The Anonymous Widower

Preston Station – 23rd May 2025

I finally got to Preston station today, after my failure that I wrote about in An Annoying Day.

I took these pictures.

I shall deal with the features of the station in separate sub-sections.

The Original High Speed Two Schedule Through Preston Station

This diagram shows High Speed Two services, as they were originally envisaged before Phase 2 was discontinued.

Note.

1. Trains to the left of the vertical black line are Phase 1 and those to the right are Phase 2.
2. Full-Size trains are shown in blue.
3. Classic-Compatible trains are shown in yellow.
4. Blue circles are shown, where trains stop.
5. The dotted circles are where trains split and join.
6. In the red boxes routes alternate every hour.

Click on the diagram to enlarge it.

If I look at the trains counting from the left of the diagram, I see the following trains passing Preston station.

1. Train 4 is a pair of classic-compatible trains, that split and join at Crewe, with one train going to Lancaster and the other to Liverpool Lime Street.
2. Trains 10 and 11 are pairs of classic-compatible trains going between London and Scotland.
3. Train 12 is a single classic-compatible train going between Birmingham and Scotland.

All four trains stop in Preston station.

The Track Layout

This OpenRailwayMap shows the track layout through the station.

Note.

1. Tracks shown in red are electrified and tracks in black or not.
2. Platforms 3 and 4 form a large island platform in the middle of the station.
3. The platform is 373 metres long so it will almost take a pairs of classic-compatible trains going between London and Scotland.
4. There are platforms either side of the island platform.

Click on the diagram to enlarge it.

How Will High Speed Two Operate At Preston Station?

Four hourly High Speed Two classic-compatible trains on the original plan would have called at Preston.

• London and Lancaster – Single 200 metre train.
• London and Scotland – Pair of 200 metre trains, splitting at Carlisle with one going to Edinburgh and one to Glasgow.
• London and Scotland – Pair of 200 metre trains, splitting at Carlisle with one going to Edinburgh and one to Glasgow.
• Birmingham and Scotland – Single 200 metre train, going alternately to Edinburgh and Glasgow.

With 27 metres of lengthening, all trains would fit the island platform 3 and 4.

I could see the platforms at Preston station fitted with travelators.

The picture shows the length of the Northbound Platform 3. The camera is looking South.

Footbridges And Subways

I would envisage that a lot of passengers would connect to High Speed Two at Preston station and the crossing from the outside platforms to the central island platform needs to be improved.

As the main trains will be 400 metres long, there will need to be fully step-free access with lifts at both ends of the station.

Judging from my pictures, the current footbridges need refurbishing.

Should Pairs Of High-Speed Trains Split and Join At Preston?

The pairs of High Speed Two classic-compatible trains running between London and Scotland are planned to split and join at Carlisle.

It could be better, if they split and joined at Preston, as it might avoid costly lengthening of the platforms at Carlisle.

 

May 25, 2025 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Automatic Splitting And Joining Of Trains, Carlisle Station, High Speed Two, High Speed Two Classic-Compatible Trains, Preston Station