Seeing double at Bidston

[Shotton]

Unsure of how common it is, but took a very interesting photo on my way to work this morning. With the Borderlands line service in tatters (2 out of 3 diagrams heavily delayed), my train arrived in platform 1 - I did not even know there was track for trains from the Borderlands line to access P1.

Another 230 arrived into P2 to depart towards Wrexham, so this move was presumably either to swap the 230s in service, or step back and have the 8:00 arrival operate the next departure on time...
Either way, in my opinion a very interesting picture. Has anyone else seen something like this at Bidston?

 

[Dr Hoo]

Yes. It was a common sight during the training phase, when an extra (ECS/empty) diagram was being operated.

 

[Shotton]

Yes. It was a common sight during the training phase, when an extra (ECS/empty) diagram was being operated.

Thank you for this insight. I didn't travel regularly during the introduction of the units, so explains why this is the first time I've seen it...

It's a shame they still seem to be fairly unreliable.

 

[Sheridan]

It was pretty common during the period where they could only manage half a day in service too!

I think trains can arrive into both platforms from Wrexham, but can only depart from platform 2 back that way.

 

[WirralLine]

I think trains can arrive into both platforms from Wrexham, but can only depart from platform 2 back that way.

Correct!

Back in the "olden" days it was common for services from Wrexham to drop off on platform 1, shunt out into the siding (formerly the triangle to New Brighton), wait for passing Merseyrail services then shunt back into platform 2 before heading back to Wrexham.

 

[Bevan Price]

I arrived in Bidston Platform 1 a few weeks ago; the 230 continued empty to Birkenhead North depot, as the return working to Wrexham was cancelled.

 

[DarloRich]

Back in the "olden" days it was common for services from Wrexham to drop off on platform 1, shunt out into the siding (formerly the triangle to New Brighton), wait for passing Merseyrail services then shunt back into platform 2 before heading back to Wrexham.

that is what happened when I was there. Train arrived in the right hand platform as shown on the OP picture. Emptied, drove off under the foot bridge and round the corner, changed ends, drove back into left hand platform in the picture provided by the OP, set off for Wrexham.

PS I am used to seeing 2 x 230 units at Bletchley. Usually both were broken.................

 

[The Pelican]

Unsure of how common it is, but took a very interesting photo on my way to work this morning. With the Borderlands line service in tatters (2 out of 3 diagrams heavily delayed), my train arrived in platform 1 - I did not even know there was track for trains from the Borderlands line to access P1.

Another 230 arrived into P2 to depart towards Wrexham, so this move was presumably either to swap the 230s in service, or step back and have the 8:00 arrival operate the next departure on time...
Either way, in my opinion a very interesting picture. Has anyone else seen something like this at Bidston?

It's doing a good impression of Wimbledon Park or Southfields with the D stock, island platform and third rail.

 

[Djgr]

It's doing a good impression of Wimbledon Park or Southfields with the D stock, island platform and third rail.

Sometimes we forget that it is actually great fun riding the 230s through the English/Welsh borders.

 

[Shotton]

Sometimes we forget that it is actually great fun riding the 230s through the English/Welsh borders.

Yes, maybe I should appreciate a semi-regular commute more.

They're actually pretty pleasant to ride, when they work, just unfortunately that's not all the time Which seems to be echoed elsewhere, based on what DarloRich said about Bletchley.