Virgin Trains (almost) Non stop service

[D6975]

It is still quicker though which is a good thing.
Sam

It also frequently does stop at Carlisle to let off Preston-Lancaster passengers who have ignored the warnings at Preston about it being non stop to Glasgow.

 

[cambsy]

It is 20mph through Carlisle station, done the 16.30 pm Euston-Glasgow few times, good service and nice to pass through Carlisle non stop, and do Preston-Glasgow non stop.

 

[Tetchytyke]

It crawls through at 10?mph though, which is not much quicker than stopping!

True. It's completely pointless it not stopping, but presumably the two minutes it saves by not stopping is enough to give them a nice headline time.

 

[berneyarms]

Well I think that VT (and indeed any other rail operator) would argue that it is not "completely pointless" and that achieving a headline time on a prime business train is important - that gives them the edge from a marketing perspective.

 

[glbotu]

It's like the Flying Scotsman trundling through York at 30mph. Probably doesn't save a bunch on the time, but allows for a "headline" fastest service.

 

[Senex]

It's like the Flying Scotsman trundling through York at 30mph. Probably doesn't save a bunch on the time, but allows for a "headline" fastest service.

Though according to the last figures a year York is a busier station than Newcastle by a million passengers a year (York 8,223,421 in/outs and 1,190669 interchanges; Newcastle 8,025,155 in/outs and only 409,935 interchanges). Perhaps the single stop should be York rather than Newcastle if there can only be one. (I imagine the cost of a 2-minute stop at each is going to be 3 minutes.)

 

[backontrack]

Though according to the last figures a year York is a busier station than Newcastle by a million passengers a year (York 8,223,421 in/outs and 1,190669 interchanges; Newcastle 8,025,155 in/outs and only 409,935 interchanges). Perhaps the single stop should be York rather than Newcastle if there can only be one. (I imagine the cost of a 2-minute stop at each is going to be 3 minutes.)

If it wins on in/outs as well, then it should definitely be York. Only reason I can think of is higher frequency to London, and, even then, it's not really enough.

 

[najaB]

If it wins on in/outs as well, then it should definitely be York. Only reason I can think of is higher frequency to London, and, even then, it's not really enough.

Yeah, but Newcastle is further north than York. If the stop was changed to York I can imagine the south-centric outrage brigade would be out in force.

 

[Doctor Fegg]

The up/down Cathedrals Express used to be non stop Oxford - Padd.

Thank goodness it isn't any more. Commuting between Reading and the Cotswolds used to be seriously unpleasant in the evenings - just the 17.50 (17.18 ex Paddington), a two-coach Turbo which was rammed to Didcot and then waited there for ten minutes.

Timings have been seriously watered down in the meantime thanks to the passengers charter.

On the Great Western, my impression is that it's Heathrow Express that made the biggest difference to timings and punctuality - that and a more defensive driving style. I miss the old 22-minute runs from Paddington to Reading...

 

[Marton]

You can add the 16:30 Euston-Glasgow Central to that list as well, although in the other direction. It only stops at Preston.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
There are lots of other quirky services too. One of these is the one that serves places missed by the Flying Scotsman. It starts at Berwick, calls at Alnmouth, Morpeth and Newcastle (the Flying Scotsman passes it south of here, I think) then Durham, Darlington and York. It runs non-stop to Retford, and thereafter non-stop to Kings Cross. It is the only service on the ECML that serves Retford but not Doncaster, AFAIK.
.

The Edinburgh train uses the Darlington avoiding lines whilst the Berwick departure is in Darlo. For a year or two it used the northbound platform.

Back in the early days of the EC 225s the 1700 from KX was first stop Darlington at, IIRC, 1908. I don't think there was a non stop southbound from Darlington.

 

[Tetchytyke]

The Flying Scotsman running fast through York makes sense as it is rammed most days with Edinburgh and Newcastle passengers. The 1630 Euston-Glasgow is usually deserted though, unlike the all-stops just behind it.

The Berwick starter runs ecs from Craigentinny and they do that to save the hassle of running into Waverly first.

 

[craigybagel]

Presumably, given the time of day, the flying Scotsman uses an Edinburgh crew as far as Newcastle, and Newcastle crew south of there. Do Edinburgh drivers sign all the way to York? If not, that'd be one reason why the stop has to be at Newcastle.

 

[The Planner]

that and a more defensive driving style. I miss the old 22-minute runs from Paddington to Reading...

This, defensive driving has made a difference.

 

[dk1]

The Flying Scotsman running fast through York makes sense as it is rammed most days with Edinburgh and Newcastle passengers. The 1630 Euston-Glasgow is usually deserted though, unlike the all-stops just behind it.

The Berwick starter runs ecs from Craigentinny and they dou that to save the hassle of running into Waverly first.

Not sure if I'd agree as 'deserted'. Usually a loading of at least 200 which if they are not on the bargain basement tickets can be a very lucrative load.

 

[66Yorks]

The 0540 EDI to KGX I see most mornings as it passes through York.

Not an anomaly - there are a number of limited stop prime business morning services on both Virgin West and East Coasts. As well as the one you link to there is:

07.00 Lime St to Euston - non stop Runcorn to Euston
07.05 Wolves to Euston - non stop New St to Euston
05.40 Edinburgh to Kings Cross - non stop Newcastle to Kings Cross
06.30 Bradford FS to Kings Cross - non stop Wakefield to Kings Cross

 

[Marton]

The Berwick starter runs ecs from Craigentinny and they do that to save the hassle of running into Waverly first.

No. It's ecs from Heaton via Newcastle where the crew board.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/Y58112/2015/09/01/advanced

Then http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/Y57920/2015/09/01/advanced

 

[34D]

The West Coast trains are a spinoff of the failure of the original upgrade proposals which would have had trains running at 140mph. Virgin insisted on the headline timings which IIRC were similar to the standard timings originally planned.

The 1630 Euston-Preston-Glasgow is another such train.

Wakefield-London non stop has a much older pedigree, back to Deltic days - and at one time in the HST era there was a morning Sheffield-London that omitted Leicester.

That's not quite re the Leeds Executive / Yorkshire Pullman.

At one time it was non stop Leeds to KX, then the Wakefield W stop was added in the mid 80s. I am unsure when Bradford figured.

Though of course, in the early 1980s Bradford Int and Pudsey were served via the now closed Wortley spur. I believe that in the late 80s Forster Sq (old station) started to be served, via reversal at Leeds. Interested to know more here myself, though of course I'm going off topic for this thread.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

There is kind of one on FGW, the 0844 from Penzance does Plymouth to London calling only at Exeter St Davids and Reading.

Up until approx 5 years ago there was one up FGW that omitted Reading. I seem to recall it was from Bristol but don't quote me

 

[berneyarms]

Up until approx 5 years ago there was one up FGW that omitted Reading. I seem to recall it was from Bristol but don't quote me

Umm, I refer you to post #26 above which I have requoted below:

First Great Western also has "The Capitals United" (05:58 from Swansea) which links Cardiff Central with Paddington in 1 hour 59 minutes, which after Cardiff Central calls only at Newport, Bristol Parkway and Swindon.

 

[Tetchytyke]

No. It's ecs from Heaton via Newcastle where the crew board.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/Y58112/2015/09/01/advanced

Then http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/Y57920/2015/09/01/advanced

I stand corrected! Did it used to come from Edinburgh, certain it did when it first started (it replaced a random ecs Edinburgh-Newcastle to form the 8.25)?

 

[Marton]

When I have used it it's always had a Newcastle crew.

It replaced the 0700 TeesTyne Pullman and had that crew.
The northbound TEes Tyne used to go to Edinburgh ECS but latterly did the intermediate stops unlike the 1700. It now terminates in Newcastle before returning to KX as the 0105 arrival:; not my favourite journey, but you do get personal service in first.

 

[button_boxer]

The old MML "Master Cutler" was always the one to get for me travelling from Sheffield to meetings in London as it was the only one to get to St Pancras for 0930 without leaving ludicrously early. 0727 from Sheffield, calling at Chesterfield and then non-stop to London arriving around 0930.

With the Meridians and the latest timetable improvements, all the fast trains now manage the run in just over 2 hours including stops at Derby and Leicester, so there's no longer a need for the non-stop run. The equivalent service (now 0729 from Sheffield) still bears the Master Cutler name but it's no different from any of the later services in terms of timing and stopping pattern.

 

[Castle Cary]

The Birmingham train is a direct descendant of the Birmingham Pullman from Intercity / Virgin Pre Pendolino days. 0733 off New Street, one stop (at International), and arrived Euston 0902 for an 89 minute headline time. From 1999 it was retimed to arrive 0905 (92 mins) as it was consistently late - I can state categorically as a commuter on it for nearly 4 years. It did, however, have the benefit of being one of the only Birmingham trains formed of Mark III stock, which was more comfortable and less noisy than the Mark IIs.

The set formed the Royal Scot on arrival at Euston, and after Glasgow, ran through to Ayr on a two day rotation. Hence the Mark III stock

 

[Peter Mugridge]

With the Meridians and the latest timetable improvements, all the fast trains now manage the run in just over 2 hours including stops at Derby and Leicester, so there's no longer a need for the non-stop run. The equivalent service (now 0729 from Sheffield) still bears the Master Cutler name but it's no different from any of the later services in terms of timing and stopping pattern.

With these speed advances, I wonder what the timing of a non stop Cutler via Toton would be now if it were re-instated?