North wales coast bidirectional usage

[Y Ddraig Coch]

It cost a lot of money and a lot of rrb on a lot of weekends to install, but even during works or major disruption I have never witnessed it used even as a regular user.

Can anyone tell me , has the bi directional workings ever been used in passenger service?

 

[Lucy1501]

The Rail Replacement Buses and closures were mainly for the full resignalling of the line - not putting bi-directional signalling in place. Bi-directional signalling just happened to be a component of it. Before the resignalling the area was controlled by the boxes at Rockliffe Hall, Holywell Junction, Mostyn, Talacre, Prestatyn, Rhyl and Abergele with mainly bells, lever frames and semaphore signals. It is now a modern installation controlled from Wales Rail Operating Centre in Cardiff.

The bidirectional signalling is reduced capacity and is mainly meant to be used when one line is blocked or to overtake a train in exceptional circumstances. It has been used in times of disruption but its not used on a regular basis.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

There was a case recently of a train failure at Flint (Mk4 and loco I think).
It would be interesting to know if the bi-di (there is a new Flint Jn just east of the station for that purpose) was used to keep services running.

 

[Llandudno]

The north Wales coast timetable would lend itself to limited directional working as the timetable is geared around travelling Eastbound towards Chester in the early morning and westbound towards Holyhead in the late evening.

The first westbound train arrives Llandudno Junction at 0737
The first eastbound train departs Llandudno Junction at 0438

The last westbound train arrives Llandudno Junction at 0132
The last eastbound train departs Llandudno Junction at 2157

Are there many other routes with such a disparity in first/last trains depending on direction of travel?

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

Many thanks for your comprehensive answer

 

[Russel]

The north Wales coast timetable would lend itself to limited directional working as the timetable is geared around travelling Eastbound towards Chester in the early morning and westbound towards Holyhead in the late evening.

The first westbound train arrives Llandudno Junction at 0737
The first eastbound train departs Llandudno Junction at 0438

The last westbound train arrives Llandudno Junction at 0132
The last eastbound train departs Llandudno Junction at 2157

Are there many other routes with such a disparity in first/last trains depending on direction of travel?

That's actually quite a surprising difference between the first and last train in each direction.

 

[33017]

The Rail Replacement Buses and closures were mainly for the full resignalling of the line - not putting bi-directional signalling in place. Bi-directional signalling just happened to be a component of it. Before the resignalling the area was controlled by the boxes at Rockliffe Hall, Holywell Junction, Mostyn, Talacre, Prestatyn, Rhyl and Abergele with mainly bells, lever frames and semaphore signals. It is now a modern installation controlled from Wales Rail Operating Centre in Cardiff.

The bidirectional signalling is reduced capacity and is mainly meant to be used when one line is blocked or to overtake a train in exceptional circumstances. It has been used in times of disruption but its not used on a regular basis.

It’s used relatively regularly (at least every month or so) either due to infrastructure / train failure or overnight engineering work.