Trivia: TOCs with most shared track

[backontrack]

This could go in several sections, but I thought this would be the best one. Apologies if not.

I was wondering which TOCs share the most track with other TOCs, and which have no lines which only they operate.

-VTEC shares all of its track
-GC shares all of its track (Eaglescliffe-Stockton?)
-VT shares nearly all of its track except Colwich-Stone
-According to this map, the only track TPExpress runs on its own is the curve south of Golborne from the WCML towards Manchester.
-c2c shares no track with any other TOC.
-Merseyrail also shares no track.

Any more?

 

[hassaanhc]

c2c have scheduled services to/from Liverpool Street, running via Woodgrange Park, so they do share track not only with AGA but also with LO.

 

[M28361M]

Merseyrail does share some track - at Bidston station (with Arriva Trains Wales services to Wrexham), a short length of track just west of Hunts Cross station with Northern/TPE/EMT services, and platform 7 at Chester.

If we include freight, there's also the track through platform 1 at Ellesmere Port which is used by Freightliner trains from the docks.

 

[ainsworth74]

-GC shares all of its track (Eaglescliffe-Stockton?)

Northern operate that way twice per week. Today in fact is the day!

Any more?

GTR surely? They share Kings Cross to Peterborough with VTEC, GC and HT. Cambridge to Kings Lynn with GA and for parts EMT and XC. St Pancras to Bedford with EMT and from the Thameslink core to Brighton with a mixture of SE and Southern. There's only a few bits like Hitchin to Cambridge and the Thameslink core itself where they don't share track with anyone.

 

[Jordeh]

Surprised it hasn't been mentioned yet but XC?

Derby-Birmingham comes to mind as not shared but the rest of their routes are mostly shared.

Edit: Most the Birmingham to Leicester line too are not shared.

 

[TheGrew]

-VT shares nearly all of its track except Colwich-Stone

I believe LM runs one service a day that way only in one direction (northbound).

 

[David Goddard]

With the exception of West Midlands area branches, London Midland shares the lions share of its routes.

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

According to that map TP Express are sole TOC to Windermere, and incorrectly the Scunthorpe to Barnetby section.
I would add Hull Trains, their Beverley to London service only uses shared track.

 

[ainsworth74]

I would add Hull Trains, their Beverley to London service only uses shared track.

Their whole route shares track throughout its length with other TOCs?

 

[Deerfold]

-VTEC shares all of its track

Does anyone else use the track at Hambleton Junction on the way from Leeds to Doncaster?

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

Their whole route shares track throughout its length with other TOCs?

Yes, Northern from Beverley to Doncaster and East Coast Hull to London. Most run from Hull only so it's the same as East Coast's Hull service.

 

[sd0733]

I believe LM runs one service a day that way only in one direction (northbound).

Not anymore it doesn't, the old 17:24 from Euston which went that way is now gone, replaced with a 17:46 via Stafford. Nothing LM is booked that way now AFAIK.

 

[yorkie]

I would add Hull Trains

Yes...

their Beverley to London service only uses shared track.

All their services only use 'shared track'.

 

[thenorthern]

I think Virgin Trains may be the only company that uses the line that bypasses Newton-Le-Willows between Warrington Bank Quay and Wigan North Western. Stone-Colwich is used by one London Midland train per day in the evening yes.

Oxford to Banbury is CrossCountry only I think.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Oxford to Banbury is CrossCountry only I think.

FGW serve it sporadically about once every three hours, providing calls at Heyford and Tackley (and Kings Sutton, also served by Chiltern).

 

[Kite159]

I think Virgin Trains may be the only company that uses the line that bypasses Newton-Le-Willows between Warrington Bank Quay and Wigan North Western. Stone-Colwich is used by one London Midland train per day in the evening yes.

Oxford to Banbury is CrossCountry only I think.

FGW Banbury stopper

 

[Crossover]

I believe LM runs one service a day that way only in one direction (northbound).

Not anymore it doesn't, the old 17:24 from Euston which went that way is now gone, replaced with a 17:46 via Stafford. Nothing LM is booked that way now AFAIK.

I was just looking on RTT and couldn't see anything - there are some that don't call at Stone (no idea why!) but still pass through (same with Kidsgrove and Alsager)
The last Down service of the night runs from Stafford to Crewe directly, rather than via Stoke

 

[thenorthern]

I forgot about the Scotrail sleeper from my last post.

Is Coventry to Leamington Spa CrossCountry only?

I generally find that duplicating services is what caused GNER/NXEC to go bankrupt as open-access operators were filling in the gaps where there was a demand which no doubt took revenue away from them. Virgin West Coast on the other hand I found didn't allow competition where they have used their moderation of competition clause, offered cheaper fares and taken up demand to prevent other companies such as First North Western and Wrexham and Shropshire from taking their revenue. I can see the same thing happening with VTEC.

 

[FQ]

Is Coventry to Leamington Spa CrossCountry only?

It is, but not for long. When Kenilworth station opens, London Midland will also operate.

 

[thenorthern]

Scarborough to York is a strange one because for most of the year its First Transpennie Express only but on Summer Saturdays there is a London St Pancras to Scarborough Train, Newquay is another one like that with CrossCountry I think.

 

[Crossover]

Scarborough to York is a strange one because for most of the year its First Transpennie Express only but on Summer Saturdays there is a London St Pancras to Scarborough Train, Newquay is another one like that with CrossCountry I think.

Strictly speaking it is only York to Seamer - the bit after is shared with Northern as well

 

[61653 HTAFC]

If the Sunday evening Marsden services run into P4 at Huddersfield (as the one evening peak service that crosses HUD does), that would make TPE the only TOC that runs through Huddersfield platform 8 (not counting freight).

GC is the only operator over the Askern line.

 

[D6975]

GC is the only operator over the Askern line.

No they aren't.

The last KGX-LDS and the last KGX-NCL both go that way.

The last KGX-NCL also is the only service to use the chord that gets you from Knottingley to the Dearne Valley line (Northbound)
edit - it's Knottingley West Junction - Ferrybridge North Junction.
Together with the Hambleton chord mentioned earlier by Deerfold, that means VTEC don't share all their track.

Merseyrail do share some track, but it's tiny. I'll leave it to you to fathom out where. (3 different locations)

 

[Kite159]

No they aren't.

The last KGX-LDS and the last KGX-NCL both go that way.

The last KGX-NCL also is the only service to use the chord that gets you from Knottingley to the Dearne Valley line (Northbound)
edit - it's Knottingley West Junction - Ferrybridge North Junction.
Together with the Hambleton chord mentioned earlier by Deerfold, that means VTEC don't share all their track.

Merseyrail do share some track, but its tiny. I'll leave it to you to fathom out where. (3 different locations)

Could it be the 3 locations mentioned in this post?
http://www.railforums.co.uk/showpost.php?p=2100220&postcount=3

Agreed though, it is very tiny.

 

[D6975]

Could it be the 3 locations mentioned in this post?
http://www.railforums.co.uk/showpost.php?p=2100220&postcount=3

Agreed though, it is very tiny.

It is indeed, but I didn't get it from there, it was 'route knowledge'.

There's also a 'grey area' one which is platform 3 at Southport, which is accessible from both the Wigan and Liverpool lines, but as far as I am aware is only ever used by Merseyrail.

 

[berneyarms]

Oxford to Banbury is CrossCountry only I think.

FGW serve it sporadically about once every three hours, providing calls at Heyford and Tackley (and Kings Sutton, also served by Chiltern).

FGW Banbury stopper

Also Chiltern have a single service each way late at night between Banbury and Oxford.

 

[backontrack]

All their [Hull Trains'] services only use 'shared track'.

Umm, there's a curve at Hambleton Junction that they use independently to get from the ECML north of Doncaster to the Hull line.

I've also edited my first comment removing info about GatEx and Island Line despite stating that they weren't TOCs myself.

I shouldn't have made this thread, it was doomed from the start.

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

Umm, there's a curve at Hambleton Junction that they use independently to get from the ECML north of Doncaster to the Hull line.

I've also edited my first comment removing info about GatEx and Island Line despite stating that they weren't TOCs myself.

I shouldn't have made this thread, it was doomed from the start.

Hull Trains have an East Coast Service once a day along the same route via Selby and Doncaster sharing their track.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Hull Trains have an East Coast Service once a day along the same route via Selby and Doncaster sharing their track.

And a couple of Northern ones too.

 

[sd0733]

I was just looking on RTT and couldn't see anything - there are some that don't call at Stone (no idea why!) but still pass through (same with Kidsgrove and Alsager)
The last Down service of the night runs from Stafford to Crewe directly, rather than via Stoke

1U20 (06:52cre-eus), 1U43(16:46eus-cre) and 1U45(17:46eus-cre) are all 8-car trains and so cannot call at Stone, Alsager and Kidsgrove due to none of them being UDS authorised.
1N00(05:18cre-eus) and 1C99(20:13 eus-cre)both run fast between Crewe and Stafford and avoid Stoke completely.
the 05:18 as its booked non-stop to Rugeley TV can go either way but seems to pretty much always go non-stop via Stafford now.