Most time made out by missing out stations

[northwichcat]

Today the 13:57 Chester to Manchester Piccadilly left Chester 31 minutes late. It then missed out Mouldsworth, Delamere, Cuddington, Greenbank, Northwich, Lostock Gralam, Plumley, Mobberley, Ashley, Hale, Navigation Road, Heaton Chapel and Levenshulme. (So called at 3 intermediate stations instead of 16.)

The train arrived at Manchester Piccadilly at 15:32, 2 minutes later than it's public timetable arrival time meaning the total journey time was 64 minutes instead of 93 minutes, so under 70% of it's usual journey time.

This got me thinking what's the most time ever been saved by cancelling calls at intermediate stops?

 

[cf111]

I'm unsure of the exact amount, but cutting out the Thurso and one of the Georgemas Junction calls from an Inverness-Wick/Wick-Inverness service would cut out around half an hour. This happens reasonably often if there is disruption.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I assume there are taxis provided? Hell of a wait otherwise...

 

[cf111]

I assume there are taxis provided? Hell of a wait otherwise...

Yes, there's a taxi or minibus waiting. I have once had to contact a very confused ScotRail control person using the help point when not enough had turned up but it was sorted at the end. Didn't fancy the day there!

 

[thenorthern]

Cross City line misses out stations regularly because of disruption which makes up a bit of time but I am not sure how much.

On most lines though don't they just terminate early rather than miss stops out?

 

[tractakid]

Liverpool to Chester fast has happened. Can't remember the time saving, but it can't be bad (as a percentage).

 

[Starmill]

It missed out Northwich!? That doesn't seem worth it!

 

[gg1]

I'm unsure of the exact amount, but cutting out the Thurso and one of the Georgemas Junction calls from an Inverness-Wick/Wick-Inverness service would cut out around half an hour. This happens reasonably often if there is disruption.

Considering Thurso's passenger usage figures are roughly double Wick's, surely terminating at Thurso would be a more logical decision in such a situation??

 

[cf111]

Considering Thurso's passenger usage figures are roughly double Wick's, surely terminating at Thurso would be a more logical decision in such a situation??

I'm guessing that it's because the train-crew depot is at Wick.

 

[northwichcat]

It missed out Northwich!? That doesn't seem worth it!

Weird decisions can be made about which stations are skipped in such instances. One day a couple of years back the c.16:00 Chester-Manchester service skipped out Knutsford despite that service usually picking up around 50 passengers at Knutsford and the following service not usually having any spare seats leaving Knutsford. I don't think Northern have skipped out Knutsford since so I think they must have realised that was a mistake. I know MCRUA have tried to obtain average passenger counts for all weekday services and have passed those on to Northern but I don't know if Northern regularly refer to them when making decisions.

If some common sense was applied the conductor of the 14:17 Piccadilly-Chester would have told anyone at Navigation Rd wanting to travel towards Stockport/Manchester to board his/her train to Altrincham. I don't think there's a high chance of something like that happening though.

 

[W230]

This got me thinking what's the most time ever been saved by cancelling calls at intermediate stops?

I can't remember the exact timings but earlier this year I was held at Luton for around 45 minutes (maybe more?) on a Sevenoaks service (via Catford Loop & Swanley) due to an earlier person hit by a train in the Elstree area.

Ended up running fast to St Pancras, then stopped at Farringdon, City Thameslink, Blackfriars, fast to Bromley South (diverted via Herne Hill onto the Chatham Mainline which is quicker than going via Catford). They then ran me on the mainline via Orpington and I arrived at Sevenoaks 3 minutes early!

 

[Statto]

Happened on the trains i've been on a couple of times in the last 18 months, caught a delayed Liverpool-Wigan service which did not stop at any stations on route took 30 minutes rather than 55 minutes, caught a train St Helens Central-Liverpool, which went non stop Thatto Heath-Liverpool[forget how long that took] after being delayed at Thatto Heath because of problem with the doors on the DMU.

 

[gg1]

I'm guessing that it's because the train-crew depot is at Wick.

Makes sense, I didn't consider that.

 

[HarleyDavidson]

You can knock out about 15-18' on a Epsom or Cobham line, by running fast to Surbiton or Wimbledon.

Knock out 10-15' by knocking out intermediate stops between Portsmouth & Waterloo, some services will even miss out Guildford the biggest station on the direct!

Personal best is about 25' mins on a Poole, last call Southampton Central, then Waterloo, done it in just about 65'.

 

[Bald Rick]

I can't remember the exact timings but earlier this year I was held at Luton for around 45 minutes (maybe more?) on a Sevenoaks service (via Catford Loop & Swanley) due to an earlier person hit by a train in the Elstree area.

Ended up running fast to St Pancras, then stopped at Farringdon, City Thameslink, Blackfriars, fast to Bromley South (diverted via Herne Hill onto the Chatham Mainline which is quicker than going via Catford). They then ran me on the mainline via Orpington and I arrived at Sevenoaks 3 minutes early!

I remember seeing that on the log. Control was very proud about it.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

You can knock out about 15-18' on a Epsom or Cobham line, by running fast to Surbiton or Wimbledon.

Yes, I once had a non stop Waterloo - Epsom run that set off 28 late from Waterloo ( a Saturday night; next train was on time 2 minutes later ) and it was only about 10 late at Epsom. They ran it on the fasts as far as Wimbledon as well.

 

[tsr]

In terms of short hops...

I remember being on a London Overground service fairly recently which ran fast between Willesden Junction and Clapham Junction. I was quite impressed at the speed - we must've made up about 10 minutes just on that short(ish) stretch!

But possibly the best was a Horsham-London Bridge stopper which was diverted due to an incident at New Cross Gate, and got to London Victoria non-stop in record time due to a completely clear path all the way from East Croydon. I seem to remember that despite the diversion, it got to Victoria at least 5-10 minutes before the scheduled arrival time into London.

 

[sd0733]

A few months ago I was working an LM Euston-Crewe on a Sunday, the train in front of me lost around 45 mins around Leighton Buzzard. It then skipped the Northampton loop so ran fast MK-Rugby then fast to Stafford then Crewe, skipping out the stoke loop, arrival into Crewe was around 5 late.

That's not what was supposed to happen, somebody messed up the not to stop orders so control or passengers for other stations were not impressed and all ended up on my train so nor was I, but the passengers on the train thought it was great, the driver said one guy went and shook his hand on arrival due to catching up so much time.

 

[hassaanhc]

I remember a Basingstoke to Waterloo stopping service that started 30 minutes late from there but arrived 4 minutes early at Waterloo. It was announced as non stop (although I remember Realtimetrains showing it as having stopped at some stations). Certain I took a screen shot but can't find it.
Perfect slap in the face of those people who don't want trains to be run fast , as either that or terminating short (plus diversion, thinking about it) are the only methods to recover from delays.

 

[WelshBluebird]

Not got any examples of it happening, but I wouldn't be surprised if one of the few FGW HST between London and the South West booked to go via Bristol has gone via Castle Cary instead to make up time at some point.

 

[W230]

I remember seeing that on the log. Control was very proud about it.

So was I!

 

[LBSCR Times]

The other move that FCC used to do, in the early evening peak, was run non-stop from Brighton to Blackfriars, via London Bridge. On one occasion it left Brighton 25' late and was sitting outside Blackfriars waiting time.
It helps when the normal service train is booked via Herne a Hill, and if the driver can get to Blackfriars as close to time as possible, then only one train load will be picked up through the Core!

 

[adrock1976]

18 years ago, I was booked on an APEX from Birmingham to Aviemore, travelling on a Saturday in October (APEX booked in July).

If my memory is right, I think it was the 13:05 departure (possibly either the Wessex Scot or Devon Scot) to Edinburgh Waverley via Preston and Glasgow Central (calling at Motherwell twice). This connected into the 19:40 Inverness departure at Waverley (last service of the day).

On arrival at Birmingham New Street, there were posters highlighting that the route between Lancaster & Carlisle is closed for engineering works, and the 13:05 service would be diverted.

The Intercity 125 ran its normal route as far as Preston, then reversed and called additionally at Blackburn. It then passed through Clitheroe and joined the Settle & Carlisle at Hellifield. There was a good 20 minute wait at Ribblehead station as there was a southbound train approaching to Leeds (probably long signal block section back then). Arrival at Carlisle Citadel was 88 minutes behind schedule, and as there was already a train waiting in Platform 1 operating the shuttle to Glasgow Central calling Lockerbie, Carstairs, and Motherwell, it was decided to run the service non-stop from Carlisle to Edinburgh i.e. missing out Carstairs, Motherwell, Glasgow Central, Motherwell, and Haymarket. Arrival at Edinburgh Waverley was only 15-20 minutes behind schedule, and I made my connection with 10-15 minutes to spare.

In peace

Adam.

 

[user15681]

So was I!

I'm sure I vaguely remember hearing about this. Hope you got some gold stars for that impressive effort!

 

[LowLevel]

At the end of the 150s via the Snow Hill lines I ended up on one from Smethwick GB to Stratford. At Moor Street we were told it was to be diverted via Dorridge express due to a bridge strike. Bar a very quick illicit stop at Acocks Green to let someone out it was a flyer and got into Wilmcote about 20 minutes early. The guard forgot to wait time and left anyway.

 

[306024]

Last night (Sat 8/11/14) the 18.00 Bristol TM to Paddington was 28 late start, 2 early arriving Paddington. Missed out Bath, Chippenham, Swindon and Didcot, but fortunately for me not Reading

 

[causton]

For the little things that count, just took the 1759 St Albans - Farringdon (started from Bedford). It started its' journey 15 minutes late, but managed ot get to St Pancras only around 3 late! Only thing hampering it was the fact the doors took ages to release at St Pancras as it was a 377. Missed out West Hampstead too so it helped a little

 

[Shimbleshanks]

A few years back, in about May 2010, I caught a Liverpool Lime St to Euston service that ran non-stop owing to disruption caused by an earlier lineside fire.
From memory, the time was about 1hr 55min compared with the normal fastest time, which I think is about 2hr 10min or so. There was a signal stop in the Ditton area, but otherwise we didn't stop and ran pretty much at line speed throughout, I think.
The driver came on the PA at the end and said we had broken the record for a Liverpool-London run.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

This morning ( 10/11/14 ) the 09.49 Epsom - Waterloo was delayed 11 minutes and was run fast to Raynes Park, regaining all but two minutes of the loss.

Interestingly it was shown as "on time" until about 5 minutes before the booked time, although the screens were already showing it as first stop Raynes Park so it was very obvious even beforehand that it was going to be somewhat late.

 

[rick9525]

Missing out the shunt in and out of Glossop on way to Hadfield picks up nearly 10 mins as apart from the run to and from the station there is time lost for the driver changing ends and the painfully slow crossing of the top of the Dinting Triangle.