Trivia : Random Services with no apparent uses

[Trainguy34]

Just been looking at RTT and found a train that comes from the Sheerness Branch at Sittingbourne, Runs ECS to Faversham, waits in the station for near 2 hours and runs ECS to Canterbury East before running the 2 stops to Faversham in passangers service before going empty to the Sidings. I presume also a 3 car due to it coming from Sheerness. Does anyone have other examples or know why this happens?

SIT - FAV ECS
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:G97588/2023-06-23/detailed

FAV - CBE ECS

Realtime Trains | 5U75 2154 Faversham to Canterbury East | 23/06/2023

Real-time train running information for 5U75 2154 departure from Faversham to Canterbury East on 23/06/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

CBE - FAV Passenger Service

Realtime Trains | 2U76 2215 Canterbury East to Faversham | 23/06/2023

Real-time train running information for 2U76 2215 departure from Canterbury East to Faversham on 23/06/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

FAV - FAV Back Rd ECS

Realtime Trains | 5U77 2235 Faversham to Faversham Bk Road | 23/06/2023

Real-time train running information for 5U77 2235 departure from Faversham to Faversham Bk Road on 23/06/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Note to Mods: Feel free to move / change if needed

 

[Tomnick]

If anyone can shed any light on this one, arriving at Sleaford at 0619 before returning empty from whence it came (albeit by a different route), I might feel better about dragging myself out of bed at 3am on Monday to drive it!

Realtime Trains | 2L49 0501 Nottingham to Sleaford | 26/06/2023

Real-time train running information for 2L49 0501 departure from Nottingham to Sleaford on 26/06/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 5L49 0625 Sleaford to Nottingham | 26/06/2023

Real-time train running information for 5L49 0625 departure from Sleaford to Nottingham on 26/06/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Bald Rick]

I don’t know for either example, but for the Sleaford example it is at the beginning of the operating day, so is possibly down to the TOCs service specification contracted with DfT to have the first train arriving Sleaford from Lincoln before 0620 or similar.

The Canterbury E example is STP and appears only to run Fridays. Odd. Possibly a training run.

 

[liamf656]

EMR, on all their Derby to Sheffield services call at Chesterfield except just one, and nobody really knows why. It does however call at Belper and Dronfield for peak flows but surely it makes sense to also call at Chesterfield since it’s a pretty major station!

Realtime Trains | 1F02 0655 Derby to Sheffield | 24/06/2023

Real-time train running information for 1F02 0655 departure from Derby to Sheffield on 24/06/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[JN114]

EMR, on all their Derby to Sheffield services call at Chesterfield except just one, and nobody really knows why. It does however call at Belper and Dronfield for peak flows but surely it makes sense to also call at Chesterfield since it’s a pretty major station!

Realtime Trains | 1F02 0655 Derby to Sheffield | 24/06/2023

Real-time train running information for 1F02 0655 departure from Derby to Sheffield on 24/06/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Is it the case it misses Chesterfield precisely so that there’s room onboard for passengers to board at Belper and Dronfield?

 

[Bald Rick]

Is it the case it misses Chesterfield precisely so that there’s room onboard for passengers to board at Belper and Dronfield?

more likely that there’s room in the timetable.

 

[zwk500]

Just been looking at RTT and found a train that comes from the Sheerness Branch at Sittingbourne, Runs ECS to Faversham, waits in the station for near 2 hours and runs ECS to Canterbury East before running the 2 stops to Faversham in passangers service before going empty to the Sidings. I presume also a 3 car due to it coming from Sheerness. Does anyone have other examples or know why this happens?

The Sittingbourne-Faversham is an amended path for that day only, normally it is booked straight into Faversham Back Road and stables overnight. I guess for whatever reason SE decided they needed a last Canterbury East to Faversham and either didn't have a guard available to run the outbound in service or decided not to for operational reasons (Shunting maybe?). The Faversham-Canterbury and return and then shunt to back road are all single day only.

 

[30907]

I don’t know for either example, but for the Sleaford example it is at the beginning of the operating day, so is possibly down to the TOCs service specification contracted with DfT to have the first train arriving Sleaford from Lincoln before 0620 or similar.

The Canterbury E example is STP and appears only to run Fridays. Odd. Possibly a training run.

There was T20 cricket at Canterbury, and East is quite near the ground.

 

[Bald Rick]

There was T20 cricket at Canterbury, and East is quite near the ground.

Spotters‘ Badge, sir, that will be it. Hence why it is in next Friday too.

 

[30907]

Spotters‘ Badge, sir, that will be it. Hence why it is in next Friday too.

And what triggered the thought was that 55+ years ago I visited St Lawrence ground for the first time and SED put on a relief to Faversham after the match by running an ECS as passenger. Did me little good, as the Londons were only hourly then

 

[Trainguy34]

Spotters‘ Badge, sir, that will be it. Hence why it is in next Friday too.

Perfect, thanks for telling me

 

[D6975]

Is it the case it misses Chesterfield precisely so that there’s room onboard for passengers to board at Belper and Dronfield?

Belper is South of Chesterfield. Dronfield is to the North. Not calling at Chesterfield would only benefit Dronfield passengers.

 

[Kite159]

Is it the case it misses Chesterfield precisely so that there’s room onboard for passengers to board at Belper and Dronfield?

And it means any passengers who live in Belper who needs to travel to chesterfield for work still has to double back either at Dronfield/Sheffield or Derby

 

[Tomnick]

I don’t know for either example, but for the Sleaford example it is at the beginning of the operating day, so is possibly down to the TOCs service specification contracted with DfT to have the first train arriving Sleaford from Lincoln before 0620 or similar.

I understand that this is indeed the answer, although it's only just started running at the timetable change so presumably the DfT was happy to let it slip until then. Still seems rather odd when there's some gaps in the timetable on other routes that really could do with being filled!

 

[Llandudno]

And it means any passengers who live in Belper who needs to travel to chesterfield for work still has to double back either at Dronfield/Sheffield or Derby

Or those in the Belper area attending Chesterfield college, there used to be quite a few - I suspect far less so now…!

 

[nw1]

The long-standing additional stops at Netley (?) and Woolston on an evening Victoria-Southampton Central service (the service called Cosham around 2120) in the 00s. IIRC this applied during the final years of slammers and the early years of 377s; during this period I semi-regularly used this particular service. The regular hourly Solent stopper still ran at that time in the evening, so it wasn't to cover for missing SWT services.

I've raised this before and, IIRC, the theory was a pathing issue on approach to Southampton Central which only arose that hour (so perhaps freight-related?), therefore they chose to slow down the service with extra stops so it would arrive on the SWML at a time when a path was available.

 

[mm333]

The Sunday only 2346 Kings Cross-Finsbury Park seems weird. I've guessing the DfT have stipulated a time for the final service of the day. It's worked by an in-bound Cambridge service that is then on its way back to Hornsey depot.

 

[Halish Railway]

I do question why the random Sundays only, 333 operated limited stop Skipton to Leeds and vice versa services exist. They're not even timetabled to provide an even interval semi-fast service to Skipton with the Carlisle and Morecambe services.

An example

Realtime Trains | 2H16 1157 Leeds to Skipton | 25/06/2023

Real-time train running information for 2H16 1157 departure from Leeds to Skipton on 25/06/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[The exile]

The Sunday only 2346 Kings Cross-Finsbury Park seems weird. I've guessing the DfT have stipulated a time for the final service of the day. It's worked by an in-bound Cambridge service that is then on its way back to Hornsey depot.

If 6 minutes is an acceptable connection time at Finsbury Park then it provides a connection from Kings Cross on to the last northbound Hertford Loop service to Stevenage. Since it's going anyway....

 

[bramling]

The Sunday only 2346 Kings Cross-Finsbury Park seems weird. I've guessing the DfT have stipulated a time for the final service of the day. It's worked by an in-bound Cambridge service that is then on its way back to Hornsey depot.

I think this is a throwback to when the Moorgate services used to run to King’s Cross in the evening and at weekends, as it was when this change happened that this odd service appeared. Even more quaint is that this 5-minute journey has been booked for a 12-car train at times. Presumably it provides a connection from King’s Cross to the Welwyn Garden City and Hertford North stopping services, though I do wonder how necessary that really is.

 

[Pumbaa]

EMR, on all their Derby to Sheffield services call at Chesterfield except just one, and nobody really knows why. It does however call at Belper and Dronfield for peak flows but surely it makes sense to also call at Chesterfield since it’s a pretty major station!

Realtime Trains | 1F02 0655 Derby to Sheffield | 24/06/2023

Real-time train running information for 1F02 0655 departure from Derby to Sheffield on 24/06/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

This to get it over Dore Station Jn ahead of 5C23 and 1F03. Can’t go later as it would miss next working from Sheffield and knock onto those following services, can’t go earlier as XC in the way at Derby.

 

[nw1]

I think this is a throwback to when the Moorgate services used to run to King’s Cross in the evening and at weekends, as it was when this change happened that this odd service appeared. Even more quaint is that this 5-minute journey has been booked for a 12-car train at times. Presumably it provides a connection from King’s Cross to the Welwyn Garden City and Hertford North stopping services, though I do wonder how necessary that really is.

Mind you even if few people use it, it presumably costs little to turn this otherwise-ECS move into a passenger working to benefit that small number. Now if only XC could apply the same principle to their (lack of) Brockenhurst stops which previously existed since the late 80s....

 

[Esker-pades]

I do question why the random Sundays only, 333 operated limited stop Skipton to Leeds and vice versa services exist. They're not even timetabled to provide an even interval semi-fast service to Skipton with the Carlisle and Morecambe services.

An example

Realtime Trains | 2H16 1157 Leeds to Skipton | 25/06/2023

Real-time train running information for 2H16 1157 departure from Leeds to Skipton on 25/06/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

The Skipton - Leeds one sort of is. 10:30 off Skipton, then there's an 11:30 from Carlisle, 12:22 from Lancaster, 14:30 from Carlisle, etc.

On the return it provides a plug in what would otherwise be a ~1 hour gap

 

[islandmonkey]

2V58 Southampton to Bristol. To be honest, it does seem to have a purpose, but it feels like a runaway train as it comes so soon after the main Cardiff/Bristol-Portsmouth service. It then spends 10 minutes dwelling at Salisbury, then another 10 at Westbury. I suppose this allows Dilton Marsh, Freshford, Avoncliff, Oldfield Park and Keynsham to get an extra service as the express 10-15 behind it doesn't stop at any these stations.

 

[Class15]

There’s a 0330 Milton Keynes to Euston service. Who’s that meant to serve?

 

[DarloRich]

There’s a 0330 Milton Keynes to Euston service. Who’s that meant to serve?

Rather obviously: people working shifts

 

[D6130]

I do question why the random Sundays only, 333 operated limited stop Skipton to Leeds and vice versa services exist. They're not even timetabled to provide an even interval semi-fast service to Skipton with the Carlisle and Morecambe services.

They must play havoc with the rather inflexible PIS on the 333s. ISTR that we had to switch the system off - which included the external destination indicators - on the odd occasion when it was necessary to substitute a 333 for a late-running turned-back 158 on a Carlisle service. You were then reliant on the conductor being in the right lace to make manual (....or should I say 'oral'?) announcements on the approach to station stops.

 

[Class15]

Rather obviously: people working shifts

Then why is this literally the only service running at that time of day?

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Then why is this literally the only service running at that time of day?

Because the amount of people at that time clearly justifies a service, but at 3am they’re never going to offer a fifteen minute turn up and go timetable are they?

 

[Class15]

Because the amount of people at that time clearly justifies a service, but at 3am they’re never going to offer a fifteen minute turn up and go timetable are they?

I mean in the entire country!