Trivia:Remaining trains that divide/split

[Merseysider]

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C80457/2017/11/16/advanced

This certaintly seems to divide at Notts to form a Worksop train and a Norwich one

Yes, that's the one! Previously it was advertised at Liverpool Lime Street as Norwich & Worksop - I can only assume they've stopped that due to confused passengers

 

[bramling]

Correct - 1814 off King's Cross.

There are a number of Up morning peak trains that combine at Cambridge. Rear part from King's Lynn, front part from Cambridge North or Ely (or a slower portion from Kings Lynn).

And one can add to that a handful of evening peak services which detach the rear of two units somewhere along the way. Depending on service this happens at Welwyn GC, Letchworth or Royston. This is all due to short platforms at Meldreth etc.

More in line with what the OP was presumably looking for, there’s also a down GN service on a Sunday morning which is booked to divide at Stevenage. One half goes to Peterborough and the other half to Cambridge. IIRC this was done to give more engineering time.

 

[shredder1]

I believe the old ACE use to split 9 times if you could slip coaches

 

[swt_passenger]

You're correct in the fact that they were only temporary, but they are still used (usually during engineering works) so I thought it was best to point them out anyway.

Sure. I reckon if you add up all the normal day to day, Sunday only and weekend engineering splits/joins on SWR it must get into double figures for different routes, and that's without accounting for all the other splits and joins that go on all day to adjust capacity on various longer distance routes.

Just remembered there's a weekday evening 1839 Waterloo to Poole and Fareham that splits at Basingstoke, they get sneaked in all over the place...

 

[Tomnick]

Yes, that's the one! Previously it was advertised at Liverpool Lime Street as Norwich & Worksop - I can only assume they've stopped that due to confused passengers

It’s not a through service in practice though, nor is it meant to be - everyone on the rear unit will be turfed off at Nottingham whilst it’s split, and it’ll usually be left locked up until the crew arrive to take it to Worksop. Presumably too much risk of passengers wanting stations towards Norwich remaining on the rear unit (as they often do) and passengers boarding at Nottingham the rear unit in error, but also because it’s a prime candidate for a set swap. Presumably it was only advertised as a through service (as with 1L12, the rear portion forming the 1644 Derby) because of the association in the schedule, inserted for the benefit of the signalling system, which somehow made it into the public systems.

 

[Dai Corner]

A recent addition to the list: GWR will be splitting some IETs at Bristol Temple Meads, with a single unit continuing the connection to Weston-super-Mare

'Will be' being the operative words. At the moment coupling / uncoupling is not allowed at Temple Meads. Something to do with the platforms being bendier than the couplings liked. I understand the unit which should be detached now stays on the back but is locked OOU.

 

[gg1]

I gather in Japan there are services that split that have specific orientation - eg these have 9 car and 2 car units. The outer ends have full width cabs, the Tokyo end of the 9 car has a proper cab with gangway and the country end of the 2 car has a shunting cab with gangway.

I remember reading in Rail magazine in the early 90s of something similar being mooted for regional Eurostar services whereby a number of 373 half sets would be fitted with cabs at the inner ends and split/join to serve a range of ECML and WCML destinations, in the end they went for the 14 car NoL sets instead.

 

[RJ]

The King's Lynn & King's Lynn service is a curious one - presumably to work around the 4-car limit north of Ely.

(The 0714 leaves Lynn calling at all shacks. The 0725 then sets off calling at Downham Market and Ely. The two have an emotional reunion at Cambridge. I rather like it.)

Something similar happens on the Hastings line - 05.33 all shacks from Hastings waits for the 05.48 semi fast ex Hastings at Tunbridge Wells where they trundle up to Cannon Street together.

Returns as the 17.37 from Cannon Street which splits at Tunbridge Wells. Front portion every other stop to Hastings, rear portion all shacks to Hastings.

 

[Ianno87]

The King's Lynn & King's Lynn service is a curious one - presumably to work around the 4-car limit north of Ely.

(The 0714 leaves Lynn calling at all shacks. The 0725 then sets off calling at Downham Market and Ely. The two have an emotional reunion at Cambridge. I rather like it.)

VT do splits to Wrexham and Preston on their Holyhead services.

Yes, Waterbeach, Littleport and Watlington can only take 4-cars. You can run 8-cars if you omit these stations (as 1T09 and 1T06 do on weekdays, plus the Ely terminators), but the number of units then becomes limited by power supply north of Milton Fen Neutral Section (just north of Cambridge North) - think its 5 units in section from there to Littleport, then 5 north of Littleport.

 

[30907]

I believe the old ACE use to split 9 times if you could slip coaches

It had 8 destinations, but no slip coaches.

 

[159]

I've seen, in SWT days, trains to Aldershot and Farnham via Feltham. The logic baffles me - they are consecutive stations!

 

[alistairlees]

Ore & Eastbourne & Littlehampton

I didn't know about this one in three portions. Do you know what service it is / where it divides please?

I know the London Bridge to Horsham / Tonbridge / Reigate one which divides at Redhill, having been on it quite a few times.

 

[Harbouring]

I didn't know about this one in three portions. Do you know what service it is / where it divides please?

I know the London Bridge to Horsham / Tonbridge / Reigate one which divides at Redhill, having been on it quite a few times.

It splits at Hayward’s Heath with 8 going towards Lewes and 4 towards Worthing. Then 4 will be left behind at Eastbourne and 4 more will continue to Ore

 

[Hadders]

He means Kings Lynn and Kings Cross, not Kings Cross and Kings Cross.

Indeed. Seems I'm as bad as getting my Kings mixed up as some passengers

 

[TurboFintan]

I think there used to be a London Victoria to Eastbourne, Littlehampton and Bournemouth service in the Connex era, not sure when it ended. It went London Victoria to Haywards Heath and divide with 4 cars to Eastbourne via Lewes and 8 cars onwards to Worthing (or was it West Worthing?) then split again with 4 cars stopping to Littlehampton and 4 cars semi-fast to Bournemouth via Chichester and Southampton.

 

[alistairlees]

Regarding the OP's request to know about dividing (and joining) trains there are lots of places where this happens on a daily basis (at least on weekdays - it's much rarer at weekends) in the south east. In fact there are a lot more, and it's a lot more complex, than I had realised:

Faversham (Dover and Ramsgate, Dover and Margate)

Ashford International (Ramsgate and Ramsgate, Ramsgate and Dover, Dover and Canterbury W)

Tunbridge Wells (Hastings and Hastings, Hastings and Ore)

Tonbridge (Ramsgate and Dover, Ramsgate and Ramsgate, Dover and Canterbury)

Redhill (Brighton and Tonbridge, Horsham / Tonbridge / Reigate, Three Bridges and Reigate, Portsmouth Harbour and Tonbridge, Southampton Central and Reigate, Chichester and Tonbridge, Horsham and Reigate, Tonbridge and Horsham, Tonbridge and Reigate)

Three Bridges (Brighton and Portsmouth Harbour)

Lewes (to Ore and Seaford)

Barnham (Southampton Central and Bognor Regis)

Haywards Heath (to Littlehampton and Hastings, Littlehampton and Ore, Littlehampton and Eastbourne, Worthing and Hastings, Worthing and Eastbourne, Hastings and Brighton, Eastbourne and Bognor Regis, Worthing and Ore)

Worthing (to Littlehampton and Portsmouth H)

Horsham (Portsmouth Harbour and Bognor Regis, Southampton Central and Bognor Regis, Portsmouth & Southsea and Bognor Regis)

I'm pretty sure I've missed something off in this area. I'm not including where some coaches are dropped off and terminated.

I'm pretty sure something used to divide at Paddock Wood a long time ago too.

 

[alistairlees]

It splits at Hayward’s Heath with 8 going towards Lewes and 4 towards Worthing. Then 4 will be left behind at Eastbourne and 4 more will continue to Ore

Thanks. So only two passenger destinations (Worthing and Ore), really. But still pretty complex.

 

[shap summit]

Faversham used to have regular splitting and joining trains. The fasts from Victoria would 8 or 12 coaches, if 12 then 8 would split off and go down to Ramsgate ( or only 4 if an 8 coach) and the remaining 4 would go to Dover.
In the up direction, the Dover portion would be first into the platform, followed by the Ramsgate section and then fast to Victoria. A train I used to use many times in the past.
I don't know if they still do it now a days as I haven't been on that route for a long time.

 

[alistairlees]

Faversham used to have regular splitting and joining trains. The fasts from Victoria would 8 or 12 coaches, if 12 then 8 would split off and go down to Ramsgate ( or only 4 if an 8 coach) and the remaining 4 would go to Dover.
In the up direction, the Dover portion would be first into the platform, followed by the Ramsgate section and then fast to Victoria. A train I used to use many times in the past.
I don't know if they still do it now a days as I haven't been on that route for a long time.

They still do as I noted in my post (#76) above!

 

[alistairlees]

As for the OP's request for where trains used to split (but don't any more):

Sheffield (Leeds / Hull to Brighton; Leeds / Newcastle to Poole)

Stirling (Glasgow QS / Edinburgh to Inverness)

Carstairs / Preston (Glasgow C / Edinburgh to Manchester V / Liverpool LS)

There are loads more I am sure

 

[daodao]

Has Chinley been mentioned as a former 2-/3-way splitting station?

 

[thenorthern]

The far north line trains used to split at Georgemas Junction and there was a locomotive based there to take the Thurso coaches, I think the DMUs did that for a time as well but in recent times its ceased.

 

[Dai Corner]

A long time ago now, but I think the Down Penzance sleeper used to drop a portion at Plymouth which was then shunted by an 08. I'm not sure what happened in the up direction.

 

[Ianno87]

In the mid 1990s, there uses to be two splits/joins a day at Bolton. Manchester Airport to Windermere (front portion, Class 156) and Edinburgh (rear portion, Class 158). 1245 and 1645 off Manchester Airport.

Windermere ran via and called Wigan North Western, Edinburgh ran non stop via Chorley.

After privatisation, gave the possibly unique situation of a combined service involving two different TOCs (North Western Trains and Virgin Cross Country)

 

[gg1]

Carstairs / Preston (Glasgow C / Edinburgh to Manchester V / Liverpool LS)

Were there any other services which split at BOTH ends?

 

[xotGD]

As for the OP's request for where trains used to split (but don't any more):

Sheffield (Leeds / Hull to Brighton; Leeds / Newcastle to Poole)

Stirling (Glasgow QS / Edinburgh to Inverness)

Carstairs / Preston (Glasgow C / Edinburgh to Manchester V / Liverpool LS)

There are loads more I am sure

IIRC, the Scottish overnight used to join at Perth northbound and split at Stirling southbound. This resulted in double-headed working between Perth and Stirling.

Add Darlington (the coast sleeper portion)

 

[AJP62]

Carstairs / Preston (Glasgow C / Edinburgh to Manchester V / Liverpool LS)

This could be an interesting one as it was sometimes three portions - Glasgow to Manchester/Glasgow to Liverpool/Edinburgh to Manchester (I think).

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

London Waterloo to Weymouth and Bournemouth

London Waterloo to Portsmouth Harbour and Poole (Weekends)

London Waterloo to Exeter and Salisbury

London Waterloo to Exeter and Bristol

London Charing Cross to Dover Priory & Ramsgate

London Charing Cross to Margate & Dover Priory

London Victoria to Reigate & Three Bridges

London Victoria to Reigate & Tonbridge

London Victoria to Portsmouth Harbour & Bognor Regis

London Victoria to Ore & Littlehampton

London Victoria to Southampton & Bognor Regis

London Victoria to Caterham & Tatterham Corner

London Kings Cross to Cambridge & King's Lynn

London Paddington to Oxford and Cotswolds (peak time services divide)

 

[PHILIPE]

London Waterloo to Weymouth and Bournemouth

London Waterloo to Portsmouth Harbour and Poole (Weekends)

London Waterloo to Exeter and Salisbury

London Waterloo to Exeter and Bristol

London Charing Cross to Dover Priory & Ramsgate

London Charing Cross to Margate & Dover Priory

London Victoria to Reigate & Three Bridges

London Victoria to Reigate & Tonbridge

London Victoria to Portsmouth Harbour & Bognor Regis

London Victoria to Ore & Littlehampton

London Victoria to Southampton & Bognor Regis

London Victoria to Caterham & Tatterham Corner

London Kings Cross to Cambridge & King's Lynn

London Paddington to Oxford and Cotswolds (peak time services divide)

Some of these are not different portions splitting. I think the thread refers to services which divide/join to go to different destinations rather than just detaching a portion that goes nowhere

 

[greaterwest]

Some of these are not different portions splitting. I think the thread refers to services which divide/join to go to different destinations rather than just detaching a portion that goes nowhere

I'd consider them different portions splitting, because they are!

Also, there's a train from Exeter St David's & Yeovil Junction to London Waterloo, where one portion starts at Yeovil Junction and goes to Salisbury via Westbury, meanwhile the second portion starts at Exeter St David's and joins up at Salisbury via Sherborne. I'd certainly class that as two separate portions.
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/W34635/2017/11/17