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Post by nickf on Oct 14, 2010 14:15:03 GMT
I can remember a long time ago that Portsmouth trains via Chichester and Horsham were routed via Mitcham Junction. Then the route was changed to go via Crawley and the LBSCR main line. Can anyone remember why this happened?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 14, 2010 14:26:39 GMT
I've certainly seen pictures of main line slammers, CEP's, BEP's etc at Mitcham Junction; Not being party to working diagrams from the time, I can only assume it was to reduce congestion around the Selhurst and Croydon areas. Maybe it was to do with the remodelling of the lines around that area? Any sort of ideas as to a year? The pictures I remember reading/seeing were from the 1977/1978 time period.
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Oracle
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RIP 2012
Writing is such sweet sorrow: like heck it is!
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Post by Oracle on Oct 14, 2010 14:36:44 GMT
I used to go to Epsom on a Thursday usually for work, and returned at about 2.30 I think. I could go back by either Raynes Park or Sutton (to Victoria). At about 20 minutes past a 12-car train used to go through non-stop, ex-Victoria en route to Horsham, and thence I think to Bognor but it may have split. This would have been around 1973-5? I gathered later that this was a regular route for some time. I have no recollection as to why the service was re-routed.
On the way back to Victoria after Mictham Junction we sometimes used the Streatham South Junction - Streatham North Junction (via reversible fast spur) as against the usual flyover. I am sure that it was at the time double-tracked but is now a reversible single? Used it seems by just one train a day now.
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Post by nickf on Oct 14, 2010 15:42:05 GMT
I've certainly seen pictures of main line slammers, CEP's, BEP's etc at Mitcham Junction; Not being party to working diagrams from the time, I can only assume it was to reduce congestion around the Selhurst and Croydon areas. Maybe it was to do with the remodelling of the lines around that area? Any sort of ideas as to a year? The pictures I remember reading/seeing were from the 1977/1978 time period. Certainly it was operating regularly this way in the '70s. It did make for a long trip into Victoria from the South Coast, and from Chichester it was usually better to drive up to Havant or Petersfield and take the Waterloo service, which took about an hour. Yes, Oracle, the trains regularly split or joined at Barnham, one portion going to Bognor the other on to Portsmouth. The route was as you outlined, via Epsom, Mitcham Junction, Streatham South and North Junctions, Clapham Junction to Victoria. BTW, PC Rail do an excellent simulation of Barnham Junction with levers, bells and block indicators. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 14, 2010 16:25:52 GMT
The route was changed so that they ('Mid Sussex' line) trains could serve Gatwick Airport.
The fast line side spur at Streatham was double - effectively it was part of the LBSC Victoria-Portsmouth main line - until singled under the Victoria resignalling of the early 1980's.
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Post by nickf on Oct 14, 2010 18:15:14 GMT
That makes sense. Many thanks, etr220.
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Rich32
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Post by Rich32 on Oct 14, 2010 22:52:31 GMT
Following on from etr220's comment - there was a full recast of Central Division services in 1978 IIRC, which was when the Mid-Sussex's switched to the current route via Crawley/Gatwick, although for several years after there was at least one peak service still via Sutton.
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