Trivia: Earliest train of the day for each TOC

[najaB]

Pedantry level: high.

How does 'Gatwick Express branded GTR service' grab you, happy?

To be fair to 185143, Gatwick Express not being a TOC has been at the root of many a thread in the Fares sub-forum. If you've not seen them, to summarise: people have been charged extra/threatened with prosecution for daring to use a 'Gatwick Express branded GTR service' with a perfectly valid ticket as GTR attempt to use their non-existent TOC to extract additional money from less clued-up passengers.

 

[mpthomson]

TPE has trains running through the night to Manchester Airport from York, departures at 01.38, 02.22 and 04.00.

 

[cuccir]

For TransPennine Express, the 02:52 from York runs across the day changeover time, arriving at Manchester Airport at 05:15
--
Snap! Though it is 02:52 in the current timetable.

 

[IKB]

To be fair to 185143, Gatwick Express not being a TOC has been at the root of many a thread in the Fares sub-forum. If you've not seen them, to summarise: people have been charged extra/threatened with prosecution for daring to use a 'Gatwick Express branded GTR service' with a perfectly valid ticket as GTR attempt to use their non-existent TOC to extract additional money from less clued-up passengers.

I am aware. Whilst what you say is undoubtedly true, the OP was asking about first trains, so I think referring to 'Gatwick Express' which has it's own separate timetable is perfectly reasonable. The incessant nit picking on this forum discourages me and others from posting.

 

[Altnabreac]

And another related question... which is the sleepiest TOC to get going? Which operator's first train is the latest of them all?

EDIT... on weekdays, Hull Trains first service leaves Beverley at 06:00 (05:59 on a Saturday)... is that the latest first train?

EDIT 2... nope... Grand Central's first train appears to be 06:45 on a weekday from Sunderland.

Caledonian Sleeper's first train of the day is the 19.00 Fort William - London on Sundays. Not going to beat that at any other TOC.

 

[Liam]

Caledonian Sleeper's first train of the day is the 19.00 Fort William - London on Sundays. Not going to beat that at any other TOC.

Isn't it the 0450 from Edinburgh to Fort William?

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

The one mentioned was the boat train till this year and connects to London!

In that case, and going on the railway day starting at 04.29

I will put forward the 04.38 Llandudno Junction - Crewe for ATW

Nothing to do with London, airports or boats.

 

[Peter0124]

For VTWC then surely
1R20 0428 Glasgow Central to London Euston

 

[A Challenge]

Isn't it the 0450 from Edinburgh to Fort William?

Not on Saturday night/Sunday morning!

 

[Jamesrob637]

Blackpool N has 03:37 to Man airport so I reckon it could be Northerns first service of the day

Take it that one won't be running next Tuesday and Thursday then?!

 

[swt_passenger]

The railway day starts at 0001. It last nearly 28 and a half hours.

Hasn't it been established before that if you buy a ticket just after midnight it will have that days date, not "yesterdays"?

 

[Joe Paxton]

The railway day starts at 0001. It last nearly 28 and a half hours.

Hasn't it been established before that if you buy a ticket just after midnight it will have that days date, not "yesterdays"?

That's been my experience, buying (London) Day Travelcards just after midnight from TOC TVMs at least - though IIRC, LU TVMs issued them with a date of the previous day, but it's a long time ago since I last did that so maybe I've mis-remembered or it has changed.

Trying to think of other times I may have bought a rail ticket around then... I guess one likely scenario would be after a late evening flight into one of the London airports, but on recent occasions I've either already held a ticket (i.e. the return portion) or it's been Gatwick and I've used Oyster or contactless.

 

[Mag_seven]

The railway day starts at 0001. It last nearly 28 and a half hours.

Hasn't it been established before that if you buy a ticket just after midnight it will have that days date, not "yesterdays"?

There is no such thing as a "railway day". A day is exactly that, a day i.e. it starts at 0000 and finishes at 23.59 and has a name e.g. "Monday". The fact that a ticket validity sometimes straddle two (or more) days is irrelevant.

 

[Roast Veg]

As for weekday Southern branded services, the 0450 Tonbridge-Redhill presently takes some beating. For all those passengers who want to go from Penshurst to Purley Oaks before 6am, with just one change at Redhill...

This train also offers the first service of the day to Clapham Junction from Tonbridge via Redhill as well IIRC.

 

[ComUtoR]

Southeastern
00:02 Charing Cross - Hayes
04:05 Gillingham - Charing Cross

 

[JStrainspotter]

Southeastern
00:02 Charing Cross - Hayes
04:05 Gillingham - Charing Cross

00:37 Victoria - Gillingham
00:50 Charing Cross - Orpington

The Morning one is the earliest on Southeastern though!

 

[Esker-pades]

That's been my experience, buying (London) Day Travelcards just after midnight from TOC TVMs at least - though IIRC, LU TVMs issued them with a date of the previous day, but it's a long time ago since I last did that so maybe I've mis-remembered or it has changed.

Trying to think of other times I may have bought a rail ticket around then... I guess one likely scenario would be after a late evening flight into one of the London airports, but on recent occasions I've either already held a ticket (i.e. the return portion) or it's been Gatwick and I've used Oyster or contactless.

I got myself a travelcard at Wimbledon station at 1am because my Oyster Card snapped and I needed to get home.
Had the added bonus that it had "today's" date on so I could travel around until 04:30 the next morning.

 

[Esker-pades]

I would have thought that services around midnight/1am would count as part of the previous days service. Example: the 00:50 Charing Cross to Orpington shows up on the Monday to Friday SE timetable (even though one could argue it departs Tuesday to Saturday).

 

[Mojo]

I would have thought that services around midnight/1am would count as part of the previous days service. Example: the 00:50 Charing Cross to Orpington shows up on the Monday to Friday SE timetable (even though one could argue it departs Tuesday to Saturday).

Yes, I would say that any services around those times would still count as the evening service. I'd say the day changes at 3am from a matter of practicality.

 

[168lover]

used Chiltern's first train of the day before(05:02 off Aylesbury) to get to London. Left Wycombe practically empty apart from a few Chiltern staff on their way to work but by the time we hit the travel-card zones the train was full and standing!

 

[Segedunum]

While not the earliest service, using the 0325 TPE from Sheffield to Manchester this morning did feel akin to masochism.

Sent from my F3111 using Tapatalk

 

[paul1609]

To be fair to 185143, Gatwick Express not being a TOC has been at the root of many a thread in the Fares sub-forum. If you've not seen them, to summarise: people have been charged extra/threatened with prosecution for daring to use a 'Gatwick Express branded GTR service' with a perfectly valid ticket as GTR attempt to use their non-existent TOC to extract additional money from less clued-up passengers.

In truth this scam was actually set up by BR to kid people that the Inter City Sector was profitable. It was in fact just a huge Orcats raid on Brighton Line revenues to justify investment in the main lines to the Northern regions

 

[Liam]

Not on Saturday night/Sunday morning!

Ah ok, I misunderstood. Does that mean that CS is the only TOC who start earlier on Sunday than any other day?

 

[Joe Paxton]

In truth this scam was actually set up by BR to kid people that the Inter City Sector was profitable. It was in fact just a huge Orcats raid on Brighton Line revenues to justify investment in the main lines to the Northern regions

There was no such thing as ORCATS (or LENNON) before the rail privatisation process began in 1994.

The Gatwick Express name, with Intercity livery and branding, was introduced in 1984, which was before BR sectorisation in 1986.

So your argument doesn't really follow!

 

[paul1609]

There was no such thing as ORCATS (or LENNON) before the rail privatisation process began in 1994.

The Gatwick Express name, with Intercity livery and branding, was introduced in 1984, which was before BR sectorisation in 1986.

So your argument doesn't really follow!

Don't you think it strange that the Gatwick Express service was transferred from the Southern Region to become an Inter city service less than 2 years before sectorisation ?
It was the only part of BR at the time to charge a premium fare. As the most profitable business unit of the Inter City Sector it was the first to be handed to the private sector.
Inter City would have never been profitable if you had deducted the Gatwick contribution. Don't you think it strange that a 18 mile airport shuttle was included in Intercity when lines that had been previously regarded as Intercity but were heavily loss making were dumped on network Southeast and Regional Railways?
GTR aren't my favourite toc but its more than a bit unfair to blame the Gatwick fares mess on them, it was a BR creation for very specific reasons.

 

[jon0844]

The railway day starts at 0001. It last nearly 28 and a half hours.

Hasn't it been established before that if you buy a ticket just after midnight it will have that days date, not "yesterdays"?

Indeed and if you buy a ticket after midnight, you'll pay peak rate and not be able to use (all) railcards.

 

[syorksdeano]

3.25 Sheffield to Manchester Airport always seems to leave a minute early

 

[Scotrail84]

Can of worms there.

Some run throughout the night (e.g. Gatwick Express, except this winter due to engineering work).

The sleeper portions which split off in Scotland are also service trains, so they are pretty early.

Most I would imagine start around the 05:00 mark.

Nah. The Inverness leaves Edinburgh at 04:15 and is set down only at Stirling, Dunblane, Gleneagles, Perth Dunkeld, Pitlochry, Blair Atholl, and Newtonmore.

The service the sets down and picks up at Kingussie (07:19), Aviemore (07:43) and Carrbridge (07:56). (Northbound only) Southbound the Inverness is pick up only at all these stations.

The Aberdeen is strictly set down only and departs Edinburgh at 04:43.

The Ft William is a day service in both directions, 04:50 from Edinburgh and 19:50 from Ft William (19:00 on a Sunday.)

 

[LOL The Irony]

While not the earliest service, using the 0325 TPE from Sheffield to Manchester this morning did feel akin to masochism.

TPE run 24/7 (par Christmas & New Years day) so don't really have a first or last train.

 

[IKB]

Nah. The Inverness leaves Edinburgh at 04:15 and is set down only at Stirling, Dunblane, Gleneagles, Perth Dunkeld, Pitlochry, Blair Atholl, and Newtonmore.

The service the sets down and picks up at Kingussie (07:19), Aviemore (07:43) and Carrbridge (07:56). (Northbound only) Southbound the Inverness is pick up only at all these stations.

The Aberdeen is strictly set down only and departs Edinburgh at 04:43.

The Ft William is a day service in both directions, 04:50 from Edinburgh and 19:50 from Ft William (19:00 on a Sunday.)

My final sentence was referring to the majority of service trains UK wide, not the sleeper.