Trivia: most inefficient direct train (time:distance)

[LNW-GW Joint]

Wolverhampton to Walsall. Unless you catch the early morning 'ghost train' (no return) this service will go via Birmingham New Street. I am old enough to remember doing that journey by Trolley Bus which would have been quicker. Unfortunately somebody built the M6 motorway which severed the trolley bus wires.

It will get worse if the Crewe-Stoke-Stafford service is routed via Birmingham to Rugeley!
Not exactly comparable, but the Wirral Loop Line from Hamilton Square under Liverpool produces "circular" services back to where the train started (Chester-Chester etc).
There are also some which loop to another destination or to Birkenhead North depot.
Something similar happens on the Glasgow south network (Whifflet?) now more of it is wired.
And now there's an East Lancs circular: Manchester Vic-Todmorden-Burnley-Blackburn-Bolton-Manchester Vic.

 

[adc82140]

Ash Vale-Ash. 26 minutes by direct train, 7 minutes by car, 12 minutes cycling. Google maps says 40 minutes to walk it, but those figures are hopelessly pessimistic. I reckon with a fast walk or jog you could still outrun the train.

 

[Mutant Lemming]

The 16:36 Derby to Kettering takes around an extra 32 minutes on the previous train (the 16:21) though you do get to travel over the Harringworth Viaduct.

 

[adrock1976]

Milngavie to What's it called? Cumbernauld.

This train runs via Western, Glasgow Central low level, Hamilton, Motherwell, and Coatbridge Central, clocking up 35 1/4 miles with a journey time of 85 minutes. By changing at Partick, the ex Dumbarton Central that is due immediately behind at xx58 will get you arriving at both Greenfaulds and Cumbernauld 20 minutes earlier.

Driving between both stations according to Google Maps takes between 30-40 minutes.

 

[Whistler40145]

That is actually very efficient. Two joined up services offering a multitude of convenient direct trains to large conurbations that otherwise wouldn't have them. Been extremely successful.

And unlike most of the direct services to Euston via the Trent Valley, they call at Crewe.

 

[mlambeuk]

Carlisle to Lancaster via The Cumbrian coast line.

 

[Malcolmffc]

If the tube is allowed, Paddington (H&C) to Paddington (District) takes an hour to travel between two stations about 200m apart

 

[JamesRowden]

All services via Eastbourne.

All Underground & rail services through London Zone 1.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

Not a booked service, but I once travelled on a Sunday diversion on the Nottingham-Birmingham route. As we passed Saltley and the Birmingham sky line hove into view, many passengers began standing up and lugging suitcases etc to the doors of the 170. Just over 45 mins later, we pulled into New Street from the Five Ways direction, having stood on the Kings Norton East Curve for approx 20 mins waiting for a path.

Proof House Junction was shut for engineering works. I think the Central Trains conductor could have been a bit more proactive about making announcements.

 

[urpert]

St Pancras - Stratford Int via Ramsgate? Though probably doesn’t count as it stops at Stratford on the way out.

 

[DavidGrain]

Not a booked service, but I once travelled on a Sunday diversion on the Nottingham-Birmingham route. As we passed Saltley and the Birmingham sky line hove into view, many passengers began standing up and lugging suitcases etc to the doors of the 170. Just over 45 mins later, we pulled into New Street from the Five Ways direction, having stood on the Kings Norton East Curve for approx 20 mins waiting for a path.

Proof House Junction was shut for engineering works. I think the Central Trains conductor could have been a bit more proactive about making announcements.

I remember once when Proof House Junction was closed for engineering works hearing an announcement on Sheffield Station the most unusual announcement 'The train for Bristol calling at Chesterfield, Derby, Burton on Trent, Kings Norton.......... Change at Kings Norton for Birmingham New Street'. Rare for Kings Norton to be mentioned that far from Birmingham.

 

[156443]

Monument to St James’ is 56 mins if taken via the coast (T&W Metro)

As the crow flies it’s about half a mile

 

[The Planner]

Not a booked service, but I once travelled on a Sunday diversion on the Nottingham-Birmingham route. As we passed Saltley and the Birmingham sky line hove into view, many passengers began standing up and lugging suitcases etc to the doors of the 170. Just over 45 mins later, we pulled into New Street from the Five Ways direction, having stood on the Kings Norton East Curve for approx 20 mins waiting for a path.

Proof House Junction was shut for engineering works. I think the Central Trains conductor could have been a bit more proactive about making announcements.

Surprised you sat on the Lifford Curve as the overlaps at either end go out on to the main lines and stuff things up.

 

[Ianno87]

Surprised you sat on the Lifford Curve as the overlaps at either end go out on to the main lines and stuff things up.

Do they not time out?

 

[The Planner]

Not without stuffing the Selly Oak line in the process. You either hold them on the Camp Hill lines or make sure nothing is going along the Camp Hill first towards Bordesley.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

Perhaps we sat on the Camp Hill line, I just recall a very long wait there!

 

[infobleep]

Ash Vale-Ash. 26 minutes by direct train, 7 minutes by car, 12 minutes cycling. Google maps says 40 minutes to walk it, but those figures are hopelessly pessimistic. I reckon with a fast walk or jog you could still outrun the train.

It is actually quicker to take a train to North Camp and walk to Ash Vale. Doing that takes 17 minutes!

That's a qyite a saving on 26 minutes..

 

[53703]

Newark - Sleaford via Lincoln
Manchester Pic - Altrincham
Scunthorpe - Lincoln via everywhere, can also include Doncaster to Worksop, Retford, Gainsborough, etc
Ipswich - Derby Road
Liskeard - Coombe Junction Halt

 

[BigCj34]

Lancaster to Carlisle via Barrow-in-Furness, 3.5 hours via the Cumbria Coast line, less than 1 via the WCML.

Ulverston to Kirkby in Furness which incidentally uses the Cumbria Coast line. 5 miles by road but takes 45 minutes looping round via Barrow. If you don't have a car and don't want to cycle over Kirby Moor (which is still quicker), it is the only option by public transport.

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

Historic example is the London Waterloo to Manchester Piccadilly via Newport which Alphaline ran.

 

[embers25]

St Pancras - Stratford Int via Ramsgate? Though probably doesn’t count as it stops at Stratford on the way out.

Whilst this technically isn't valid Gravesend to Ebbsfleet via Ramsgate, Dover and Ashford qualifies and likely wins.

 

[DavidGrain]

Historic example is the London Waterloo to Manchester Piccadilly via Newport which Alphaline ran.

If we are going to include historic services then Virgin Cross Country used to run a train from London Paddington via Oxford. Birmingham and Manchester to Glasgow. I think the total time end to end was 12 hours.

 

[laseandre]

Someone mentioned Inverness - Wick before, but I think specifically the portion of the Far North Line between Tain and Golspie is the most outrageous - 11mi as the crow flies, but nearly 4 times that at 39mi 77ch by rail. It takes 20-25 minutes by car or 56 minutes on the train.

 

[Kite159]

Saturdays:

0653 Nottingham to Peterborough, goes via Lincoln and looks like it calls at every station bar Swinderby so takes a fair while (I guess it is merely a combination of a Nottingham - Lincoln & a Lincoln - Peterborough service).

You can beat it to Peterborough by catching the 0745 Nottingham to Norwich service

Weekdays you have that Derby - St Pancras service which goes via Corby

 

[swt_passenger]

It is actually quicker to take a train to North Camp and walk to Ash Vale. Doing that takes 17 minutes!

Both stations originally included North Camp in their names. “North Camp & South Farnborough”, and “Ash Vale & North Camp”. Probably a good idea to simplify them, but presumably the original names did encourage the idea that they were near...

 

[Jez]

Crewe to Cardiff Central via the Heart of Wales Line and Swansea. Takes 6+ hours when the distance between these 2 stations is around 2.5 hours via Hereford.

 

[satisnek]

In the 1970s/80s Wilmslow - Altrincham (via Manchester) must have been a contender.

 

[infobleep]

Both stations originally included North Camp in their names. “North Camp & South Farnborough”, and “Ash Vale & North Camp”. Probably a good idea to simplify them, but presumably the original names did encourage the idea that they were near...

Never done he walk myself. Perhaps I should sometime. Preferably not at night though.