Late running and time saving

[Deleted]

I travelled this morning from Baker Street to Finchley Road on a train to Chesham that first was, then wasn't going to stop at Wembley Park "owing to late running", Surely just missing out one stop wouldn't make all that much difference. Does this happen often?

[Deleted]

Well, my first question is, was the train (semi-)fast to begin with? Did it then become (semi-)fast, or was it literally just Wembley Park that was being missed out.

In any case, Wembley Park is a fairly busy station and line speeds through there are fast enough that it probably saves a little bit and that could make all the difference at Watford South Junction or Chalfont & Latimer.

[metrailway]

Speed through Wembley Park is IIRC 50mph so a minute or two could be saved by skipping it.

[Deleted]

I think it's fifty, too, though it's line speed before and after the station. Not sure what line speed is, there, though! 60?

Assuming we're right, clearly, slowing from 50, and then accelerating back to 50, is gonna take a fair amount of time - more than if the speed were, say, 30 or 35, as it might be in central London. And then, of course, stopping at a station and serving it is a much bigger time penalty when you could've gone whizzing through at 50 than it would be if you could only have gone whizzing through at 30. And remember, you can pass through the platform at full speed up at Wembley Park - not something you can usually do when skipping a station, you usually have to slow to 5 mph on the approach to the starter.

[Deleted]

If I understand correctly, it was in the morning (mentionned in the text), during the peak (through trains to Chesham): there were probably not so many people waiting at Wembley park (the station is busy, I agree) but at this time mostly on the other platform, towards London. So, on the bad side: not too many passengers, sorry customers, obliged to wait for the next train. And, as mentionned above, the benefits are significant in terms of complying to the time table; wise decision.

[spsmiler]

If it non-stops Wembley Park then surely it would be on the fast line and therefore also miss out Preston Road and Northwick Park? If its really late it could also run fast to Moor Park, and if really really late even miss out Harrow OT Hill...

Some years ago when Moorgate was being renovated I saw an old Met Main Line timetable which had been uncovered that showed many non stop trains from Finchley Road to Moor Park, with the journey taking 19 minutes.

In the days of steam trains that would possibly have warranted the headcode used for express trains.

Simon