Where did Central Trains keep their trains at Leamington Spa overnight?

[thejpster]

I've been poring over the WTT for May - September 2001, focussing on Leamington Spa station. One day I want to build a model of it, but first, I wanted to really understand everything that might have happened on random Wednesday in the Summer of 2001. I actually moved to Leamington (briefly) in September 2002, but I've wound it back a year or so to catch the introduction of the Voyagers on their test services between New Street and Reading. Chiltern, Central, Thames Trains, Virgin XC, lots of freight and the Shakespeare special out of Victoria. It's made for a pretty big spreadsheet.

I see that five Centro / Central Trains service terminate at Leamington Spa, and then don't head off to a yard. So I assume they are stabled at Leamington.

Arrival	TOC	HeadCode	Timing	From	To
18:35:00	Centro	2H50	150	Stourbridge Jct	Terminates Here
19:29:00	Centro	2B90	150	Stratford upon Avon	Terminates Here
20:03:00	Centro	2H32	150	Worcester Shrub Hill	Terminates Here
23:44:00	Centro	5C36	150	Dorridge	Terminates Here
00:23:00	Centro	2H28	150	Birmingham Snow Hill	Terminates Here

Thankfully I also see five Centro / Central Trains services originate at Leamington Spa in the morning. I'm not typing them out because the table editor is fighting me.

I'm guessing that two get stacked in Platform 4, two get stacked in Platform 1 (moving there via the cross-over after arriving into Platform 4), and one goes into the siding next to Platform 1. But does anyone know for sure? And does anyone know why they didn't go back to Tyseley?

 

[satisnek]

I'm guessing that two get stacked in Platform 4, two get stacked in Platform 1 (moving there via the cross-over after arriving into Platform 4), and one goes into the siding next to Platform 1.

To the best of my knowledge that would be exactly what happened. I can certainly remember 150s being stabled in the bays. There was a traincrew depot at Leamington Spa (don't know if there still is).

 

[thejpster]

I found some photo evidence.

150012 Leamington 041104 S Widdowson

Explore 50008"thunderer"'s 17022 photos on Flickr!

flic.kr

and

150011 CT

Not in SVC.Leamington. 27 Apr 03

flic.kr

You'd get two in Platform 4, but I think you can only get one 3-car unit in Platform 1. So there must be two in the siding. Which is what the caption on this one sort of implies (but the siding is out of shot).

https://flic.kr/p/9tsAK9

 

[6Gman]

A former Central Trains diagrammer writes:


They were stabled as stated by others.

With a traincrew depot at Leamington there was no point sending them to Tyseley.

The diagrams would be set up to ensure they visited Tyseley for fuelling when required.

I seem to recall that they may have gone to Tyseley over Christmas to reduce any risks of vandalism/ severe weather conditions.

 

[JonathanH]

I've always considered the stabling arrangements at Leamington Spa a bit odd, with the platform face for platform 4 being not the whole length of the track there, and the track extending almost to the end of the platform buildings. Was it once a full loop?

 

[thejpster]

Looks like it.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Jul 2025 ==

Apparently there used to be a lot more track and a whole second station for services Rugby - Coventry?

Leamington Spa Station: Part of the 1939 OS map showing the northern approach and sidings to Leamington station

Leamington Spa Station: Part of the 1939 OS map showing the GWR and LNWR stations and the southern approaches