| Newest Added Photographs | |
 |
February 2008 saw two Sundays of diversions via East Putney (down only). Here a class 455 is seen passing East Putney LUL station having come up from the Richmond lines. More images here |
 |
Ely West curve, in the last days of regular service use, 31455 on the 1027 Birmingham - Norwich 30 April 1988. While converting from hauled services to DMU removed the need to use the curve, the resignalling of the area resulted in use eastwards being deemed unacceptable. There remains on train a week westwards. |
| Older Photographs in Timetable order | |
 |
A class 308 EMU at Tilbury Riverside station. This station closed in 1993 and was also associated with a piece of rare track in the curve east from the station. This had a limited service for many years prior to which most trains reversed at Riverside and the rare track was the north side of the triangle. |
 |
During work at Norwich station in 1986 the station was closed and a temporary station opened on the site of Trowse station closed in 1964. In addition London trains used the Wensum curve to run forward to Yarmouth to be serviced and run round. |
 |
The diversion of Kings Cross main line services around the Hertford loop features in the timetables at least once a year, this is from 1987. With one of the last booked hauled services and a rather mixed set of stock heading for Leeds behind 47522 crossing the flyover at Alexandra Palace |
  |
A diverted ECML HST service leaving the Pyewipe avoiding curve west of Lincoln. Services were diverted between Newark and Doncaster on 4 May 1997. The teletext clue for this was "trains diverted not calling at Retford" On the same day a diverted ECML electric service arriving at Doncaster, dragged by 47475. |
 |
A single car class 153 approaches Ulceby from Barnetby via the normally non passenger served chord. This was due to engineering work east of Haborough. As Ulceby has only got the one platform (the normal route from Grimsby comes in as a single line seen to the left) the train had to run past and reverse back in to the platform. |
  |
On 20 February 2005 work blocked the normal routes through Meadowhall and Rotherham Masborough and services were diverted via Woodburn Jn - Broughton Lane Jn - Rotherham Ctl Jn - Aldewarke Jn, the access to Tinsley yard. This route is parallel to the Sheffield supertram allowing easy access for photography. Upper is Don Valley Stadium station as a class 153 passes on a local train while lower is Broughton lane Jn with the line to Tinsley climbing up behind the twin-220 of a Penzance - Edinburgh service. |
 |
North of Leicester is the Syston curve. Use has declined recently as it sees a hanful of Peterborough - Nottingham workings. Back in 1990 it was used even less, only being used for summer extra services, such as this with 47329 hauling the 1607 Yarmouth - Liverpool. Currently a limited service of table 49 trains use this route, most trains are via Grantham. |
 |
Another use of Syston north curve was for diverted services when the ECML was blocked. At Easter 1993 this is the 1420 Doncaster - Kings Cross, having run via Swinton - Masborough Stn - Beighton - Tapton - Toton Jns and Loughborough. The train was also signalled over Trent High level goods line, but the driver did not know the route and it was reset. |
 |
A Euston - Birmingham service leaving Euston via the low level diveunder. This route is used by trains from the lower numbered platforms 4, 5 & 6. The Euston remodelling made this route more common. |
 |
A Peterborough - Minehead charter crossed London via Finsbury Park, Kings Cross Incline, Primrose Hill and (seen here) leaving the WCML for Willesden SW sidings and Acton to join the GW main line. |
  |
A London - Birmingham train, diverted via Nuneaton instead of Coventry approaches Birmingham New Street hauled by 58014. (Upper) 58040 deteches from a Wolverhampton - Euston service at Nuneaton (Lower) This diversion is often set in the timetable for Sundays although freight loco's are very unusual on it these days, VWC tending to use thier 'Thunderbird' class 57 locos. This is now a 'rare track' route as well, being the only passenger use of Nuneaton N - Abbey Jns now that the regular Leicester - Birmingham service uses the flyover |
  |
On 12 October 1991 WCML Liverpool services were started from St Pancras. The upper picture shows 87002 is seen leaving St Pancras for Bedford, where the drag engines were attached. The normal route was attained at Nuneaton via the Wigston South curve. The lower picture is 47550 hauling the 1109 St Pancras - Liverpool. |
  |
At Easter 1994 the bridge south of Carlisle station was replaced. To cope with this a temporary station was built at Upperby on the Carlisle Goods Lines. This served the lines to Newcastle and Settle via London Road Jn and to Whitehaven via Bog Jn. A few services also ran to Penrith via Upperby Bridge Jn. Although most WCML services terminated at Penrith a few services ran through, as seen here with views taken from the 0724 Aberdeen - Plymouth. This was diverted from Edinburgh via Newcastle. The lower picture also shows a Whitehaven service at the far platform for Bog Jn. This did however have to depart southwards a short distance and cross over to the correct line. |
 |
Heysham harbour station which sees two trains a day for the Manx ferry sailings |
 |
Ellesmere Port, the right hand platform seen here is now used for the very few remaining trains to Helsby, Warrington or Liverpool. All DC Merseyrail trains use the platform as shown. The photograph is from May 1995 just before the frequent service ceased. |
   |
A line at one time frequented by special trains and thought likely to reopen was Aylesbury - Claydon - Bletchley. Despite opening from Oxford to Bicester, the Claydon - Bletchley section is out of use. The top picture is of a train leaving Aylesbury for Quainton, Quainto itself is the middle image, and the bottom is of Claydon L.N.E Jn. Quainton still sees a few special service days in association with the museum. |
 |
With Didcot - Oxford blocked, a diverted Birmingham - Poole service approaches High Wycombe. The train will continue via South Ruislip and Hanwell curves. Not much goes centre road either. |
 |
43190 heading north of Oxford with a diverted Bristol to Birmingham service in November 1984 |
 |
A new track layout was installed at Filton, near Bristol, in June 2004. During this time trains from Wales or Birmingham to Bristol were diverted via Avonmouth. Here a VXC Voyager is seen leaving Bristol Parkway and running onto the Avonmouth line |
 |
During the GWR 150 celebrations in 1985 special trains were run to Wapping Wharf (seen here) and also Portishead. This section of line is now out of use but part of the Bristol Harbour museum. |
 |
The summer-only Fishguard - Cardiff service at Whitland, September 2004. This train ran is running again in 2006, and not just in the summer, using Carmarthen avoider and the Swansea District line. However it is not hauled after February. |
 |
An earlier view of the London Westbury - Exeter via Yeovil diversion, at Yeovil Pen Mill is 50033 with the 1335 London - Penzance of 10 May 1986 |
 |
In May 1986 a cross-country HST climbs up from Yeovil Pen Mill to Yeovil Junction |
 |
During the winter of 2004 extensive engineering work was carried out near Waterloo. When certain lines were shut services via Wimbledon were diverted over the LUL District line and the curve at East Putney. Here a class 455 local train crosses over to the District at Wimbledon. Main line services were diverted from Woking via Virginia Water which used the West Byfleet - Addlestone curve |
 |
During the open day at Bournemouth Depot in 1998 access was by a shuttle service from Bournemouth station. This used the normally non passenger line into the depot (to the right here seen from Branksome). This line used to be the end of the Somerset & Dorset running to Bournemouth West station. Another trip within the depot gave a brakevan trip down to the depot headshunt which is at the former station throat. |
 |
A Tonbridge - Victoria service crosses number 219 points to enter the ex SE division side of Victoria from the Central division side. |
 |
The 1440 Folkestone Harbour to London leaves the Harbour station to climb the incline up to the main line. |
  |
Two trains in Folkestone Harbour Station on 8 June 1985, on the left one to London whilst on the right is the 'Day out in Kent or France' service, 1930 Folkestone Harbour - Reading. Departing Reading at 0823 as a normal service to Waterloo this ran Clapham Junction - Factory - Longhedge - Ludgate Jns. - Herne Hill |
 |
Although the curve from Minster towards Sandwich has a limited timetabled service it also sees use during engineering works. On 5 April 2003 the lines were closed from here to Ramsgate, as can be just seen in the distance, hence Charing Cross - Dover - Ramsgate trains such as this were diverted to terminate at Minster. Trains via Canterbury West also terminated here, using the rare crossover (behind me in this view) on arrival. |
 |
This photograph is of the recently introduced Glasgow Central - Rutherglen - Whifflet service in Scotland using previously freight only & rare lines. Also visible on the left is the line from Coatbridge Sunnyside Jnc which has been used during blockages in Glasgow Central low level to divert Dalmuir - Lanark services. |
 |
A Glasgow - Edinburgh service diverted via Shotts and the Edinburgh suburban line passing Cameron Toll, south of Edinburgh. this was in February 1997 but the same diversions and also variations on them, have run in 2006 |