Overnight??

[stevendm]

Is there any place in the UK to ride an overnight passenger train?

 

[142094]

The only ones are the Caledonian Sleeper (various location in Scotland to Euston and the other way around) and the Night Riviera from Paddington to Penzance and return.

More info on the Caledonian here and Night Riviera here.

Only other ones would include the very early morning TPE services to Manchester Airport and some to and from the London airports.

 

[ainsworth74]

The sleepers from Euston to Scotland and Paddington to Penzance. Also Transpennine express run limited services throughout the night between Manchester and York.

 

[stevendm]

Thank you. That was a quick response.

 

[142094]

Thank you. That was a quick response.

One of the good things about these forums, always someone online who will have the answer!

 

[12CSVT]

St Pancras - Bedford all stations services (if you can put up with train loads of drunks especially on Friday and Saturday nights)

 

[JonathanP]

What about the Fishguard Harbour night service?

A sprinter leaves Swansea at 23:45, arrives there at 01:34. It leaves again at 01:50 and arrives back into Swansea 03:25, then there's a HST leaving at 0358 which gets into Paddington at 0732.

Not exactly a recipe for a good nights sleep, but it is a train service that effectively runs overnight!

 

[Fred26]

What about the Fishguard Harbour night service?

A sprinter leaves Swansea at 23:45, arrives there at 01:34. It leaves again at 01:50 and arrives back into Swansea 03:25, then there's a HST leaving at 0358 which gets into Paddington at 0732.

Not exactly a recipe for a good nights sleep, but it is a train service that effectively runs overnight!

Does that Fishguard train connect with a ferry?

 

[Greenback]

Does that Fishguard train connect with a ferry?

Yes. You can get to Rossalre Europort. Nowadays I prefer to then catch a bus onwards!

 

[VideozVideoz]

What about the Fishguard Harbour night service?

A sprinter leaves Swansea at 23:45, arrives there at 01:34. It leaves again at 01:50 and arrives back into Swansea 03:25, then there's a HST leaving at 0358 which gets into Paddington at 0732.

Not exactly a recipe for a good nights sleep, but it is a train service that effectively runs overnight!

Although Fishguard train services are timed to connect with ferries, can you exit the station on foot to Goodwick/Fishguard?

 

[Greenback]

Yes; it's a fair walk to Fishguard, and I don;t expect much will be open there at stupid o'clock! Goodwick is much closer, and I can pretty much guarantee it will be closed!!!

 

[Waddon]

Victoria to Gatwick / Three Bridges runs all night

 

[VideozVideoz]

Yes; it's a fair walk to Fishguard, and I don;t expect much will be open there at stupid o'clock! Goodwick is much closer, and I can pretty much guarantee it will be closed!!!

If you arrive into Fishguard at 1315 (1054 from Cardiff) then things will still be open!

 

[chuckles1066]

The only ones are the Caledonian Sleeper (various location in Scotland to Euston and the other way around) and the Night Riviera from Paddington to Penzance and return.

More info on the Caledonian here and Night Riviera here.

Only other ones would include the very early morning TPE services to Manchester Airport and some to and from the London airports.

The Night Riviera claims a speed of 75mph and yet takes 8 and 1/4 hours to travel 320 miles?

I'd like to try it but, to be honest, I can (and have) driven London-Redruth in under five hours.

 

[MCR247]

Well its a sleeper, leaving London at 1am and arriving at 5am isn't exactly attractive is it? :roll:

 

[ainsworth74]

The Night Riviera claims a speed of 75mph and yet takes 8 and 1/4 hours to travel 320 miles?

As well as MCR247s point above you also have to bear in mind that the sleeper often takes weird and wonderful routes to get to its destination due to engineering works so the timetable for it has a lot of padding. It's not uncommon for the sleeper to arrive early.

 

[185]

Transpennine have a habit of sticking a bus on on many nights, Manchester-York.

Even though the route is open and the crew sign the diversionary routes, it's cheaper to run a bus. For a huge chunk of 2009 they got away with it until a PTE found out. They denied it was being done to reduce milage to prevent charges being increased by Siemens maintenance.

Spent so many nights heading home from York in a company taxi during 2009. (

 

[ainsworth74]

Doesn't excuse it but it is understandable, last I heard most of TPEs overnight services could accommodate their loadings on a 153 rather than a 3 car 185!

 

[142094]

Doesn't excuse it but it is understandable, last I heard most of TPEs overnight services could accommodate their loadings on a 153 rather than a 3 car 185!

That is true, doubt they make any profit from those workings.

 

[4SRKT]

Maybe using their 2-car 170s on the overnights would reduce the cost very slightly over a 3-car 185?

 

[turbo mick]

FGW Run Reading-Padd services all night mostly staff and a few drunks it was hourly but now every 2hrs

 

[12CSVT]

Doesn't excuse it but it is understandable, last I heard most of TPEs overnight services could accommodate their loadings on a 153 rather than a 3 car 185!

Travelled on the 0252 York - Manchester Airport a few weeks ago and there were no more than 6 or 7 passengers on it leaving York

 

[ainsworth74]

Maybe using their 2-car 170s on the overnights would reduce the cost very slightly over a 3-car 185?

Perhaps, I would guess a 170 is cheaper to operate. Only question I would have is do any TPE drivers sign to York and sign the 170s?

there were no more than 6 or 7 passengers on it leaving York

Perhaps a Parry People Mover might be more appropriate then

 

[krus_aragon]

Although Fishguard train services are timed to connect with ferries, can you exit the station on foot to Goodwick/Fishguard?

It was the day train, rather than the night service, but I exited the station on my bicycle this summer!

 

[142094]

Maybe using their 2-car 170s on the overnights would reduce the cost very slightly over a 3-car 185?

Good plan, sometimes see 170s in York when there are problems with the Hull route so there must be drivers/guards that sign 170s and Leeds - York.

Not sure if these 185 moves are needed to balance up the numbers on both sides of the Pennines?

 

[MCR247]

Don't they just work the next run back to MIA anyway?

 

[142094]

Don't they just work the next run back to MIA anyway?

No idea, probably do. Sure I heard that at one point they were sending 2x185s back to Manchester from York for the following day, but can't remember the reason.

 

[duffman82]

As well as MCR247s point above you also have to bear in mind that the sleeper often takes weird and wonderful routes to get to its destination due to engineering works so the timetable for it has a lot of padding. It's not uncommon for the sleeper to arrive early.

What time can it arrive if it early ?

 

[ainsworth74]

What time can it arrive if it early ?

I've heard people mentioning the Scottish sleeper arriving into Euston 30mins early before now.

 

[Striker]

Transpennine have a habit of sticking a bus on on many nights, Manchester-York.

Even though the route is open and the crew sign the diversionary routes, it's cheaper to run a bus. For a huge chunk of 2009 they got away with it until a PTE found out. They denied it was being done to reduce milage to prevent charges being increased by Siemens maintenance.

Spent so many nights heading home from York in a company taxi during 2009. (

Doesn't excuse it but it is understandable, last I heard most of TPEs overnight services could accommodate their loadings on a 153 rather than a 3 car 185!

That is true, doubt they make any profit from those workings.

FGW Run Reading-Padd services all night mostly staff and a few drunks it was hourly but now every 2hrs

Travelled on the 0252 York - Manchester Airport a few weeks ago and there were no more than 6 or 7 passengers on it leaving York

Surely not. I thought every man and his dog, along with all the clubbers, want to travel at night?