In celebration of remote junctions of time gone by ...

[whole diary]

[grahame]

I came across an article in the Nottingham Post on Trent Junction - an interchange station where the Midland mainline split on its way to Nottingham, to Derby, and to Sheffield - and a station was provided in the middle of a rural setting quite in excess of anything that meager local traffic would bring.   

Alas, closed 1st January 1968 (no doubt "Beechinged") and these days rail resurgence has brought such a greater frequency of services and pattern changes that there's through trains whizzing in all directions though the site with little be gained (and time lost) by services stopping there again.

I just loved the pictures in the article; pure nostalgia, and it reminded me of other remote junctions.  I came across Morfa Mawddach after it ceased to be a junction, but before it was demolished and the station building replaced by a bus shelter.





Both images under a creative commons license via Wikipedia - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

Second Image - John Lucas

First Image - Ben Brooksbank, who writes "Morfa Mawddach Station. View southward, towards Dolgellau and Ruabon (left), Dovey Junction and Machynlleth (right); ex-Cambrian, Machynlleth - Pwllheli line, junction of line to Dolgellau, thence ex-Great Western to Ruabon; there was also a line connecting that from Machynlleth directly to the Dolgellau line which made a triangle. (I took the photograph from a northbound train about to cross the Mawddach Viaduct to Barmouth). The station was called 'Barmouth Junction' - and Dolgellau was 'Dolgelley' until 13/6/60; the lines to Dolgellau and Ruabon were closed on 18/1/65"

We don't have a "history" board on the forum ... I'm dipping a toe in the water here and posting in the most logical place which is under "preserved stuff" ... would be interested in whether members feel that occasional history pieces (preferable from our own area - but I wasn't raised in Western Region territory) should be encouraged - or even a separate board set up.

[ChrisB]

yes to the first, no to second (they're fine here)

[eightf48544]

When I attended Derby BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) Management College in the mid sixties we used to go to Nottingham by train (priv) on a pub crawl we went via Trent. Lots of junctions and signal boxes.

In fact I read an article regarding a certain train which  ran from Derby to Trent and back to Derby by way of Sawley Junction Sheet Store, Trent Station South, Trent Station North and back to Sawley  Jn. As they were short sections Line Clear was sent to the box in advance  asked as soon as it was accepted from the box in the rear. By the time Trent station north offered it to Sawley Junction it would be ignored  (refused) as the train would be fouling  Sawley Junction

We used to come back on the East Anglian Crewe Postal, which went via Chaddessen Sidings to come into Derby from the North so as to save running round. Unfortunately by this time it was diesel hauled

[eightf48544]

There was one  junction station which never appeared in the timetable.

You had:

A dep 00:00
B dep 00:15
B Arr   00:30
C Dep 00:45

Thus you depart B before you arrive.

Where?

[grahame]

There was one  junction station which never appeared in the timetable.

You had:

A dep 00:00
B dep 00:15
B Arr   00:30
C Dep 00:45

Thus you depart B before you arrive.

Where?

Somewhere like Rheness?   I'm noting exact quarter hours and thinking it fits with a TV schedule?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodor_(fictional_island)#/media/File:Maps-sodor-map-beck-amoswolfe.png

[eightf48544]

Quarter hours are irrelevant just to illustrate you are in a time warp at B departing before you arrive.

[Western Pathfinder]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swallownest_railway_station

Might this be of interest ?.

[grahame]

Looks like it could be an "up a branch and back again" job ... applies currently (so not the answer) at Georgemas Junction - where trains depart Wick(A), depart Georgemas (B) (arrive and depart Thurso), arrive (and depart Georgemas) and then arrive and depart Scotscalder (C).  I also wonder if there is/was a similar oddity at Limerick Junction where trains from Waterford had to pass by the station and then come back to it down a chord; again that does / did appear in the timetable though probably not in its full glory.

[eightf48544]

B is actually a clue!

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

When I attended Derby BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) Management College in the mid sixties we used to go to Nottingham by train (priv) on a pub crawl we went via Trent. Lots of junctions and signal boxes.

In fact I read an article regarding a certain train which  ran from Derby to Trent and back to Derby by way of Sawley Junction Sheet Store, Trent Station South, Trent Station North and back to Sawley  Jn. As they were short sections Line Clear was sent to the box in advance  asked as soon as it was accepted from the box in the rear. By the time Trent station north offered it to Sawley Junction it would be ignored  (refused) as the train would be fouling  Sawley Junction

We used to come back on the East Anglian Crewe Postal, which went via Chaddessen Sidings to come into Derby from the North so as to save running round. Unfortunately by this time it was diesel hauled

I was on BR training scheme at Derby Loco Works in the mid 60’s and remember going on a test run on a (hauled) 75 tonne steam crane round that loop at Trent. 

I also remember a test run on a newly built Class 25 + about 11 coaches, which went over the old Midland line through Matlock to the outskirts of Manchester and back.  Nice day out – the purpose was to ensure power output was OK and field diverts went in and out OK as speed changed up and down the gradients. There were extensive layouts around Millers Dale Junction - now no more of course - and Buxton.

Happy days!

[grahame]

B is actually a clue!

But perhaps not a very big clue?  I don't think anyone has got it ... (Google search for "Station not in timetable" gave me Nottingham on the National Rail web site - and I think that's a public one  )

[eightf48544]

B is Bala

A and C are both Llan.....

Connecting shuttle service from B to junction.