Trivia: Unusual timetabled services?

[northwichcat]

What type of rolling stock is used on the Buxton service?

150s and 156s only are allowed to run to Buxton, so as the train goes to Barrow would no doubt be a 156 on this one.

It's booked as a 156 but a 150 could fill in.

 

[43074]

EMT to Scarborough.
...

How is that different to Abellio Greater Anglia running Saturdays only direct from Gt Yarmouth to Liverpool Street, or XC diverting certain Plymouth services to Paignton on Summer Saturdays?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

The new Blackpool to London service is also unusual as it is slower than services which require a change.

Certain services between Stratford-upon-Avon & London Marylebone are similar

 

[najaB]

Another one in Fife - the Glasgow Queen Street service. There's only one direct train per day in each direction (already unusual), and the out service starts at Kirkaldy but the return service runs through to Markinch.

 

[380gk]

Another one in Fife - the Glasgow Queen Street service. There's only one direct train per day in each direction (already unusual), and the out service starts at Kirkaldy but the return service runs through to Markinch.

First one comes in off a passenger service from Edinburgh, the return then runs empty to Dundee and onwards from there to Perth. Shame it cannot be extended as a pax service to Dundee but think there is a cross country behind.

 

[plastictaffy]

All trains stopping at Polesworth as they don't stop there on the way back.

Only one a day - purely a parly service. Although I often see a unit stable in the bay at Northampton with "Polesworth" on the PIS!!

 

[12CSVT]

0615 Perth - Edinburgh (runs via Cowdenbeath)

This is quite a handy train for any class 67 bashers, as it provides a useful connection out of the Scotrail sleeper at Perth, arriving in Cardenden 30 minutes ahead of the Fife Circle loco hauled service.

 

[Kite159]

2Y57 1924 Basingstoke to Havant
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/W94257/2015/01/13/advanced

Only direct service from Basingstoke which across the top of the triangle to Havant rather than down to Portsmouth (although not the only SWT to do that as there is one from Fareham & Southampton)

 

[Parallel]

I find the 12:32 Holyhead - Maesteg a little odd. I can see why they have it though considering it's peak time at Cardiff, but it's funny when it calls at few request stops at the start of its journey and then turns into a commuter service south of Cardiff.

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

Only one a day - purely a parly service. Although I often see a unit stable in the bay at Northampton with "Polesworth" on the PIS!!

It's not a Parliamentary service.
The term is used for services which run the minimum service legally allowed which is once a week.
Most limited services are not parly.

 

[Welshman]

I find the 12:32 Holyhead - Maesteg a little odd. I can see why they have it though considering it's peak time at Cardiff, but it's funny when it calls at few request stops at the start of its journey and then turns into a commuter service south of Cardiff.

It can certainly be interesting watching the reactions of folks from the North Wales Coast, especially when they want to go only to Chester!

Shrewsbury, Birmingham International and even Cardiff they may have heard of, but Maesteg?

 

[Kite159]

I find the 12:32 Holyhead - Maesteg a little odd. I can see why they have it though considering it's peak time at Cardiff, but it's funny when it calls at few request stops at the start of its journey and then turns into a commuter service south of Cardiff.

How long does it take to announce it with all station calls in both languages?

 

[Hophead]

How about the 17:32 from London Bridge to Horsham and Tonbridge and Reigate? Must be the only service which divides at a single station (Redhill in this instance) to serve 3 destinations, all on different lines. This differs from Coastway services from Victoria which split at Haywards Heath, with the East Coastway dropping 4 coaches at Eastbourne, so these only serve 2 destinations.

 

[30907]

Which surely makes it usual.

Am I missing something here? (refers 0745 CLJ starter via Ascot)

 

[Starmill]

I find the 12:32 Holyhead - Maesteg a little odd. I can see why they have it though considering it's peak time at Cardiff, but it's funny when it calls at few request stops at the start of its journey and then turns into a commuter service south of Cardiff.

What! Gotta make sure you serve that all-important market for direct trains: Ty Croes to Tondu :P

 

[Cumbrian]

1254 Windermere to Barrow TPE 185...

Route is WDM - Oxy then Lancaster reverse. Back through Carnforth and onto Barrow.

Yonks ago there were direct trains from Kendal to Grange via the Hincaster spur.

 

[PHILIPE]

I find the 12:32 Holyhead - Maesteg a little odd. I can see why they have it though considering it's peak time at Cardiff, but it's funny when it calls at few request stops at the start of its journey and then turns into a commuter service south of Cardiff.

The unit was required to work 17 18 Cardiff to Maesteg so might as well be a through train as just the normal dwell time only available at Cardiff Cen.

 

[grid56126]

http://www.psul4all.free-online.co.uk/intro.htm

For all your buffer stop kissing and rare crossovers . . . .

 

[Condor7]

Morecambe is visited entirely by Northern Trains with the exception of the very early morning First Transpennine Express to Windermere.
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/Y63778/2015/01/12/advanced

 

[ValleyLines142]

I suppose it's not that unusual, but my nomination would be the daily Cardiff Central - Manchester and return. It does a double-back between Filton Junction and Bristol Temple Meads in both directions, only calling at Filton Abbey Wood in one direction (admittedly the correct direction for the morning/evening peak flows).

It's unusual in that anybody wanting to do that journey end to end would be much quicker changing at Bristol Parkway to/from one of the FGW trains towards Cardiff/Swansea.

With the double-back in mind, I know holders of tickets between Cardiff and points north of Cheltenham are able to use this service to/from Cardiff (direct train rule) but can anyone speculate on validity for holders of tickets to other locations?

Edit - these are the runs made by this one:
5M25 Barton Hill - Cardiff (ECS - runs through the station, reversing to the west, returning to the eastbound platforms - this is usual for the Turbostar services too)
1M25 Cardiff - Manchester
1V65 Manchester - Cardiff
1C00 Cardiff - Bristol TM

Oh yes, this is a great one! I'm a regular on this service, some of the advances between Cardiff and Bristol are dirt cheap!

I find the 12:32 Holyhead - Maesteg a little odd. I can see why they have it though considering it's peak time at Cardiff, but it's funny when it calls at few request stops at the start of its journey and then turns into a commuter service south of Cardiff.

And a blood busy one too, absolutely rammed leaving Cardiff!

Actually, one I forgot to mention is this beauty, the 1945 Cardiff to Leicester. The only direct service, running once a day, only on a Sunday too. A merger of a Cardiff to Birmingham service and a Birmingham to Leicester service, an interesting one to say the least!

 

[tractakid]

That reminds me of the daily Gloucester to Stansted service!

 

[krus_aragon]

It can certainly be interesting watching the reactions of folks from the North Wales Coast, especially when they want to go only to Chester!

Shrewsbury, Birmingham International and even Cardiff they may have heard of, but Maesteg?

Especially in the case of ferry passengers at Holyhead!

 

[bILLOO]

There appears to be a new London Midland Crewe - London service which is non-stop Crewe - Rugeley Trent Valley and then non-stop Northampton - Euston.

 

[TheEdge]

Ignoring the fact the search on the forum is useless I've had a quick look and don't think this one has been mentioned.

1R54 1554 Norwich - Manchester Piccadilly

A Sunday only East Mids service that avoids Ely and runs round the Ely curve. AFAIK its the only one that does it.

 

[feliner]

Northern has a couple of unusual services in the Doncaster area. a 2S55 16.14 Adwick-Manchester Piccadilly via Sheffield..and a sundays only 2C76 Lincoln-Hull via Sheffield..

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

Ignoring the fact the search on the forum is useless I've had a quick look and don't think this one has been mentioned.

1R54 1554 Norwich - Manchester Piccadilly

A Sunday only East Mids service that avoids Ely and runs round the Ely curve. AFAIK its the only one that does it.

This might be the norm in future.
An Ely North station is being planned.

http://www.elystandard.co.uk/news/c..._see_new_station_built_at_ely_north_1_3903322

Quoted from Ely Standard:

The study, put together by Network Rail, says that connection times are too long at the city’s existing station and could be eased with a new North Ely station.The report points out that at Ely “good connections are the exception rather than the norm”.

For example, a passenger travelling from King’s Lynn to Ipswich will have a good connection on their outward journey but on their return leg they will be faced with a 53-minute wait.Instead of developing the existing capacity-constrained Ely station, the study proposes a new interchange hub station in the vicinity of Ely North junction and an upgrade of the Ely to Norwich line.Waiting times at the proposed four-platform Ely North station would mean passengers would not have to wait more than eight minutes.The 55-page report also suggests the introduction of a Norwich to King’s Cross via Cambridge service, as well as improvements to services across Norfolk and Suffolk.

 

[Liam]

0615 Perth - Edinburgh (runs via Cowdenbeath)

This is quite a handy train for any class 67 bashers, as it provides a useful connection out of the Scotrail sleeper at Perth, arriving in Cardenden 30 minutes ahead of the Fife Circle loco hauled service.

There are quite a few Perth-Edinburgh and v/v services round the circle. The 2015 Inverness-Glasgow connects with one of them at Perth, but to reach Edinburgh in the shortest time, you need to change at Markinch onto the XC Aberdeen-Edinburgh, or stay on the Inverness-Glasgow and change at Stirling.

 

[duncanp]

I nominate the 07:59 (Mondays - Fridays) from Woodgrange Park to Willesden Junction

It is

(a) the only service on the Westbound Gospel Oak - Barking line that does not start at Barking.
(b) the only service on the Gospel Oak - Barking line that also serves stations on the North London line between Hampstead Heath and Willesden Junction

There is no service in the return direction, nor any service at weekends

 

[andy1571]

How about the 17:32 from London Bridge to Horsham and Tonbridge and Reigate? Must be the only service which divides at a single station (Redhill in this instance) to serve 3 destinations, all on different lines. This differs from Coastway services from Victoria which split at Haywards Heath, with the East Coastway dropping 4 coaches at Eastbourne, so these only serve 2 destinations.

Not perhaps as confusing as the couple of trains that split at Haywards Heath, then again at Eastbourne (with the Hastings portion of course reversing at the same time). I feel quite sorry for the guard having to explain that one when leaving Victoria!

Andy M

 

[306024]

This might be the norm in future.
An Ely North station is being planned.

Together with a new runway for flying pigs. It could be a long wait for a train there.

Ignoring the fact the search on the forum is useless I've had a quick look and don't think this one has been mentioned.

1R54 1554 Norwich - Manchester Piccadilly

A Sunday only East Mids service that avoids Ely and runs round the Ely curve. AFAIK its the only one that does it.

It is indeed.

 

[Strathclyder]

2E56 0723 Balloch to Edinburgh
The only North Clyde Line service to Edinburgh that doesn't start at Helensburgh Central or Milngavie.

Has this service been mentioned yet? The only direct train from Dunbar to Glasgow that I'm aware of.