How busy have your trains been?

[Cricketer8for9]

It doesn’t help being 8 coaches and picking up delay at the busier stations. As for the Purley Oaks train most people want London Bridge or Victoria/Clapham Jct and, being regular travellers we aren’t scared by the concept of changing trains unlike some of our Northern brethren. No one wants to stop at Selhurst to South Bermondsey if they can help it!

 

[HST43257]

As for the Purley Oaks train most people want London Bridge or Victoria/Clapham Jct and, being regular travellers we aren’t scared by the concept of changing trains unlike some of our Northern brethren.

Well of course there's less trouble changing trains when you can guarantee a max. 10 min connection. Perhaps up here it's a bit different.

 

[Killingworth]

With the coincidence of timetable reductions, strikes,engineering work, short forms and incidents it can be hard to compare loadings now with 2 years ago, especially bearing in mind the swing from commuting to leisure. Hereabouts it's now Saturdays rather than pre 8.30 commuting that's the peak. Commuting still struggling around 40% but leisure must be back to normal and above.

 

[Cricketer8for9]

@HST43257 of course. Changing is not a worry when there is a network. To be clear it’s less good going south to a 30 minute service than going north onto frequent trains.

 

[yorksrob]

The Little North Western seems to be doing a roaring trade at the moment.

Almost every double seat taken on a 158 to Morecambe.

 

[seagull]

Very busy in all directions today in the Midlands and North West.

 

[MalaiseForever]

15:55 Manchester to London yesterday was reasonably well loaded, I would say 2/3s full. Full ticket check was done before Crewe as well. Not many people wearing masks.

 

[87015]

The Little North Western seems to be doing a roaring trade at the moment.

Almost every double seat taken on a 158 to Morecambe.

So in reality not even half full and losing a fortune every mile then?

 

[dk1]

So in reality not even half full and losing a fortune every mile then?

To be expected on the route & what subsidising such services is intended to do.

 

[Kite159]

Had a full & standing 5 coach 802 bound for Oxford from Paddington this afternoon. Front coach was rather busy (dozen in the vestibule area and down the aisle). Emptied out a bit at Slough but looked like it departed Reading F&S again. Although how much of that was down to Didcot Parkway only having 2tph of fast trains today, or the Radley Massive travelling.

 

[dk1]

Todays 09:00 & 12:00 Norwich to Ipswich & rtn where steady (RR Ips-Col) but the 15:03 Norwich to Cambridge & 16:50 back particularly after Ely where full & standing.

 

[The Ham]

There appears to be a number of people observing that trains are fairly busy this week:

https://mobile.twitter.com/NoelDolphin/status/1491684015312625664?t=oIyy6ggD6MpX1YZuxevO_Q&s=19

Can't wait to see train passenger numbers from this week - It has been rammed all week (appreciate that is with reduced trains still). Had to stand in the vestibule yesterday and today - and that is with 12 car trains returning on GWR for my route for 1st time today.

With then a number of replies starting similar experiences.

Understandably there's an understanding that it is with reduced services, however if it continues for a reasonable length of time is going to make the case for a few more services (even if that's still a few less than previously) stronger than it was.

 

[greyman42]

I travelled on the 1358 York to London (ex Inverness) yesterday and it was still pretty quiet.

 

[galwhv69]

2nd day within this week where people have been left behind on SWR heading into London from Putney in the morning. 8 Car semi-fast 455 earlier in the week and a 10 car slow 707 today both packed like sardines, same style as the strike days in 2019. Not good that there is a 20+ minute gap between these times (No 0752 from Putney etc.), however this is already seen as a luxury to many outside London

 

[Kite159]

Travelled on the 19:52-odd London - Birmingham LNR service on Friday night, so busy that the guard declassified First Class (I might have made a bee-line to that area as it was a pair of 350/2s). Remained busy pretty much throughout the journey to Birmingham.

Sunday was another busy 5 coach Oxford bound IET between Paddington & Reading. Reading - Basingstoke 165 was reasonably loaded as well (I suspect down to the extended journey time going towards Waterloo with the tour de Staines, trains take so long you can watch one depart Waterloo and beat it to Basingstoke if you are quick enough!)

 

[Iskra]

Been sat in the Sheffield Tap for a few hours today due to a work meeting finishing early. Loadings looking pretty healthy on the majority of trains that I’ve seen and the station is getting busier.

 

[davews]

Martins Heron to Waterloo today 2/3 full or so both ways. Tube jam packed. Ice Wharf Wetherspoons at Camden Lock heaving, had to wait ten minutes at the bar to get served.

 

[pnepaul]

Carlisle to Crewe today. Carlisle as busy as could be expected for the end of February. My train 9.49 Avanti to Crewe was about 3/4 full.

Crewe was busy. Most of the trains I saw were well patronised, except the 13.04 Avanti service to Blackpool - 10 car Voyager - almost empty. My train back to Carlisle - 1350 Avanti was again about 3/4 full.

 

[infobleep]

This evening I git the 17:34 Guildford to Clapham Junction service that was busy. Lots of people getting on at Guildford which was an encouraging sign.

I found a seat near one of the disabled looks in coach 6 as I could use the ledge to put some stuff on. A kind of side table.

At Clapham Junction, I aas surprised to find a ticket check block on at the too of the stairs of platforms 7 and 8. I wasn't aware they did such a thing there.
.
Bit colic and everyone packed together but I got up the stairs after than I might have expected.

whilst waiting for my connecting train I was surprised to see that out of the 4 ticket checking staff and BTP officer, only the officer had a face mask on. I know it's not government policy to mandate face masks but I thought the TOCs were keen still. Certainly, the posters are still there snd the guard on my train was wearing a mask. Now it might be that all 4 had medical reasons for not wearing masks. Just that both things, the ticket check right at the top of the stairs and no mask-wearing struck me as odd.

Anyway, I headed off to get a train to Victoria but the platform indicator at the top of stairs to platform 12 seemed to be frozen on 5 minutes until the next train arrived snd I missed one.

The train I did get was 4 carriages and it was reasonably busy but I still got two seats to myself.

On my way home I got the 22:54 London Victoria to Clapham Junction. It was fairly busy too so I got myself a luggage seat, as I call them. I was a Gatwick Express branded train.

At Clapham Junction, I got the 23:07 to Guildford. One of the few hours Monday to Saturday where there are 2 direct fast trains to Guildford. As it was busy I decided to stand. I could easily have sat down next to someone but for now, unless it's a very long journey, I prefer to stand, until Woking when I got 2 seats to myself.

It was good to see the train busier though.

I intend to make a similar journey tomorrow morning so will be interesting to see how busy that is.

 

[davews]

I don't understand why people insist on standing, and being close to others standing, when there are lots of single seats available. Are we really still worried about social distancing?

 

[Kite159]

At Clapham Junction, I aas surprised to find a ticket check block on at the too of the stairs of platforms 7 and 8. I wasn't aware they did such a thing there.
.

Makes sense in a way to try and catch anybody arriving from a long distance service without a ticket who will simply touch into the oyster/contactless system with the readers on the LO platforms (or P17) if continuing towards London.

 

[infobleep]

Makes sense in a way to try and catch anybody arriving from a long distance service without a ticket who will simply touch into the oyster/contactless system with the readers on the LO platforms (or P17) if continuing towards London.

I guess it does. I assume doing the block at the top of the stairs is safe enough with people waiting on the stairs.

I wonder if they did a block in the subway? Obviously, there is the element of surprise but not everyone uses the upper exit and if some got caught, next one they might simply always use the subway.

Anyway enough of straying off topic.

I don't understand why people insist on standing, and being close to others standing, when there are lots of single seats available. Are we really still worried about social distancing?

If they were concerned about social distancing they wouldn't want to stand next to others they didn't know or so I'd imagine.

Personally, I'm slightly concerned about social distancing. I do have a suppressed immune system so I have to take slightly more care.

This morning's journey is the 10:35 Guildford to Waterloo and it is busy today, although in the carriage I first got on you could have sat next to someone else. Lots of people standing though.

I decided to get off and go along the platform. Eventually, I got on further down, less than 10 seconds before the doors should close but still busy so decided I'll go towards the back of this 12 coach train and then I noticed the screen

It's only an 8 carriage train!

Minor rant time. Given they are only run 3 out of 4 Portsmouth Direct line services, you'd think they might be able to make them 12 carriages long, especially as this one starts from Portsmouth & Southsea. I might perhaps understand a Haslemere only train being 8 carriages but not one from so far away.

The guard has said the train is busy but not that it is short formed so this must surely be as booked unless the guard omitted to tell us otherwise.

Anyway, I got a couple of seats in the back carriage, so I guess the train company would say it doesn't need more carriages.

If everyone after Woking decides to sit down I'm not sure if everyone would get a swat but they may just about manage it.

 

[LowLevel]

Nottingham very busy today - I know my 3 carriage train had over 220 on it by the time I arrived and plenty of others were similar.

 

[Grumpy Git]

Just boarded the 12:51 EMR Liverpool Lime St. - Nottingham train, (at Lime St.).

A two-car 156 and completely full with an odd few standing. Edit, about 30 standing in the leading carriage alone!

A guy in the table seat opposite has his suitcase on the seat, madness!

 

[dk1]

A guy in the table seat opposite has his suitcase on the seat, madness!

Why was that tolerated?

 

[yorksrob]

The train to Whitby was full with people standing as usual.

Doubtless the Beeching accolytes of this forum will be along soon to claim that all my fellow passengers are 'Scotch mist'.

 

[LowLevel]

Well, I think it was my busiest shift in a long time. Sold over 150 tickets, nearly £800 in revenue taken and over 200 people on both 3 carriage trains I've worked (with passenger churn more like 300-400). I feel like I've earned my wages today! The same was noted on other services on most routes. Everyone seems to be about today!

 

[trainophile]

The train to Whitby was full with people standing as usual.

Doubtless the Beeching accolytes of this forum will be along soon to claim that all my fellow passengers are 'Scotch mist'.

Hope you got back okay. We went to Whitby yesterday from Hartlepool/Middlesbrough, 2-coach train pretty full but not unbearable despite half term. However the 15:58 back was cancelled due to no driver! Promised a replacement bus but none forthcoming, so eventually we got a service bus back to Middlesbrough where pandemonium reigned trying to get back to Hartlepool - got turfed off the 18:30 due to no driver, the board was reading that the 19:30 was expected 19:57 so we headed off to get some dinner. Only to find that the 19:30 had been reinstated and departed 19:30 so we missed it. They probably had a driver turn up who took out the one that was cancelled earlier. Eventually ended up on the 20:30 and got back three hours later than intended. I gather the return half of an off peak return isn't worth claiming on as it's only pennies, anyway they are in the hotel bin now. I can't help thinking about the 100 or so people who were patiently waiting for the non-existent bus when we left on a local service bus. Many with small children, buggies and suitcases. Northernassist on Twitter later replied to me that unbeknown to them the replacement bus company had cancelled the one they were supposed to provide!

It seems the 1942 ex-WTB was 64 minutes late leaving, and didn't get back to MBR until 22:09 so would have missed the last connection to Newcastle. Total shambles.

Today was fun (not). Got the 10:21 TPE (ex-Redcar) from MBR to MAN. Only three coaches until York where they attached another three, it was absolutely heaving for the first part of the journey. By sheer luck the coach with our seat reservations was one of the three, and we got on pretty sharp at MBR so at least had seats. However the aisles were rammed throughout, people practically sat on eachother's laps. Next table had a hen party on the Prosecco at 10:30, never heard such a racket, you could hardly hear yourself think, luckily they got off at York. Lovely guard came through later apologising for the overcrowding (having done so many times on the PA), and said he didn't like leaving anyone behind which is why it became more and more rammed.

Has put me off travelling on a Saturday. And has put us off going to Whitby ever again! We even checked on booking.com for hotel rooms and there were only about half a dozen left for last night, mostly at ridiculous prices. The joys of rail travel.

I think Northern had the perfect storm yesterday - there was a driver shortage, a points failure, a signal problem, an emergency services incident, and something else that I've forgotten.

 

[yorksrob]

Hope you got back okay. We went to Whitby yesterday from Hartlepool/Middlesbrough, 2-coach train pretty full but not unbearable despite half term. However the 15:58 back was cancelled due to no driver! Promised a replacement bus but none forthcoming, so eventually we got a service bus back to Middlesbrough where pandemonium reigned trying to get back to Hartlepool - got turfed off the 18:30 due to no driver, the board was reading that the 19:30 was expected 19:57 so we headed off to get some dinner. Only to find that the 19:30 had been reinstated and departed 19:30 so we missed it. They probably had a driver turn up who took out the one that was cancelled earlier. Eventually ended up on the 20:30 and got back three hours later than intended. I gather the return half of an off peak return isn't worth claiming on as it's only pennies, anyway they are in the hotel bin now. I can't help thinking about the 100 or so people who were patiently waiting for the non-existent bus when we left on a local service bus. Many with small children, buggies and suitcases. Northernassist on Twitter later replied to me that unbeknown to them the replacement bus company had cancelled the one they were supposed to provide!

It seems the 1942 ex-WTB was 64 minutes late leaving, and didn't get back to MBR until 22:09 so would have missed the last connection to Newcastle. Total shambles.

Today was fun (not). Got the 10:21 TPE (ex-Redcar) from MBR to MAN. Only three coaches until York where they attached another three, it was absolutely heaving for the first part of the journey. By sheer luck the coach with our seat reservations was one of the three, and we got on pretty sharp at MBR so at least had seats. However the aisles were rammed throughout, people practically sat on eachother's laps. Next table had a hen party on the Prosecco at 10:30, never heard such a racket, you could hardly hear yourself think, luckily they got off at York. Lovely guard came through later apologising for the overcrowding (having done so many times on the PA), and said he didn't like leaving anyone behind which is why it became more and more rammed.

Has put me off travelling on a Saturday. And has put us off going to Whitby ever again! We even checked on booking.com for hotel rooms and there were only about half a dozen left for last night, mostly at ridiculous prices. The joys of rail travel.

I think Northern had the perfect storm yesterday - there was a driver shortage, a points failure, a signal problem, an emergency services incident, and something else that I've forgotten.

Goodness, sounds like a right old rigmarole ! Nothing untoward at present fortunately

 

[dk1]

The half-hourly Anglia Intercity services where very well patronised yesterday with catering also doing a good trade. One guard recorded a passenger count of 640. I noted healthy loadings on the Stansted Express too as I passed them & swapped sets at Liverpool St.