Rolling stock which is "stored" at a station platform overnight.

[mangyiscute]

So most trains will return to a depot to be stored overnight, but on some occasions, trains are left at station platforms overnight.

My example is the SWR trains at Reading, the last two trains of the day sit on the platforms at Reading overnight to form the first two services of the next day.

How common of an occurrence is this?

 

[Chris172]

New street normally has 350s stored over night. Sometimes due to different circumstances diesel trains maybe left at Snow Hill overnight

 

[jfollows]

Manchester Airport used to and probably still does.
Yes, 00:24 from Liverpool works 05:32 to Liverpool for example.

 

[jamesst]

Very common I imagine.
There's very few tocs that have space to store all stock on depots without some out stabling.

 

[jfollows]

Alderley Edge used to have carriage sidings but they’re long gone now. But not stabled in the platform of course.

 

[PGAT]

I believe one train is stored at Tattenham Corner platform 2 overnight

 

[swt_passenger]

So most trains will return to a depot to be stored overnight, but on some occasions, trains are left at station platforms overnight.

My example is the SWR trains at Reading, the last two trains of the day sit on the platforms at Reading overnight to form the first two services of the next day.

How common of an occurrence is this?

Very common on SWR, there are trains stabled at numerous stations overnight, at obvious ends of lines such as Waterloo, Reading, Weymouth, Portsmouth Harbour, Portsmouth and Southsea low level. But also at Southampton and Guildford where they’re even berthed overnight for 4 or 5 hours on some through lines.

I know there was a thread a couple of years ago that attempted to pin down station berthing locations all over the country.

Post #223 linked below was the eventual composite list:

I'm confused as to where all the trains fit at night...

If you want to add Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail) to the list for a complete picture of these islands, there are trains stabling overnight at: Dundalk sidings Drogheda Drogheda Train Care Depot Sligo Sligo sidings Longford sidings Dublin Connolly Dublin Connolly sidings Fairview DART Depot...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Western 52]

Usually some units left in the platforms at Carmarthen overnight. There's a new siding now though so presumably they'll be using that in future.

 

[Lucy1501]

Northern and Scotrail store a number of their units in the bays at Carlisle overnight.

 

[Herefordian]

Northampton, platforms 4 and 5.

 

[75A]

Certainly Littlehampton & Bognor Regis on the Southern.

 

[brad465]

700s have and presumably still do get stabled in some of the Southeastern platforms overnight as stabling is a premium there. I recall the Rainham bay platform has one, and even the through loop at Rochester. IIRC some 465 sets spend the night in Platform 1 at Victoria and Platform 4 at Tonbridge (sometimes all day Sunday too for the latter).

 

[ld0595]

Dundee usually has a few stored in the bay platforms.

 

[liamf656]

Nottingham is usually full of trains overnight, I believe only platform 3 is open to allow freights to run through

 

[The Snap]

Manchester Picc often has trains stabled overnight, especially midweek when only a handful of the platforms are blocked under possession. Those platforms outside the possession generally have trains stabled in them.

 

[D6975]

It's common practice in many places for units that finish their diagrams relatively early go to depot for servicing/cleaning/fuelling, then return to the station or stabling sidings to make room for other units to be serviced. In pre IEP days HSTs used to do this at Swansea for example.

 

[SC318250]

Scotrail
In addition to Dundee and Carlusle

Glasgow Central
usually 6 x318 or 320
And a dew 380

Larkhall
2 x 318/320

Lanark
2 x 385

Helensburgh Cenrral
4 x 334 ??

Ayr
Few 380

Largs
Sat night 380 x2

Wemyss Bay
1 x 380 (not Fri or Sat)

Aurdrie
2 x 334 also carriage sidings also

Edinburgh
1 x 380
Few other also

Kyle/Wick/Obam/Fort William/Mallaig will have at least 1 unit overnight

 

[matchmaker]

Scotrail
In addition to Dundee and Carlusle

Glasgow Central
usually 6 x318 or 320
And a dew 380

Larkhall
2 x 318/320

Lanark
2 x 385

Helensburgh Cenrral
4 x 334 ??

Ayr
Few 380

Largs
Sat night 380 x2

Wemyss Bay
1 x 380 (not Fri or Sat)

Aurdrie
2 x 334 also carriage sidings also

Edinburgh
1 x 380
Few other also

Kyle/Wick/Obam/Fort William/Mallaig will have at least 1 unit overnight

Stirling as well. Power and water are laid on in several of the bays.

 

[Western 52]

Pwllheli has 2 units overnight, but not sure if they are actually in the platform.

 

[Statto]

Very common on Merseyrail, units are stabled overnight at New Brighton, Rock Ferry & Southport, plus one unit is stabled overnight at Hooton.

 

[RichJF]

One train of 377s (8 coach) is often stabled in East Grinstead platform 1 overnight. Forms the first departure out to Victoria.

 

[PGAT]

The first couple of departures from Victoria to East Grinstead are also stabled overnight

 

[bramling]

Very common on SWR, there are trains stabled at numerous stations overnight, at obvious ends of lines such as Waterloo, Reading, Weymouth, Portsmouth Harbour, Portsmouth and Southsea low level. But also at Southampton and Guildford where they’re even berthed overnight for 4 or 5 hours on some through lines.

I know there was a thread a couple of years ago that attempted to pin down station berthing locations all over the country.

Post #223 linked below was the eventual composite list:

I'm confused as to where all the trains fit at night...

If you want to add Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail) to the list for a complete picture of these islands, there are trains stabling overnight at: Dundalk sidings Drogheda Drogheda Train Care Depot Sligo Sligo sidings Longford sidings Dublin Connolly Dublin Connolly sidings Fairview DART Depot...

www.railforums.co.uk

I’ve been half meaning to do an update of that list at some point. I might do so for the December timetable a bit nearer the time.

In terms of the OP’s question I don’t think a massive amount has changed since that list was made, though there will certainly be tweaks here and there.

 

[Liam L]

New street normally has 350s stored over night. Sometimes due to different circumstances diesel trains maybe left at Snow Hill overnight

Also stables 323s.

 

[william.martin]

Pwllheli has 2 units overnight, but not sure if they are actually in the platform.

The first of the days final two departures always goes to the siding however it is a mixed bag whenever the final one does, if it is delayed it will often stay in the platform however if not they usually go.

 

[greyman42]

The 2300 Kings Cross to York stands on a platform overnight before forming the 0440 to Kings Cross.

 

[Gloster]

Pwllheli has 2 units overnight, but not sure if they are actually in the platform.

Due to the signalling, I would presume that the first arrival has to shunt to the siding before the second can arrive, but that second then sits in the platform overnight and forms the first train out. The other then shunts to the platform to form the second departure. (I think this is how it works, but I am a mechanical signalling map and ETCS boils my brain.)

 

[Topological]

It's common practice in many places for units that finish their diagrams relatively early go to depot for servicing/cleaning/fuelling, then return to the station or stabling sidings to make room for other units to be serviced. In pre IEP days HSTs used to do this at Swansea for example.

Fairly sure platforms in Swansea are still used in a similar way. Whenever I am there at 02:00 (arrival from Paddington) or 03:45 (first train to Paddington) there are IET in other platforms. It does seem to be a cycling to and from Maliphant though.

 

[bramling]

Due to the signalling, I would presume that the first arrival has to shunt to the siding before the second can arrive, but that second then sits in the platform overnight and forms the first train out. The other then shunts to the platform to form the second departure. (I think this is how it works, but I am a mechanical signalling map and ETCS boils my brain.)

I think both units shunt to the siding at Pwllheli. It may well be the case that the units receive basic servicing there. The guard works the “ground frame” that is actually located in the former Pwllheli West signal box. All rather quaint considering the line has so-called state of the art digital signalling!

 

[Big Jumby 74]

My example is the SWR trains at Reading,

Very common on SWR, there are trains stabled at numerous stations overnight, at obvious ends of lines such as Waterloo, Reading, Weymouth, Portsmouth Harbour, Portsmouth and Southsea low level. But also at Southampton and Guildford where they’re even berthed overnight for 4 or 5 hours on some through lines

As swt_passenger quite correctly lists, these are all part of the base (Long Term Plan) and have been since year dot for most part, only in more recent times stabling capacity has become critical, so other options are often being looked at, including the extension of many sidings for the initial 10 car plan of ten plus years back, and is liable to become more of an issue with a greater number of fixed 10 car trains (701's).
Other locations can be used for engineering works purposes, viz Haslemere, Basingstoke platform 1, and a few others I believe.
NR have certain rules as to how many platforms can be occupied overnight at some locations in the LTP (as listed by swt_passenger), with maximum number of cars permitted being laid down, Waterloo being a prime example. Both there and at Salisbury, these rules had to be, how shall I say, 'flexed a tad' many years ago, just to get the basic train plan to work. That's how tight the situation was (and likely still is - I am making an educated guess here about the current situation) on the SW network.

Bold: added for clarity