On 04/05/2011 23:57, Michael R N Dolbear wrote:
Paul wrote
wrote

I've been on SW Trains journey over the LT line onto the Richmond line
at Clapham Junction within the last few years. This was becuause of
engineering works on the mainline. IIRC a connection between the two
Network Rail lines into Clapham Jct is kept in case they need to get a
crane around the scene of a rail crash in order to aid recvovery.

Access for emergencies may well be a secondary use, but the main use is
to allow down trains to access Wimbledon Park depot without causing
pathing difficulties or conflicting moves crossing other lines. There
are a number of diagrammed moves over the course of a normal day that go
via East Putney (in both directions), 16 in total that I can find, of
which at least 3 are passenger services - these are early and late in the
day to maintain route knowledge so I expect many passengers are unaware
of the possibility.

Your "in both directions" is most interesting as is peter's "going north".
During my commuting years my train took that route a number of times (to
the considerable surprise of many passengers) but only in the Down
direction..

I thought I remembered discussions here that Up wasn't or couldn't be
used.

PSUL at http://www.avoe05.dsl.pipex.com/2011.htm shows booked services both
ways:

Point Pleasant Junction - East Putney (152,155,158) WH
0042 SX Waterloo - Strawberry Hill
0105 SX Waterloo - Southampton Central
0454 SuX Basingstoke - Waterloo