Very late platform change at Cambridge

[J-2739]

Where do I begin! Just like to support the independent traders rather than big chains.

Well in Cambridge, you're spoiled for choice in that department!

This thread reminds me of a few weeks ago, when a terminating Greater Anglia service from Liverpool Street had to stable itself on one of the sidings, as another train called first dibs on platform 4. It remained there for a long 15 minutes before it reversed into platform 1. Or something like that. The passengers on board must have been really fed up.

 

[CdBrux]

I have watched a lot of trains come and go at Cambridge for more than half a century.

I think it is not possible to have a down train arriving in platform 1 simultaneously with an up train arriving in platform 4, because a SPAD would be likely to result in a collision, so one or both would have to be brought to a stand outside the station until the other had stopped. However, if the down train runs through to platform 4, the up train can run on the through road up to the scissors crossing then cross into platform 1 after the down train has passed. Furthermore, a down train in platform 4 can depart simultaneously with an up train from platform 1, whereas that's obviously not possible the other way around.

That makes sense, but then you would think with a northbound strain due to arrive a couple of mins before a southbound one then both should always be planned to go to the 'far end' of the platform relative to their direction of travel to avoid any issues if either is not quite running to time

 

[Bracknell]

Slightly off topic, but reading this made me think of it. Years ago before the station was rebuilt I was traveling back up to Cambridge when we were brought to a long stand outside the station in the vicinity of Addenbrookes. The driver eventually told us that the power was out on the station roads at Cambridge, but that power was available on the non-station roads. The net result was that a 317 was sent from Cambridge to run alone side us and the train doors were opened in one place on both sets. What I recall was an old disaballed style ramp was placed between the trains and everyone had to de-train into the unit next door. That unit then took us to Shelford were we had to wait for Andrews coaches to appear from Foxton and take us all to Cambridge by Road. I presume that was total failure of power on the down road, but the up road was ok. That event has always stuck in my mind and now I think about it just the idea of getting all the passengers of a train onto one road coach seems incredible. How times have changed!