Penzance to Paddington: why an additional call at Maidenhead?

[ChewChewTrain]

I sit upon today’s 1415 off Penzance, due into Paddington at 1926. It has just left Reading at 1907, 9 minutes late. This, the Train Times app tells me, is due to train crew being delayed.

An announcement has been made that there will be an additional call at Maidenhead, which of course is seldom blessed with such long distance services. I was just wondering what the reason for this is. Something to do with dropping off or picking up train crew, perchance? I can’t imagine there being a passenger-related reason; there isn’t any disruption to speak of which would require some other service to be “filled in” for, at least from what I can tell.

I thought maybe our experts may be able to access relevant information today that may not be available tomorrow. Anyway, thanks in advance for any light than can be shed.

(We’ve just stopped at Maidenhead, on the main line, if that makes any difference.)

 

[Dfatcontroller]

I sit upon today’s 1415 off Penzance, due into Paddington at 1926. It has just left Reading at 1907, 9 minutes late. This, the Train Times app tells me, is due to train crew being delayed.

An announcement has been made that there will be an additional call at Maidenhead, which of course is seldom blessed with such long distance services. I was just wondering what the reason for this is. Something to do with dropping off or picking up train crew, perchance? I can’t imagine there being a passenger-related reason; there isn’t any disruption to speak of which would require some other service to be “filled in” for, at least from what I can tell.

I thought maybe our experts may be able to access relevant information today that may not be available tomorrow. Anyway, thanks in advance for any light than can be shed.

(We’ve just stopped at Maidenhead, on the main line, if that makes any difference.)

To drop off a Driver that had misread their diagram to ensure their next working was on time.

 

[ChewChewTrain]

Thank you. So, a driver going the other way had mistakenly missed out Maidenhead, ended up at Reading, and so had to be returned to Maidenhead to drive a service starting there? Sorry if these are facile questions for this forum; I admittedly don’t often read it.

 

[30907]

Thank you. So, a driver going the other way had mistakenly missed out Maidenhead, ended up at Reading, and so had to be returned to Maidenhead to drive a service starting there? Sorry if these are facile questions for this forum; I admittedly don’t often read it.

Not quite. They were supposed to be at Maidenhead at a certain time, and for whatever reason were actually at Reading. Services seem to have been generally disrupted, and I presume there was no other suitable train to get them there as a result - putting a special stop in for the purpose is quite rare.

 

[ChewChewTrain]

Thank you. Rare as you say; I can’t recall experiencing such an event before. A pragmatic way of dealing with the situation, though.

It may end up being the only train throughout human history that has called at Taunton, Reading, Maidenhead, and then Paddington...

 

[GW43125]

Not quite. They were supposed to be at Maidenhead at a certain time, and for whatever reason were actually at Reading. Services seem to have been generally disrupted, and I presume there was no other suitable train to get them there as a result - putting a special stop in for the purpose is quite rare.

Conversely, on Southern, it's quite common to see all sorts of services make a special stop at Selhurst to change crews.

 

[dk1]

It used to be quite common for a Norwich service to drop a driver off or pick up a driver at Seven Kings or Ilford to assist with tyre turning moves.

 

[JN114]

It’s not especially uncommon, although if I ever arrange them they tend to be crew-only stops, and I request the paperwork endorsed as such - that way the travelling crew member(s) can just quickly bail out of a cab door and the train continue its merry way without the convoluted rigmarole of opening and closing all the doors etc.

Twyford, Maidenhead and Slough are the 3 that crop up most - at least once a month between them on shifts I work. Sometimes also Didcot or West Ealing (from Paddington).

All for moving misplaced crew around the network swiftly. Better a couple minutes recoverable delay in a long distance train than losing round trips on branch lines.

 

[ChewChewTrain]

It’s not especially uncommon, although if I ever arrange them they tend to be crew-only stops, and I request the paperwork endorsed as such - that way the travelling crew member(s) can just quickly bail out of a cab door and the train continue its merry way without the convoluted rigmarole of opening and closing all the doors etc.

Twyford, Maidenhead and Slough are the 3 that crop up most - at least once a month between them on shifts I work. Sometimes also Didcot or West Ealing (from Paddington).

All for moving misplaced crew around the network swiftly. Better a couple minutes recoverable delay in a long distance train than losing round trips on branch lines.

How do you deal with the lack of main line platforms at West Ealing? Does the train have to be diverted onto the relief line, or is there a procedure for the crew member to alight where the main platform would be and then get to the relief platforms in the same way a workman on the line would?

Is a crew-only stop announced, if only to prevent passengers trying to get off? I’m wondering if it’s ever happened on a train I’ve been on without me even being aware.

 

[JN114]

How do you deal with the lack of main line platforms at West Ealing? Does the train have to be diverted onto the relief line, or is there a procedure for the crew member to alight where the main platform would be and then get to the relief platforms in the same way a workman on the line would?

The West Ealing extra calls would be in the 2Nxx Didcot services from Paddington, which run down relief usually so no platform issues. Usually when Crossrail cancel or run their trains fast leaving the Greenford driver stranded at Paddington.

Is a crew-only stop announced, if only to prevent passengers trying to get off? I’m wondering if it’s ever happened on a train I’ve been on without me even being aware.

That’s up to the crew on the ground, and how exactly they best want to manage it.

 

[dk1]

Is a crew-only stop announced, if only to prevent passengers trying to get off? I’m wondering if it’s ever happened on a train I’ve been on without me even being aware.

Best way is to just get the cab of the train onto the platform to drop the other driver off. That way none of the passenger doors are in the station until it’s accelerating away.

 

[chorleyjeff]

To drop off a Driver that had misread their diagram to ensure their next working was on time.

Why make a public announcement that the train would stop at Maidenhead ? Can't think any passengers would get on or off there.

 

[Paul Kelly]

Why make a public announcement that the train would stop at Maidenhead ? Can't think any passengers would get on or off there.

Could also be because the previous two trains to Maidenhead were either cancelled (18:52) or running very late (19:04)?

 

[Beebman]

Could also be because the previous two trains to Maidenhead were either cancelled (18:52) or running very late (19:04)?

Around 2013-2015 I used to regularly take the 17:06 from PAD to BRI via Bradford-on-Avon which was first stop Twyford, my local station. On a few occasions it was cancelled and instead the 17:03 to PNZ made an additional stop at TWY.