Just rode this service tonight and was sort of pleasantly but sort of annoyed to find I arrived at Manc at 1:10 and not 1:56 as journey planner sites showed! I thought it a little odd it would take so much longer but assumed it must be "go slow" after midnight. Anyway, it was nice to be back sooner but I also thought would have been very annoying if I'd have arranged to be picked up/taxi/lone female hanging around on her own. Really bad to have the wrong timetable showing on planners. Haven't checked the official timetable. Anyone have any insight?
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Euston-Manchester 22:50
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MidnightFlyer
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There's a lot of pathing and engineering allowance in its schedule on account of the time of day it runs; it's also booked via Northampton and on the Slows to Rugby and from Cheadle Hulme. End up on the Fasts anywhere (and / or via Weedon) and as it's set down only it can run ahead of its schedule. I don't think they could produce a more accurate timetable for the public - if I remember correctly there were weeks earlier this year where it ran anyhting between 30 mins early and on time!
dk1
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I think we have to be very grateful that Virgin/NR made this later Manchester train possible in the first place.
merlodlliw
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in my experience Piccadilly Station is a hive of activity all night,much safer than some of the shady areas around the town, also this train is a set down only.
Searle
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The train is set down early for most of the stops so it can run much earlier than expected, as it has been given a very slow path (in case it needs to be diverted), hence why when it runs fast, it gets in very early! 
thenorthern
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Isn't it the case that as it only stops to set down at Stoke-on-Trent, Macclesfield and Stockport where if it arrives early it can go before the scheduled departure time as there is no need to wait for people to board the train.
dannypye9999
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Similar thing happened a while ago on 22:45 Wolverhampton to Euston normally estimated to arrive in Euston at 01:15 as its booked for the slow lines from Milton Keynes but on this night we went max speed along the fast lines ending up in Euston about 00:55. Very good because I made a connection to Victoria and was in time for the 02:00 Three Bridges instead of the 03:00 as planned.
On my ALR (which I'm still writing the trip report for, I've been busy lately ) I was on a late-night FTPE train from Manchester towards York (I was only going to Leeds). We stopped somewhere just before a junction, when the guard announced we would be delayed for a bit but that we would not arrive at Leeds late. He was right - IIRC we arrived about 20 minutes early! I asked him when we got there, turns out that the train is booked to take a diversionary route for route learning purposes, but the driver didn't sign the route so we were diverted onto the normal route. The delay was presumably the signaller having to re-set the route, waiting for the approach locking.
When I looked at RTT later, it had also arrived at York early despite leaving Leeds on time. Presumably it was booked on another diversionary route that the driver also didn't sign?
) I was on a late-night FTPE train from Manchester towards York (I was only going to Leeds). We stopped somewhere just before a junction, when the guard announced we would be delayed for a bit but that we would not arrive at Leeds late. He was right - IIRC we arrived about 20 minutes early! I asked him when we got there, turns out that the train is booked to take a diversionary route for route learning purposes, but the driver didn't sign the route so we were diverted onto the normal route. The delay was presumably the signaller having to re-set the route, waiting for the approach locking.When I looked at RTT later, it had also arrived at York early despite leaving Leeds on time. Presumably it was booked on another diversionary route that the driver also didn't sign?
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Trains will most likely be timed over the slowest most likely diversionary route to account for the longest possible journey time.
dk1
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Very sensible too. I more than agree & reiterate that passengers should be grateful this train was agreed in the first place. I know that Piccadilly isn't a bad place to wait for an hour or so if early & you still belong to Virgin Trains anyway
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