Most overcrowded train services?

[ValleyLines142]

Carmarthen-Manchester particularly during the early morning peak and often between Swansea-Cardiff and Crewe-Manchester.

I must admit I have never seen a Carmarthen to Manchester service overcrowded. Admittedly there could be say six or seven people stood in the doorway, but it's not absolutely crush loaded.

Also Cardiff-Portsmouth Harbour is busy, only ever travelled to Portsmouth once but ive been to Bristol and Bath a few times and its often full and standing particularly at peak times.

This I will agree with, particularly if a 150 has had to replace a 158 and/or if there is disruption (which there often is with FGW!). Between Bristol and Cardiff trains have been so rammed that people at Filton Abbey Wood and Patchway physically cannot board.

 

[northwichcat]

Lets, for the sake of handiness, assume that Peak Time trains will be busy. The clue is in the name...

On some routes the "shoulder peak" services are busiest which are officially classed as "off-peak" services.

 

[TheJRB]

The busiest train I've been on would definitely be on the Underground as it appears to be for a lot of people. I once took the Piccadilly line from King's Cross St Pancras to Acton Town on a Saturday morning at 10:00 and between Russell Square and Hyde Park Corner it was completely rammed. People were left behind at Holborn of all places! That beats my few peak time experiences on the Bakerloo and Northern lines.

I was surprised to see how busy the Tramlink was from Wimbledon to East Croydon a few Sundays back. It was pretty much full all the way just with people getting on and off keeping the numbers equal.

On the main line, all the peak time services leaving Sevenoaks for London are absolutely full. Bearing in mind I travel mostly off peak and therefore rarely stand, the few times I have done so, stick in my memory. I've stood from Clapham Junction to Berrylands on a Hampton Court service when King's College at a sporting event there. My grandfather got a seat, but I had to stand on two journeys in the past: Ely to Cambridge on a Birmingham-Stansted service and Bolton to Manchester Piccadilly on a Edinburgh & Glasgow to Manchester Airport service. Neither of them of course too bad time wise, just a bit of a surprise (maybe not the Scotland-Manchester one so much though).

 

[FQ]

The 19:15 FGW HST from London Paddington-Swansea.
The 19:22 FGW HST from London Paddington-Hereford.

Upon departure from Paddington these services have people crammed in the vestibules.

 

[Batman]

In my part of the world the busiest trains on the Chase line is the 0741 Rugeley Trent Valley to Birmingham New Street (4 car 170) and on Cross City North it's the 0738 Lichfield Trent Valley to Longbridge (6 car 323).

In the evening peak it's the 1742 Birmingham New Street to Rugeley Trent Valley on the Chase Line (4 car 170) and on Cross City North it's the 1657 Redditch to Lichfield Trent Valley (1735 departure from New Street, 3 car 323, desperately needs to become 6 car).

 

[Saint66]

The 22:04 fast train from St Pancras to St Albans was one of the busiest trains I've ever caught, while the 22:32 from St Pancras wasn't exactly much better.

 

[Yew]

Lets, for the sake of handiness, assume that Peak Time trains will be busy. The clue is in the name...

That means they go through the peak district, right?

 

[Tetchytyke]

Lets, for the sake of handiness, assume that Peak Time trains will be busy. The clue is in the name...

On intercity trains the opposite is often true, thanks to the wonders of Anytime ticket prices.

The first off-peak trains out of Kings Cross northbound are always rammed. The 1819 London-Edinburgh on a Friday is always a nightmare.

 

[Minstral25]

Any service from Clapham Junction that's heading for Shepherd's Bush in the morning peak, or vice versa in the evening.

Anything on the West London Line between Clapham Junction and Willesden during the peaks and shoulder peaks.

Late evening xx.02 Victoria to Brighton Trains - 4 coaches, passengers getting on for Brighton even though the xx.06 is much much faster, totally overloaded

 

[6Gman]

All the Carmarthen-Manchester 175s.

I use those trains quite a lot between Shrewsbury & Manchester.

Cannot recall ever having to stand.

 

[Gareth Marston]

Thursday's 0514 Aberystwyth to Birmingham International will have won this award by a mile as it was a 2 car instead of the usual 4. The usual 4 car formation prompts commuters from Telford to write into the Shropshire Star and complain about cattle truck conditions.

 

[dk1]

18.46 FO Euston-Preston caped tonight due to stock shortage so would imagine the usual overcrowding after 18.45 from the Capital is even worse tonight.

 

[Parallel]

I must admit I have never seen a Carmarthen to Manchester service overcrowded. Admittedly there could be say six or seven people stood in the doorway, but it's not absolutely crush loaded.

This I will agree with, particularly if a 150 has had to replace a 158 and/or if there is disruption (which there often is with FGW!). Between Bristol and Cardiff trains have been so rammed that people at Filton Abbey Wood and Patchway physically cannot board.

Indeed, however some weekends they seem to add and then detach a 153 between Westbury and Bristol (and vice versa) which adds welcome capacity between these two stations. However it's a different story when it comes off at Bristol and everyone in this carriage has to squeeze themselves into the rest of the train...

Also, the weekday evening peak FGW 153 from Swindon to Westbury can get quite busy - Nice to see the rapid passenger growth of the Transwilts line! (Although I'm pretty sure these passengers would have just changed at Bath before). FGW Weymouth trains can also be very heavily loaded at times, particularly if a two car 150 turns up.

 

[evergreenadam]

Anything on the West London Line between Clapham Junction and Willesden during the peaks and shoulder peaks.

Late evening xx.02 Victoria to Brighton Trains - 4 coaches, passengers getting on for Brighton even though the xx.06 is much much faster, totally overloaded

20.06 and 22.36 Victoria to Brighton services to be doubled from 5 to 10 coaches in May's summer timetable change:
http://www.southernrailway.com/sout...-timetable-more-seats-and-better-connections/

 

[Class 170101]

The first off-peak trains out of Kings Cross northbound are always rammed. The 1819 London-Edinburgh on a Friday is always a nightmare.

18:19 London to Edinburgh? Do you mean to Newcastle only or do you mean the 18:30 departure?

 

[swcovas]

I use those trains quite a lot between Shrewsbury & Manchester.

Cannot recall ever having to stand.

On such a long run as Carmarthen - M/C it will depend where and when you are travelling. I recently stood from Cravn Arms to Hereford in the evening, I have stood a number of times between Bridgend and Cardiff but on plenty of occasions I have had no trouble getting a seat.

 

[FenMan]

Summer weekend mid-morning services on the North Downs Line heading to Reading - a combination of Gatwick passengers and local shoppers mean they're often full and standing with luggage everywhere.

Sunday afternoon/early evening West of England Mainline Waterloo-bound services from Exeter. Can be full and standing from Yeovil even with 6 coaches.

 

[moogal]

Not good to try to board a westbound Central line train at Liverpool St in the morning peak either by the way.

Worse at Bethnal Green - at least some people get off at Liverpool Street!

I get on at Mile End where it's not uncommon to have to let several W/B Central Line trains go before you can physically get on one in the morning peak.