Just wondering if anyone knew what the disused platform(s) on the
outside of the slow lines at Wembley Central were used for? I'm
especially curious as they are on the London side, which, given the
proximity to London of Wembley, seems a little strange, so I assume
they were parcel platform(s)?

On 23 Feb, 18:54, Jamie Thompson wrote:
Just wondering if anyone knew what the disused platform(s) on the
outside of the slow lines at Wembley Central were used for? I'm
especially curious as they are on the London side, which, given the
proximity to London of Wembley, seems a little strange, so I assume
they were parcel platform(s)?

I haven't been there for several years, but as far as I remember the
station had seven platforms, two on the 'new' (d.c.) lines, two on the
slow, two on the fast and a bay which was disused years ago. The slow
line platforms normally have a few stopping trains, but additional
ones stop during engineering works which close the d.c. lines, and
when there are major events at the stadium. I don't think there are
any regular trains serving the fast line platforms, but they used to
be served by football trains; I don't know if they still are, or even
if 'football specials' still run.

On 24 Feb, 13:12, wrote:
I haven't been there for several years, but as far as I remember the
station had seven platforms, two on the 'new' (d.c.) lines, two on the
slow, two on the fast and a bay which was disused years ago. The slow
line platforms normally have a few stopping trains, but additional
ones stop during engineering works which close the d.c. lines, and
when there are major events at the stadium. I don't think there are
any regular trains serving the fast line platforms, but they used to
be served by football trains; I don't know if they still are, or even
if 'football specials' still run.

Yup, the bay is the platform I'm referring to (though as I've only
ever seen it going past, I wasn't sure if there were in fact two bays,
as the end of the platform seemed to have two faces.)

As for your other comments, I seem to recall Virgin not wanting to
stop football trains as it would eat up paths. My random thoughts to a
solution to that would be to knock the bay through, and adjust the
track layout (shuffling the slow lines eastwards) to provide a loop
platform on the southbound fast line. Though, perhaps a better
alternative would be to have the loop platform on the slow lines, and
get football passengers to change at onto slow line services at
Watford which would run fast to Wembley (although these wouldn't be
too bad if the fast services simply skipped Watford on these occasions
and stopped at Wembley instead), though the loop could then be used in
peak hours to enable more services to serve Wembley.

On 24 Feb, 14:23, Jamie Thompson wrote:
On 24 Feb, 13:12, wrote:

I haven't been there for several years, but as far as I remember the
station had seven platforms, two on the 'new' (d.c.) lines, two on the
slow, two on the fast and a bay which was disused years ago. The slow
line platforms normally have a few stopping trains, but additional
ones stop during engineering works which close the d.c. lines, and
when there are major events at the stadium. I don't think there are
any regular trains serving the fast line platforms, but they used to
be served by football trains; I don't know if they still are, or even
if 'football specials' still run.

Yup, the bay is the platform I'm referring to (though as I've only
ever seen it going past, I wasn't sure if there were in fact two bays,
as the end of the platform seemed to have two faces.)

As for your other comments, I seem to recall Virgin not wanting to
stop football trains as it would eat up paths. My random thoughts to a
solution to that would be to knock the bay through, and adjust the
track layout (shuffling the slow lines eastwards) to provide a loop
platform on the southbound fast line. Though, perhaps a better
alternative would be to have the loop platform on the slow lines, and
get football passengers to change at onto slow line services at
Watford which would run fast to Wembley (although these wouldn't be
too bad if the fast services simply skipped Watford on these occasions
and stopped at Wembley instead), though the loop could then be used in
peak hours to enable more services to serve Wembley.

I'm pretty sure there was only one bay. I first saw it maybe ten
years or so ago when I had to use an a.c. platform during engineering
works; at the time these platforms were even more gloomy that the d.c.
ones in regular use. The bay was out of use at that time; either the
overhead line or the rails had been removed, while the other remained
in place, I can't remember which way round it was, but I did think it
was odd. I think both have now been removed. I don't know what, if
anything, the bay was ever used for.

wrote:

On 24 Feb, 14:23, Jamie Thompson wrote:
On 24 Feb, 13:12, wrote:

I haven't been there for several years, but as far as I remember the
station had seven platforms, two on the 'new' (d.c.) lines, two on the
slow, two on the fast and a bay which was disused years ago. The slow
line platforms normally have a few stopping trains, but additional
ones stop during engineering works which close the d.c. lines, and
when there are major events at the stadium. I don't think there are
any regular trains serving the fast line platforms, but they used to
be served by football trains; I don't know if they still are, or even
if 'football specials' still run.

Yup, the bay is the platform I'm referring to (though as I've only
ever seen it going past, I wasn't sure if there were in fact two bays,
as the end of the platform seemed to have two faces.)

As for your other comments, I seem to recall Virgin not wanting to
stop football trains as it would eat up paths. My random thoughts to a
solution to that would be to knock the bay through, and adjust the
track layout (shuffling the slow lines eastwards) to provide a loop
platform on the southbound fast line. Though, perhaps a better
alternative would be to have the loop platform on the slow lines, and
get football passengers to change at onto slow line services at
Watford which would run fast to Wembley (although these wouldn't be
too bad if the fast services simply skipped Watford on these occasions
and stopped at Wembley instead), though the loop could then be used in
peak hours to enable more services to serve Wembley.

I'm pretty sure there was only one bay. I first saw it maybe ten
years or so ago when I had to use an a.c. platform during engineering
works; at the time these platforms were even more gloomy that the d.c.
ones in regular use. The bay was out of use at that time; either the
overhead line or the rails had been removed, while the other remained
in place, I can't remember which way round it was, but I did think it
was odd. I think both have now been removed. I don't know what, if
anything, the bay was ever used for.
Parcels traffic. Stopped around 1990.

Stuart J

Jamie Thompson wrote:
Just wondering if anyone knew what the disused platform(s) on the
outside of the slow lines at Wembley Central were used for? I'm
especially curious as they are on the London side, which, given the
proximity to London of Wembley, seems a little strange, so I assume
they were parcel platform(s)?

I don't know, but wonder if they were brought into use in 1948 for the
Olympics, when Wembley & Sudbury became Wembley Central and was
generally tarted up.

Peter Beale