Strangest long distance through trains

[61653 HTAFC]

In the Northern Spirit days of early privatisation, NS/Arriva at one point ran ALL Penistone line services beyond Sheffield to Lincoln/Retford/Cleethorpes, rather than the odd one that currently runs through as a single service. This included the evening peak extra that was formerly an extension of a Leeds to Huddersfield stopper. Although advertised at Leeds as a Dodworth service to prevent people taking the long way round to Barnsley and Sheffield, at all subsequent stations it was advertised as going to the actual destination (can't recall if it was Retford or Cleethorpes though). Usually formed of a 3-car 144 it would have been a very slow and bouncy way of getting to the Lincolnshire coast!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Sep 2021 ==

Not as weird as when it used to be Selby - Wakefield Westgate, during the Northern Rail era. Again, perhaps not long-distance, but I think it was about 2 and half hours end to end. Was routed Selby-Leeds-Bradford Interchange (reverse)-Halifax-Huddersfield (reverse)-Wakefield Kirkgate (reverse)-Wakefield Westgate. All stops (except Deighton) I think.

It called at Deighton on the Wakefield leg, but ran straight through on the Brighouse leg. Same as the current separate services do today.

 

[Bodie]

Clitheroe to Morecambe in FNW days.

Between 2002-04, I used to get it most days from Bamber Bridge going to college in Preston.
It was booked for a 153.
0828 or 0833 at Bamber Bridge I think.

Mid 2000s, there was a through train from Edinburgh Waverley onto the Far North Line. I travelled on it to Invergordon. Can't remember if it went further.

 

[Ianno87]

Clitheroe to Morecambe in FNW days.

Between 2002-04, I used to get it most days from Bamber Bridge going to college in Preston.
It was booked for a 153.
0828 or 0833 at Bamber Bridge I think.

.

In the same period, FNW also ran Colne-Blackburn-Bolton-Man Victoria every 2 hours, but on Sundays only.

Another thread has reminded me of the former peak Liverpool Lime Street - St Helens Central - Wigan NW - Bolton - Man Victoria services that also used to run.

 

[Mat17]

In the Northern Spirit days of early privatisation, NS/Arriva at one point ran ALL Penistone line services beyond Sheffield to Lincoln/Retford/Cleethorpes, rather than the odd one that currently runs through as a single service. This included the evening peak extra that was formerly an extension of a Leeds to Huddersfield stopper. Although advertised at Leeds as a Dodworth service to prevent people taking the long way round to Barnsley and Sheffield, at all subsequent stations it was advertised as going to the actual destination (can't recall if it was Retford or Cleethorpes though). Usually formed of a 3-car 144 it would have been a very slow and bouncy way of getting to the Lincolnshire coast!

I remember it well caught it from both Leeds and Huddersfield, it ran through to Lincoln as all weekday services did. I can't recall any weekday services going to Cleethorpes (Retford yes), I suspect Cleethorpes was the Saturday trains.

It was quite a long station role call at Leeds!

 

[route101]

Clitheroe to Morecambe in FNW days.

Between 2002-04, I used to get it most days from Bamber Bridge going to college in Preston.
It was booked for a 153.
0828 or 0833 at Bamber Bridge I think.

Mid 2000s, there was a through train from Edinburgh Waverley onto the Far North Line. I travelled on it to Invergordon. Can't remember if it went further.

I believe there was a Glasgow to Kyle service too.

 

[stephen rp]

Back in the days before Foreign Holidays took over and industries were still thriving, there used to be Wakes trains in July from the Lancashire Cotton Mill towns to the West of England which usually set off on a Friday night and returned on the following Saturday. These events produced trains such as from Accrington to Paignton or from another place in the same area the following week. In fact, the whole town went away on holiday together.

They all ran in the same path from Manchester Victoria via Stockport, just a different starting point each week.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Sep 2021 ==

Have the odd Alphaline services that went to Waterloo from places like Cardiff (Maybe Manchester IIRC) that had the sole objective of connecting with Eurostar trains been mentioned?

I think the motive for Piccadilly to Waterloo via Bristol and Salisbury was to claim some of the Manchester-London revenue.

And in general terms, I think some odd routes may have been in the heyday of Red Star parcels, to provide a through service at least once a day to a variety of places.