Platforms 1 And 4 At Stratford International Station
This map from OpenRailwayMap shows the tracks through Stratford International station.
The tracks starting from the North side of the station are as follows.
- Platform 1 – Not used by normal services – Shown in black
- Fast Line for Eastbound through trains – Shown in red
- Platform 2 – Used by Eastbound stopping services – Shown in black
- Platform 3 – Used by Westbound stopping services – Shown in black
- Fast Line for Westbound through trains – Shown in red
- Platform 4 – Not used by normal services – Shown in black
Note.
- There are three Eastbound tracks, that connect together into a single track from St. Pancras and a single track to Ebbsfleet International station.
- An Eastbound train can use any of the three Northernmost tracks to pass though Stratford International station.
- There are three Westbound tracks, that connect together into a single track to St. Pancras and a single track from Ebbsfleet International station.
- A Westbound train can use any of the three Southernmost tracks to pass though Stratford International station.
- As Eurostar trains aren’t scheduled to stop at Stratford International station, they would normally take the fast lines through the station.
- Southeastern HighSpeed services usually stop in Platforms 2 or 3, as they pass through the station.
- There is a diamond crossover at the eastern end of the station.
It would appear that under normal circumstances Platforms 1 and 4 are not used.
These pictures show Platforms 1 and 4 at Stratford International station.
Note.
- Both Platforms 1 and 4 appear to have stairs, an escalator and a lift.
- I left from Platform 2, in a pair of Class 395 trains, which would have been 244 metres long.
- From the OpenRailwayMap, Platforms 1 and 4, appear to be longer than Platforms 2 and 3.
As Eurostar’s Class 374 trains are 390 metres long, it looks like Platforms 1 and 4 are designed to be able to handle these trains.
The Diamond Crossover At Stratford International Station
The diamond crossover at the Eastern end of the station could be used for unusual or occasional train movements.
- It could allow services to use St. Pancras station, when there was an inconvenient points failure.
- It might also allow a train to terminate before returning to the East in either Platform 1 or 4.
It could even allow Stratford International station to be used as a terminus during emergencies or engineering works.
An Escalator Problem At Stratford International Station
There was an escalator problem At Stratford International station today, which meant I had to walk down to the platform.
I took these pictures.
After walking down, I am fairly sure, that these stairs, which appear to be identical to those on Platforms 1 and 4, are for occasional use only.
Conclusion
I have come to these conclusions about Platforms 1 And 4 at Stratford International station.
- The platforms are designed to take the longest Eurostar trains.
- The access to Platforms 1 And 4, doesn’t appear to be designed for continuous heavy use.
- The diamond crossover at the Eastern end of the station would allow Stratford International station to be used as an emergency terminus.
The track layout at the London end of High Speed One appears to have been designed for all eventualities.
The Anonymous Widower 
HMRC and the Home office dinosaurs could not get their act together so that their formalities could be carried out on the train.
This means Stratford International is mis-named and can’t be [and AFAIK never was] used for international travel. Ditto
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebbsfleet_International_railway_station#Eurostar_suspension_(2020-)
and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashford_International_railway_station#Closure
Similarly through trains from stations beyond London never gained international services, alghough trains from London go to EU destinations in several counties and there IS a connection WCML HS1.
Trains bought for the purpose were sold off cheak to CN.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightstar_(train)#Resale
Currently passengers have to go to London, change terminal unless arriving St. Pancras, waste an hour with govt. jobsworths and only then embark for Europe, with similar break of journey and PITA bureaucracy on return.
Comment by Mark Clayton | July 31, 2023 |
Built for international services never used and never will be. Box could have been 20% smaller
Comment by Nicholas Lewis | July 31, 2023 |
And how much did this ugly white elephant cost?
It’s not widely known, perhaps, that as the Channel Tunnel was nearing completion HMRC and IND were still insisting that passengers on Paris-bound trains would have to detrain at Cheriton, carrying their bags. They’d walk through customs and immigration checks, then reboard the train. There is still the facility for doing that as nearly happened to me one day when an apparently unaccompanied and unclaimed bag was found on a Paris-bound Eurostar as we were about to enter the tunnel. Fortunately, the owner made themselves known just in time. But otherwise we were all going to be made to detrain and have our passports and bags checked one by one and the lucky ones allowed to get back on board again! It was a rerun of the arguments over passport checks on the Night Ferry – Customs wanted to have everyone get off at Dover in the middle of the night!
Comment by Stephen Spark | July 31, 2023 |
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