Stations on Gradients where trains terminate

[Belperpete]

Serious problems with a bridge on the NYMR mean that trains are unlikely to run beyond Goathland to Grosmont and Whitby for some time. Suggestions have been made that trains will have to be top and tailed to Goathland, as there is apparently an instruction effectively prohibiting locos running-round there, due to (part of) the station being on a 1 in 49 gradient.

Beddgelert station on the Welsh Highland Railway is on an even steeper gradient, about 1 in 40 I understand, yet trains regularly terminate and run round there. Are there any other stations on steep gradients where locos ran-around in loco-hauled days?

 

[35B]

Serious problems with a bridge on the NYMR mean that trains are unlikely to run beyond Goathland to Grosmont and Whitby for some time. Suggestions have been made that trains will have to be top and tailed to Goathland, as there is apparently an instruction effectively prohibiting locos running-round there, due to (part of) the station being on a 1 in 49 gradient.

Beddgelert station on the Welsh Highland Railway is on an even steeper gradient, about 1 in 40 I understand, yet trains regularly terminate and run round there. Are there any other stations on steep gradients where locos ran-around in loco-hauled days?

From a post elsewhere, by someone in a position of knowledge, "Beddgelert was a reinstatement with no alternative position available for the station. It has not been without incident". What immediately occurs to me is that the operation is narrow gauge, and that the rolling stock is very much lighter weight than standard gauge Mk1s.

I think the more relevant question than what precedents are there is "what are the factors that ORR would consider sufficiently mitigate the risk of a runaway at such a location".

 

[Belperpete]

I think the more relevant question than what precedents are there is "what are the factors that ORR would consider sufficiently mitigate the risk of a runaway at such a location".

It is up to each railway concerned to evaluate what they consider to be adequate mitigation for their particular situation. ORR would only become involved if they considered the railway had not adequately dealt with it.

Looking at precedent is a good way of informing a decision making process, whether you decide to follow it or not.

 

[Ian Hardy]

I think that there was an similar issue when the Borders Railway only went as far south as Newcraighall as the platform there is on a slope. The DMU couldn't layover in the platform with the driver changing ends, so the DMU had to continue south towards Millerhill Yard as ECS where the driver would swap ends and then return to Newcraighall and pick up people to return to Edinburgh.

 

[matchmaker]

Dunblane?

 

[Gloster]

From 7 December 1970 trains on the Falmouth branch ceased to terminate at the original Falmouth station, which was closed, and instead terminated at a new Falmouth station half-a-mile up the line constructed from parts from Perranporth Beach Halt. Trains had to continue empty to the old station for the driver to change ends as the gradient at the new station was considered too steep to allow a train to be left without a driver in the cab. This continued until the old station was reopened and the new station renamed The Dell on 5 May 1975. The two stations later became Falmouth Docks and Falmouth Town.

 

[jadmor]

I think that there was a similar issue when the Borders Railway only went as far south as Newcraighall as the platform there is on a slope. The DMU couldn't layover in the platform with the driver changing ends, so the DMU had to continue south towards Millerhill Yard as ECS where the driver would swap ends and then return to Newcraighall and pick up people to return to Edinburgh.

That is correct, but there was a turn-back siding a short distance beyond the platform which now marks the start of the new Borders Railway extension.

 

[MadMac]

When the bay platform was added at Dalmuir Park (as it was then known) it was on a gradient steeper than 1 in 200 and some sort of dispensation was given to permit its construction.

 

[Ian Hardy]

That is correct, but there was a turn-back siding a short distance beyond the platform which now marks the start of the new Borders Railway extension.

Many thanks for that information.

 

[bluesfromagun]

Many thanks for that information.

Whilst there was a turnback siding, it wasn't used for every service and it was very common to change ends on the platform. The turnback was to free up the road for services leaving Millerhill heading towards the sub or Portobello Jn, rather than anything to do with gradients.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Jan 2026 ==

Not a station as such but its forbidden to change ends in Glasgow Queen St tunnel due to the gradient, even though it's perfectly possible signalling-wise. Trains shunting platform to platform have to go change ends in Cowlairs or Eastfield loops.