Nuneaton Up Relief

[E_Reeves]

Hi all,

Back when 88002 did it's first passenger run up and down the WCML, I was at Nuneaton station to see it. Whilst there a sand train (Middleton towers to Ince and Elton) was in platform 4. I was speaking to the driver and he said that he was still in platform 4 due to a points failure just north of the station. Looking on Open train times, I saw a mix of traffic backing up towards Atherstone, the class 88 included. One of the held up services was planned to go through platform 4 but couldn't do because of the sand train. I was expecting it to run behind the 88 through platform 3 (open train times was showing this as well) but I was surprised to see it go through the up relief line, which I though was OOU?

My question is that can this relief line be used any time for any traffic if any platforms are blocked as I have never seen anything run through there before?

Thanks

 

[paulb1973]

Hi all,

Back when 88002 did it's first passenger run up and down the WCML, I was at Nuneaton station to see it. Whilst there a sand train (Middleton towers to Ince and Elton) was in platform 4. I was speaking to the driver and he said that he was still in platform 4 due to a points failure just north of the station. Looking on Open train times, I saw a mix of traffic backing up towards Atherstone, the class 88 included. One of the held up services was planned to go through platform 4 but couldn't do because of the sand train. I was expecting it to run behind the 88 through platform 3 (open train times was showing this as well) but I was surprised to see it go through the up relief line, which I though was OOU?

My question is that can this relief line be used any time for any traffic if any platforms are blocked as I have never seen anything run through there before?

Thanks

I assume that is the track situated between Platforms 5 and 6. It was laid a few years back [if that's the one] and is not adjacent a platform. I had thought it was originally out of use - but was brought into use and is wired too.

 

[E_Reeves]

Yes it is between 5 and 6. I made a mistake in the original post. The 88 went through platform 4 and the sand train was in 5.

 

[Ships]

Hi all,

Back when 88002 did it's first passenger run up and down the WCML, I was at Nuneaton station to see it. Whilst there a sand train (Middleton towers to Ince and Elton) was in platform 4. I was speaking to the driver and he said that he was still in platform 4 due to a points failure just north of the station. Looking on Open train times, I saw a mix of traffic backing up towards Atherstone, the class 88 included. One of the held up services was planned to go through platform 4 but couldn't do because of the sand train. I was expecting it to run behind the 88 through platform 3 (open train times was showing this as well) but I was surprised to see it go through the up relief line, which I though was OOU?

My question is that can this relief line be used any time for any traffic if any platforms are blocked as I have never seen anything run through there before?

Thanks

This isn't the western region! Less of your reliefs!

 

[snowball]

This isn't the western region! Less of your reliefs!

According to Trackmaps/Quail there's an "up relief goods" at Nuneaton in addition to the fast and slow lines.

 

[richieb1971]

Someone told me that relief line was for a freight train path that required the engine to run around. I'm assuming that freight path never came to fruition?

 

[Freightmaster]

Someone told me that relief line was for a freight train path that required the engine to run around. I'm assuming that freight path never came to fruition?

No, but it has occasionally been used for that purpose,
most recently during the period when there was an ongoing
points failure at Whitacre Junction causing all trains to use
the loop there which in turn led to the Mountsorrel to Northampton
stone train running round at Nuneaton on at least one occasion.


MARK

 

[Roast Veg]

In those cases, does the loco run around through platform 5 and leave the wagons in the relief, or vice versa?

 

[E_Reeves]

A freight shown to be in there at the moment

 

[Freightmaster]

A freight shown to be in there at the moment

That's the recently introduced, DRS operated 6Z46 Carlisle to Stud Farm ballast empties,
booked to recess at Nuneaton for 40 minutes.



MARK