Trivia: Longest journey time between two consecutive stations

[PTR 444]

We’ve had numerous threads on consecutive stations that don’t have a direct service between them, but what about stations next to each other that have the longest journey time between them? This applies to both stations with and without direct services between them.

For example, Whimple and Feniton are only 5 minutes apart on a direct service, but most trains during the day do not call at both stations, so to get between them you have to go up to Honiton then change to the next down service back to the other station. This takes about 40 minutes which isn’t a huge amount of time in the greater scheme of things, but is quite long for what is otherwise a 5 mile trip. There must be plenty of rail journeys between two consecutive stations where the fastest way to get between them takes more than 40 minutes during most of the day.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

35 mins between Lockerbie and Carstairs. Not many services call at both stations, mind you.

 

[PTR 444]

I guess responses in this thread could come under two separate categories:

1. Longest journey times between two consecutive stations on a direct service.
2. Longest ‘fastest’ journey times between two consecutive stations where there isn’t a direct service between them.

For category 1, Barrhill to Stranraer takes slightly longer than Lockerbie to Carstairs, although the latter could potentially be the winning contender for category 2 as Lockerbie isn’t that generous when it comes to service provision, and even less so for Carstairs.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Barrhill to Stranraer takes slightly longer than Lockerbie to Carstairs

Seems to be 36 mins towards Stranraer, but 34 mins on the return journey to Barrhill.

Going back to Lockerbie -> Carstairs, why is the Off Peak Single fare seemingly 40p more than the Anytime Single?

 

[Watershed]

Perhaps this is cheating, but Camden Road to South Hampstead. They are adjacent stations if you go on the route via Primrose Hill (which admittedly only sees a passenger service when there are engineering work diversions) but you have to go via Willesden Jn, with a journey time of around 40 minutes.

 

[A S Leib]

Chathill to Berwick-upon-Tweed via Alnmouth is over an hour (36 minute wait at Alnmouth in the evening or fifty minutes in the morning).

 

[Ianno87]

Perhaps this is cheating, but Camden Road to South Hampstead. They are adjacent stations if you go on the route via Primrose Hill (which admittedly only sees a passenger service when there are engineering work diversions) but you have to go via Willesden Jn, with a journey time of around 40 minutes.

Ely to Kennett would be another example 56m outwards, ~1hr 5 on return (although there is a single daily direct service from Kennett to Ely at 1836).

Holds until Soham station opens!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

One from the "consecutive but no direct service" list: Deighton and Brighouse. Change at Huddersfield or Mirfield required. Weirdly they were served by the same service in the past, but not directly. To make the journey you had to board an ex-Wakefield train at Deighton towards Huddersfield (so heading in the wrong direction) where the train would reverse and pass through Deighton without stopping before taking the chord to Brighouse.

 

[alangla]

Going back to Lockerbie -> Carstairs, why is the Off Peak Single fare seemingly 40p more than the Anytime Single?

It’s also got dozens of Avanti specific fares available but the direct service is operated by TransPennine who have no operator specific fares!

 

[Whistler40145]

Would Winsford to Warrington Bank Quay qualify?

Can only complete the journey by travelling south to Crewe and going non stop back through Winsford

 

[BarryD]

Would Winsford to Warrington Bank Quay qualify?

Can only complete the journey by travelling south to Crewe and going non stop back through Winsford

I think you mean Acton Bridge to Warrington Bank Quay.

 

[Whistler40145]

I think you mean Acton Bridge to Warrington Bank Quay.

My apologies

 

[MadMac]

Is there any scheduled service from Uddingston to Newton other than a jaunt round the Hamilton Circle?

 

[rower40]

Willington to Peartree is a frequent appearance in this type of journey conundrum. All trains from Willington pass through Peartree, but none of them stop. Only a few trains on the Derby <-> Crewe service stop at Peartree. The usual journey is to double-back at Derby, but sometimes NR Journey Planner comes up with an itinerary via Stoke and Tamworth.

 

[xotGD]

Stalybridge to Guide Bridge requires an in and out of Manchester Piccadilly.

 

[A S Leib]

Stalybridge to Guide Bridge requires an in and out of Manchester Piccadilly.

Apart from the two trains a week calling at Denton and Reddish South.

 

[Ken H]

Stalybridge to Guide Bridge requires an in and out of Manchester Piccadilly.

Isn't there a Picc-Wakefield that stops at Guide Bridge once a day?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Isn't there a Picc-Wakefield that stops at Guide Bridge once a day?

News to me if there is.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Ashford to Calais Frethun?

 

[Class800]

Whimple and Feniton - just look out for one of the many cancelled trains, and then the next one will usually serve both

 

[pj13]

how about caersws to machynlleth
take half hour to do or 20odd miles. Yes I know it has to wait at Talerddig loop, wich adds a few minuites

 

[alangla]

Is there any scheduled service from Uddingston to Newton other than a jaunt round the Hamilton Circle?

No: there isn’t even a direct service via the circle now either. Quickest route is probably via a change at Cambuslang

 

[adc82140]

Ashford to Calais Frethun?

I think that's a winner. 5 1/2 hours, via St Pancras, Lille Europe and a walk to Lille Flandres (until 2022)

 

[CyrusWuff]

Cheating, but how about Sudbury Hill Harrow to Sudbury and Harrow Road? Miss the 1038 on Maundy Thursday and you have to wait until 0659 the following Tuesday!

In practice, of course, you'd just get the Piccadilly Line between Sudbury Hill and Sudbury Town.

 

[mrd269697]

Lockerbie to Carstairs takes 37 minutes I believe, although only one northbound service serves both stations. Stations north of Lockerbie are often an hour’s travelling time (next stop is usually Motherwell although this is not an adjacent station).

some rough examples which involve direct trains (ie not going back on yourself) include -

Stranraer to Barhill is about 34 minutes
Caersws to Machynlleth is about 28 minutes.
Fishguard and Goodwick to Clarbeston Road is about 19 minutes.
Gobowen to Shrewsbury is about 18 minutes.
Crewe to Stafford is about 22 minutes.
Diss to Norwich is about 17-18 minutes.
Chester to Crewe is about 25 minutes.
Bristol Parkway to Swindon is about 21 minutes.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Lockerbie to Carstairs takes 37 minutes I believe, although only one northbound service serves both stations.

Believe it's just 35 minutes, if you exclude the 2 minutes dwell time at Carstairs.

A handful of others...

Berwick upon Tweed to Dunbar is typically 21 minutes.

Penrith North Lakes to Oxenholme Lake District is usually 22 minutes.

Similarly Hereford to Abergavenny is sometimes 22 minutes.

And one more... Sanquhar to Dumfries is usually 26 minutes.

 

[geoffk]

Soon we can add Crediton to Okehampton, 26/27 minutes according to RTT (around 18 miles).

 

[Mcr Warrior]

There must be plenty of rail journeys between two consecutive stations where the fastest way to get between them takes more than 40 minutes during most of the day.

Presumably none within the UK on any direct services?

@PTR 444 's example of Barrhill to Stranraer at 36 minutes being the closest to the 40 minutes' duration from one station to the next, as suggested by the OP?

 

[Taunton]

Bristol Parkway to Swindon is about 21 minutes.

Before Bristol Parkway opened in the 1970s there was nothing served on this line between Swindon and Newport, which must have been one of the longest runs at the time. Intermediate stations like Patchway or Severn Tunnel Junction were not served by anything through Swindon.

 

[PTR 444]

Presumably none within the UK on any direct services?

But plenty more on indirect services

As an aside, will Old Oak Common - Birmingham Interchange beat Barrhill - Stranraer in the future?