Who actively prefers the "slow" train?

[boiledbeans2]

There's a direct bus from the end of my street to Carlisle (takes 3h though!) - if I had all day I'd definitely go London-Leeds-Carlisle and then bus!

I did a similar journey once! London to Leeds on a Class 91, Leeds to Carlisle on a Class 158. I was heading to Glasgow. At Carlisle, the Pendos to Glasgow were full and standing. Doesn't matter. I decided on a Class 156 thrash up to Glasgow instead. Much more fun. Train was less than half full.

I did have to dedicate the entire day just for travelling though!

 

[70014IronDuke]

25mph on a narrow gauge line feels much faster than 25mph on a standard gauge line!

Indeed - passing another steam-hauled train on the two-track section of the RH&DR is an exhilarating experience - feels more like 85 mph than the 50 mph it is in reality.

 

[Bikeman78]

25mph on a narrow gauge line feels much faster than 25mph on a standard gauge line!

I think it depends on the traction. Having ridden on some DMUs this year, it was obvious how revolutionary they were in their day. Whilst a Manor had to work very hard to the summit at Crowcombe Heathfield, the DMU trundled up effortlessly.

 

[BongoStar]

Reading to Manchester, I have a direct XC which takes 3:14 mins and if timed right, there is a possibility of 3:03, a saving of 11 mins. I always choose XC even if the extra time taken is 30 mins.

I am guaranteed to find a seat in Reading and have a non-stop journey on which I can do something productive vs a journey that could be up to 30 mins faster but requires me 3 changes, open up for risk of delay/missed connection, is more expensive and crowded till the last leg of the journey.

Plus any trip that will let me avoid London Euston or KX is a bonus.

 

[A S Leib]

Plus any trip that will let me avoid London Euston or KX is a bonus.

That's one advantage of going via Carlisle or Manchester for Newcastle – Hemel Hempstead (well, Euston; I don't mind King's Cross nearly as much), although I don't normally get the Bakerloo and change at Harrow & Wealdstone for Hemel – Paddington.

 

[duffield]

25mph on a narrow gauge line feels much faster than 25mph on a standard gauge line!

Yes, the semi-open, doorless coaches on the RHDR give a feeling of at least twice that to me!

 

[Russel]

Yes, the semi-open, doorless coaches on the RHDR give a feeling of at least twice that to me!

That's a line I've been wanting to visit for a long time, you've just given me another reason to go!

 

[norbitonflyer]

London to Lincoln, if I have tghe option I'll change at Peterborough rather than Newark. Slightly slower, but a much nicer place to change and you get more space in a virtually empty 170 (or, back in the day, a 153) than squeezed into an IEP/Azuma with inadequate legroom.

To date I have only once managed to use the direct Azumas to Lincoln - either they run at the wrong time, or they are cancelled at the drop of a hat.

 

[Royston Vasey]

Planned and booked a couple of wandersome routes yesterday.

Cambridge to Crewe via Ely, a 158 to Nottingham and then the local 170 via Stoke.

Coming back, Birmingham to Cambridge via Bletchley, Bedford and a 360 to St Pancras with a little 150 action on the Marston Vale.

I have to get from Crewe to Birmingham in between and I would happily have done the TfW direct 158 (not sure direct is quite the word) and enjoyed a two hour wander via Shrewsbury, but 0640 was just too early and the 07:54 arrives too late so I'm on Avanti.

More time on more interesting trains (often for less money though not always) is a sweet spot in the hobby for me. And I'm usually claiming the fares for work and have a free rein of what I book and how long I spend getting there.

I think I said before that I wasn't a unit or track basher, but I'm starting to think I might be
 

 

[duffield]

Planned and booked a couple of wandersome routes yesterday.

Cambridge to Crewe via Ely, a 158 to Nottingham and then the local 170 via Stoke.

Coming back, Birmingham to Cambridge via Bletchley, Bedford and a 360 to St Pancras with a little 150 action on the Marston Vale.

I have to get from Crewe to Birmingham in between and I would happily have done the TfW direct 158 (not sure direct is quite the word) and enjoyed a two hour wander via Shrewsbury, but 0640 was just too early and the 07:54 arrives too late so I'm on Avanti.

More time on more interesting trains (often for less money though not always) is a sweet spot in the hobby for me. And I'm usually claiming the fares for work and have a free rein of what I book and how long I spend getting there.

I think I said before that I wasn't a unit or track basher, but I'm starting to think I might be
 

You didn't say when you booked this trip for, but I guess you know that the Marston Vale line from Bletchley to Bedford is currently shut due to flood damage?

Closed until at least 30th September, but it's not clear from the National Rail report (below) if they've even fully assessed the damage yet so I wouldn't count on it.

Incident: Ridgmont | National Rail

Disruption between Bletchley and Bedford . Find details of all current incidents on National Rail Enquiries.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

 

[Royston Vasey]

You didn't say when you booked this trip for, but I guess you know that the Marston Vale line from Bletchley to Bedford is currently shut due to flood damage?

Closed until at least 30th September, but it's not clear from the National Rail report (below) if they've even fully assessed the damage yet so I wouldn't count on it.

Incident: Ridgmont | National Rail

Disruption between Bletchley and Bedford . Find details of all current incidents on National Rail Enquiries.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

I do, I have over a month for it to dry up!

 

[QSK19]

When I travelled from Loughborough to Gatwick Airport earlier this year (on a Friday evening), I got on an overcrowded 222. It stopped at Leicester, where it picked up even more people. So, I bailed out at Kettering and switched to the 360. I arrived into STP half an hour later but my goodness was it worth it - from a sardine can 222 to a 360 in which there were only 2 people in my carriage.

If I travel down to London at the same sort of time of the day and week, switching to the 360 is a no-brainier for me if the Meridian is crowded.

 

[satisnek]

Back when Sunday XC diversions called at Lichfield City I would bail there having come one stop from Burton and jump on the following 323. Not the most comfortable seats but lots of them available. Nowadays I find that catching the 170 to Coleshill Parkway and then the bus is the best option. Even when it's a 'normal' Sunday service (which seems to be becoming increasingly rare...) the 170 offers the best chance of getting a seat.

 

[Bradford PA]

When I travelled from Loughborough to Gatwick Airport earlier this year (on a Friday evening), I got on an overcrowded 222. It stopped at Leicester, where it picked up even more people. So, I bailed out at Kettering and switched to the 360. I arrived into STP half an hour later but my goodness was it worth it - from a sardine can 222 to a 360 in which there were only 2 people in my carriage.

If I travel down to London at the same sort of time of the day and week, switching to the 360 is a no-brainier for me if the Meridian is crowded.

That's fine if the connection holds. I am forced to change at Kettering to return home to Luton from the north but, sometimes due to the extended loading times on the crowded fast train, particularly at Leicester, the booked connection has gone before I get there.

 

[nitten_travell]

Some good and interesting replies here. I did realise at the weekend when travelling from Glasgow to Edinburgh that there are some slow trains (eg via Shotts…) that just ain’t worf it!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

As with so many things, "it depends"...

Back in my youth, if I'd been shopping in Leeds I'd often take the stopper back home to Huddersfield as it was less crowded... or even take the stopper as far as Dewsbury then switch to the following express which overtook the stopper at Mirfield. There was no RTT in those days though, so it wasn't much fun being stuck in Dewsbury having bailed only to find the express was delayed or cancelled... and I wasn't of drinking age back then, even if the pub was around in those days!
Sometimes you just want to get where you're going, other times the slow train can be more fun. The last time I did a Hope Valley stopper was in 101 days, not long before they finished. I'm certainly glad I got to experience one last long run on a heritage unit.

I'm sure that taking the LGV from Paris to Barcelona is less stressful than taking the sleeper and the R3 over the mountains, but the views over the Pyrenees are worth it!

 

[Statto]

I often buy the LNWR only off peak return from Liverpool to Euston, ok it involves changing at Crewe (i think i can change at Birmingham too), but it's only £38, rather than paying around £70 for standard off peak return, plus i can board LNWR trains between 15.00 & 18.45 when i'd be time restricted on the standard off peak return.

 

[richw]

Exeter st David’s to London I would much rather choose the SWR over GWR.
The 159s have more comfortable seats. It’s generally a lot cheaper on advance tickets too.

 

[gazthomas]

I'm just back from Japan and on multiple occasions I opted to take the traditional routes over Shinkansen. More interesting stock and much more to see

 

[317 forever]

I sometimes like travelling between Stockport and London via Sheffield for different rolling stock and scenery, and a different main line station in London.

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

I'm just back from Japan and on multiple occasions I opted to take the traditional routes over Shinkansen. More interesting stock and much more to see

Whilst I do tend to agree, I would opt for the Shinkansen over much of the longitudinal-seated local stock used on many of the stopping services in Japan.

I do agree some of the "Limited Express" trains are very interesting (and luxurious).

 

[TheSmiths82]

Unless I am in a rush I prefer to get the slower Northern service from Manchester to either Sheffield or Leeds. I find it more relaxing, and the trains are usually much quieter. On my last mid afternoon mid summer trip from Sheffield to Manchester I virtually had an entire coach to myself. The same TPE service would have been packed. It was also cheaper.

If the London Midland service came to Manchester I would prefer that over Avanti. The fact they are mostly open returns means I don't need to waste so much time at the train station as I don't need to panic about missing my fixed train.

 

[gc4946]

Catching a Northern service from Leeds to Sheffield is usually a more relaxing experience than the faster Cross Country service.

Guaranteed empty seats from Leeds

Travelling fairly regularly between Paddington and Euston, I have given up using the Underground altogether and take the 205 bus instead; Slower, but more scenically interesting, more convenient; and cheaper!

Last year a friend and I with heavy luggage alighting from Eurostar caught two TfL buses from St Pancras to Golders Green, a 46 bus changing at Hampstead onto a 268 to avoid peak hour Northern Line services between those two points, for onward travel from Golders Green with National Express. Cheaper with hopper fare for me and free ENCTS pass (West Yorkshire) for my friend

 

[duffield]

Guaranteed empty seats from Leeds


...

Not sure about "guaranteed". I went to get on one of these Leeds to Sheffield services a few months ago in peak time at Leeds and it was full and standing a few minutes before departure, I found an alternative.

 

[Acfb]

Whilst I do tend to agree, I would opt for the Shinkansen over much of the longitudinal-seated local stock used on many of the stopping services in Japan.

I do agree some of the "Limited Express" trains are very interesting (and luxurious).

I'm struggling to think of many limited express routes which still exist directly parallel to the Shinkansen TBH apart from Osaka/Kyoto-Himeji and on Kyushu. In most cases the Shinkansen replaces the limited express routes after the various stretches get built.

I went to Japan a few weeks ago and tried to investigate getting from Kyoto to Nagoya (because the Sanyo north Kyushu pass didn't include Nagoya) without using the Shinkansen to save money but it was incredibly complicated, I think we had to change at Maibara and Gifu or something so we just got the Shinkansen (which takes only 35 minutes). There is a luxury limited express train which goes from Osaka to Nagoya though which I saw on a NHK programme.

On the topic we did get a slow rapid train instead of the special rapid train between Shin Osaka and Kyoto. It took 45 minutes instead of 25 minutes. It was less scenic though, didn't notice the Suntory distillery this time.

 

[Killingworth]

Not sure about "guaranteed". I went to get on one of these Leeds to Sheffield services a few months ago in peak time at Leeds and it was full and standing a few minutes before departure, I found an alternative.

At peak times it's nearly always full and standing, certainly between Leeds and Barnsley in both directions. Really needs 3 car but restricted to 2 due to platform constraints at Leeds. Platform 17 is supposedly to be lengthened, eventually, but that's going to be a difficult and expensive job.

 

[ChrisC]

Not sure about "guaranteed". I went to get on one of these Leeds to Sheffield services a few months ago in peak time at Leeds and it was full and standing a few minutes before departure, I found an alternative.

Certainly not guaranteed for much of the day on Saturdays. I’ve found these 2 carriage trains full and standing from Leeds right through to Sheffield and Nottingham.

 

[yorksrob]

At peak times it's nearly always full and standing, certainly between Leeds and Barnsley in both directions. Really needs 3 car but restricted to 2 due to platform constraints at Leeds. Platform 17 is supposedly to be lengthened, eventually, but that's going to be a difficult and expensive job.

I'm not convinced that its as difficult and expensive as made out.

 

[Babybirdrobin]

On the WCML I almost always take the stoppers just as they are more reliable than Avanti most of the time.

 

[Killingworth]

I'm not convinced that its as difficult and expensive as made out.

Difficult site to get to needing extended platform to be cantilevered out across a road, repositioning signal gantries, probably moving points and signalling. That costs.

See Google aerial view.



Needs to be done for electrification - which is why wiring through places like Leicester, Sheffield and Bristol has been delayed.