Stations with the sparsest Service

[higthomas]

I was just having just had a look at RTT, it got me thinking about stations with poor rail services. So therefore I am wondering two things: First, which lines have the fewest services per day, or week in two? cases? And Which stations on well served lines have very few services, and why?

 

[Qwerty133]

This has been done loads of times!
anyway Polesworth only gets one train per day in one direction only, because it reduces the number of paths available on a line at full capacity and there's only a platform on one track.

 

[higthomas]

I know it has, but I couldn't find any when I looked, and also I think they don't necessarily give reasons.

 

[bradders1983]

Reddish South and Denton. One train a week, on a Friday morning, in one direction. "Parliamentary" service between Stockport and Stalybridge as it saves the bother of officially closing the line.

 

[DarloRich]

Teesside airport - 1 train in each direction on a sunday. 14 passengers last year

 

[overtonchris]

Teesside airport - 1 train in each direction on a sunday. 14 passengers last year

I thought this was a joke until I Googled it!!! I'm not in favour of shutting any stations - but I wonder what the business case is for keeping this seemingly dead duck alive!! Or is it some sort of convoluted politics? Mmm.

 

[bradders1983]

I thought this was a joke until I Googled it!!! I'm not in favour of shutting any stations - but I wonder what the business case is for keeping this seemingly dead duck alive!! Or is it some sort of convoluted politics? Mmm.

Because to close a line/station it requires consultation etc... and it is deemed less hassle to run the bare minimum service. The train stopping at Teesside will probably cost Northern nothing at all, given it is already on an existing line with other stations.

 

[cf111]

Teesside airport - 1 train in each direction on a sunday. 14 passengers last year

This dropped to 8 for 2012/13 .

 

[overtonchris]

Because to close a line/station it requires consultation etc... and it is deemed less hassle to run the bare minimum service. The train stopping at Teesside will probably cost Northern nothing at all, given it is already on an existing line with other stations.

Oh fair enough then - I suppose all that consultation shenanigans won't come cheap, so I see why they leave well alone. I don't know the station at all but would now guess Repair and Maintenance costs to be negligible as well then. Thank You.

 

[alex17595]

Does Norton Bridge count?

 

[overtonchris]

Does Norton Bridge count?

Isn't that totally closed and fenced off now? Used to be one of my favourite stations for spotting / photting!

 

[Bodiddly]

Oh fair enough then - I suppose all that consultation shenanigans won't come cheap, so I see why they leave well alone. I don't know the station at all but would now guess Repair and Maintenance costs to be negligible as well then. Thank You.

If the station is to be kept open then it has to be maintained to passenger standards. It would be interesting to know if it's on the early morning salting run by the maintenance teams. If not, I might have a wee accident there then hire an ambulance chaser!
Seriously, it could be something the rail company are looking at in the future. I think we all agree the Beeching cuts were too final and too many railway assets disappeared overnight with the result of very expensive re-openings. I don't know too much about the area, but is it an area for redevelopement or housing?
Back to the main thread though, there are several stations on the Kyle line that are served, but very rarely a train actually stops there. I have never stopped at Achanalt in all my journeys on the Kyle line. But saying that, all it would take is one person commuting and it would be busy!

 

[Gathursty]

I have never stopped at Achanalt in all my journeys on the Kyle line.

I have 'stopped' there and what a lovely halt it is. As with all similar stations, there tends to be a limited catchment area so it is understandable that numbers here are low.

Wouldn't Okehampton and Sampford Courtenay be in this league if we were doing services per year since they are only Summer Saturday services??

 

[steamybrian]

Does Quainton Road count.
Served on certain Bank Holidays per year

 

[W-on-Sea]

On the North Cotswolds line: Combe, Finstock and Ascott-under-Wychwood all get one train a day, in each direction, Mondays to Fridays only.

 

[mr williams]

Pilning only has one train each way per week (on a Saturday IIRC)

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

After some thought, I think the right spelling is sparsest.
Not a word you use very often...
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sparsest?qsrc=2446

 

[Michael.Y]

Pilning only has one train each way per week (on a Saturday IIRC)

Indeed.

Discounting parliamentary services however, stations on the Heart of Wales Line have 4 trains per day, and most are request stops, meaning they are not strictly adhered to, timetable wise. Best to be there a few minutes before departure time I find, or you're stuck with the sheep for four hours.

 

[Carlisle]

This has been done loads of times!
anyway Polesworth only gets one train per day in one direction only, because it reduces the number of paths available on a line at full capacity and there's only a platform on one track.

I am a bit concerned this type of argument could be used a bit too readily on occasions to the detriment of the railway passanger service as a whole as we have seen the demise of Norton Bridge and past plans to close stations like Wellyn North etc for similar apparent reasons

 

[bramling]

Indeed.

Discounting parliamentary services however, stations on the Heart of Wales Line have 4 trains per day, and most are request stops, meaning they are not strictly adhered to, timetable wise. Best to be there a few minutes before departure time I find, or you're stuck with the sheep for four hours.

From memory Morecambe / Lancaster to Skipton also has 4 trains per day each way.

Other sparse services are Spalding to Sleaford, Lincoln to Doncaster, also Wigan to Kirlby - the latter not so much for being irregular when it runs, but I seem to recall the service closes very early in the evening.

 

[Marton]

Esk Valley after Nunthorpe to Whitby. 4 daily. Last departure 1750. Sunday only tuns April to October.
Although there is a 5th FO late service in the summer holiday season and on one Monday.

No use for work as first arrival Middlesbrough 1012 last departure 1038.


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[G0ORC]

From memory Morecambe / Lancaster to Skipton also has 4 trains per day each way.

Other sparse services are Spalding to Sleaford, Lincoln to Doncaster, also Wigan to Kirlby - the latter not so much for being irregular when it runs, but I seem to recall the service closes very early in the evening.

Talking of Morecambe...

What about Morecambe - Heysham Harbour - 1 per day and not a parly.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Clifton (Greater Manchester) gets one train each way each day, one at 0707 (0628 Blackburn-Manchester Victoria) and one at 1748 (1736 Manchester Victoria-Wigan Wallgate) on a line that has something like six trains an hour each way. This is because of the 'line capacity'.

 

[TB]

Whitley Bridge, Hensall, Snaith and Rawcliffe.

2 trains per day to Leeds and 1 to Goole.

 

[ValleyLines142]

Ardwick on the Hope Valley Line currently has just two trains a day in each direction, two to Manchester in the morning rush hour, and a service to each of Marple and Rose Hill Marple in the evening peak.

Other stations with limited services include Barry Links and Golf Street in Scotland, and Stanlow & Thornton and Ince & Elton in the north west of England (on the Ellesmere Port to Warrington Line).

 

[FQ]

Ardwick on the Hope Valley Line currently has just two trains a day in each direction, two to Manchester in the morning rush hour, and a service to each of Marple and Rose Hill Marple in the evening peak.

Other stations with limited services include Barry Links and Golf Street in Scotland, and Stanlow & Thornton and Ince & Elton in the north west of England (on the Ellesmere Port to Warrington Line).

I have 2.
Sorry if they have been mentioned already.
Whitby (not including the NYMR) and Heysham Port

 

[Gathursty]

It is a bit of a shame that Bentham has to abide with only 4 trains per day each way. I'm always surprised by it's size whenever I'm in the area. The bus drivers are credit though navigating through that twisty bit of countryside although you will be waiting a while to see them in action along that route.

I would say that the remaining 3 stations on that line (Wennington, Clapham, Giggleswick) receive an appropriate service level.

 

[causton]

As someone who has been to Teesside Airport in the past few weeks, I can confirm they do salt the platform!

 

[mister-sparky]

This dropped to 8 for 2012/13 .

But as we all know, usage figures are not accurate.

 

[Marton]

But as we all know, usage figures are not accurate.

Not sure I know that.

How inaccurate and why?


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