Reversing Farringdon and Liverpool Street

The train would have to trip past be station starter, which would then require the signals to be reset. The driver changes end and then waits for the wrong road signal to clear. The move is only attempted when there is little other alternative! Are the crossovers at Farringdon and Liverpool Street to be retained after the SSL resignalling, because now even the S7's cant't do the move without drawing past the starting signal.

Liverpool Street reversers can also continue empty to Aldgate to reverse. This was the case in 2007 before the line was fully open to Aldgate after the bombings.

There was a Farringdon destination on the A stock blind too but I'm sure it got little use.

The crossovers at Farringdon and Liverpool Street are not going to be retained after the SSL resignalling.

The Liverpool Street one is simply a PITA, the same as the bay platform - it's essentially going in the wrong direction. This was the view of the bay platform several years ago, blocked off behind the metal walls. Apparently because of Crossrail work this view isn't even possible now...


Looking towards Liverpool Street bay platform by londonstuff, on Flickr

Well, if it weren't for the location and if it were sited a little bit closer to Moorgate (so that S7s would stop in platform 1 in rear of it) I think it'd still be useful for truncating the Hammersmith & City and the Circle (as, presumably, it used to be) and for short-tripping trains on them both.

Obviously one could say - aha but the Hammersmith & City has Moorgate, Aldgate East and Whitechapel for the purpose and the Circle has Moorgate too and it has Aldgate and Tower Hill (although Tower Hill probably shouldn't be included as I was thinking of Hammersmith - Liverpool Street originally, in which case the crossover is facing the right way). Thing is, though, if there's a problem in the Aldgate area all options but Moorgate are now out (for going back to Hammersmith, ignore Tower Hill), which has to cope with trains from all three lines (Metropolitan too). As well as that, Aldgate East is a nuisance for reversing east to west, Whitechapel and Tower Hill would need to cope with the District and Tower Hill is no good at all for outer rail to inner rail/west to east and Aldgate would need to take the Met and I don't think you can reverse off the Circle line platforms.

So, notwithstanding whatever might happen to the old widened lines between Moorgate and Farringdon, I'd still say the reversing facilities at Liverpool Street will be a loss. This is particularly true because Liverpool Street tube obviously provides useful interchange with the Central (which can get you back on the Hammersmith & City at Mile End as well) and allows you to reach the major mainline station. As such, nothing east of Moorgate is a lot more of an inconvenience than nothing east of Liverpool Street.

But then maybe it's just my bias, since I like complex track layouts and signalling etc. what could be less fun than two tracks running parallel from end to end ? Still, I'm not sure how wise London Underground have been historically in lifting quite a lot of useful track, reducing flexibility (e.g. as dear District Dave himself mentioned the removal of the crossover allowing access to platform 1 at Earl's Court from the Wimbledon branch).

Hmmm, I'm fairly sure there're still two crossovers, one to the west and one to the east, aren't there? Either that or I'm seeing things when I go past Perhaps my obsession with point work has reached a new height!

Don't forget Bromley By Bow.

Now that, I think, would be quite a good idea