Trivia: Services that reverse away from stations/platforms?

[61653 HTAFC]

During the 1970s/early 1980s, after the Woodhead route closed to passengers and Sheffield Victoria was closed, Huddersfield to Sheffield services continued to run via Deepcar and through the closed Victoria and presumably reversed somewhere to access Sheffield Midland. This method of operation would have ended when Woodhead was closed completely and the route from Penistone to Barnsley via Dodworth reopened.
Also, during the 1990s when Transpennine services were diverted via Brighouse and Rochdale (calling at Mirfield for Huddersfield, as the Bradley curve had not yet reopened) and reversed in the loop alongside Salford Crescent station, away from the platforms.

Are there any services currently which reverse away from stations or platforms? Or indeed at platforms but without the doors being released?

 

[The Planner]

Liskeard to Looe at Coombe GF

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Liskeard to Looe at Coombe GF

Of course! Can't believe I forgot that one! Is it just one or two services a week that actually call at the halt?

 

[33056]

Caledonian sleepers in Wembley Yard when running via the East Coast.

 

[30907]

Is there still a train round the Rose Street curve at Inverness?

 

[Muzer]

During diversions there are a lot of places that have been used for reversals. Kennett Bridge Junction outside Reading for XC, and Harringay and Hornsey sidings for the First Hull Trains diversions to St. Pancras, spring to mind.

 

[The Planner]

Signal NT1730 on the Down Relief at Severn Tunnel if you want to reverse back up towards Gloucester for diversions, don't think XC use it now.

 

[Muzer]

I believe Newport is now used for XC reversals.

 

[Ash Bridge]

Of course! Can't believe I forgot that one! Is it just one or two services a week that actually call at the halt?

I think it may be 2 per day, Monday-Sat.

Just thought, does Bere Alston count?

 

[najaB]

Is there still a train round the Rose Street curve at Inverness?

IIRC, yes but in one direction only. This is because passenger trains are allowed to enter platform 5 from the south but not from the north (or is it the other way around?).

 

[70014IronDuke]

I think you will find just about every Middlesbrough-Whitby service has to reverse en route, if it has any chance of reaching its destination, that is.
And v v.

And pretty much every Liverpool - Sheffield - Nottingham - Norwich too, for that matter. Plus the odd EMT St Pancras - Sheffield-Leeds job that runs via Nottingham.

 

[swt_passenger]

During diversions there are a lot of places that have been used for reversals. Kennett Bridge Junction outside Reading for XC...

Kennet Bridge loop was used for at least one normally timetabled daily XC reversal - the train from Newcastle forming the 1210 to Southampton) throughout this recent spring period; at least until all the work west of the station was finished, a month or so back.

When the Botley line was closed due to the landslip early last year Portsmouth to Waterloo via Eastleigh trains reversed on the main lines just south of St Denys.

Until a recent timetable change FGW services between Southampton and Fareham that operated via Eastleigh for route retention purposes reversed in a platform there as a non passenger call.

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

And pretty much every Liverpool - Sheffield - Nottingham - Norwich too, for that matter. Plus the odd EMT St Pancras - Sheffield-Leeds job that runs via Nottingham.

The question was about reversals away from stations/platforms or if in platforms the doors were not released...

Normal timetabled calls that reverse during station calls is quite a long list.

 

[FQ]

I think you will find just about every Middlesbrough-Whitby service has to reverse en route, if it has any chance of reaching its destination, that is.
And v v.

And pretty much every Liverpool - Sheffield - Nottingham - Norwich too, for that matter. Plus the odd EMT St Pancras - Sheffield-Leeds job that runs via Nottingham.

But the Middlesbrough to Whitby trains reverse at Battersby station, the Liverpool to Norwich services reverse at Sheffield and Ely stations and the St Pancras to Leeds via Nottingham reverses at Nottingham (I think). The OP asked for services that reversed at places other than stations.

EDIT: swt_passenger beat me to it!

 

[Mag_seven]

When FGW HSTs were getting diverted over the Chiltern Lines recently, they reversed at Banbury. Technically the doors should have remained locked as this was not a booked set down/pick up stop. FGW HST's also reverse at Reading West in service if the set needs to be turned for any reason, but the doors remain locked (not all coaches are on the platform anyway)

 

[70014IronDuke]

When FGW HSTs were getting diverted over the Chiltern Lines recently, they reversed at Banbury. Technically the doors should have remained locked as this was not a booked set down/pick up stop. FGW HST's also reverse at Reading West in service if the set needs to be turned for any reason, but the doors remain locked (not all coaches are on the platform anyway)

apologis .....did not read to the end!

 

[Muzer]

Kennet Bridge loop was used for at least one normally timetabled daily XC reversal - the train from Newcastle forming the 1210 to Southampton) throughout this recent spring period; at least until all the work west of the station was finished, a month or so back.

When the Botley line was closed due to the landslip early last year Portsmouth to Waterloo via Eastleigh trains reversed on the main lines just south of St Denys.

Until a recent timetable change FGW services between Southampton and Fareham that operated via Eastleigh for route retention purposes reversed in a platform there as a non passenger call.

Apologies, yes, I meant loop.

And how on earth did I forget the St. Denys reversals?

 

[krus_aragon]

On a Sunday morning ATW service to Crewe a few years ago, I panicked when we didn't turn north after Newport. After reassuring myself that I hadn't boarded the wrong train (class 175s don't run through the Severn Tunnel), the train came to a halt and the driver walked through to take us up the Maindee Loop and northwards.

I presume that this reversal is (or was) done on a regular basis to maintain route knowledge of ATW drivers along the loop.

 

[Hophead]

If Haywards Heath - Brighton via the main line is closed, trains can run via Lewes and, I believe, run forward past the junction, then reverse to head into Brighton via Falmer.

Can anyone confirm? I'm sure I did this some time in the past (10-15 years ago, say).

 

[GatwickDepress]

If Haywards Heath - Brighton via the main line is closed, trains can run via Lewes and, I believe, run forward past the junction, then reverse to head into Brighton via Falmer.

Can anyone confirm? I'm sure I did this some time in the past (10-15 years ago, say).

Yup, there's quite a few test paths in the system for Thameslink driver training it as well.

 

[W-on-Sea]

Not sure if it's in the current timetable, but certainly last year one XC a day (can't remember if it was 2046 or 2146?) from Reading to Birmingham reversed at Foxhall Junction, just after Didcot, so to keep a parly service on the west-north curve there.

Oddly, the display on the outside doors of the train (always a Voyager) at Reading displayed "Foxhall Junction" as the next station, while the PiS inside (if not overridden by the driver) would announce "The next station is Foxhall Junction". Just one slight problem: no platforms...

 

[Bunting14]

I think there are still some services that go from Newark Castle to Northgate and reverse on the points just after the flat crossing.

 

[button_boxer]

Not a regular service as far as I'm aware but I've been on a late EMT service from London once or twice when the line was closed around Spondon. We used the Castle Donington line to Stenson junction and reversed on the Birmingham main line to get to Derby.

 

[gnolife]

I think there are still some services that go from Newark Castle to Northgate and reverse on the points just after the flat crossing.

I know the last Notts - Lincoln does this, I'm not sure about the other direction.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

What happens when Grand Central Bradford services are diverted via Leeds? Do they reverse in platforms/centre roads, or do they use the Whitehall curve to avoid LDS altogether?

 

[VisualAcid]

Occasionally a Swindon to Gloucester non-stop reverses at Bristol and at Severn Junction, runs as a passenger service quite late at night.

 

[IanD]

I'm afraid I'm not sure of the number of services that call at the halt, but it does give us the interesting thing in this thread that makes this a service that reverses without being in a station to do so! (Surely that must be rare, if not unique?!)

That's what this thread is supposed to be about - services that reverse when they are not in a station or if they are in a station, the doors remain locked. XCs reversing at Reading and Exmouth-Paignton services generally fulfil neither of these conditions.

What happens when Grand Central Bradford services are diverted via Leeds? Do they reverse in platforms/centre roads, or do they use the Whitehall curve to avoid LDS altogether?

The one time I used it, we reversed short of the station.

 

[Welshman]

What happens when Grand Central Bradford services are diverted via Leeds? Do they reverse in platforms/centre roads, or do they use the Whitehall curve to avoid LDS altogether?

I think I read somewhere that they use the Whitehall curve, then reverse at Engine Shed Junction on the ex-Midland line, then re-trace their steps over the Whitehall curve and to the Leeds-Doncaster main line, passing through Wakefield Westgate and down for their stop at Kirkgate.

 

[D6975]

I've been on a Salop-Crewe stopper that went from the bay platform at Salop, reversing by the box before proceeding to Crewe.

I've lost count of how many times I've reversed at Cowlairs. Not needed since they built the W-S chord of course.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Forgot about the Lowland sleeper. The Edinburgh portion reverses at Carstairs, but doesn't call there either to pick up or set down. The reversal is done in the station, but not all the train is in the platform. Similarly, the Highland sleeper reverses at Edinburgh, but only the Fort Bill portion is booked to stop, even though the doors must be released on the other portions in order to let Fort Bill seated passengers move between portions. Try booking a seat Euston-Edinburgh on this service, and you'll be told you have to change at Stirling!!

 

[alexl92]

Does the VTEC KX - Harrogate service reverse at Leeds without setting down first?

 

[trentside]

I know the last Notts - Lincoln does this, I'm not sure about the other direction.

2L50, the 0526 from Lincoln to Nottingham does this in the other direction.

On Sundays (in the current timetable), the following do the reversal while heading towards Nottingham;

2L50 1356 Cleethorpes - Nottingham (1500 from Lincoln)
2L74 2100 Lincoln - Nottingham

I think there's an additional afternoon service during the Winter timetable that does make a call at Northgate, negated by additional trains in the summer timetable.