Triangular terminal approaches query

rjhowie · Post by **rjhowie** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 3:14 am

On the NIR network one of the two main Belfast stations (Victoria Street which is a terminal) has a triangular approach to it. In case i'm not explaing this too well the main line runs just south and tight past the station nut has two lines coming off that from east and west and joining together at the northern part of the triangle and this combined line runs into the terminal

Is there any other terminal station in Gt Britain with this unsual situation in rail practice?
Robert

simont · Post by **simont** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 10:56 am

There are quite a few termini like that (Colchester Town, Littlehampton, for example), it's fairly standard practice. Unless you mean that there are platforms on all 3 sides of the triangle? In which case some through stations in the UK have this arrangement (Shipley, Earlestown), but I can't think of any termini.

Tomnick · Post by **Tomnick** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 10:58 am

Swansea is the first one that comes to mind - I think the through traffic to the west was considered more important, at the time, than traffic to Swansea, hence the triangular layout, with the 'main line' passing to the north. Norwich Thorpe has a triangular layout on the approach, but the curve giving direct access to the Whitlingham line is little used nowadays.

Any others?

johndibben · Post by **johndibben** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 11:54 am

Bradford Interchange

johndibben · Post by **johndibben** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 12:02 pm

Eire had one of my favourite station layouts which had a terminus on a through single line.

It was Killarney (I think).

Trains going one way, had to reverse, before proceeding.

Trains going the other way, had to pass the station and reverse before proceeding

simont · Post by **simont** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 12:11 pm

Folkestone Harbour was a bit like that- boat trains had to go into a siding when leaving the mainline, then reverse back to the station.

Tomnick · Post by **Tomnick** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 1:31 pm

I think something similar happens (or at least, did happen) at Inverness - most trains travel over Rose Street curve (the other side of the triangle) before reversing into the station. I'm not sure how often this happens these days, but, if I remember correctly, the track layout in the station itself dictates that any 'through' service must do this move, since there is effectively no access between the two 'halves' of the station.

stuartpalmer · Post by **stuartpalmer** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 9:57 pm

Tomnick wrote:I think something similar happens (or at least, did happen) at Inverness - most trains travel over Rose Street curve (the other side of the triangle) before reversing into the station. I'm not sure how often this happens these days, but, if I remember correctly, the track layout in the station itself dictates that any 'through' service must do this move, since there is effectively no access between the two 'halves' of the station.

Very Close!

Trains from Aberdeen (via Elgin) and from the South (via Perth) enter platforms (1-4, I think) on one side of the triangle. Services from the Far North Line (Wick/Thurso) and the Kyle Line (Kyle of Lochalsh) use platforms (5-7?) on another side of the triangle (although the platforms are curved, and it's not at all obvious, standing on the concourse, that there are actually two "stations"). So (although I haven't actually aver travelled on one of the "through" trains), they must indeed have to use the Rose Street curve (the third side of the triangle) and reverse, either before or after entering Inverness.

charlierc · Post by **charlierc** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 10:54 pm

I've got one.

Newark Northgate.

Charles

Tomnick · Post by **Tomnick** » Sat Jan 01, 2005 12:40 pm

Hmm, don't think Newark counts! Though the lack of a direct link between Northgate and the Nottingham line does mean that through westbound trains calling at Northgate must depart back towards Lincoln, and reverse at the East Junction.

simont · Post by **simont** » Sat Jan 01, 2005 1:16 pm

But do any services do that? You'd think, as they could call at Castle, that it wouldn't be worth the bother.

Tomnick · Post by **Tomnick** » Sat Jan 01, 2005 1:29 pm

The trains that call at Northgate, do so to provide Lincoln passengers with access to GNER services. Until the last couple of years, the majority of trains to Northgate did continue to Nottingham - nowadays, though, they do tend to go either to Northgate or Nottingham, presumably to reduce the number of movements across the ECML. I think two or three a day still call at Northgate en-route to and from Nottingham though.

simont · Post by **simont** » Sat Jan 01, 2005 1:33 pm

That's kind of what I thought- that most trains to Northgate (from Lincoln) would terminate there and most through trains going straight to Castle.

Tomnick · Post by **Tomnick** » Sat Jan 01, 2005 1:48 pm

simont wrote:That's kind of what I thought- that most trains to Northgate (from Lincoln) would terminate there and most through trains going straight to Castle.

That's how it seems to work now, yep - a Grimsby - Newark shuttle, and a Lincoln - Nottingham (and beyond) service calling at Castle only. I think the service pattern before these changes was similar, but with some (most?) of the 'shuttle' trains continuing on to Newark.

One complication with westbound trains is that, on the move back out of the station, they also block the Down (eastbound) line for a couple of minutes, which can't be helpful!

arabiandisco · Post by **arabiandisco** » Tue Jan 04, 2005 11:25 am

Brighton has 2 triangles in front of it. And Dover Western Docks had a triangle when it was open.

If you want some bizarre reversing moves, then Limerick Junction is a great one for backwards - forwards - backwards.... stuff.