St Margarets/Twickenham question

[racklam]

Until fairly recently, all eastbound trains at St Margarets used platform 1 (the loop off the mainline) and platform 3 at Twickenham. However, eastbound trains on the Hounslow loop have started using platform 2 (the Kingston loop trains still use platform 1), at least in the off peak. The Hounslow loop trains are also using platform 4 at Twickenham.

Does anyone know the reason for the change?

 

[Bigfoot]

There is no reason to loop the slow Hounslow rounders as there is no fast/semi fast to overtake through Twickenham/St Margarets unlike a Kingston rounder that has the reading overtake it.

 

[racklam]

There is no reason to loop the slow Hounslow rounders as there is no fast/semi fast to overtake through Twickenham/St Margarets unlike a Kingston rounder that has the reading overtake it.

I know, but that didn't stop them previously!

I imagine they used to loop them so that all the slow trains at Twickenham went off platform 3, and the fasts from platform 4, but I was wondering why it's changed now.

 

[Phil.]

Until fairly recently, all eastbound trains at St Margarets used platform 1 (the loop off the mainline) and platform 3 at Twickenham. However, eastbound trains on the Hounslow loop have started using platform 2 (the Kingston loop trains still use platform 1), at least in the off peak. The Hounslow loop trains are also using platform 4 at Twickenham.

Does anyone know the reason for the change?

The signalmen have got a bet on that if they start keeping the rounders on the main line someone will post the question on RailForums within 48 hours.

 

[JonathanH]

It looks to me as if this train

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/W94887/2016/06/09/advanced

is the only one that is adversely affected by any restriction that currently applies on the points between Whitton and platform 3 at Twickenham since it is timed to arrive at Twickenham one minutes after an off-pattern train from Reading is due to depart from platform 4.

That suggests to me that there is a fault with the points that doesn't need fixing urgently.

This happens from time to time. I recall a few years ago when the points at the southern end of Guildford platform 8 were out of use. There was no need for an urgent fix as it could just be used for Aldershot services with any through trains using platform 4, 5 or 6. It then gets resolved as part of the standard possession plan.

Looking at this it looks like any problem developed after the passing of the aforementioned train on the day the original posting was made.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/advanced/TWI/2016/06/06/0200-0159?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt