Woodford station

As it's the weekend and I have no call to travel into London, I thought I'd take the chance to talk about Woodford (WOO), seeing as it's early days and I still have plenty of enthusiasm :P.

On the outside, WOO is a fairly unassuming and uninteresting station, with little to recommend it:

The far from impressive exterior of Woodford station. (Image courtesy of Gordon Joly (via Wikipedia))

Although, on the platforms, I think it's quite a nice place to be - and, travelling to and from ROV, I'm there a lot:

The slightly more impressive eastbound platform 3 at WOO. I'm quite a fan of the green and green colour-scheme found at quite a few stations on this part of the central line. (Image courtesy of "Sunil060902" (via Wikipedia))

More to the point, however, as a terminus, a useful reversing point and a stabling point, there's plenty to talk about from the point of view of railway operations. It's a useful "case study", if you like, for talking about things like reversing and stabling and it's of particular relevance to me and this blog, as it's a very important station on my journey.

A brief history of WOO

A quick wikipedia search reveals that the station was opened back in 1856 on the Eastern Counties Railway. It was later taken over by the Great Eastern Railway, who commenced services to Ilford via the Fairlop loop. (This is the same company that was responsible for the Ongar branch.) The Fairlop loop to Ilford was the precursor to today's Hainault loop (Leytonstone-Woodford via Hainault). The old line continued to Ilford after Newbury Park (NEP) and the old trackbed is still visible as you head into the tunnel outside NEP. The modern day connection to LES via GAH (Gants Hill) saw the closure of the link to Ilford. Ilford itself is these days served by Greater Anglia trains. So, anyway, I have GER to thank for my branch line, although Roding Valley (ROV) station itself was actually opened in 1936 by the LNER (London & North Eastern Railway), who also took over WOO after 1923. Finally, in 1947 WOO was transferred to the London Passenger Transport Board as part of the Central line. Interestingly, at first, it was the terminus of Central line services from central London and you needed to change for a steam train that would take you up to EPP. It wasn't long, though, before electrification was carried out as far as Loughton (and also HAI). As part of that work, the former level crossing was removed. I think the only level crossing left on London Underground that's still used is at the exit of Neasden depot.

So, anyway, that's the history lesson for today, let's get on with the operational stuff.

Services through and to WOO

I've already talked a little bit about how trains are reversed at WOO, but let me go into a bit more detail. About one train every 20 minutes terminates at Woodford via Hainault. Actually, the trains usually have a moderately short dwell in the platform at HAI, where they are cleaned, before continuing on to their final destination of WOO. It's also not uncommon for there to be a bit of a wait at Grange Hill (GRH) too, but no matter, eventually the train will get to WOO. These fairly rare trains provide the comparatively limited service on the WOO-HAI section, which used to be served predominantly by a shuttle service. These days, trains arrive at HAI from central London - usually pulling into platform 2 (although platform 1 can be used as well; platform 3 cannot), from where they continue round to WOO. At WOO the train pulls into westbound platform 2, is tipped out and heads into the siding. The T/Op (Train Operator) then changes ends, pulls into eastbound platform 3 and heads back round to HAI, from where it continues into central London via NEP and LES.

This is the pattern throughout most of the day, with all trains to Woodford via Hainault returning to central London via Hainault. At peak hours, however, us poor, neglected souls on the WOO-HAI section are blessed with a few through trains. I believe I'm right in saying that the current timetable provides for 7 through trains in the morning peak and 1 to Northolt at 16:48. These trains enter service at HAI or at GRH and travel on through central London via WOO, granting a huge boon to passengers at ROV (and at GRH and CHI) who don't have to change at busy WOO onto a crowded train coming down from LOU or EPP. Although they are good news for us passengers, the main purpose of them is really to get as many trains passing through central London as possible, because that's where they're needed. This is, really, the problem for the WOO-HAI section. The thing is, London Underground need to move people. This isn't just a cynical money-making exercise (although it's partly that, we can all see why it just doesn't make financial sense to have your trains trundling along little-used branch lines when they could be in central London where there are plenty of people willing to fill those trains and pay for the privilege) - at rush hour in particular, stations in central London get very busy - often dangerously overcrowded, in fact. London Underground need plenty of trains through the busiest stations to simply keep the traffic flowing, to keep people moving. Otherwise they have to close stations, upset passengers and lose business. This is because stations - and, in particular, their platforms - don't have that much room. What you want is people on trains and moved up the line, into the tunnels and, one hopes, onto their final destination, in the end.

So, for most of the day WOO-HAI is not very well served - there just aren't enough passengers. Although, there is something of a feedback loop - the reason for the poor(er) service is few passengers and one of the reasons for few passengers is the poor(er) service. Still, the stations between WOO and HAI are all in a competitive fare zone (zone 4) and three of them have disabled access. There's really not much more London Underground can do to make the branch more attractive, there just aren't enough people in the area and many of them go to WOO or HAI, anyway. Improving service on the branch would simply take passengers away from WOO and HAI, but wouldn't really attract very many new passengers to the network as a whole. As a result, people like me have a bit of a wait. In the morning rush hour, though, there are just enough people to justify through trains and a few more trains per hour (although, as I say, I think the main reason is the need to get trains into central London any which way London Underground can). Sadly, on the way home, there's no such luck. The recent timetable change does give us one train from central London to Grange Hill via Woodford. Trains can also run to Hainault via Woodford and both destinations are occasionally used if there's service disruption or late running. This service was also used last year during the blockade suspension of NEP to GRH for track work at HAI. Most of the time, though, you've no choice but to wait at WOO for the HAI train, through trains from central London via WOO are rare.

WOO, however, is not only used to terminate trains from HAI. WOO has plenty of facilities allowing trains to terminate at WOO from central London via SNA (Snaresbrook). However, such a procedure is rare and would generally only be seen during engineering work or service disruption. Trains can also be terminated at SOW (South Woodford) and run empty straight into the sidings which are located at WOO. Using the same facilities as the trains from HAI, it is also possible to terminate trains from EPP at WOO and, at the end of the day, this is done, with trains being stabled in the sidings I mentioned earlier. As you can imagine, this is rarely called for at other times of day, as most passengers coming from EPP will probably want to get a bit further than WOO.

This is a Central line train to Woodford

So, how is all this achieved? The first thing to mention is Woodford junction, which is where the track from ROV merges with the track from BUH - just outside ROV, quite far up the line from WOO:

Woodford junction. ROV is just out of shot on the left, a fair way behind us is BUH and WOO is also not far out of shot, a little way up the line from the red signal just visible in the background. (Image courtesy of "Sunil060902" (via Wikipedia))

There's really nothing, other than service requirements, to prevent through running at WOO. Any train leaving WOO (whether from WOO or central London) can turn right at this junction onto the HAI branch and any train leaving WOO can continue straight on up towards EPP. Similarly, any train heading to WOO (whether from BUH or ROV) can continue on to SOW and central London.

This is good news if there are service disruptions and for planning engineering work. Trains from central London have, in principle, all of the following destinations available to them:

• Leytonstone
• Woodford
• Loughton
• Debden
• Epping
• Newbury Park
• Hainault via Newbury Park
• Grange Hill
• Woodford via Hainault
• Grange Hill via Woodford
• Hainault via Woodford (from where trains can continue back to central London via Newbury Park and Leytonstone. Trains can also reverse here and head back to Woodford, from where they can also continue to central London)

This is one of the things that makes WOO so interesting. Although not really used as such in normal operation, it is something of a hub, being the station where two branches converge (from one direction) and diverge (from the other). The loop also provides maximum flexibility, meaning that, in principle, a train could leave, say, West Ruislip and not actually reverse until it returned to WER (if, say, it went to Woodford via Hainault and then continued on from WOO to WER via LES). Such a move is extremely unlikely, however, as it's difficult to imagine when it would be required. The stations from WOO-HAI are, as I've pointed out, generally served by the same train that serves them from HAI-WOO and if that train continues on to central London, another train will be needed to go round from WOO-HAI. T/Ops also need breaks, trains need to be cleaned of litter and newspapers at some point (usually this is done at the termini) and it could be a cause of confusion for passengers depending on what destination was displayed. From an infrastructure point of view, however, it's perfectly possible. This also means that, in theory, a train could run in a loop from LES eastbound to LES westbound via WOO and HAI. Again, I can't imagine a situation arising when this would need to happen, but since I'm talking about WOO, I thought I'd highlight the flexibility that is available on the east end of the Central line.

That is what can happen, but what about what does happen ordinarily? Given below is a schematic diagram of the track layout at WOO. It is not to scale (as will become apparent) but it gives you the idea:

The track layout at Woodford. (You may need to be sure to click on the image to be able to see anything. EB3 = Eastbound platform 3, WB2 = Westbound platform 2, WB1 = Westbound Platform 1, EB = Eastbound, WB = Westbound)

Naturally WB trains from BUH heading towards SOW will simply pull into WB2 and continue straight on out of the station. Similarly, EB trains from SOW heading towards BUH will pull out of EB3 and head straight on. They will also continue straight on at Woodford junction (see above.) A WOO via HAI train leaves ROV, heads over Woodford junction and proceeds into WB2. On the way in, sonia (the name of the announcing voice, so named because she "gets on y'nerves"; the actual name of the woman who did the recordings is Emma Clarke) announces "the next station is Woodford, where this train terminates. Please mind the gap between the train and the platform. All change please." The T/Op may also make an announcement, often reminding you to take all of your possessions with you when you leave and everyone usually traipses off the train. It's not that unusual for people not to get the message, though, or to board the train at WOO under the mistaken impression that it'll take them into the city. I was once waiting at WOO for about 5 minutes as one man refused point blank to leave the train, even though the T/Op was explaining - with increasing exasperation - that the train wasn't going any further. Eventually a member of station staff helped convince the man to get off the train and he was able to continue his journey a little later than he would've been able to if he hadn't held up the WB service. For this reason, one member of staff (or sometimes two, in which case the T/Op can stay in the cab) will check each carriage and manually close the doors carriage by carriage, making sure there are no stragglers. I think the procedure is the station staff do six carriages and the T/Op does the front two if there's only one member of station staff. If there're two, it's four each for the station staff. If, for some reason, there're none it's up to the T/Op as far as I know.

It might occur to you to wonder why all the fuss? Well, certainly in the old days it was against the rules to take passengers over shunt moves (like this one). I believe it's because they're not as thoroughly signalled and well protected but there are other factors too. There have been instances of thoroughly disgruntled passengers waking up in a siding or simply realising that they've got on the wrong train. Since the T/Op has to walk through the train to get to the other end, there could be difficulties - nobody wants to be stuck on a train in a siding with a cross and possibly violent passenger and there have been instances of threats and abuse directed at T/Ops. Also, you just don't really want passengers stuck in sidings and passengers don't want to be stuck in sidings. This procedure was, for a while, not carried out on the Bakerloo line, where it was deemed unnecessary. That was until a kid chose to stay on the train and hopped down onto the track once it had gone into the sheds at Queen's Park. As a consequence, Bakerloo line T/Ops were refusing to proceed into the sidings and sheds until they'd checked each of the carriages themselves (assistance from station staff having been discontinued). This resulted in constant minor delays on the Bakerloo line for a few weeks about a year and a bit ago.

Anyway, with everyone off, the train will get a green signal with the junction indicator (an arrow composed of LEDs) pointing to the left:

1. A train (blue rectangle) is cleared into the siding (21 road) at WOO, via the crossover in blue

And the train will pull into the siding:

2. The train passes the signal (WOO 7266) and proceeds into the siding

3. The train (now, mysteriously, much shorter due to my poor art skills) stops in the siding

Once the T/Op has changed ends and it's time to head back round to ROV and on to HAI and, ultimately, central London (the last train of the day terminates at HAI and heads into the depot to stable, for the rest of the day, trains will (assuming everything's running smoothly) generally head round to NEP and onto central London via LES) the signal controlling the exit of 21 road will clear:

1. A train is cleared out of 21 road into EB3, via the crossovers in blue

And the train will pull into EB3, ready to continue back towards HAI:

2. The train passes the signal controlling 21 road and proceeds into EB3. Note that the signal on the right hand side of EB3 is facing the platform and is not involved in this manoeuvre; it is used to clear trains westbound out of EB3

3. The train stops in EB3

Less (and non-) standard manoeuvres

The first thing to mention is that trains bound for HAI need not leave from EB3. If, for example, a train is running late, it can pull into WB2 and remain there. The T/Op can then hurry back along the platform and head back to ROV and onto HAI and into central London. In order to do this, a train in WB2 would be cleared EB by the signal on the left hand side of WB2:

A train is cleared out of WB2 onto the EB track via the blue crossover

This crossover can also be used, if necessary (although this would be a rare manoeuvre), to reverse a train off of EB3 and onto WB2. The train would pull out of EB3:

1. A train is cleared out of EB3 onto the EB track

And stop at the limit of shunt sign:

2. The train stops at the limit of shunt sign.

The T/Op then changes ends and awaits clearance into WB2. The train would be cleared by the shunt signal in front of the crossover. A shunt signal is used for shunt moves and works like this:

When the shunt signal clears, the train will proceed over the crossover and into WB2:

3. The train is cleared by the shunt signal into WB2 via the crossover in blue

4. The train proceeds into WB2

5. The train stops in WB2

This, as I say, would be a rare procedure.

In times of disruption, another little-used reversing move which can be employed is reversing trains westbound directly from EB3. This is done using the signal at the right end of EB3 that I mentioned before. A train can arrive from SOW on the EB and stop in EB3. The train can then be cleared out of EB3 onto the WB via 21 road:

A train is cleared onto the WB from EB3

Alternatively, the train could terminate in EB3 and then shunt back into 21 road, from where it can stable in the sidings (instead of carrying on west to South Woodford).

Back to 21 road

As shown above, a train can be cleared out of the SOW end of 21 road. As well as for the manoeuvre just described, this may also be used by trains leaving from WB1 (more on that shortly). Additionally, it allows more flexibility and allows a train which has terminated and stopped on 21 road to reach SOW, if necessary, if there is a problem at WOO or west of WOO:

A train is cleared out of 21 road onto the WB track via the set of points in blue

WB1

Phew, so that's almost everything we can do from WB2 and EB3, but what about WB1 that we've been ignoring so far?

The poor, neglected bay platform (westbound platform 1) at Woodford. Note a train in the sidings. (Image courtesy of "Sunil060902" (via Wikipedia))

Well, as you can see from the previous diagram, a train in WB1 would be cleared by the signal to the left of the platform (topmost signal in the diagram, next to the word "sidings") and onto the WB track via 21 road. The train would proceed out of WB1 and then the rest of the move would look like the move immediately above where a train is cleared out of 21 road WB.

WB1 is not very often used for this reason. 21 road is normally in use by the WOO via HAI train and most of the day there's just no need for WB1 anyway. Firstly, this is because WB2 is quite enough but it's also because WB1 is on a dead end, there's no link from the WB main line. Thus the only trains which can leave WB1 have to originate at WOO. Now, for most of the day, there aren't many trains starting from WOO because there aren't many trains which terminate at WOO from central London - they need to go on to LOU, DEB and EPP. Of course, the WOO via HAI train terminates at WOO and could proceed into WB1 as below:

1. A train is cleared into WB1 from 21 road

2. The train proceeds into WB1

As, indeed, could a train from central London like this:

A train on the EB is cleared to terminate in WB1 via the crossovers and 21 road, as highlighted in blue

But the WOO via HAI is usually needed to go back to HAI and we've already said that you don't normally need to short turn trains from central London at WOO. Usually, then, this platform is used first thing in the morning (one train is stabled overnight in that platform) and if there's a problem.

I have, once, however, been on a train which left from WB1. There was no reason for me to get on it and I had to miss my HAI train but I saw it sitting there and I saw it was leaving soon and I couldn't resist the experience :P I also saw a train leaving from there during the Olympics. I don't know why the platform was being used in either instance, but it's not especially common.

More shunting

It's worth pointing out, then, that the pointwork and signalling at WOO allows for a great deal of flexibility. This is especially useful for shunting trains around during disruption and various failure scenarios. Note how this allows trains to shunt into different platforms as necessary. WB1 can be reached from WB2 and EB3 via 21 road. EB3 can be reach from WB2 via 21 road, as in the case of the WOO via HAI service. WB2 can be reached from EB3 by the move I described above: by proceeding WB out of EB3 and reversing back into WB2. EB3 can be reached from WB1 via 21 road and WB2 could conceivably be reached from WB1 via 21 road, EB3 and the mainline shunt move into WB2.

Now, some of these moves are probably never used - why would they be? However, something similar might be done to reach the sidings, which are useful for stabling trains overnight and parking them during service problems. The sidings may be reached from all platforms via 21 road and, from the sidings, one may reach WB1, EB3 and SOW. The shunting moves I've just described are also potentially useful, though, if one of the platforms is blocked by a faulty train, for example, and they provide extra flexibility at WOO.

South Woodford via 21 road

Before I briefly mention the sidings and then call it a night, there's one thing I've been waiting to mention and that's this rarely used manoeuvre.  I've actually been on a train, twcie, which has left WB2, travelled up 21 road, around a train that was sitting on the WB mainline, and proceeded on to SOW. Why? Well, either because of problems with points, or to leave 21 road clear for one reason or another. But this move does happen from time to time. What about the train in the middle of the WB mainline? Well, I believe this is referred to as a mainline shunt. The train heads straight on out of WB2 and stops at the signal. The T/Op changes ends as usual and takes the train into EB3:

A mainline shunt (or at least that's what I think it's called). The train, which has been stopped on the WB mainline, is cleared by the shunt signal into EB3 via the blue crossover. Trains heading WB to SOW from WB2 are worked around this train via 21 road.

Those sidings

Well, although they now feel like the elephant in the room of this post, there's not too much to say about them. WOO has, if I'm not mistaken, five sidings and the road for WB1, in which six trains can be stabled. So what is stabling for? Well, London Underground need somewhere to put their trains overnight when they're not in use. Most of them go to the depots (Hainault, Ruislip and there're sidings at White City which I think, also, officially constitute a depot). Here (esp. Hainault and Ruislip) the trains can be worked on and some of them can also be put away in proper sheds. The rest go to the sidings at LOU and WOO. The breakdown is as follows:

• Loughton sidings: 10 trains
• Hainault depot: 34 trains
• Woodford sidings and bay platform: 6 trains
• White City depot: 12 trains
• Ruislip depot: 17 trains
• Total: 79 trains

From here they have to be brought into service in the mornings. This is another advantage of having all platforms accessible from 21 road. A train can be brought out of the sidings into 21 road (via the connection shown on the diagram) and from there can be worked into either WB2 or EB3 and can proceed in either direction. At the depots getting trains into service is arguably a little less troublesome, for they are more heavily used and the moves can be done less disruptively. At WOO it can require some jiggling around.

Also, as I say, trains may need to be put into the sidings during service disruption. Why so? Because if you have a problem on the line and you have severe delays or a part suspension, you just don't have the capacity, you can't physically fit these trains on the line; there'll be a big traffic jam, meaning lots of unhappy customers stuck between stations. Perhaps a little oddly, you actually want far fewer trains in service during a disruption, because there just isn't the room on the line. Also, if the line is suspended, it may require trains to terminate in unusual places which aren't really designed to allow lots of trains to terminate there. Thus you simply can't put too many trains through them, it's just not feasible. Hence trains need to be put away somewhere until there's physically the room on the line to bring them back into service.

The sidings are accessed from 21 road as shown:

A train is cleared to shunt by the shunt signal into the sidings

And that, as they say, is that.

Happy travelling.