Stations with Intensive Services

[Mark_re]

I am often impressed at Southampton Central. The service through the station is extremely intensive and yet I very rarely encounter delays awaiting a platform, or for other 'station-related' reasons. I do find it amazing what they can achieve with 4 platforms (admittedly split into A/B), especially given the number of passing freight trains, terminating trains, dividing trains, trains coupling-up, different classes, etc.

Apart from Soton Ctl, are there any other stations on the network which are similarly busy and well-managed? I know Fenchurch Street and various London termini are good, but how about provincial stations?

As an aside, the signallers often seem to come up with creative pathing, when disruptions occur. My favourite was sitting on the 1746 XC service (off 3), gambling that it would leave before the delayed 1730 Waterloo (off 1, delayed to 1745). As it happened, they left simultaneously. The XC ran 'wrong way' all the way up past Northam depot, neck-and-neck for most of the way, before sneaking ahead, just South of St. Denys.

 

[142094]

Leeds is crammed and just about manages to get everything out on time. Even more impressive considering there are only two lines from the east.

 

[LexyBoy]

Reading!




... just kidding
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Leeds is crammed and just about manages to get everything out on time. Even more impressive considering there are only two lines from the east.

I was impressed by the size of Leeds when I was up there last week, especially the three-track arrangement between some platforms with pointwork to let out trains from the centre of a platform. Must be mad at rush hour though - I thought Birmingham was bad with its 13A/B platforms - Leeds has some divided into A, B, C and D!

 

[142094]

I was impressed by the size of Leeds when I was up there last week, especially the three-track arrangement between some platforms with pointwork to let out trains from the centre of a platform. Must be mad at rush hour though - I thought Birmingham was bad with its 13A/B platforms - Leeds has some divided into A, B, C and D!

It is, and from what I have heard, the station is at full capacity again now (only a few years after the major improvement).

 

[district]

Ashford has 13tph (a train every 4.8 minutes or so) which is in my opinion quite intensive for the area. We also get coupling/decoupling, terminating and all sorts which are quite well managed imo.

 

[OxtedL]

East Croydon is always impressive. The sheer number of services that pass through there, and all of them coordinated to be exactly 3 minutes late...

 

[Morgsie]

Clapham Junction which has over 120tph off peak.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

New Street is positively bursting. Lord knows how they keep that place ticking over, I am convinced more trains per hour stop there than the place was designed to take.
Lots of suburban trains too, Stourbridge Junction springs to mind, it has 6tph to Birmingham, 6tph from Birmingham (half carry on to Kidderminster & Worcester) and 6tph on the Stourbridge Town branch line. Not bad for a place that most people outside of the West Midlands havent even heard of.

 

[ukrob]

Liverpool loop stations manage 16tph... but is pretty easy being a single track and platform

Liverpool Central (Northern Line) works pretty well. A single island platform with 4tph to each of Hunts Cross, Southport, Ormskirk and Kirkby. The Ormskirk and Kirkby services terminate/start at the station too.

 

[ChrisCooper]

The intensity of traffic a platform can take will depend on a lot of factors. A big factor will be the linespeed into, out of and through the station. If at any point trains are either having to approach slower than they could be or are having to back off when pulling away they are increasing platform re-occupancy time. Unless trains have unusually long layovers, straight in straight out platforms are usually better than ones that require turnouts, as they will usually be line speed throughout, wheras points will usually require a slower approach and/or departure (although higher speed points and good signalling will help a lot).

Signal spacing is another factor as it means an approaching train can get much closer to a train in the platform or departing whilst travelling at higher speed than if spacing is longer, and also it means a train can depart closer behind the previous train. Oviously moving block is a real help there, hence why Metro systems like it. Signallers can play a part too, making sure routes are set up as quickly as possible and trying to set departure routes before the train gets too close (as if the starting signal is red trains will usually end up approaching the station much slower than if it's clear). Automatic Route Setting is a big help because it sets routes as soon as they are free, so no problem with a busy signaller delaying setting a route because they are concentrating on something else.

Platform dwell time is oviously an issue, and comes down to train design (door area and door cycle times), despatch staff efficiency and also the passengers. It's the hardest one to deal with as it will always have a human factor. Finally the train performance comes into it, which is down to both the train itself (acceleration and braking performance) and also the driver. Again automation can help, ATO means trains all perform exactly the same and at their optimum, although of cource outside factors can come into that too such as track condition.

 

[northwichcat]

It sounds like Southmapton Central is a bit like Stockport.

The problem with Stockport is when there's a late running Pendolino there can be around 4-5 Northern Rail services held at red signals to let the late running Pendolino through first.

 

[142094]

Liverpool loop stations manage 16tph... but is pretty easy being a single track and platform

You could also have station such as Monument on the TW Metro - approx. one every 3/4 minutes peak time north and south, then the 5tph to St James and Wallsend.

 

[northwichcat]

You could also have station such as Monument on the TW Metro - approx. one every 3/4 minutes peak time north and south, then the 5tph to St James and Wallsend.

In you including Light Rail then on the Cornbrook to St Peter's Square section of Metrolink there is currently there is 25 trams per hour standard pattern in either direction.

 

[All Line Rover]

I was impressed by the size of Leeds when I was up there last week, especially the three-track arrangement between some platforms with pointwork to let out trains from the centre of a platform. Must be mad at rush hour though - I thought Birmingham was bad with its 13A/B platforms - Leeds has some divided into A, B, C and D!

Whilst I find Leeds station to be very gloomy, I am most impressed by the layout. The "A/B/C/D" arrangement isn't a problem because the different sections are very well signposted and easily accessible.

Birmingham New Street is just a horrible station with a horrible layout - the splitting of platforms makes the layout even worse!

 

[northwichcat]

I was impressed by the size of Leeds when I was up there last week, especially the three-track arrangement between some platforms with pointwork to let out trains from the centre of a platform. Must be mad at rush hour though - I thought Birmingham was bad with its 13A/B platforms - Leeds has some divided into A, B, C and D!

Which would you prefer though when another service is late to depart:
a) An announcement telling you that your service will now depart from platform 16B instead of 16A.
b) An announcement telling you that your service will now depart from platform 12 (across the stairs) instead of platform 16.

Situation a) happened to me at Leeds.

 

[NSE]

Whilst I find Leeds station to be very gloomy, I am most impressed by the layout. The "A/B/C/D" arrangement isn't a problem because the different sections are very well signposted and easily accessible.

Birmingham New Street is just a horrible station with a horrible layout - the splitting of platforms makes the layout even worse!

I don't find Brum that bad. I mean follow the signs, common sense and its always worked out for me

 

[Peter Mugridge]

My own local station, epsom, is quite intensive:

4tph each way on the Waterloo line, all of which run through.

5 tph to and from Victoria, three of which terminate / start and two of which run through.

Doesn't sound too bad until you consider that all four down Waterloos have to cross the up Victorias on a flat junction - some of the Victorias start from platform 1 to avoid that, but they then have to be out of the way quickly otherwise they'll delay the next down Victoria.

Compounding that is that when a starting up Victoria uses platform 3 it has to cross the downs from both termini just south of the station. And the 6tph that run through below Epsom have to share a double track, so in addition to avoiding the flat junction conflicts at both ends of the station they also have to ensure that the paths - especially in the down direction - do not trip over each other.

 

[mralexn]

Reading!




... just kidding
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


I was impressed by the size of Leeds when I was up there last week, especially the three-track arrangement between some platforms with pointwork to let out trains from the centre of a platform. Must be mad at rush hour though - I thought Birmingham was bad with its 13A/B platforms - Leeds has some divided into A, B, C and D!

yes but Reading.. and well managed, dont exactly go well together :P if anything goes wrong it always seems to be just outside reading ^^

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Manchester Oxford Road has numerous arrivals and departures.