Use of Hereford P4 Sunday 3rd December??

[All platforms]

I have just noticed that (at the moment) RTT have an AW service departing Hereford P4 at 11.48 Sunday 3rd December. Having been burnt before with quite sporty timetabling does anyone have any info that this service will (very likely) run as planned, or are there very real reasons why it is unlikely to. Do we know how many carriages can be accommodated in P4?

It is one of the very few platforms i have not gone to have a look at when visiting stations (over 1500 so far). Thanks in advance.

 

[The Planner]

I have just noticed that (at the moment) RTT have an AW service departing Hereford P4 at 11.48 Sunday 3rd December. Having been burnt before with quite sporty timetabling does anyone have any info that this service will (very likely) run as planned, or are there very real reasons why it is unlikely to. Do we know how many carriages can be accommodated in P4?

It is one of the very few platforms i have not gone to have a look at when visiting stations (over 1500 so far). Thanks in advance.

P4 is 70m long so 3 car at best. I'm not sure why it needs to use 4 though. Edit: there is an ECS shunt from 2 to 3 at the same time, so it could well go from 4.

 

[craigybagel]

The night before sees 3 units arrive in Hereford to stable, with 1 on each of platforms 1,2 and 3 (the platform 1 service is notable as it is an arrival from Milford Haven, and the signalling isn't actually set up to allow passenger services run straight into 1 from the South).

The following morning see's those 3 units all head north separately, from each of platforms 2,3 and 4. There's no mention of any TfW units shunting, so something doesn't quite add up at the minute.

 

[Techniquest]

If it does happen, it'll be the first passenger service I've seen using it for a good long while! I'm intrigued myself, so I'll be keeping an eye on this situation!

 

[newtownmgr]

5F60 will be the stock for P4. Will show it arriving on p3 but won’t show the shunt move as nothing set up for that.
1B41 will arrive & stay on P3 overnight & 1V66 will do the same on P2. This will leave P1 available for Worcester bound services.

They may shunt 1B41 & 1V66 into the depot siding but that will be sorted locally if they want to leave the up & down main clear.

The departures from 2 & 3 will obviously depart first to clear those platforms at the earliest opportunity.

This is only guess work, but as a driver who has signed Hereford for 36 years this is my gut feeling. Then again from years of experience, I’m sure planners that have never seen the place will have other ideas

If it’s a 197 going into the bay it will have to be a 2 car as a 3 car won’t fit. A 3 car 170/175 only just fitted.

 

[Techniquest]

Very true that, the bay platform is rather small. How they ever got a 170/6 or 175 in there I don't know, some skillful driving for sure!

 

[SuperLuke2334]

Very true that, the bay platform is rather small. How they ever got a 170/6 or 175 in there I don't know, some skillful driving for sure!

The recent 175s were right up to the buffer lights!

 

[newtownmgr]

Not sure what TfW agreements are, but as regards WMR we could only start a passenger train from the if it was a 2 car as the guard couldn’t see the signal if it was a 3 car. Obviously we could dump a failure in there in emergency. A 3 car 150 was fine.

Forgot to add, the reason 1B41 will be shown as arriving in p1 is because the system will show p3 occupied by 5F60 even tho it would have shunted by the time 1B41 is due to arrive. They will need to show a platform so they can show the train arriving.

 

[All platforms]

Thanks to all that have replied. All the pieces of this jigsaw have added up to an unexpected "quite likely to occur" outcome (at present). Its one of the more obscure platforms i have encountered in my quest to board or alight at all platforms - I had it filed under "very unlikely" along with Stechford P3, Huntingdon P1, Shrub Hill P3, and a few others.

I will be keeping the date free meantime and checking back from time to time.

 

[newtownmgr]

Shrub hill p3 was regularly used up until about 2009. Only used in emergency, if at all these days due to the back road being in constant use for stabling. Can’t use the other if the either one is occupied.

 

[Sly Old Fox]

Not sure what TfW agreements are, but as regards WMR we could only start a passenger train from the if it was a 2 car as the guard couldn’t see the signal if it was a 3 car. Obviously we could dump a failure in there in emergency. A 3 car 150 was fine.

Forgot to add, the reason 1B41 will be shown as arriving in p1 is because the system will show p3 occupied by 5F60 even tho it would have shunted by the time 1B41 is due to arrive. They will need to show a platform so they can show the train arriving.

Is there a particular reason a guard has to be able to see the signal? Surely a dispatcher or the driver could relay the signal aspect to the guard.

 

[newtownmgr]

Is there a particular reason a guard has to be able to see the signal? Surely a dispatcher or the driver could relay the signal aspect to the guard.

Not always dispatch staff available.
If it’s a starting signal the guard is required to be able to see it to safely dispatch the train. Belts & braces approach to avoid any SAS Spads (start against signal).

 

[GWVillager]

When did Platform 4 last regularly see passenger trains?

 

[Sly Old Fox]

Not always dispatch staff available.
If it’s a starting signal the guard is required to be able to see it to safely dispatch the train. Belts & braces approach to avoid any SAS Spads (start against signal).

But surely then the guard would walk to the front of the train, check the signal, and then walk back to dispatch? It doesn’t feel like an insurmountable problem, especially when three carriage trains have regularly used the platform in the past.

 

[newtownmgr]

When did Platform 4 last regularly see passenger trains?

Not sure.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Nov 2023 ==

But surely then the guard would walk to the front of the train, check the signal, and then walk back to dispatch? It doesn’t feel like an insurmountable problem, especially when three carriage trains have regularly used the platform in the past.

I don’t make the rules. Only adhere to them but it’s done the way it is for safety. To be honest it’s a bit academic as all the WMR services will be 196’s from the December timetable & formed of 4 coaches. TFW’s 3 car 197 won’t fit in p4 due to length. That said the arrangement in place works perfectly.