Trivia: Journeys between two locations that can be done in opposing 'directions'?

[Steve Harris]

Romsey SWR services are an odd one as the trains head south so Southampton Central then loop back round and return to Romsey where they terminate. You can get from Romsey to Southampton by going east or west.

Incorrect, as the junction is east of the station, so you leave Romsey Station in the same direction by either route. So it doesn't fit with the threads title. However of course Southampton to Romsey does fit the criteria.

 

[norbitonflyer]

On a similar note, there was once a time when at Edinburgh you could get a service to Birmingham via the West Coast, and a service to Bristol (via Birmingham), that went via the East Coast.

These would often both be Voyagers, both leaving from opposite ends of the same platform!

And arriving at Birmingham from opposite directions too!

 

[Steve Harris]

Not sure if I got the question correctly - same general direction but would Alexandra Palace count? You can go via both Welwyn (west) and Hertford (diverge east) and still end up at Stevenage.

No. Because both routes mean you head north out of Alexandra Palace (although via Hertford very briefly).

 

[rmHawk765]

No. Because both routes mean you head north out of Alexandra Palace (although via Hertford very briefly).

Alright - I am aware the junction is slightly after but wasn't too sure whether that counts for this thread

 

[cjw714]

Swansea to Shrewsbury services (albeit both departing the terminal station facing north) either immediately head west via Llanelli and the HoW, or immediately east via the Marches, the routes converging again at Craven Arms.

I think Gowerton is the only station that both these services stop at that fits the strict criteria of the OP.

 

[Sheddyone]

And arriving at Birmingham from opposite directions too!

I'm sure in the early Virgin XC days they ran both WC and EC services from New St to Edinburgh from either the same platform or an adjacent island platform, at about the same time.

 

[Royston Vasey]

I think Gowerton is the only station that both these services stop at that fits the strict criteria of the OP.

Ah yes I forgot about the Gowerton stop. And at the next stop Llanelli, they both depart in the same direction!

 

[thenorthern]

Manchester Piccadilly to Huddersfield is odd as trains can either go via Guide Bridge which until the Ordsall Chord opened was the only route. Most now go via the Ordsall Chord now but some go the other way.

Manchester Victoria to Blackburn trains can go via Rochdale or Salford.

Birmingham New Street to Walsall the slow trains head east via Aston while the fast trains head west and rejoin the Chase line at Hamstead.

Most trains from Birmingham to Cheltenham Spa go via University however the Manchester to Bristol trains go via the Camp Hill Line.

 

[D1537]

From Newcastle, most southbound trains will usually leave heading south east over King Edward VII Bridge, but sometimes, a southbound train will leave Newcastle heading north east over High Level Bridge and then loop back to join the ECML around King Edward VII South Junction.

Used to be common (indeed, some services were booked over the HL) but very rare these days and usually only done if a set is the wrong way round.

Even when trains are diverted via the Durham Coast they still come into Newcastle over the KE Bridge.

 

[Rail Ranger]

Manchester Piccadilly to Huddersfield is odd as trains can either go via Guide Bridge which until the Ordsall Chord opened was the only route. Most now go via the Ordsall Chord now but some go the other way.

Manchester Victoria to Blackburn trains can go via Rochdale or Salford.

Birmingham New Street to Walsall the slow trains head east via Aston while the fast trains head west and rejoin the Chase line at Hamstead.

Most trains from Birmingham to Cheltenham Spa go via University however the Manchester to Bristol trains go via the Camp Hill Line.

Half of Manchester Piccadilly to Huddersfield trains go via the Ordsall Chord (the hourly Manchester Airport to Redcar Central service) and half go via Guide Bridge (the hourly Piccadilly to York local service).

 

[xotGD]

You can depart both ways out of Sheffield to get to Chesterfield and beyond.

In Glasgow you can depart from both upstairs and downstairs from both stations to reach a range of destinations.

From Leeds there is the odd service to King's Cross that heads east.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Just to confirm what @Farigiraf has already mentioned upthread, from Manchester Piccadilly on a journey to Chester, you can head off in decidedly different directions, depending on whether it's a Northern service via Stockport/Knutsford or a slightly quicker TfW service via Manchester Oxford Road/Warrington Bank Quay.

 

[YorkRailFan]

Used to be common (indeed, some services were booked over the HL) but very rare these days and usually only done if a set is the wrong way round.

Even when trains are diverted via the Durham Coast they still come into Newcastle over the KE Bridge.

Last time I did it was in June 2023 onboard a TPE 802 heading to Liverpool booked out of Platform 1. I used to often find myself on a Crosscountry service heading into Newcastle that way pre-pandemic.

 

[MarlowDonkey]

From Harrogate to Kings Cross, you either head via Leeds from the soutbound platform or via York from the northbound platform. The only through trains are via Leeds.

 

[Sunil_P]

A London bus example (if it's allowed!) - between Ilford and Gants Hill, you can go towards Romford southbound on the 128, or northbound on the 296 on the Cranbrook Road.

 

[Kite159]

Yeovil Pen Mill to Salisbury & London Waterloo

06:58 service to Salisbury via Westbury with 1O24
07:11 service to Salisbury via Yeovil Junction on 1L24

Both services combine at Salisbury to head to Waterloo

 

[Kingspanner]

From my beloved Dinsdale going to Northallerton ( for cheap beer at the 'Spoons) one may depart east to go via Eaglescliffe, or west to go via Darlington

 

[StephenHunter]

On a weekend, you can go from Stratford to Emerson Park either via Romford or via Upminster.

 

[Royston Vasey]

For some years until December 2024, one could travel from Sunderland to Kings Cross departing to the north or to the south, but the LNER service has been cut short to start at Newcastle, as it did before the once daily extension.

 

[Trainguy34]

There's a few daily services from Faversham to Charing Cross via Ramsgate and Ashford, do that adds in:
Faversham
Whitstable
Chestfield & Swalecliffe
Herne Bay
Birchington On Sea
Westgate on Sea
Minster (via use of the South Jn - West Jn chord)

 

[Kite159]

Fareham to London Waterloo. Either departing towards Eastleigh on the mostly hourly service via Winchester or departing towards Havant on one of the few direct trains which pop up during the day

 

[thenorthern]

I know they are not National Rail but from Manchester Picadilly to Altrincham and Manchester Victoria can be done via the Metrolink or National Rail.

The Tyne and Wear Metro is an odd one as I think I read somewhere that it's the only one with a Pretzel formation meaning from Monument you can get to a lot of places on the Yellow Line from separate directions.

 

[Lloyds siding]

Ellesmere Port to Liverpool.
One direction is Merseyrail to the Liverpool loop line (including Liverpool Lime St low-level), and in the other Northern to Liverpool Lime Street (main station) via Warrington.

Chester to Liverpool.
Again Merseyrail to the Liverpool loop line, and in the other direction TFW to Liverpool Lime St (main station) via Runcorn.

 

[izvor]

Ramsgate to St Pancras? (If I understand the question rightly)

One way goes via Dover or Canterbury West. The other through Sittingbourne, Rochester, Gravesend etc

This would also include Margate and Broadstairs.

There's a few daily services from Faversham to Charing Cross via Ramsgate and Ashford, do that adds in:
Faversham
Whitstable
Chestfield & Swalecliffe
Herne Bay
Birchington On Sea
Westgate on Sea
Minster (via use of the South Jn - West Jn chord)

So would this - and Dumpton Park.

 

[Leogilbert007]

My local station, Gipsy Hill, has services to London Bridge at :16 and :46. These go via NXG and depart from Platform 2, first stop Crystal Palace. However, the London Bridge trains at :25 and :55 go via Tulse Hill and Peckham Rye, leaving from Platform 1

 

[xotGD]

Back in the day, you could depart the 'wrong way' out of Carlisle to reach Edinburgh via Newcastle on 1S15.

 

[Henffordd]

There are only four through trains a day from Hereford to Paddington, and they all leave northwards. However, there's a much better choice of services, with a shorter journey time though more expensive, by travelling south to change at Newport.

 

[Topological]

The Manchester - Chester example is an interesting one.

There was a time when the arrival from South Wales (17:49 from Swansea as I caught it) ran into Platform 14 and became a train to Chester. That would then allow Stockport-Manchester as being a section of track with trains in both directions to Chester.

Camp Hill has not been mentioned yet that I can see, but the existence of the Camp Hill route in Birmingham means you have CrossCountry going in both directions. The Manchester to Bristol will tend to depart in the opposite direction to the North East to Bristol an beyond.

 

[gazthomas]

Blaenau Ffestiniog to Porthmadog?

 

[317 forever]

Edgware Road to Mansion House on London Underground. You can head west or east, going via High Street Kensington or Farringdon (for example).