Most overcrowded train services?

[evergreenadam]

Not all are officially recorded, particularly those operating off-peak or against the flow of commuter traffic into the big cities. Any ideas?

 

[telstarbox]

The Jubilee line regularly leaves passengers behind at stations in the morning peak and I'm sure it happens on some of the other Underground lines too.

 

[EM2]

Any Greater Anglia Metro out of Stratford in the Down direction after about 22:00 is always rammed.

 

[CallySleeper]

Any CrossCountry train.

 

[user15681]

The Jubilee line regularly leaves passengers behind at stations in the morning peak and I'm sure it happens on some of the other Underground lines too.

The same happens on the Victoria, at Victoria, on the northbound during the morning peak, quite often have to wait for the next one. They get swamped at Vauxhall, then at Victoria and are absolutely rammed until Oxford Circus when it empties. Southbound in the evening gradually gets rammed up to Victoria where it's a mass exodus.

 

[Drsatan]

Any CrossCountry train.

The loadings on XC services vary considerably in my experience. For example, a weekday afternoon NE-SW train might be full and standing upon departure from Leeds, but only have 60 passengers on board upon departure from Taunton.

The same happens on the Victoria, at Victoria, on the northbound during the morning peak, quite often have to wait for the next one. They get swamped at Vauxhall, then at Victoria and are absolutely rammed until Oxford Circus when it empties. Southbound in the evening gradually gets rammed up to Victoria where it's a mass exodus.

I traveled on a northbound Victoria line service at 7:30 on a weekday a few weeks ago and was astonished to get a seat after departure from Green Park.

 

[paddy1]

The majority of London Midland off peak services on routes to/from Euston, weekday and weekend. Particularly bad is the Euston - Crewe via Trent Valley LM services. All down to short formed trains.

 

[Flamingo]

The most consistently crowded trains I see are from Bath to London on Sunday afternoons (at least as far as Swindon).

The first off-peaks into Pad from the West Country (08.30 Bri) and the 19.15 Pad-Swa deserve an honourable mention as well!

 

[FQ]

All the Carmarthen-Manchester 175s.

 

[Rapidash]

The first trains out of Paignton to Exeter are generally rammed to the gunwales. Anything from EXM - PGN between 1500 - 1800 will be rammed as well. The planners seem to forget 2 car 143's are not exactly great when crush-loaded.

 

[FQ]

The first trains out of Paignton to Exeter are generally rammed to the gunwales. Anything from EXM - PGN between 1500 - 1800 will be rammed as well. The planners seem to forget 2 car 143's are not exactly great when crush-loaded.

143s are NEVER good.

 

[Rich McLean]

Was on the 12:01 from PNZ-PAD today. Apparantly, it was full and standing by Camborne, so crush loaded by the time it arriveD in Plymouth where I got on. Stood all the way until Reading where I got off.

For trains coming from Cornwall, on certain services, FGW put on semi fasts from Exeter St Davids, so that some ex cornwall trains could run non stop Exeter-Reading. Wasn't in the time table, but passengers are not stupid, as many knew the semi fast would get into Reading/London a lot later

 

[dk1]

Was on the 12:01 from PLY-PAD today. Apparantly, it was full and standing by Camborne, so crush loaded by the time it arrives in Plymouth. Stood all the way until Reading where I got off.

For trains coming from Cornwall, on certain services, FGW put on semi fasts from Exeter St Davids, so that some ex cornwall trains could run non stop Exeter-Reading. Wasn't in the time table, but passengers are not stupid, as many knew the semi fast would get into Reading/London a lot later

Twitter was full of complaints & photos to FGW for chronic crowding on WoE services on Good Friday. The 10.03 Pad-Pnz was delayed 21mins & police assistance required at Reading. On the other hand its fantastic to see passengers flocking back after the severence of the line at Dawlish.

 

[northernchris]

The majority of TPE services seem well loaded no matter what time of day

 

[user15681]

I traveled on a northbound Victoria line service at 7:30 on a weekday a few weeks ago and was astonished to get a seat after departure from Green Park.

You're very lucky to get one at Green Park!
The best days are days when there's disruption. It means trains will often be turned in Victoria turnback sidings and therefore enter Victoria northbound empty, whilst those that come all the way from Brixton are packed.

Thinking about Flamingo's post, a lot of the first off-peak services are very busy. Virgin's 18:57 to Manchester is sometimes standing room only.

 

[dk1]

Thinking about Flamingo's post, a lot of the first off-peak services are very busy. Virgin's 18:57 to Manchester is sometimes standing room only.

& that train doesn't have 1st class.

 

[306024]

The 16.40 Glasgow Central to Euston tonight, Easter Monday (not surprisingly) !

Full and standing throughout first class from Preston. Only option for a seat to Euston was to change at Wigan NW and Crewe :cry:

Not good to try to board a westbound Central line train at Liverpool St in the morning peak either by the way.

 

[All Line Rover]

The same happens on the Victoria, at Victoria, on the northbound during the morning peak, quite often have to wait for the next one. They get swamped at Vauxhall, then at Victoria and are absolutely rammed until Oxford Circus when it empties. Southbound in the evening gradually gets rammed up to Victoria where it's a mass exodus.

Often I have been kept waiting until the third or even fourth train. They must be the most densely packed trains anywhere on the network. Any denser and people will end up lying on top of one another!

Considering the problems with getting a seat at Victoria I don't understand why TfL don't alternate between Vauxhall and Victoria as calling points on most northbound peak trains.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Thinking about Flamingo's post, a lot of the first off-peak services are very busy. Virgin's 18:57 to Manchester is sometimes standing room only.

Only because people can't be bothered to walk down the train or, god forbid, sit next to someone. I've travelled on that train a couple of times and despite people always standing in the First Class vestibules, there have always been spare seats available in Standard Class.

 

[telstarbox]

Often I have been kept waiting until the third or even fourth train. They must be the most densely packed trains anywhere on the network. Any denser and people will end up lying on top of one another!

Considering the problems with getting a seat at Victoria I don't understand why TfL don't alternative between Vauxhall and Victoria as calling points on most northbound peak trains.

It would go against the 'trains call at all stations' principle which applies to the entire Underground, and would probably cause more crowding as some passengers would double back if they 'missed' their stop. Also the trains are so frequent that there would be no time saving.

Crossrail 2 will provide some relief if/when it gets built.

 

[northwichcat]

07:17 Manchester-Chester has an average of 278 passengers on departure from Altrincham in school term time (MCRUA passenger count figures.) The service is booked as a 2 car 150. With Northern having a few different layouts on 150s it means you can't really say that's x more passengers than seats but TfGM seem to use a 138 seats figure for 150s.

 

[Manchester77]

Quite a lot of northerns services around manchester which are diesel operated are very busy in the mornings to my experience. Quite often on the way into Oxford Road you have to squish in uncomfortably close to strangers.

In the evening I've found getting the Metroink back home from Piccadilly is often standing room only at Piccadilly Gardens with the tram being full at St Peters Square. If you're changing onto a single Didsbury or Altrincham tram at Cornbrook good luck getting on and often if a double comes in that can be full. Probably some of the busiest tram services in the country on metrolink?

 

[Jez]

Carmarthen-Manchester particularly during the early morning peak and often between Swansea-Cardiff and Crewe-Manchester.

 

[northwichcat]

Probably some of the busiest tram services in the country on metrolink?

Well Metrolink is the only system that replaced a well utilised heavy rail link (between Manchester and Altrincham) and no other tram system serves anything like MediaCity - an equivalent development in London would be served by the Underground.

 

[Jez]

Also Cardiff-Portsmouth Harbour is busy, only ever travelled to Portsmouth once but ive been to Bristol and Bath a few times and its often full and standing particularly at peak times.

 

[Manchester77]

Well Metrolink is the only system that replaced a well utilised heavy rail link (between Manchester and Altrincham) and no other tram system serves anything like MediaCity - an equivalent development in London would be served by the Underground.

That's a good point however didn't Tramlink replace a shuttle between Croydon and Victoria?

 

[Flamingo]

Lets, for the sake of handiness, assume that Peak Time trains will be busy. The clue is in the name...

 

[paddy1]

Most EMT services to and from St Pancras and East Midlands/Sheffield on a Sunday are seriously overcrowded. This service is far too infrequent and some of them (unneccesarily) only formed of 4 or 5 car Meridians.

Also, the hourly EMT St Pancras-Nottingam stopper on off peak weekday services, especially between Luton PW/Bedford and Leicester and stations in between where it is all too frequently full and standing. The trains used, often only a 4 car Meridian, is far too small for the volume of passengers.

Rather ironically, EMT services to/from St Pancras are often less busy in the peak than during the off peak, mainly because they use longer trains in the peak and trains that are far too small during the off peak.

 

[samogers]

The services on the east coastway line when Brighton are playing at home

These services (many of which are only 4/6 cars) cannot be lengthened simply due to many short platforms on the east coastway

 

[ChiefPlanner]

I commend the 0740 FCC from Sutton , and the 0752 all stations from St Albans ! - load factor of 250% on both ......

 

[SansPareil]

Southern Metro services from Balham on a Sunday, running at a reduced frequency due to engineering works, Northern Line shut, and only four carriages long...

Any service from Clapham Junction that's heading for Shepherd's Bush in the morning peak, or vice versa in the evening.

Northern Line, Victoria Line and Jubilee line in any peak. Picadilly Line at a weekend between Central London and South Ken when the district line is closed.

Sheffield to Manchester TPE services at almost any time of day, but especially in the peaks.