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| Marylebone 05/02/2015 at 12:15 #68849 | |
njimiller
139 posts |
Here's something that may be of interest for the fans of the Marylebone sim. I'm a regular traveller on this route and yesterday my train took an unusual route. The stopping services out of Marylebone to Gerrards Cross are often booked to wait and be overtaken at South Ruislip by a fast train although once on a Bank Holiday we've been booked into the up side platform loop at West Ruislip for this to happen. Yesterday the 1657 to Gerrards Cross was unusually routed to the up main at Neasden South Junction then held at signal 327 for a late departing Banbury train to overtake on the down main. Even after playing Marylebone many times I hadn't even realised this was an option until yesterday. For those who think this is a cunning stunt when playing Marylebone it's worth noting that two trains lost between 15 and 20 minutes due to this manouevre. Given the Banbury train had left Marylebone only 2 minutes behind us, I would have thought it wiser to delay us at Marylebone to let it go first or run us as booked to South Ruislip and let it pass there. Of course these are the decisions that signallers and us sim operators face all time during periods of service recovery - but I wonder how much head scratching this one produced in the real Marylebone box. Nick Log in to reply |
| Marylebone 05/02/2015 at 20:51 #68888 | |
outofsection
149 posts |
I wonder if that strange routing had anything to do with the major problems Chiltern are experiencing because of their line being closed by a serious landslip at Harbury cutting meaning they can't run anything north of Banbury. The slip is serious and unconfirmed reports say the line could be closed until July! 150 metres of embankment went on the march and may still be moving. Unconfirmed reports say that cracks have appeared in the tunnel mouth brickwork. The slip is in the same spot as the lesser slip that occurred a year ago. The one good thing is that, unlike Hatfield Colliery the track hasn't been distorted or buried... yet! This line being closed could not have come at a worse time as Virgin were using the line as a diversionary route when Watford Junction is closed for engineering work. And then there's all the freight that uses the line from Oxford to B'ham that will have to find another route i.e. probably via the Old Worse & Worse to Worcester and then up Lickey Bank to B'ham. Not good! Log in to reply |
| Marylebone 05/02/2015 at 21:38 #68892 | |
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Danny252
1461 posts |
" said:And then there's all the freight that uses the line from Oxford to B'ham that will have to find another route i.e. probably via the Old Worse & Worse to Worcester and then up Lickey Bank to B'ham.Or, alternatively, the redoubled Kemble Line might prove a somewhat handy relief route. Log in to reply |
| Marylebone 11/02/2015 at 17:17 #69117 | |
wellgroomed
109 posts |
It's actually something that we use more often that some people may realise! For the incident in question we used both the Up Main (bi-di) at Great Central Way Junction and the Down Slow at South Ruislip to ensure that the delayed 1647 received priority. As you reference already it is sometimes also possible to use the Up Platform Loop, in the down direction, at West Ruislip too. We would normally expect the delay to services at Great Central Way Junction, depending on the stopping pattern of the services being regulated, to be in the region of six minutes. For this incident the 1647 needed to stop additionally at Wembley Stadium to investigate a fault and as a consequence extended the delays to the trains behind. The ability to hold trains back at Marylebone is not something that is practiced without a well managed plan, because it will restrict the operation of the station by delaying services coming into the station and delaying services waiting to depart too. It is much better to let trains depart on time and practice sensible regulataion where possible en-route. Log in to reply The following users said thank you: JamesN, njimiller |
| Marylebone 12/02/2015 at 05:30 #69144 | |
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njimiller
139 posts |
Thanks for this - really interesting to hear what was going on from the business end! The only other thought I had was running my train up the slow behind the train that was already being held at South Ruislip - unless there was already a train there too. Take your point about not delaying departures at Marylebone - there isn't much room for manouevre there. Just need a Leamington sim now and a refreshed Saltley and nearly the whole of the Chiltern network will be covered - oh and a Paddington sim for the Monday to Friday route knowledge run via Greenford! Nick Log in to reply |