After reading another thread about timetable scenarios and people's experience of being stuck behind freight trains it got me thinking, what does have priority on the uk railways, is it freight or intercity passenger runs?
Generally trains are regulated by Class, so a Class 1 passenger service will generally get priority over a Class 2 passenger service which will in turn get priority over Class 4, 6 and 7 freight. ECS generally runs as Class 5 (sometimes 3) but will probably get priority over a Class 4 freight. As with anything there are exceptions, some Class 4 freight might be time critical and running at 75 MPH will be able to precede and stay ahead of a stopping passenger train for example.
Ah, I suspect I know why this is, I typed it and came off my phone and when I went back on it appeared to have not posted, so I pressed post but it obviously already had.