Debden vs Loughton

[ruislip]

When trains on the Epping branch do not go all the way to Epping, it seems that Loughton is where the majority of them are reversed. Why there and not Debden?
BTW, I remember riding from West Ruislip to Marble Arch in December 1974 on a Debden train.

[c5]

Just looking at an overhead map of the area (as I dont have a traffic controllers diagram!) Loughton looks easier because of the extra platforms - just pull in, secure, change ends (4mins).
Whereas Debden would be a mainline shunt (or is there are siding), either way the train would have to be visually checked to ensure all passengers have alighted before moving off to reverse.
During a shutdown Debden would probably have "the odd" reverser to help the passengers and reduce blocking back/congestion from any Loughton reversers...

Now waits to be told that Loughton only has two platforms! ;D

[Deleted]

Loughton has three tracks, and two island platforms, so it is an easier place to reverse a train than at Debden. I would also guess that passenger numbers beyond Loughton, and limited stock availability mean that it is more sensible to reverse at Loughton than Debden. The stations north of Loughton still have a pretty good service considering their distance from London!

[Chris M]

Indeed there are booked Debden reversers, certainly during the evening peak. The train pulls into the eastbound, gets tipped out by (usually) two platform staff, pulls forward into the siding, where the driver changes ends before bringing the train back into the westbound platform.

[Colin D]

auxsetreq said:

During the peak hours morning and evening there are booked trains that reverse at Debden. It's a through road that is used as a siding - Same as Woodford 21rd and Newbury Park. .......

I seem to recall the siding at Debden was just that up to at least the mid seventies, and the same at Woodford and Newbury Pk. When were these sidings made though roads (that of course my memroy is correct ) I also thought that Debden was used much more than Loughton back then as well.

[rob66]

When I was a Guard many moons ago - I was travelling with my driver from Loughton sidings to Debden sidings ( running empty) Our train derailed over the catch points, entering the sidings that closed the line down from Loughton to Epping for the rest of that day. Back in the 70's - the two sidings were used only in the peak hours at Debden, because even then the passenger flow was fairly busy. In the mornings we used to run empty trains to Debden sidings, rather than reverse at Loughton in the middle road. Evenings, we would do it the other way round and run empty from Debden to Loughton sidings. The worse sidings are Liverpool Street and Marble Arch for detraining passengers. In the 70's/80's we used to run a Liverpool Street to Marble Arch service all day, excepting for the peak hours. My favourite run was on the Ongar line, which I did spend most of my duties on as a Guard and Driver, especially the Craven stock that I enjoyed the most. On the subject of sidings - I remember the siding at Epping, although it was only used about once a day, to keep the rails free from rust and test the points.

[Deleted]

Changing the siding layouts at Newbury Pk and Debden made good sense as they can now be used as either a reversing siding, or as a trailing crossover.

I wonder if we shall be seeing any track layout changes during the upgrades of the other tube lines in the near future?

[mandgc]

When the line was electrified in 1948 the LCC housing estate at Debden was under construction and two reversing sidings were installeed between the tracks North of the platforms.
The 1962 Working Timetable showed almost every other train beyond Buckhurst Hill as terminating at Debden- the others continuing on to Epping.

[Colin D]

rob66 said:

When I was a Guard many moons ago - I was travelling with my driver from Loughton sidings to Debden sidings ( running empty) Our train derailed over the catch points, entering the sidings that closed the line down from Loughton to Epping for the rest of that day.

Their was another incident at Debden, I believe in the late sixties. It had snowed and the shunt signal was covered over. When the MM saw the signal move he wound up and derailed the leading wheels. In fact the snow slid down, the signal hadn't cleared. I was sent to Debden along with my MM to help put the train back on the track and take it back to Hainult.

[ongarparknride]

Sticking my bit in as this was so "local" for me. Thanks to you all above for memories.
I understand Debden was downgraded and one of the two central reversing tracks lifted from DEV videos from the days I knew it merely as a passenger, resulting in the running through to Epping in most recent WTT's. 1990's Central Line re-equipping victim?

I have a personal and boring story that depended in "station-to-station" telephone and the excellent service of Loghton and Debden station staff, Back around 1991'ish, my elder (then just pre-teen) daughter left her handbag on an eastbound train we realised pretty quickly.
Before the "!" signs and hitting the platform emergency buttons etc.... :-)

Loughton station staff phoned Debden station staff, and the handbag was located, rerouted and despatched back on the first westbound train to Loughton PDQ, where it was most gratefully retrieved.

A very small point. But so Much Appreciated.

So I'd like to add my personal thanks to All Generic Station and Train Staff serving Loughton-Debden around 1990-1992, and I really appreciate the privilege of membership here catching on a thread that means so much to me.

I so much hope current station staffing etc. means the same exceptional help for passengers could apply the same today.

It is very sad these days increasingly transport staff and others in similar occupations like many here only seem to get complaints and verbal abuse.

Indeed, arguably, the handbag should have been formally returned to "Lost Property" through The System......


Aw heck.... sorry for being sentimental but I really appreciate Membership here to thank all past and current LU staff that you still have some freedom to exercise discretion and basic common sense to Get Problems Sorted, and my memory how distraught my young daughter was as the train departed Loughton and she realised she had left her hanbag on it.... and how You Got It Sorted for her.

Please keep your posts and memories coming, and take confidence in that by coincidence and some 15+ years later I am able to thank you for the hard work and effort you undertake in serving your travelling passengers. ( For personal reasons, I do not prefer the more recent PC "customer". The same way the guy at the pointy end carrying the responsibility for up to 1,000+ passengers' safety remains the "Driver", not a train operator. :-) )

Cheers,
OngarParkNRide