London Railtours - Is it possible to visit every terminus?

[shaund666]

Hi

I am new to this forum so please excuse me if this has been covered elsewhere.

Do you think it would be possible to visit every london terminus in a day using a single train - obviously not scheduled services but a specially formulated railtour ?

I was thinking something like, Start at VIC then work either clockwise or Anticlockwise around London and ending up back at VIC. Does anyone think this is possible ?

Personally I think it would make an interesting railtour, thoughts ?

 

[yorkie]

Overnight, maybe.

"Buffer Puffer" tours have run to various London terminals in the past, but I doubt they've attempted to get all termini in the one tour.

 

[A0]

Hi

I am new to this forum so please excuse me if this has been covered elsewhere.

Do you think it would be possible to visit every london terminus in a day using a single train - obviously not scheduled services but a specially formulated railtour ?

I was thinking something like, Start at VIC then work either clockwise or Anticlockwise around London and ending up back at VIC. Does anyone think this is possible ?

Personally I think it would make an interesting railtour, thoughts ?

Moorgate would be tricky because of the stock restrictions - i.e. it would have to be a 6 car class 313. And that would mean it could have a bit of a problem getting to Marylebone......

 

[causton]

Moorgate would be tricky because of the stock restrictions - i.e. it would have to be a 6 car class 313. And that would mean it could have a bit of a problem getting to Marylebone......

Nothing said it couldn't hook up to a locomotive somewhere! Sounds viable...

 

[Blindtraveler]

I-d be a passenger on this!

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

I-d be a passenger on this!

And me

 

[Tim R-T-C]

Sounds like something BLS might do, I'm sure some rare trackage would be required for such a tour

 

[tel]

Yes brilliant idea doubt it would be poss all in one day due to patching but I'd love to be on a railtour that gives it a go.

Tel

 

[Tubeboy]

73s have been to Moorgate when hauling NR test trains.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Moorgate would be tricky because of the stock restrictions - i.e. it would have to be a 6 car class 313. And that would mean it could have a bit of a problem getting to Marylebone......

73s haul NR test trains down there once in a while.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

73s have been to Moorgate when hauling NR test trains. 73s haul NR test trains down there once in a while.

Does that mean Mk2 stock fits as well then? If so, that's the rolling stock issue for the suggested tour sorted.

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

I have a hazy memory that when one of the London stations closed (Broad Street?) a special trip was run where the train visited every London terminus that was open at that time

 

[Tubeboy]

Does that mean Mk2 stock fits as well then? If so, that's the rolling stock issue for the suggested tour sorted.

Yes, I saw a 73 and Mk2 set at Moorgate on one of the Traction DVDs, from Locomaster.

 

[Tim R-T-C]

I have a hazy memory that when one of the London stations closed (Broad Street?) a special trip was run where the train visited every London terminus that was open at that time

A quick google reveals:

http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/70s/700912rt.html

St. Pancras and Canon St. seem to have been missed out so a modern tour that included these but missed Broad Street (obviously) could still beat the record

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

A quick google reveals:

http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/70s/700912rt.html

St. Pancras and Canon St. seem to have been missed out so a modern tour that included these but missed Broad Street (obviously) could still beat the record

The timing section includes

Kings Cross St Pancras 15/45 16/00

So it did get there

 

[Tim R-T-C]

That looks to be on the Thameslink route not the terminus station.

These days it is all one station so might count even on the TL route

 

[IanD]

That looks to be on the Thameslink route not the terminus station.

Accessed via King's Cross (York Road) rather than the Thameslink route. Both King's Cross (York Road) and King's Cross St Pancras Thameslink are now closed so you couldn't visit either. Also the Moorgate branch is now inaccessible from the Thameslink route. So you would need to add calls at Moorgate (via Drayton Park), King's Cross, St Pancras International and Cannon Street to visit all the current terminals.

 

[A0]

Yes, I saw a 73 and Mk2 set at Moorgate on one of the Traction DVDs, from Locomaster.

Was that via the NCL though or the old Widened Lines route to Moorgate.

73s have been to Moorgate but never 'in service' - and I'm not sure NR would be too keen on sending Mk2s down there carrying passengers. Add to that it'd have to be top + tail as there's no run round facility.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Add to that it'd have to be top + tail as there's no run round facility.

Not if it has a DBSO on it?

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Is Marlybone the only London terminal with no 3rd rail or overhead? if it is then a rail tour could use a class 378 (would a 350 fit down Moorgate?). It would just have to be loco-hauled for Marlybone

 

[Tim R-T-C]

73s have been to Moorgate but never 'in service' - and I'm not sure NR would be too keen on sending Mk2s down there carrying passengers. Add to that it'd have to be top + tail as there's no run round facility.

I think it would have to anyway to run this tour, how many of the London terminii have run-around tracks these days? (Serious question I've never noticed any)

Is Marlybone the only London terminal with no 3rd rail or overhead? if it is then a rail tour could use a class 378 (would a 350 fit down Moorgate?). It would just have to be loco-hauled for Marlybone

Presumably why the last tour to do it used a DEMU. Perhaps when we get some of the new bimodal trains, they could be used on such an enterprise...

 

[Tubeboy]

Was that via the NCL though or the old Widened Lines route to Moorgate.

73s have been to Moorgate but never 'in service' - and I'm not sure NR would be too keen on sending Mk2s down there carrying passengers. Add to that it'd have to be top + tail as there's no run round facility.

Down the NCL. Yes 73s on each end.

 

[Haywain]

Accessed via King's Cross (York Road) rather than the Thameslink route. Both King's Cross (York Road) and King's Cross St Pancras Thameslink are now closed so you couldn't visit either. Also the Moorgate branch is now inaccessible from the Thameslink route. So you would need to add calls at Moorgate (via Drayton Park), King's Cross, St Pancras International and Cannon Street to visit all the current terminals.

On that tour they probably thought that the York Road platform was close enough to count as King's Cross! But if you are being picky, they didn't visit Holborn Viaduct as well as Cannon Street and St Pancras. Mind you, two of those were probably closed on Saturdays! The timings give a good indication of how tough it would be for a tour to do something similar these days and some of the curves are no longer in place!

 

[fgwrich]

Of course there would be one slight problem - How do you get from Fenchurch Street around to Cannon Street? Anticlockwise from Fenchurch Street or Clockwise from Cannon Street might work, but you've got the Thames to cross!

 

[Haywain]

Of course there would be one slight problem - How do you get from Fenchurch Street around to Cannon Street? Anticlockwise from Fenchurch Street or Clockwise from Cannon Street might work, but you've got the Thames to cross!

With a reversal or three that would be relatively easy, and the other way around the East London line could come into play. I think it would even be possible without any reversals.

 

[FlippyFF]

Of course there would be one slight problem - How do you get from Fenchurch Street around to Cannon Street? Anticlockwise from Fenchurch Street or Clockwise from Cannon Street might work, but you've got the Thames to cross!

I don't have any rail maps but could Fenchurch Street, Barking, Ripple Road (Lane?), HS1, Ebbsfleet International and reverse at Gravesend onto SE be done?

(OK, I just want a 395/HS1 diversion via Ripple Road into Barking)

Simon

 

[shaund666]

Ok, so thanks for all your posts and comments, this is the best route I can come up with using a free railway map and guesswork. I thought best train to use would be the Hastings Diesel DEMU.

Anyway here is the route :

VIC - CLJ
CLJ - WAT
WAT - LBG via Wandsworth Road, Brixton and Peckham
LBG - CHX
CHX - CST
CST - LBG
LBG - FPK via STP and Copenhagen Tunnel.
FPK - MOG
MOG - FPK
FPK - FST via Canonbury West Junc, Carpenters Road N Jcn & Carpenters Road S Jcn
FST - LST via Gas Factory Jcn & Bow Goods (Reverse)
LST - EUS via Carpenters Road N Jcn & Carpenters Road S Jcn, Channelsea N Juc, NLL to Primrose Hill Tunnel and reverse in EUS
EUS - MYB (this might be a bit flaky) via West London Jcn, Acton Wells Jcn the reverse to Neasden Jcn and into MYB.
MYB to PAD via Neasden Jcn, Neasden S Jcn, Acton Wells Jcn, Acton Foster Yeoman Stone Terminal (reverse) then into PAD
PAD - VIC via North Pole Servicing Depot, West London Line via WBP to CLJ and reverse to VIC.

Whats your thoughts?

 

[postye]

Ok, so thanks for all your posts and comments, this is the best route I can come up with using a free railway map and guesswork. I thought best train to use would be the Hastings Diesel DEMU.

Anyway here is the route :

VIC - CLJ
CLJ - WAT
WAT - LBG via Wandsworth Road, Brixton and Peckham
LBG - CHX
CHX - CST
CST - LBG
LBG - FPK via STP and Copenhagen Tunnel.
FPK - MOG
MOG - FPK
FPK - FST via Canonbury West Junc, Carpenters Road N Jcn & Carpenters Road S Jcn
FST - LST via Gas Factory Jcn & Bow Goods (Reverse)
LST - EUS via Carpenters Road N Jcn & Carpenters Road S Jcn, Channelsea N Juc, NLL to Primrose Hill Tunnel and reverse in EUS
EUS - MYB (this might be a bit flaky) via West London Jcn, Acton Wells Jcn the reverse to Neasden Jcn and into MYB.
MYB to PAD via Neasden Jcn, Neasden S Jcn, Acton Wells Jcn, Acton Foster Yeoman Stone Terminal (reverse) then into PAD
PAD - VIC via North Pole Servicing Depot, West London Line via WBP to CLJ and reverse to VIC.

Whats your thoughts?

Pathing it would be a complete nightmare!

Is there a connection from any of the Vic lines that would get onto the up WAT?

Its not possible to access the Charing X lines from the lines arriving into LBG from Peckham Rye. You could possibly get around that with a reversal at Lewisham.

Also I believe it is now not possible to access Cannon Street from Charing Cross following the recent works