Longest platform dwell time

[Jan Mayen]

I have a recollection from the novel From Russia With Love that a train is scheduled to wait in a platform for eight hours. This was of course an international train in the 1950's, waiting for a portion to come from Greece or wherever.

Do any trains in this country have a long scheduled wait?

 

[Farigiraf]

The northbound Highland Sleeper is timetabled to arrive into Edinburgh at 03:47, with the Fort William portion departing at 04:50 - a timetabled wait time of 57 minutes.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

The northbound Highland Sleeper is timetabled to arrive into Edinburgh at 03:47, with the Fort William portion departing at 04:50 - a timetabled wait time of 57 minutes.

Albeit a lot of shunting goes on during that time, so the train won't actually be stationary during that time.

 

[Some guy]

It’s got to be the Sunday Manchester Airport to Windermere it sits in Preston for 25 minutes 15:58 dep

 

[Peter Mugridge]

The down Night Riviera; 67 minutes at Taunton?

 

[HamworthyGoods]

The northbound Highland Sleeper is timetabled to arrive into Edinburgh at 03:47, with the Fort William portion departing at 04:50 - a timetabled wait time of 57 minutes.

03.47 to 04.50 is 63 minutes.

 

[SuspectUsual]

The down Night Riviera; 67 minutes at Taunton?

I recall there was a previous similar thread a while back and the consensus was this was the longest

 

[Flying Claret]

I recall there was a previous similar thread a while back and the consensus was this was the longest

What's the reason?

 

[SuspectUsual]

What's the reason?

I think it’s basically the most convenient way of making the journey fit the length of the night, if you see what I mean

 

[swt_passenger]

I think it’s basically the most convenient way of making the journey fit the length of the night, if you see what I mean

Does it also allow for certain diversions without affecting the timetable?

 

[notspy]

If you count non-platform dwell time (which I know you're not ), 1C72 MIA - Windemere has 25 minutes dwell time in the loop right before the station, which must be very frustrating for the residents of Oxenholme!

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:G89067/2026-07-01/detailed#allox_id=0

 

[Paul AC]

If you count non-platform dwell time (which I know you're not ), 1C72 MIA - Windemere has 25 minutes dwell time in the loop right before the station, which must be very frustrating for the residents of Oxenholme!

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:G89067/2026-07-01/detailed#allox_id=0

....which is waiting for 1Y82 1600 Windermere to Manchester Airport https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:G89873/2026-07-01/detailed#allox_id=0 to come off the single line branch and depart from Oxenholme Lake District, itself spending nine minutes in platform 3 waiting for a path behind 1M15 1434 Glasgow Central to London Euston https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:W34050/2026-07-01/detailed#allox_id=0 Busy railway!

 

[AlterEgo]

Does it also allow for certain diversions without affecting the timetable?

Generally yes, the Riviera can go a number of different ways with a time penalty of up to an hour.

 

[VT 390]

If you count non-platform dwell time (which I know you're not ), 1C72 MIA - Windemere has 25 minutes dwell time in the loop right before the station, which must be very frustrating for the residents of Oxenholme!

For Oxenholme you would be better off changing at Lancaster for the Avanti service which overtakes this Northern service.

 

[The exile]

For Oxenholme you would be better off changing at Lancaster for the Avanti service which overtakes this Northern service.

And which is presumably why the Northern service can’t just fester there instead.

 

[Segedunum]

And which is presumably why the Northern service can’t just fester there instead.

The issue is more that it needs to wait for the ex-Windermere service to 1) get off the branch and 2) leave Oxenholme, the latter of which is dependent on slotting in behind a southbound Avanti.

 

[The exile]

The issue is more that it needs to wait for the ex-Windermere service to 1) get off the branch and 2) leave Oxenholme, the latter of which is dependent on slotting in behind a southbound Avanti.

Yes but all other things being equal it makes more sense to sit adjacent to a platform (with doors openable) for 20 minutes than “imprison” people for 20 minutes just short of where they want to get off.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Yes but all other things being equal it makes more sense to sit adjacent to a platform (with doors openable) for 20 minutes than “imprison” people for 20 minutes just short of where they want to get off.

How might that work? If the Northbound unit sits adjacent to a platform (which would have to be platform 3 at Oxenholme Lake District) how exactly does the Southbound get off the branch?

 

[The exile]

How might that work? If the Northbound unit sits adjacent to a platform (which would have to be platform 3 at Oxenholme Lake District) how exactly does the Southbound get off the branch?

I was referring to it sitting at Lancaster instead - which it can’t because of the following Avanti (see posts 14 & 15)

 

[Shaun_92]

2P06 0948 Scunthorpe to Doncaster, arrives at Doncaster at 1027 and then stables in Platform 0 for 1Hour 21 Minutes to form 2P11 1148 Doncaster to Scunthorpe.

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:P24257/2026-07-04/detailed

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:C32840/2026-07-04/detailed

 

[mister-sparky]

2P06 0948 Scunthorpe to Doncaster, arrives at Doncaster at 1027 and then stables in Platform 0 for 1Hour 21 Minutes to form 2P11 1148 Doncaster to Scunthorpe.

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:P24257/2026-07-04/detailed

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:C32840/2026-07-04/detailed

That’s not a platform dwell in service. That’s just a train terminating then going back the way it came

 

[BeijingDave]

I was referring to it sitting at Lancaster instead - which it can’t because of the following Avanti (see posts 14 & 15)

I thought Lancaster has three through platforms - one up, one down, one bi-directional, so I am curious as to why it can't sit at Lancaster.

 

[SuspectUsual]

I thought Lancaster has three through platforms - one up, one down, one bi-directional, so I am curious as to why it can't sit at Lancaster.

It does, but the "third" through platform is platform 5, which is on the up side of the line, so using it in this case would mean crossing the up fast twice, which is probably either not possible at that time or considered too much of a faff

(I haven't checked whether platform 5 is being used by anything else at that time, so that could be another reason)

 

[westernpunk]

hardly relevant now but in the 1975 summer timetale, 1930 padd to ply was extended to pz on a friday, arrive ply 2355 depart 0250 arrive pz 0502