Dawlish Up Line

[Wolvercoter]

Hi there,

Yesterday (19/10/13), I was on the delayed 2T15 Exmouth to Paignton stopper when the guard announced we'd be waiting at Dawlish Warren for a passing train. But, our train proceeded without another train overtaking us. After the Dawlish stop, I noticed that a HST (1C77) was behind us but gaining on us rather quickly. Soon after, it dawned on me that this section of line allows down trains to use the up line and the HST must be on the up line. And, sure enough, as we stopped at Teignmouth, the HST overtook us in the station and we waited a few minutes for it to clear back onto the down line.

Does this happen often? I know it's mainly used in this way during bad weather (or for the odd railtour) but wondered if anything is timetabled this way. Would make for an interesting sight to see two trains on dual lines running in the same direction!

Thanks.

 

[Temple Meads]

Nothing is booked to use it that way, but it is happening more often now that signallers are allowed to use it for regulation purposes.

 

[1e10]

There is a video on YouTube of a XC Voyager departing down towards Paignton on the up line.

Not sure how often this happens though.

 

[Temple Meads]

There is a video on YouTube of a XC Voyager departing down towards Paignton on the up line.

Not sure how often this happens though.

I do wonder who did that video

Seriously though, a week or two after I saw that, it did happen again with that service, although I think that particular working is/was Summer only.

PS: I only had my phone that evening, which is why the quality is so poor.

 

[CC 72100]

Does this happen often? I know it's mainly used in this way during bad weather (or for the odd railtour) but wondered if anything is timetabled this way. Would make for an interesting sight to see two trains on dual lines running in the same direction!

Thanks.

Yes - I've been on an XC HST which was on the 'wrong line' all the way from Dawlish Warren to Teignmouth, where we passed the unit. We left Exeter 15/20 down, and so to make up time and not get stuck behind the unit, the signaller sent us to do that.

However, on the Exeter-bound line, the speed restriction at the time was 20 just after you get out of the tunnel West of Teignmouth, following the land slip, so in all honesty I'm sure sure how much time was made up.

 

[1e10]

I do wonder who did that video

Seriously though, a week or two after I saw that, it did happen again with that service, although I think that particular working is/was Summer only.

PS: I only had my phone that evening, which is why the quality is so poor.

I hadn't realised it was your video

The 17:07 from Manchester Piccadilly now runs through to Plymouth but still calls at Dawlish.

 

[richw]

Somebody else from here has previously linked a video from a HST overtaking a unit going down the up line. Possibly bnm?

 

[1e10]

Somebody else from here has previously linked a video from a HST overtaking a unit going down the up line. Possibly bnm?

This looks like it.

 

[CC 72100]

This looks like it.

Exactly what they did with my XC HST too!

 

[richw]

This looks like it.

It is, and that is bnm's youtube page.

 

[dk1]

Been going down there each Summer since early 90s & never seen it in use. Then on last Saturday this August caught a late running Dawlish-Newton Donkey when as passing through the tunnels to my surprise The Cornish Riviera (10.06 ex-Pad) came alongside. Thought the bi-di was just for degraded working here.

 

[455driver]

No it can be used for regulation purposes now and is used quite often when the need arises.

 

[richw]

Does going down an up line involve the drivers signing the route additionally, or does the route knowledge cover all lines in all directions?

 

[455driver]

Covers all lines in all directions.

 

[1e10]

What does regulation purposes actually mean?

 

[Temple Meads]

What does regulation purposes actually mean?

Well, basically the Up line at Dawlish could once only be used in emergency situations (bad weather, engineering, etc..), but now signallers can use it to minimize delays to trains, the latter being an example of "train regulation".

 

[Wolvercoter]

Thanks for your replies everyone. Seems that we might see this more often then!

 

[455driver]

Getting the trains in the right order.

If a XC train is running late it will end up behind the Oaignton stopper unless they hold the stopper at either Exeter st Davids or in the loop at Dawlish Warren. This will mean that the stopper will also end up late, or if they let the stopper run it will delay the XC even more while it calls at Dawlish and Teignmouth.

By using the reversible up line they can send the stopper away on time from the Dawlish Warren loop and while it is calling at Dawlish and Teignmouth the SC can overtake it by using the reversible line.

Either train can use the reversible but its usual for the XC to use it so the stopper can call at its normal platforms.