Only passenger train over which route?

[EltonRoad]

Ok here's one for all you timetable boffins. The picture below shows an EMT '158' taken in June 09. It is the only passenger service to use this stretch of line each week. In other words, this line sees only one passenger train per week in one direction only.

Where is it, and which exact service is it?

 

[westcoaster]

ely west curve.
norwich to manchester piccadilly

 

[transportphoto]

There is a EMT service which NRW to MAN which is the 1553 Sunday Dep from NRW which does NOT call at ELY so I can only presume uses ELY West Curve - otherwise the driver / conductor cab swap caused by the forced direction change would mean them to stop at a station and therefore they may as well make it a passenger stop!

See this EMT timetable page 11 of 16 PDF CLICK
Also as this route is served by 158s this would make sence.

 

[EltonRoad]

Yes you're both right! As far as I can tell from the timetables this is the only passenger train of the week that avoids Ely. Sundays Only 1553 Norwich to Manchester Piccadilly. You can see Ely Cathedral poking out in the background.

If anyone knows why this is I'd be interested to hear. Is it a parliamentary-type service to avoid closing Ely West curve? I suppose freight uses this line?

 

[westcoaster]

No it will be to keep up the knowledge of the road, ie refrehing it.