Trivia: current obscure/unusual regular timetabled services

[cjw714]

On Mondays to Fridays, Barnstaple has through trains to Axminster at 16.31, Exmouth at 18.38 and Paignton at 19.42.

And while SWR's temporary timetable is in operation the Axminster trains goes on to form an 18 40 service back to Exeter Central, which is almost exclusively in SWR territory. https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:V39300/2025-09-15

 

[cuccir]

I've spotted in the new ECML timetable an unusual one, the Northern Sunday morning service northbound on the ECML will be Darlington to Morpeth, calling at Durham, Chester-le-Street, Newcastle, Manors, Cramlington and Morpeth.

All the other Northern Services on the Tees/Darlington-Durham-Newcastle route, which are morning commuter services northbound and late-night post-pub services southbound, either terminate in Newcastle or run through to/come from destinations on the Tyne Valley line, as has been the case for many years.

In particular, this is the first direct service between Darlington, Durham and Chester-le-Street and Manors and Cramlington in a long long time (ever?)

 

[mm333]

I've spotted in the new ECML timetable an unusual one, the Northern Sunday morning service northbound on the ECML will be Darlington to Morpeth, calling at Durham, Chester-le-Street, Newcastle, Manors, Cramlington and Morpeth.

Very handy as after that (0802), the next northbound from Darlington isn’t for 1½ hours.

 

[cuccir]

Very handy as after that (0802), the next northbound from Darlington isn’t for 1½ hours.

Oddly, that service skips Durham and so Durham goes a further 20 minutes without a northbound service on a Sunday morning. The weekday equivalent Doncaster to Edinburgh calls at Durham, I can't see why it would skip it on a Sunday.

 

[Chiltern006]

One for track bashers - from December the Fort William - Euston sleeper (in that direction only) uses the curve between Maryhill and Bishopbriggs avoiding Queen Street