Penzance to Thurso

[Butts]

Was just doodling about and out curiosity somehow ended up looking at this route.

From what I can see it cannot be done in less than a day - 26 hours was the quickest I could find.

Also is this the longest journey on the UK rail network from John O'Groats virtually to Lands End almost and what is the Rail Mileage.

 

[MCR247]

Shortest route - 913mi 05ch

 

[Butts]

Shortest route - 913mi 05ch

Blimey that was quick response - is it the longest in UK?

 

[bradders1983]

Blimey that was quick response - is it the longest in UK?

Wouldn't Penzance-Wick be longer? Or does the Far North terminate at Thurso these days?

 

[MCR247]

It goes Inverness - Georgemass junc (rev) - Thurso - Georgemass Junc - Wick.

Penzance to wick is 920mi 50ch, but would be longer if you counted the fact that no trains go direct there avoiding Thurso

 

[Peter Mugridge]

You can get a slightly faster journey time if you route via London rather than Birmingham. 16.00 from Wick results in an arrival at Penzance at 14.39 the next day. Heading north, as per your opening post, the 14.00 from Penzance gets you to Thurso at 14.24 the next day ( 14.55 at Wick ).

I did it for charity last June from Land's End to John O'Groats and back again and my achieved time was 49 hours 49 minutes measured from and to Land's End.


Note that the way south is the faster timing at 22h39 for Wick to Penzance against 24h55 northbound.

 

[bradders1983]

It goes Inverness - Georgemass junc (rev) - Thurso - Georgemass Junc - Wick.

Penzance to wick is 920mi 50ch, but would be longer if you counted the fact that no trains go direct there avoiding Thurso

Add on the Georgemas Junction to Thurso (x2) distance and that will be the answer surely?

 

[Butts]

It goes Inverness - Georgemass junc (rev) - Thurso - Georgemass Junc - Wick.

Penzance to wick is 920mi 50ch, but would be longer if you counted the fact that no trains go direct there avoiding Thurso

Forgive my ignorance but what does thre 50ch mean ?

 

[scotsman]

Was just doodling about and out curiosity somehow ended up looking at this route.

From what I can see it cannot be done in less than a day - 26 hours was the quickest I could find.

Also is this the longest journey on the UK rail network from John O'Groats virtually to Lands End almost and what is the Rail Mileage.

Thurso 16:20 Inverness 20:09 (ScotRail)
Inverness 20:46 - Crewe 05:32 (Caledonian Sleeper)
Crewe 05:47 Birmingham New Street 06:58 (CrossCountry)
Birmingham New Street 07:12 Taunton 09:15 (CrossCountry)
Taunton 09:46 Penzance 13:17 (First Great Western)

Total time: 20 hours 48 mins

Total Mileage 933mi 07ch

 

[bradders1983]

Forgive my ignorance but what does thre 50ch mean ?

50 chains. 80 chains in a mile. It's an old imperial measurement, equal to 22 yards. Or a tenth of a furlong

 

[bradders1983]

Thurso 16:20 Inverness 20:09 (ScotRail)
Inverness 20:46 - Crewe 05:32 (Caledonian Sleeper)
Crewe 05:47 Birmingham New Street 06:58 (CrossCountry)
Birmingham New Street 07:12 Taunton 09:15 (CrossCountry)
Taunton 09:46 Penzance 13:17 (First Great Western)

Total time: 20 hours 48 mins

Total Mileage 920mi 26ch

Start the journey from Wick, it will be longer.

 

[scotsman]

Start the journey from Wick, it will be longer.

I'm doing north to south

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Thurso 16:20 Inverness 20:09 (ScotRail)
Inverness 20:46 - Crewe 05:32 (Caledonian Sleeper)
Crewe 05:47 Birmingham New Street 06:58 (CrossCountry)
Birmingham New Street 07:12 Taunton 09:15 (CrossCountry)
Taunton 09:46 Penzance 13:17 (First Great Western)

That's interesting Scotsman... someone trying that could knock about 1 hour 20 minutes off my return trip record, although it does have the big disadvantage of having an interrupted night at Crewe...

 

[bradders1983]

I'm doing north to south

It would still be longer though wouldn't it, given the train has come from Wick to get to Thurso??

 

[Butts]

50 chains. 80 chains in a mile. It's an old imperial measurement, equal to 22 yards. Or a tenth of a furlong

Thanks
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

That's interesting Scotsman... someone trying that could knock about 1 hour 20 minutes off my return trip record, although it does have the big disadvantage of having an interrupted night at Crewe...

Ah I can see how youv'e done it in less than 24 hours over two days - I was starting in Penzance as early in the morning as possible and trying to complete the journey on the same day ?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Ah I can see how youv'e done it in less than 24 hours over two days - I was starting in Penzance as early in the morning as possible and trying to complete the journey on the same day ?

With only three trains a day over the Far North Line you have to plan it backwards from that end since that's where the timings were most critical. Two other reasons for going via London:

1) That makes it the longest possible return journey both within a single TOC ( Euston - Wick and back on FSR ) and also within a single owning company ( Penzance to Paddington, of course, is FGW ).

2) It meant I could get a full night's sleep both ways.

In actual fact I spent four consecutive nights on Sleepers as I had to position to and from Penzance in order to do the trip in the first place; there is a thread about it elsewhere on the forum.

 

[bradders1983]

Except Euston-Wick is longer than Euston-Thurso. As already said at least twice now I think.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Sorry, yes - I'm starting to get confused by all the mentions of Thurso earlier in the thread!

I did cover all the track on my trip; off at Thurso northbound, pre-arranged taxi to Wick via Groats, rejoined the train southbound from Wick.

Have now corrected it.

 

[MadCommuter]

Technically, by routing via London doesn't count due to the cross London transfer not being on heavy rail!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Technically, by routing via London doesn't count due to the cross London transfer not being on heavy rail!

Edit This would also be true going via Glasgow. Now there's a challenge for someone...

 

[richw]

Thurso 16:20 Inverness 20:09 (ScotRail)
Inverness 20:46 - Crewe 05:32 (Caledonian Sleeper)
Crewe 05:47 Birmingham New Street 06:58 (CrossCountry)
Birmingham New Street 07:12 Taunton 09:15 (CrossCountry)
Taunton 09:46 Penzance 13:17 (First Great Western)

Total time: 20 hours 48 mins

Total Mileage 933mi 07ch

20hrs 57mins, by my maths on that timing

 

[route:oxford]

This would also be true going via Glasgow. Now there's a challenge for someone...

Wick-Inverness-Perth-Stirling-Falkirk-Cumbernauld-Motherwell-Glasgow Central?

I think there is an easement which permits doubling back between Motherwell & Glasgow Central...

 

[MadCommuter]

Thats one option, or via Edinburgh to pick up a XC?