What's the point of 5L44 ?

[Nicholas43]

I was at Didcot today waiting on the advertised pl 3 for 2L44 to Oxford, which is formed from 2L41 from Oxford. There was a light engine, a 66, sitting in platform 4, looking ready to go westwards.

Electrostar 2N37 from Paddington was running late, and was put into platform 5. The departure of 2L44 was said to be "delayed", but still from platform 3. No reason was announced, but I see from realtime trains that 2L41 got stuck at North Hinksey.

I was puzzled about how a train from Appleford reached platform 3. I now learn from realtime trains that there is ECS shunting 5 to 3, 5L44, in order to achieve this. After the electrostar had left platform 5 to go back to Paddington, 2L41 arrived into pl 5. The friendly driver told me that the signallers hadn't explained to him why he had been held at North Hinksey. Somebody somewhere decided not to use 5L44, and passengers waiting on pl 3 were belatedly told to scuttle down and up to pl 5.

Since 2L41 has to arrive at pl 5, what would ever be the point of 5L44 to shunt it over to pl 3 ? Practice of route knowledge, or some such? Or can't electrostars arrive in pl 3 and go back to Paddington also from platform 3 ?

 

[pdeaves]

(Without looking everything up, so may be wrong), might it be to give a cross-platform interchange with something if everything runs to plan?

 

[221129]

It's done to get out the way of what looks like an RHTT path. Stunts from 4 to 3.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

There is no direct route from Platform 3 to the Up Relief. The only Up route is to the Up Main at Didcot East. It is possible to reach the relief line by weaving back at Moreton Cutting but there are few slots in the timetable (as the moves will also conflict with down traffic towards Oxford.)

Quite a few of the midweek stoppers are booked to shunt, due to a variety of freight paths. If the freights don’t run or are delayed, the signallers may route directly into the departure platform which is what you witnessed.

 

[Nicholas43]

Thanks very much, everyone.