TOC football charters

[Spartacus]

Realtime Trains | 2C41 0750 Barrow-in-Furness to Carlisle | 17/08/2024

Real-time train running information for 2C41 0750 departure from Barrow-in-Furness to Carlisle on 17/08/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

This looks like a football special to me today for the Carlisle v Barrow match. 1230 kick off

Usually calls at stations between Barrow and Sellafield, but isn't today for some reason, later start, possibly a possession?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Return working from Carlisle at 1519?

Realtime Trains | 1519 Carlisle to Barrow-in-Furness | 17/08/2024

Real-time train running information for 1519 departure from Carlisle to Barrow-in-Furness on 17/08/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[156421]

Usually calls at stations between Barrow and Sellafield, but isn't today for some reason, later start, possibly a possession?

They always do this - turning an actual service train into a de facto football special (rather than running an extra train) thus depriving Barrow supporters in say, Millom, from using it.

 

[stan claire]

Seems like today Northern have put on a special for the Bolton v Blackpool game, 331022 is operating 3T50/1T50 Preston - Horwich - Bolton then 3T51/1T51 Bolton - Horwich - Blackpool and an extra stop on 1Y81, last time Bolton played Blackpool they short formed a 6 car to a 3 car 331 and cancelled the following service so it’s great to see they’re taking extra measures this time https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...24-11-23/1400-1530?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt

 

[side effect]

I remember back in the 80s travelling from Kgx to Seaburn for a game against Sunderland. Fare was £9.

Wish railcam was around when the specials were about.

 

[Magdalia]

Tomorrow there is a 1906 Ipswich-Ely additional after the Ipswich Town v Manchester United game.

Realtime Trains | 2E86 1906 Ipswich to Ely | 24/11/2024

Real-time train running information for 2E86 1906 departure from Ipswich to Ely on 24/11/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[6Gman]

I appreciate the humour here, truly I do.

However, when you are liable - up to and including imprisonment - for the safety of the passengers on your train, - and those passengers are removing lighting tubes and stabbing each other with them, smashing windows and forcing doors open whilst the train is moving at speed - there is little humour to be found I'm afraid.

Terror, more like.

I was on a train like that once. Amazing how much damage can be done in a very short period of time - they got on at Winsford and off at Crewe! Having stripped most of the lighting and slashed a significant proportion of the seating.

 

[MadMac]

I recall seeing on Six Bells Junction that an additional would run to/from Gillingham on match days for supporters coming in from the Medway towns. There was also one that operated as a “circular” for South-East London supporters of Charlton Athletic.

 

[BPN2022]

Seems like today Northern have put on a special for the Bolton v Blackpool game, 331022 is operating 3T50/1T50 Preston - Horwich - Bolton then 3T51/1T51 Bolton - Horwich - Blackpool and an extra stop on 1Y81, last time Bolton played Blackpool they short formed a 6 car to a 3 car 331 and cancelled the following service so it’s great to see they’re taking extra measures this time https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...24-11-23/1400-1530?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt

Was a 195 in the end.

 

[Mikey C]

I recall seeing on Six Bells Junction that an additional would run to/from Gillingham on match days for supporters coming in from the Medway towns. There was also one that operated as a “circular” for South-East London supporters of Charlton Athletic.

Back in the 2000s, they used to run regular specials after games at The Valley, fast from Charlton to London Bridge. Great people movers, and avoiding passengers at stations up the line (notably Greenwich) being greeted with packed to bursting trains.

Sadly not needed now.

 

[Ian1971]

Not sure which season but I think either 17/18 or 18/19 but Jeremy Hosking then a director at Crystal Palace arranged an end of season special from Clapham Junction to Southampton using one of his main line steam locos

 

[Spursglory]

Not sure which season but I think either 17/18 or 18/19 but Jeremy Hosking then a director at Crystal Palace arranged an end of season special from Clapham Junction to Southampton using one of his main line steam locos

it was 2016

 

[greaterwest]

SWR sometimes run late night additional football special services to Fareham, Eastleigh, Southampton and Petersfield after games at Fratton or other events in the Portsmouth area such as Victorious Festival.

 

[pompeyfan]

SWR sometimes run late night additional football special services to Fareham, Eastleigh, Southampton and Petersfield after games at Fratton or other events in the Portsmouth area such as Victorious Festival.

When I created this thread I specifically discounted those types of services, as they’re regular STP additionals, however the purpose of this thread was to identify exception charter trains operated by TOCs on services that don’t regularly appear. I used the FGW HST to Portsmouth as an example, however if SWR were to run a Bournemouth to Brentford service for example, I would count that as a charter of sorts.

 

[1D54]

I was sure Shrewsbury Town fans hired a train on the SVR for a game at Kidderminster a few years ago but can find nothing online to confirm it.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

WMR have just trialled a new service pattern at Bordesley for Birmingham City home games

West Midlands Railway to trial new service pattern at Bordesley for Birmingham City fixtures

Football fans attending Birmingham City matches by train are being urged to plan their journeys after West Midlands Railway announced it will trial new calling patterns on matchdays.The trial, which starts this weekend, will impact journeys to and from Bordesley. The station does not receive a...

www.westmidlandsrailway.co.uk

This looks very inconvenient for anybody travelling from the city centre and beyond.

 

[MadMac]

WMR have just trialled a new service pattern at Bordesley for Birmingham City home games

West Midlands Railway to trial new service pattern at Bordesley for Birmingham City fixtures

Football fans attending Birmingham City matches by train are being urged to plan their journeys after West Midlands Railway announced it will trial new calling patterns on matchdays.The trial, which starts this weekend, will impact journeys to and from Bordesley. The station does not receive a...

www.westmidlandsrailway.co.uk

This looks very inconvenient for anybody travelling from the city centre and beyond.

There is at least one pic over on Railcar of “additionals” into Brum to bring in home supporters from the outlying areas. However, to get back to the OP’s original intent, I think such things are fairly rare nowadays.

 

[Taunton]

The last maroon livery train I ever saw was the Cowlairs Football Set, in 1972, coming into Haymarket from Glasgow one wet and windy Saturday lunchtime behind a down-at-heel, paint peeling, smoky, Class 27, presumably one of the Glasgow teams against Hearts. The Glasgow police seemed to have done a good job in segregating the fans away from the regular half-hourly push-pull service of the era.

Accompanied by a few railway police, but it looked like the journey had been a barrel of laughs. Many droplights had one of a variety of body parts displayed ... at one of them a pair of trousers was being held out at arms length, doubtless leading to some forthcoming problem for their onetime owner.

 

[LUL1970]

On 03/06/2017 GWR ran several CDF-PAD services after 23:00 at the end of the UEFA Champions League final that was played at the Millenium Stadium. Seat reservations for each service was mandatory but not enforced on the night.
It was also the night of the terrorist attack at London Bridge and there was some doubt whether our train would be allowed into London due to security restrictions.

 

[86206]

Last memory of a football special for me was a Derby County v Stoke City game at few years ago, where the post game wait for the usual 2 or 4 car Crewe service for returning Stoke fans was supplemented by a HST set off Etches Park to get Stoke fans away from Derby as quickly as possible. Would such a stock request though be down to British Transport Police and/or East Midlands Trains at the time?

 

[canary fan]

WMR have just trialled a new service pattern at Bordesley for Birmingham City home games

West Midlands Railway to trial new service pattern at Bordesley for Birmingham City fixtures

Football fans attending Birmingham City matches by train are being urged to plan their journeys after West Midlands Railway announced it will trial new calling patterns on matchdays.The trial, which starts this weekend, will impact journeys to and from Bordesley. The station does not receive a...

www.westmidlandsrailway.co.uk

This looks very inconvenient for anybody travelling from the city centre and beyond.

Basically they are saying that because more people are using the service from and to the city centre, they are going to stop providing it. Is it not supposed to be a customer focussed industry?

 

[The Prisoner]

Recall the Carlisle Area Manager putting on a special for United fans to get to Wembley for the final of the Auto Windscreens Final against Birmingham on Sunday 23rd April 1995. I'm not a Carlisle fan, but was in Penrith at the time and took the train down to the game as I had never been to Wembley.

Back in those times the WCML north of Preston sometimes didn't open til 3pm on a Sunday. Seem to recall the train took a very circuitous route via Cheadle and I think Bescot - left from memory around 8/9 in the morning and took an eternity to get to London. The train dropped us at Wembley Central slow line platforms. I seem to recall it stopped once to release people from the front of the service and pulled forward to relieve the rear coaches.

Return was by service train.

The game was famous for being the first game ever to be settled by a Golden Goal - Paul Tait scored it for Brum and revealed a shirt underneath saying "sh*t on the Villa", for which he got a hefty fine!!!!

Probably would just be a flat no to this sort of thing in 24.

Recall Carlisle and Preston both being sponsored by Virgin Trains with deals for football ticket holders. LNER have involvement with Lincoln and Doncaster and I saw their ad scrolling at a Hearts game on TV a week or so ago.

 

[Scotrail84]

Recall the Carlisle Area Manager putting on a special for United fans to get to Wembley for the final of the Auto Windscreens Final against Birmingham on Sunday 23rd April 1995. I'm not a Carlisle fan, but was in Penrith at the time and took the train down to the game as I had never been to Wembley.

Back in those times the WCML north of Preston sometimes didn't open til 3pm on a Sunday. Seem to recall the train took a very circuitous route via Cheadle and I think Bescot - left from memory around 8/9 in the morning and took an eternity to get to London. The train dropped us at Wembley Central slow line platforms. I seem to recall it stopped once to release people from the front of the service and pulled forward to relieve the rear coaches.

Return was by service train.

The game was famous for being the first game ever to be settled by a Golden Goal - Paul Tait scored it for Brum and revealed a shirt underneath saying "sh*t on the Villa", for which he got a hefty fine!!!!

Probably would just be a flat no to this sort of thing in 24.

Recall Carlisle and Preston both being sponsored by Virgin Trains with deals for football ticket holders. LNER have involvement with Lincoln and Doncaster and I saw their ad scrolling at a Hearts game on TV a week or so ago.

They are involved with both Edinburgh clubs, Hearts and Hibs.

 

[Cross City]

Basically they are saying that because more people are using the service from and to the city centre, they are going to stop providing it. Is it not supposed to be a customer focussed industry?

WMR have been rightfully panned for this, even the club have publicly called them out on their incompetence.

Blues started laying on free shuttle busses between New St station and the stadium before and after the match precisely because the train service to Bordesley was a joke to start with. WMR have now come out with this 'trial' referencing the fact that the shuttle bus service means that they now don't need to provide as many trains.

I'm glad they're one of the first ones for having their contract stripped.

 

[SirFon1899]

About 10 years ago FGW sent a full HST set to Fratton on two separate occasions, one from Plymouth and one from South Wales (Cardiff?) to cater for football passengers.

I know the railway has changed significantly in the last 4 years, but how did these come about? Who initially paid for them?

If there was a business case would DfT allow a TOC to do them again providing confidence was there stock and crew could be resourced? Has there been many other TOC operated “Footex” services post privatisation?

A lot of questions but I’m sure there will be a lot of knowledgeable people able to answer.

Cardiff had one for Bristol City away last season operated by GWR. Called at Newport and Cardiff Central and ran ahead of the scheduled normal passenger service to keep fans off that one

 

[pompeyfan]

Last night there should have been a football special to convey Millwall supports back from Fratton however it was cancelled due to the fatality at Hersham. The service should have run Fratton (via Eastleigh) - Woking - Clapham - Waterloo

 

[Merle Haggard]

Back in my youth advertised excursions were run for Northampton Town Football Club away matches, usually direct and therefore interesting for a route-basher. One I went on was to Nottingham, went direct via the freight only line to Market Harborough. Managed to fit in bunking Colwick but unable to join in the after match analysis discussions. They even had a large circular "Good luck the Cobblers' headboard tailored to cover the smokebox door of a Black 5, and the loco was cleaned, too.
Stock often interesting - on another, I managed to ride in one of the rare L.M.S twin artic TSO sets, originally built as 'excursion sets'.The very unusual rhythm over rail joints was lost on my fellow-passengers.

 

[Scotrail84]

Last night there should have been a football special to convey Millwall supports back from Fratton however it was cancelled due to the fatality at Hersham. The service should have run Fratton (via Eastleigh) - Woking - Clapham - Waterloo

The game was PP as well.

 

[side effect]

Remember another time would have been 85. Got a return to Sheffield from St Pancras on a Wednesday for a cup game. Upon arrival found out the last train back to London was 8 or 9ish.

Anyway about 200 of us where held at the station and they supplied a train about 12.30 am which got us back at 5.30am.

Was that because it wasn't privatised because if that happend tonight I'm sure I'd be stuck there all night.

 

[Mikey C]

The game was PP as well.

Indeed one reason given for the postponement was that if they had started an hour late, the Millwall fans would have missed their last train.