Southern Class 171 at East Grinstead

[fgwrich]

Quick question for anyone, but does anyone know why Southern's 171803 put in an appearance down in East Grinstead yesterday afternoon, around 15:00. It didn't depart on the 15:07 and my Bluebell DMU service left before the next departure from East Grinstead.

 

[JB25]

Quick question for anyone, but does anyone know why Southern's 171803 put in an appearance down in East Grinstead yesterday afternoon, around 15:00. It didn't depart on the 15:07 and my Bluebell DMU service left before the next departure from East Grinstead.

I imagine it may well have had to sit there due to yesterdays tree disruption? I don't know what Uckfield is like but I imagine there would be more room to sit a train at EG?

 

[grid56126]

It was due to a points failure at Blackham Junction which occurred at 13:30 thus a number of diversions took place as the Uckfield line was badly affected by this

 

[fgwrich]

It was due to a points failure at Blackham Junction which occurred at 13:30 thus a number of diversions took place as the Uckfield line was badly affected by this

Ah, Thanks Grid56126. Saturday obviously wasn't a good day for the Uckfield line then with the problems at Blackham Junction and additional greenery at Hurst Green in the evening.

 

[tsr]

Ah, Thanks Grid56126. Saturday obviously wasn't a good day for the Uckfield line then with the problems at Blackham Junction and additional greenery at Hurst Green in the evening.

Indeed not. Some journeys were delayed by around 70mins by the fault at that junction.

As for trains waiting on the Uckfield route, then you'd usually find they terminate at Crowborough in disruption, as well as in the single platform at Uckfield. Space can be limited by this at Uckfield, but a unit can often be sent back there, in order to run the next appropriate service, when the line has been cleared.