Create your fictional UK train service

[Cach17]

Southeastern High Speed service between Ebbsfleet International and Watford Junction, calling at Stratford Int'l, Camden Road (looking at Google Earth, the platforms there seem to be just about long enough for a single 395), Wembley Central (maybe) and Harrow & Wealdstone.

If Southern run to Watford, why not SE? It'd make use of the Primrose Hill line and the NLL-HS1 connection, so no new infrastructure required!

 

[Jan Mayen]

Three Bridges to London Victoria using Brighton Belle style carriages (but going via Horsham to allow time for a three course meal with wine and brandy)

 

[devon_belle]

Three Bridges to London Victoria using Brighton Belle style carriages (but going via Horsham to allow time for a three course meal with wine and brandy)

Timed 1 hour 12 minutes by Southern - I hope you're hungry!

 

[Fermiboson]

I’m sure this plan makes no sense at all, but a round-London train, 1tph with an 802, as much as the current network allows.

Dover - Folkestone - Ashford - Paddock Wood - Tonbridge - Redhill (reverse) - Dorking - Guildford - Farnborough - Wokingham - Reading - Didcot - Oxford - Bicester - MK (once EWR opens, reverse) - Bedford. With the planned EWR extension, - St Neots - Cambridge - Stansted.

 

[Instinct04]

Some WAML/ Southbury loop changes I'd really like to see happening but they probably won't


3tph London Liverpool street to Stansted Airport
- 1tph calling at Tottenham Hale, Bishops Stortford and Stansted Airport
- 1tph calling at Tottenham Hale, Harlow Town, Stansted Mountfitchet and Stansted Airport
- 1tph calling at Tottenham Hale and Stansted Airport

2 tph London Liverpool Street to Cambridge North
- 1tph calling at Tottenham Hale, Broxbourne, Harlow Town, Bishops Stortford, Audley End, Whittlesford Parkway, Cambridge and Cambridge North.
- 1tph calling at Tottenham Hale, Cheshunt, Broxbourne, Harlow Town, Sawbridgeworth, Bishops Stortford, Stansted Mountfitchet, Elsenham, Newport, Audley End, Great Chesterford, Whittlesford Parkway, Shelford, Cambridge and Cambridge North

2tph Stratford to Bishops Stortford
-1tph calling at Lea Bridge, Tottenham Hale, Brimsdown, Waltham Cross, Cheshunt, Broxbourne, Harlow Town, Harlow Mill, Sawbridgeworth and Bishops Stortford
-1tph calling at Lea Bridge, Tottenham Hale, Meridian Water, Ponders End, Enfield Lock, Cheshunt, Broxbourne, Roydon, Harlow Town, Harlow Mill, Sawbridgeworth and Bishops Stortford.

2tph London Liverpool Street to Hertford East via Tottenham Hale
-2tph calling at Hackney Downs, Tottenham Hale, Ponders End, Brimsdown, Enfield Lock, Waltham Cross, Cheshunt, Broxbourne, Rye House, St Margaret's, Ware and Hertford East.

1tph London Liverpool Street to Harlow Town
-Calling at Tottenham Hale, Meridian Water, Ponders End, Brimsdown, Enfield Lock, Waltham Cross, Cheshunt, Broxbourne, Roydon and Harlow Town

2tph Stratford to Meridian Water
-Calling at Lea Bridge, Tottenham Hale, Northumberland Park and Meridian Water

LEA VALLEY LINES VIA SEVEN SISTERS. (Southbury Loop)

3tph London Liverpool Street to Enfield town
-2 tph calling at all stations
-1tph calling at Hackney Downs, Stoke Newington, Stamford Hill, Seven Sisters, White Hart Lane, Edmonton Green, Bush Hill Park and Enfield Town

3tph London Liverpool Street to Cheshunt
-2tph calling all at all stations
-1tph calling at Hackney Downs, Stoke Newington, Seven Sisters, White Hart Lane, Edmonton Green, Southbury, Turkey Street, Theobalds Grove and Cheshunt

Also 1tph London Liverpool Street to Hertford East via Seven Sisters
-Calling at Seven Sisters, Edmonton Green, Cheshunt, Broxbourne, Rye House, St Margaret's, Ware and Hertford East

This way all local stations between Tottenham Hale and Cheshunt receive at least 4tph (except Northumberland Park which only gets 3). it provides more trains at Meridian Water, as well as Brimsdown which is also a busy station in Enfield. Enfield Lock and Waltham Cross both also need 4tph as they are the busiest between Tottenham and Cheshunt. There is also a 3tph off peak liv-hertford service all day which I think is needed.
Also all London Overground branch stations (Bush Hill Park - Enfield, Southbury - Cheshunt receive and increase in number of services to 3tph which is beneficial.
Stansted service really does not need to be 4tph all day as it gobbles up so much capacity on the WAML and it should really go towards local trains as well.

 

[FGWHST43009]

Milford Haven to Aberdeen - HST
Haverfordwest, Pembrey & Burry Port, Llanelli, Port Talbot Parkway, Barry, Cardiff Central, Newport, Bristol Parkway, Birmingham New Street, Derby, Sheffield, Doncaster, York, Darlington, Newcastle, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Edinburgh, Haymarket, Edinburgh Gateway, Inverkeithing, Kirkcaldy, Dundee, Arbroath and Aberdeen

Swansea to Inverness - HST
Bridgend, Barry, Cardiff Central, Newport, Bristol Parkway, Worcestershire Parkway, Birmingham New Street, Derby, Chesterfield, Sheffield, Doncaster, York, Darlington, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Haymarket, Falkirk Grahamston, Stirling, Perth, Pitlochry, Kingussie, Aviemore and Inverness

Swansea to Bordeaux - 155mph HST
Cardiff Central, Newport, Bristol Parkway, Reading, Stratford International, Ashford International, Calais-Frethun, Aeroport Charles de Gaulle 2 TGV, Massy TGV, Saint-Pierre-des-Corps, Poitiers and Bordeaux Saint Jean

Plymouth to Amsterdam - 155mph HST
Exeter St David's, Reading, Stratford International, Ebbsfleet International, Lille Europe, Brussels South, Antwerp Centraal, Rotterdam Centraal, Schipol Airport, Amsterdam Centraal

Edinburgh to Dortmund - modern Intercity 250 or modern APT-S
Newcastle, Darlington, York, Peterborough, Stratford International, Ebbsfleet International, Brussels South, Liege, Aachen, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf Airport, Duisburg, Essen, Dortmund

Leeds to Frankfurt - modern Intercity 250 or modern APT-S
Wakefield Westgate, Doncaster, Stratford International, Ashford International, Lille Europe, Brussels South, Liege, Aachen, Cologne, Frankfurt am Main Flughafen Fernbahnhof, Frankfurt am Main

Swansea to Milan Super Tunnel Express - 155mph HST
Cardiff Central, Newport, Bristol Parkway, Stratford International, Ashford International, Aeroport Charles de Gaulle 2 TGV, Strasbourg, Basel SBB, Lugano, Milano Centrale

 

[Shred Metal]

Top n Tailed Class 66’s pulling intermodals that are converted into tiny home style air bnb’s on rails that you rent for a few hours, or a day. London St Pancras MML’s to Edinburgh via Derby and Leeds. Stopping wherever someone has pre booked it to. Runs ‘on demand’ so will often sit around in various strategic places waiting for a booking to come through. Drivers will be remote, and use VR headsets to drive / oversea the controls. So of the containers will be commercial outlets and will serve customers at stopped at stations en route - think Ice Cream Van on the rails, sort of thing. You pay for the space so the more people who join you the cheaper your fair - encouraging ‘rail pooling’. Oh and the 66’s run on a 40/60 blend of olive oil and pale ale.

 

[danbarjon]

An Edinburgh to London Kings Cross service calling at Berwick-upon-Tweed, Newcastle, York, Peterborough operated by a Class 390 Pendolino hehe

 

[Whistler40145]

Reintroduced The Clansman, using heritage traction

Euston to Inverness, calling at Milton Keynes Central, Rugby, Crewe, Preston, Carlisle, Motherwell, Cumbernauld, Stirling, Gleneagles, Perth, all Highland Line stations

Traction 2x40 Euston to Crewe, 2x50 Crewe to Inverness, stock Mk 1s repainted in Blue/Grey

 

[Ben Anslow]

Barrow-In-Furness to Birmingham New Street 4 services per day in each direction calling at all Furness line stops then Preston, Crewe , Wolverhampton. Utilising ex tpe mk5a and class 88 reconfigured into 6 carriage sets

 

[Topological]

Liverpool -> Liverpool South Parkway -> Runcorn -> Chester -> Wrexham (and then stations to Shrewsbury, Hereford and Newport*) -> Filton Abbey Wood -> Bristol Temple Meads -> Weston Super Mare -> Taunton -> Tiverton Parkway -> Exeter (and then stations to Plymouth)

Newport would ideally be a reversal in Platform 1, but if that is too hard to timetable then use would be made of the Maindee East curve and Newport would not be served. Passengers for Cardiff and West Wales would need to change at Cwmbran.

It may be possible to vary it up a bit and send to different destinations from Chester some hours, also some hours could head towards Southampton from Bristol instead of continuing South West.

Some of this is madness, but there is some sense amongst it...

 

[Whistler40145]

Liverpool -> Liverpool South Parkway -> Runcorn -> Chester -> Wrexham (and then stations to Shrewsbury, Hereford and Newport*) -> Filton Abbey Wood -> Bristol Temple Meads -> Weston Super Mare -> Taunton -> Tiverton Parkway -> Exeter (and then stations to Plymouth)

Newport would ideally be a reversal in Platform 1, but if that is too hard to timetable then use would be made of the Maindee East curve and Newport would not be served. Passengers for Cardiff and West Wales would need to change at Cwmbran.

It may be possible to vary it up a bit and send to different destinations from Chester some hours, also some hours could head towards Southampton from Bristol instead of continuing South West.

Some of this is madness, but there is some sense amongst it...

What stock would you use?

 

[Topological]

What stock would you use?

IF allowed to order then 196s (to ensure compatibility on the Marches) - in a perfect world I would let TfW operate it too. A 3+2 formation, with an option to only use 3 north of Hereford.

IF compelled to use available stock then there is only the Mk5 available really.

 

[popeter45]

a bit of a crosslink-esk service
Norwich to Southampton and Swansea using 80X bi-mode units calling at usual stopping patterns to Stratford, Camden Road, Willesdan Juction followed by usual stopping patterns to each destination

also add 2-3 coaches to the Night Rivera that detach at Reading to carry on to Ipswich or Norwich also calling at Willesdan Juction, Camden Road and Stratford using a GBRF class 99

 

[Iskra]

London Kings Cross-Peterborough-Oakham-Melton Mowbray-Leicester-Derby-Chesterfield-Sheffield-Meadowhall-Barnsley-Wakefield Kirkgate-Wakefield Westgate-Leeds-Shipley-Bingley-Keighley-Skipton-Hellifield-Settle-Appleby-Carlisle-Motherwell-Glasgow Central.

Restores some London links, links East Anglia, East Midlands, Yorkshire and Glasgow. Provides some additional capacity Peterborough-Leicester, Leicester-Sheffield, Derby-Sheffield-Leeds. Initially run with 5-car IET’s, possibly extending to 7-cars or doubling up in the future. I appreciate its a messy route between South Yorkshire and Leeds but that’s to help with capacity at Leeds.

 

[signed]

London-Berlin/Madrid sleeper - Same sleeper/berth stock as the new OBB NightJet (downsized to UK LG), hauled by already-designed for cl. 92

London STP-Lille Europe-Paris (split, attach BB36000 at each end) - Strasbourg - Frankfurt Hbf - Erfurt - Halle Hbf - Berlin (~14h)
\ (attach a - Toulouse - Perpignan - Girona - Barcelona Sants - Madrid Atocha (probably around 14-16h)

 

[Bartsimho]

London-Berlin/Madrid sleeper - Same sleeper/berth stock as the new OBB NightJet (downsized to UK LG), hauled by already-designed for cl. 92

London STP-Lille Europe-Paris (split, attach class 22 to each end) - Strasbourg (attach a DB 146/147) - Frankfurt Hbf - Erfurt - Halle Hbf - Berlin (~14h)
\ - Toulouse - Perpignan - Girona - Barcelona Sants - Madrid Atocha (probably around 14-16h)

No need to downsize to the UK LG if it's running into STP. All of HS1 is at the European Loading gauge. Anyway from what I found out the bed sizes are the same as GWR have anyway so all the LG effects is height and the size of the aisle

 

[signed]

A service that runs trains from Edinburgh, Glasgow, York, Manchester, Liverpool nonstop to Paris, Southern France via Camden Road, then the HS1 link at Kings Cross (but without going into St Pancras).

What kind of stock would you use for this?

 

[Kieran_MF135]

sleeper trains returns

sleeper train from penazes to scotland

london to wick sleeper

favershames via gravesend (gives option of via ebbesfleet or dartford to scotland and wales.


dover via ashforf int to scotland , wales , penzes sleeper this gives option on ferrys etc to allow transpofrt to from dover etc


sleeper london to wales (splits into 2 or three) to serve south , mid and north wales

 

[signed]

No need to downsize to the UK LG if it's running into STP

I was thinking more of flexibility, so that the stock could be used to/from elsewhere in the UK

 

[The Mercian]

Create an Intra Regional Service for the Midlands based on New Street/Moor Street called Network Mercia running 2tph semi-fast with 6-8 carriage Class 350s with 5 cross regional services.

This would need the Camp Hill chords to be built to make use of an upgraded Moor Street. I’d also have tunnelled the Cross City Line from Duddeston to Five Ways to get all that traffic out of New Street. It would also need a lot of electrification.

Stoke to Oxford calling Stone-Rugeley TV-Cannock-Walsall-New St-Solihull-Warwick Parkway-Warwick-Leamington-Banbury-Oxford

Crewe to Milton Keynes calling Stafford-Wolverhampton-Smethwick GB-New St-Bham Intl-Coventry-Rugby-Milton Keynes

Shrewsbury to Northampton calling Telford-Wolverhampton-Smethwick GB-New St-Bham Intl-Coventry-Rugby-Northampton

Hereford to Leicester calling Ledbury-Great Malvern-Malvern Link-Worcester FS-Droitwich-Kidderminster-Stourbridge-Smethwick GB-Moor St-Coleshill Pway-Nuneaton-Hinckley-Narborough-Leicester

Gloucester to Nottingham calling Cheltenham Spa-Worcester SH- Droitwich-Kidderminster-Stourbridge-Smethwick GB-Moor St-Coleshill Pway-Tamworth-Burton-Nottingham

Cheltenham Spa to Derby calling Ashcurch fT-Bromsgrove-Kings Norton-University-New St-Coleshill Pway-Tamworth-Burton-Derby

To cover off more of the Eastern/North of the region you could extend the Leicester, Nottingham and Derby services to Peterborough, Lincoln and Chesterfield or maybe do some routes based on Nottingham as the hub.

 

[Bartsimho]

I was thinking more of flexibility, so that the stock could be used to/from elsewhere in the UK

Makes sense. I had a look at the sizes a while back and yeah the beds on the new NightJet are the same length as the current UK Sleeper beds. Of course the narrower and shorter gauge would have to change some things but not too much. Just go for no couchettes and all pods with a few traditional sleeper berths for accessibility and an extra fee

 

[gc4946]

New capital to capital direct services from London St Pancras to Berlin, Bern, Luxembourg and Madrid

 

[Sprigibax]

London Liverpool Street to Norwich via Cambridge, calling at Tottenham Hale, Bishop’s Stortford, Cambridge, Ely, Thetford, Attleborough, Wymondham and Norwich. Hourly. Using either FLIRTs or 720s.
London Liverpool Street to Ipswich via Cambridge, calling at Tottenham Hale, Broxbourne, Bishop’s Stortford, Audley End, Cambridge, Newmarket, Bury St Edmunds, Thurston, Elmswell, Stowmarket, Needham Market and Ipswich. Also hourly using FLIRTs or 720s.

London Paddington to Hereford calling at Reading, Oxford, Moreton-in-Marsh, Evesham, Worcestershire Parkway, Worcester Shrub Hill, Worcester Foregate Street, Great Malvern, Ledbury and Hereford. Every 2 hours, using IETs.

South Coast Connector! Weymouth - Ramsgate, calling at Dorchester South, Wareham, Poole, Bournemouth, Brockenhurst, Southampton Central, Havant, Chichester, Barnham, Worthing, Hove, Brighton, Falmer, Lewes, Polegate, Eastbourne, Bexhill, Hastings, Ore, Rye, Ashford International, Folkestone West, Folkestone Central, Dover Priory, Walmer, Deal, Sandwich and Ramsgate. Once every 2 hours? Rolling stock would probably depend on the operator (I’d say it would likely be Southern, meaning 171s would likely be used, due to Ore to Ashford being unelectrified)

London Waterloo to Swanage, calling at Basingstoke, Winchester, Southampton Central, Bournemouth, Branksome, Parksome, Poole, Hamworthy, Wareham, Norden, Corfe Castle, Harmans Cross and Swanage. Once or twice a day. Class 444.

London King’s Cross to Skegness, calling at Stevenage, Peterborough, Spalding, Sleaford, Heckington, Boston, Wainfleet and Skegness. Once or twice a day, using Azumas.

 

[vuzzeho]

Stratford Regional to Milton Keynes Central, calling at Hackney Wick, Homerton, Hackney Central, Dalston Kingsland, Canonbury, Highbury and Islington, Caledonian Road + Barnsbury, Camden Road, Kentish Town West, Gospel Oak, Hampstead Heath, Finchley Road + Frognal, West Hampstead, Brondesbury, Brondesbury Park, Kensal Rise, Willesden Junction, Harlesden, Stonebridge Park, Wembley Central, North Wembley, South Kenton, Kenton, Harrow + Wealdstone, Headstone Lane, Hatch End, Carpenders Park, Bushey, Watford High Street, Watford Junction, Kings Langley, Apsley, Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted, Tring, Leighton Buzzard, Bletchley, and Milton Keynes Central.

It will not call at Cheddington.

 

[Trainguy34]

After rediscovering this gem of a thread and reading through all 4 pages, I think a good service would be Heathrow to cities with large airports, preferably non-stop but with potential calls at large tourist hotspots. Would be run similar to the Cally Sleeper, branded for the airline but subcontracted to someone such as Serco. Would allow for more longer distance flights due to the reduction in short distance flights and freed slots.

 

[Brubulus]

Crewe-Sheffield calling at Sandbach, Middlewich(new station), Northwich, Knutsford, Altrincham, Navigation Road, Baguley (new station) Dore and Totley and Sheffield.

 

[Rich McLean]

Manchester Piccadilly to Penzance, calling at Stockport, Wilmslow, Crewe, Shrewsbury, Ludlow, Hereford, Abergavenny, Newport (another unit attached ex Cardiff), Seven Tunnel Jn, Patchway, Filton Abbey Wood, Bristol Temple Meads, Nailsea & Blackwell, Yatton, Worle, WSM, Highbridge & Burnham, Bridgewater, Taunton, Exeter St Davids, Dawlish then all stations to Plymouth (where a unit detaches), Saltash and then all stations to Penzance. Class 158 for Nostalgia reasons

 

[Babybirdrobin]

Southend Vic -> Shoeburyness via London Liverpool St - calling at Prittlewell, Rochford, Hockley, Rayleigh, Wickford, Billericay, Shenfield, Seven Kings, Maryland, Liverpool St, Forest Gate, Barking, Ockenden, Grays, Tilbury Town, Leigh-On-Sea, Westcliff, Thorpe Bay and Shoeburyness - Operated by Class 321’s (preferably 12 car with 2 non-PRM units brought back from the dead, favorite AC units)

London Bridge -> London Bridge Via East Croydon, Eastbourne, Hastings, Tonbridge, Strood and Dartford - Calling at: South Croydon, Coulsden South, Redhill, Salfords, Balcome, Wivelsfield, Cooksbridge, Polegate, Eastbourne, Cooden Beach, Bexhill, St Leonard’s Warrior Sqaure, Battle, Stonegate, Frant, Tunbridge Wells, Tunbridge, Paddock Wood, New Hythe, Hailing, Higham, Northfleet, Stone Crossing, Slade Green, Plumstead, Deptford and London Bridge - Operated by Class 507 + 508 units running in multi

London Kings Cross -> Glasgow Central- Calling at: Peterborough, Doncaster, Leeds, York, Newcastle, Berwick, Edinburgh, Shotts and Glasgow Central - Operated with LNER 225 sets

That’s all I can think of for now, will add more later

 

[Uncle Buck]

-St Pancras to Manchester via Derby
-Glasgow to Leeds via Carlisle
-Bristol to Bournemouth (I believe this is the busiest coach route in the country)
-Paddington to Weymouth via Castle Cary
-Glasgow Queen Street to Dundee via Alloa
-Carlisle to Ayr via Dumfries