

The driver would have been able to see the route indicator lights above signal T369:



In your case they'd have already been stopped at Wivelsfield station, and should notice that the route indicator is not showing that they'll be taken across Keymer Junction level crossing. I would have guessed they should be phoning the signaller at that point!

Of course, at the end of the day, the signaller/ARS(?) should not have incorrectly routed them in the first place, either!

I see you're now heading across to Lewes from Brighton as I write this, and I can only assume they'll need to arrange replacement transport for passengers intending to travel to Plumpton or Cooksbridge!

 

[MrJeeves]

It seems the stops at Plumpton and Cooksbridge have been cancelled on Darwin as a result of "an operational incident"!

 

[williamn]

A replacement driver had to be found, I presume our original one didn’t know the Brighton to Lewes route. Or were they unable to carry on not having noted they were being routed the wrong way?

 

[The exile]

Could it possibly be that the “only” thing wrong was the announcements - ie trains and drivers took the intended routes , but with the wrong load of passengers.

 

[williamn]

Could it possibly be that the “only” thing wrong was the announcements - ie trains and drivers took the intended routes , but with the wrong load of passengers.

Possibly something along these lines happened as last time I took this service the train was formed the other way round - the front 4 for Brighton and rear 8 for Hastings.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I travel several thousand miles on UK railways every year but I’m currently experiencing a totally new phenomenon - misrouting. On a train from London to Hastings via Lewes. The train split at Haywards Heath with the rear portion heading to Brighton rather than Hastings.

The front portion was then wrongly routed to Brighton much to the obvious surprise of crew - apparently this has never happened to the guard or driver before. We’re now sat at Brighton while they figure out what to do…

Was this possibly last night's 2246 Southern train from London Victoria, with both portions departing (after the Haywards Heath split) then heading in quick succession to Brighton.

If so, looks like the Hastings portion eventually got there, some 40 minutes down.

 

[williamn]

Was this possibly last night's 2246 Southern train from London Victoria, with both portions departing (after the Haywards Heath split) then heading in quick succession to Brighton.

If so, looks like the Hastings portion eventually got there, some 40 minutes down.

It was, yes.

 

[Falcon1200]

Normal procedure would be for the Driver to stop as soon as they realised they were wrong routed, contact the Signaller and set back to enable the correct route to be taken; Presumably this was not possible in this instance.

 

[williamn]

Normal procedure would be for the Driver to stop as soon as they realised they were wrong routed, contact the Signaller and set back to enable the correct route to be taken; Presumably this was not possible in this instance.

I presume not because of the portion for Brighton directly behind us.

 

[Falcon1200]

I presume not because of the portion for Brighton directly behind us.

Yes, that makes sense.

 

[Dfatcontroller]

A replacement driver had to be found, I presume our original one didn’t know the Brighton to Lewes route. Or were they unable to carry on not having noted they were being routed the wrong way?

Or as is often the case with "operational incidents", the Driver has been removed from duty for interview with a Manager to understand their failing to go the right way.