The Loughborough shuffle

DURING the Seventies, when Loughborough still possessed a signalbox and original track plan (no platform 3 in those days), an interesting manoeuvre took place on some Sunday mornings.

When the passenger lines were closed owing to an engineering possession, what traffic there was used the goods lines. Northbound trains calling at Loughborough (nowadays there would be a bus connection) proceeded on the Down Goods from Leicester and stopped beyond the station.

Points were clipped and the train reversed onto the Up Goods; another set of points were clipped and the train moved forwards across the Down Goods and Up Passenger onto the Down Passenger line. Finally, after more point clipping, the train reversed into the down platform.

Can anyone beat this?

Nigel Hardington

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