Trivia: current obscure/unusual regular timetabled services

[JD2168]

Northern:
The Scarborough to Sheffield service that leaves Bridlington at 7:40pm goes via Selby instead of Goole, the only one of the day.

 

[Melancholia]

There's a Saturdays only GWR service from Cheltenham Spa - Bristol Temple Meads, via Swindon, and with the first stop being Stonehouse, avoiding Gloucester.

1K00 0846 Cheltenham Spa to Bristol Temple Meads

 

[High Dyke]

2E32 2006 Peterborough to Nottingham via Oakham and Leicester. A development of the previous 25 odd years 2R92 2105 Spalding to Nottingham which stopped at Peterborough, Stamford, Oakham and Melton Mowbray and was then fast via Syston North Curve to Nottingham. The modern incarnation runs in service into Leicester to change ends and then does all stops to Nottingham being effectively two different services joined under the same headcode.

On a Saturday the train ran via Grantham to Nottingham, and not via the Midland route.

 

[Barnsley]

Northern:
The Scarborough to Sheffield service that leaves Bridlington at 7:40pm goes via Selby instead of Goole, the only one of the day.

The 1957 Sheffield to Hull goes that way aswell, I catch it from Meadowhall when I'm on nights, it's a route retainer for Hull crews

 

[Omnidekkalover]

Has anyone mentioned the 0643 Nottingham to Bournemouth service by cross country as it is the only scheduled voyager into Nottingham

 

[jammmmmsssssss]

Does the Chelmsford starter come out of Ingatestone loop perhaps?

Yes, as does the Ingatestone starter
They both wait there for a bit

 

[Nyerun]

The one I catch fairly often (although it is changed quite a lot is the 2108/2109 Birmingham International to Man Piccadilly via Shrewsbury, Wrexham, Chester)….

 

[Old Yard Dog]

The Branch Line Society has a list of all passenger services down unusual lines (PSUL)

PSUL Introduction

However this does not necessarily feature unusual through workings

The 0641 Bradford Forster Square to Lancaster is one such service, the only DMU to serve BDQ

 

[JRT]

The Branch Line Society has a list of all passenger services down unusual lines (PSUL)

PSUL Introduction

However this does not necessarily feature unusual through workings

The 0641 Bradford Forster Square to Lancaster is one such service, the only DMU to serve BDQ

All DMU services via Shipley & Hellifield (the Bentham & Settle lines) are pathed as a 156 (75 Mph) even though they are now (usually) 158 operated, EXCEPT that the 0641 ex Bradford Forster Square is pathed as a 158 (90 Mph) between Carnforth and Lancaster.

 

[xotGD]

The Skipton - King's Cross on a Saturday, avoiding Wakefield.

 

[30907]

All DMU services via Shipley & Hellifield (the Bentham & Settle lines) are pathed as a 156 (75 Mph) even though they are now (usually) 158 operated, EXCEPT that the 0641 ex Bradford Forster Square is pathed as a 158 (90 Mph) between Carnforth and Lancaster.

Perhaps the 1/2min difference allowed the new pathing?

 

[steamybrian]

There's a few peak time only Cannon Street to Hastings trains which call at London Bridge, Chelsfield, High Brooms, Tunbridge Wells and all stations to Hastings.

I presume they use the middle lines at Tonbridge for rare track bashers.

 

[Concorde9289]

1F36 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central has a portion that divides at Bristol Temple Meads and runs to Weston-Super-Mare, I believe it only runs on a Sunday.

 

[GW43125]

I presume they use the middle lines at Tonbridge for rare track bashers.

Indeed they do. None through the middle roads at Paddock Wood, Headcorn or Ashford anymore, mind you!

 

[_toommm_]

A through working from Manchester Airport to Sellafield 01/09/25-05/09/25. I  believe the first time a 195 has gone north of Millom in passenger service:

Realtime Trains | 1T90 1229 Manchester Airport to Sellafield | 03/09/2025

Real-time train running information for 1T90 1229 departure from Manchester Airport to Sellafield on 03/09/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Sun Chariot]

Southern's services between Brighton and Southampton run along the West Coastway and via Hamble. Except - one path each way per weekday runs via Eastleigh:
1Y30 Brighton to Southampton Central and 1Y39 return.

 

[devon_belle]

The weekday 2F05 Bristol Temple Meads to Exmouth and 2U34 Exmouth to Cardiff Central strike me as interesting because they're the only long-distance services to/from Exmouth. Other than 2B86 (2F06 Sunday) from Barnstaple, they are the only trains to/from the Exmouth branch that go beyond Exeter St Davids. I wonder how many through passengers there are...

 

[IanD]

I love it when people use headcodes that mean nothing to most people.

 

[A S Leib]

I love it when people use headcodes that mean nothing to most people.

2F05 is the 05:22 Bristol Temple Meads to Exmouth, arriving at 07:20. 2U34 is the 20:24 Exmouth to Cardiff Central, arriving at 23:31. (I find times much more useful information than headcodes, although saying that most people on this forum don't understand them might be a stretch.)

 

[notyolosmh]

06:42 1F04 Frome to Cardiff Central, once a day, Monday-Friday

 

[IanD]

2F05 is the 05:22 Bristol Temple Meads to Exmouth, arriving at 07:20. 2U34 is the 20:24 Exmouth to Cardiff Central, arriving at 23:31. (I find times much more useful information than headcodes, although saying that most people on this forum don't understand them might be a stretch.)

I accept that people are familiar with the concept of headcodes but I doubt most people on this forum have learned them all off by heart. It's not dissimilar to using station short codes without first using the full name as per forum rules.

 

[Class15]

The issue with headcodes is knowing what a specific one means. On my local line, I basically remember the progression of headcodes (e.g. 2N62 is around 8am where I am) but the issue is on unfamiliar lines.

 

[duffield]

Typically I just cut and paste this data from RTT:

1B34 1012 Nottingham to St Pancras International

Takes no longer than just typing the headcode and should be clear to everyone.

 

[Incogcyclist79]

The 1K71 05:10 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington goes via a reversal at Westbury and thence up the Berks and Hants (all stops to Newbury, then Thatcham and Theale and after Reading it also calls at Maidenhead becoming all those stations only through service from Bristol).

 

[Concorde9289]

2W98 Faversham to London Charing Cross

Realtime Trains | 2W21 0722 Faversham to London Charing Cross | 10/09/2025

Real-time train running information for 2W21 0722 departure from Faversham to London Charing Cross on 10/09/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Bevan Price]

Empty stock, rather than for passengers, but Northern has 2 return paths between Wigan North Western & Warrington Bank Quay via Earlestown. I assume these are for test runs after "exam" or "repairs". Sometimes, as today, it goes no further than Earlestown (331.021 acoording to RTT), but Class 331s are rare visitors to Warrington BQ.

 

[mm333]

Northern:
The Scarborough to Sheffield service that leaves Bridlington at 7:40pm goes via Selby instead of Goole, the only one of the day.

The first Hull-Scarborough of the morning goes non-stop to Bridlington (through Beverley and Driffield where all other services call) but then skips Bempton but does all the other stops to Scarborough.

Northern should run more services via Selby. This weekend, the line via Goole is closed and people are bustituted when the line via Selby is still open as Hull Trains are going that way as usual.

 

[Omnidekkalover]

EMR has a fair few such as a morning run from Melton Mowbray to St Pancras via the Harringworth Viaduct and a return the same way to Melton Mowbray in the evenings. Also through Melton Mowbray has a couple of early morning Norwich services from Nottingham and vice versa in the evening. (From Peterborough only.) Then in Nottingham the 11:55 to Skegness avoids Grantham. There are also a handful of early morning trains to St Pancras from Lincoln Central only.

Melton Mowbray to Kettering (onwards to London St Pancras)

Realtime Trains | 1P22 0815 Melton Mowbray to St Pancras International | 11/09/2025

Real-time train running information for 1P22 0815 departure from Melton Mowbray to St Pancras International on 11/09/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Kettering to Melton Mowbray (from London St Pancras)

Realtime Trains | 1M51 1835 St Pancras International to Melton Mowbray | 11/09/2025

Real-time train running information for 1M51 1835 departure from St Pancras International to Melton Mowbray on 11/09/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Nottingham to Norwich (both departures)

Realtime Trains | 1L01 0456 Nottingham to Norwich | 11/09/2025

Real-time train running information for 1L01 0456 departure from Nottingham to Norwich on 11/09/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 1L02 0607 Nottingham to Norwich | 11/09/2025

Real-time train running information for 1L02 0607 departure from Nottingham to Norwich on 11/09/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Peterborough to Nottingham

Realtime Trains | 2E32 2006 Peterborough to Nottingham | 11/09/2025

Real-time train running information for 2E32 2006 departure from Peterborough to Nottingham on 11/09/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Nottingham to Skegness

Realtime Trains | 2S93 0955 Nottingham to Skegness | 11/09/2025

Real-time train running information for 2S93 0955 departure from Nottingham to Skegness on 11/09/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Lincoln Central to London St Pancras (both departures)

Realtime Trains | 1B16 0614 Lincoln Central to St Pancras International | 11/09/2025

Real-time train running information for 1B16 0614 departure from Lincoln Central to St Pancras International on 11/09/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 1B19 0640 Lincoln Central to St Pancras International | 11/09/2025

Real-time train running information for 1B19 0640 departure from Lincoln Central to St Pancras International on 11/09/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[321362]

06:42 1F04 Frome to Cardiff Central, once a day, Monday-Friday

1J93 1808 London Paddington to Frome

A through working from Manchester Airport to Sellafield 01/09/25-05/09/25. I  believe the first time a 195 has gone north of Millom in passenger service:

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:s27956/2025-09-03/detailed

The services on the Cumbrian Coast Line bemuse me. It seems that every station on the line has at least one terminator per day.

2C36 0548 Maryport to Barrow-in-Furness
2C35 1615 Barrow-in-Furness to Sellafield
2C57 2110 Barrow-in-Furness to Millom
2C58 2000 Carlisle to Whitehaven

(Ignoring the reduced service at the moment as the line is closed north of Corkickle)

 

[Tetchytyke]

EMR has a fair few such as a morning run from Melton Mowbray to St Pancras via the Harringworth Viaduct and a return the same way to Melton Mowbray in the evenings.

There used to be one in the afternoon too, ran in service to/from Derby.