What happened to Request stops?

[dk1]

That makes sense.

It certainly does and was brought in along with totally different traincrew working practices. So much changed all at once at GA but we got through it even though it was very daunting at first.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Yes, well managed decline is usually the best value option in the moment, but it rarely brings long-term benefits.

Why have ScotRail paused their request stop button trial? Is it because of the Altnabreac debacle?

I don't think they have. As I understand it all the Far North request stops now have RTS buttons except for Altnabreac, where you still have to stick your arm out like you do for a bus or taxi. (You could say it's as easy as ABC)

Network Rail were to have installed them at Altnabreac in April 2023. The reasons they were unsuccessful have been thoroughly documented in another discussion here

 

[sheff1]

In this part of Wales the local MS petitioned to have the ones on the North Wales Coast in her constituency removed, and was successful.

Don't know which area you are in but I could never understand why Conwy station was a request stop for decades after it reopened in the 1980s. Every time I have been on a train scheduled to 'stop' there it has done so and many people have alighted/boarded - hardly surprising for a popular tourist location. Finally sense has prevailed, but a bit sad if it required a MS intervention.

 

[mmh]

Don't know which area you are in but I could never understand why Conwy station was a request stop for decades after it reopened in the 1980s. Every time I have been on a train scheduled to 'stop' there it has done so and many people have alighted/boarded - hardly surprising for a popular tourist location. Finally sense has prevailed, but a bit sad if it required a MS intervention.

Exactly that area, and you are spot on there. Conwy should never have been a request stop. There was no sense to it being one.

In fact (and I've asked this question before on here and not had an answer) - can someone explain what the point of having any request stops is?

 

[VT 390]

Exactly that area, and you are spot on there. Conwy should never have been a request stop. There was no sense to it being one.

In fact (and I've asked this question before on here and not had an answer) - can someone explain what the point of having any request stops is?

Request stops can be useful for making up time of late running services, although this is only genuinely useful for request stops where there is a decent chance of no one wanting to board/alight. In cases like your example of Conwy I agree these should not be request stops as almost every service would stop anyway.
I would have thought there would also be a slight efficiency benefit to request stops using slightly less fuel and slightly less wear other train/track components.
I think in cases where there genuinely is little demand for most services to call request stops are not necessarily a bad thing provided there are clear signs throughout the station. When the majority of services will be stopping anyway I do agree there is little need for them.

 

[6Gman]

If the UK was like many sensible countries with numerous rural halts, request stop buttons would be commonplace. For some reason though, we haven’t adopted these and therefore the request stop procedure remains quite old-fashioned and troublesome.

I don’t see the problem with maintaining request stops using a button system, it’s very straightforward and allows trains to run faster most of the time. However it’s a sunk cost to install these at stations with usage in the low hundreds, and the DfT doesn’t seem to love sunk costs with minimal instant returns.

Another thing to maintain.

Another thing that can go wrong.

 

[Farigiraf]

I don't think they have. As I understand it all the Far North request stops now have RTS buttons except for Altnabreac, where you still have to stick your arm out like you do for a bus or taxi. (You could say it's as easy as ABC)

Good to hear that they have actually been put in place then. Would’ve thought that by now they’d be getting on with installing them on the Kyle & West Highland lines as well.

Another thing to maintain.

Another thing that can go wrong.

That shouldn’t limit progress though. There are no drastic differences between the UK and Germany/Denmark/Switzerland’s rail network which make them impractical here but perfectly okay there. Other than how much transport funding there is, that is.

 

[mmh]

Another thing to maintain.

Another thing that can go wrong.

Quite. There'll be a reason most request stops also have no ticket machine, so why would you to put in a far more complicated machine in that has to interact with signalling? When that goes wrong...

All feels like a solution looking for a problem to me!

 

[wellhouse]

Many moons ago, I was on a service booked to pass through Penhelig, but when I asked the guard, he happily made it an unscheduled request stop

 

[mmh]

Good to hear that they have actually been put in place then. Would’ve thought that by now they’d be getting on with installing them on the Kyle & West Highland lines as well.


That shouldn’t limit progress though. There are no drastic differences between the UK and Germany/Denmark/Switzerland’s rail network which make them impractical here but perfectly okay there. Other than how much transport funding there is, that is.

What problem would they solve on the railway in Britain?

 

[Pinus contorta]

Has anyone mentioned the safety aspect of the request stops? And the need to eliminate unnecessary risk. I can think of a few stations that you had to use the foot crossing to get to the platform in able to signal to the driver .. cue people running in front of the train..

 

[RailWonderer]

What problem would they solve on the railway in Britain?

Lots of things don't necessarily solve problems, they can make rail travel faster and move convenient, like not having to reduce line speed when not calling.

 

[mmh]

I don't think they have. As I understand it all the Far North request stops now have RTS buttons except for Altnabreac, where you still have to stick your arm out like you do for a bus or taxi. (You could say it's as easy as ABC)

Network Rail were to have installed them at Altnabreac in April 2023. The reasons they were unsuccessful have been thoroughly documented in another discussion here

Your linked discussion doesn't work.

How do these buttons work - as in, what do they actually do?

 

[Farigiraf]

What problem would they solve on the railway in Britain?

It’s less that there’s an issue that needs to be sorted than the fact that this would be a positive improvement that would further bring the railway into the 21st century. I appreciate that ‘problems’ should be dealt with first, then you can get on with the ‘nice to haves’ but if you only maintain the status quo and don’t improve things, there won’t be much growth.

If I had to name a ‘problem’ that this deals with, it’s that sticking your hand out (or informing a guard) is an old fashioned way of doing things which doesn’t take into account scenarios where you can’t stick out your hand or if you can’t find a guard on the train in time, to name 2 cases. The current system of requesting a stop does its job, and that’s fine, but if the technology is there and there’s little reason not to adopt it, it would be backwards not to.

How do these buttons work - as in, what do they actually do?

You press them, and the train will stop. On the continent there’s typically a stop button on trains (as on buses here) which requests the next stop. On the most rural lines (such as the Far North) you have to press them a few minutes before the train arrives in order to let the driver know on time. If the driver knows in advance whether they need to stop, they can continue on at line speed.

 

[mmh]

Lots of things don't necessarily solve problems, they can make rail travel faster and move convenient, like not having to reduce line speed when not calling.

The train will still need to slow to stopping speed, it won't go through at line speed.

If a train manages to get to the next station before the scheduled time because it didn't stop, it will have to wait rather than depart early. If it runs through a succession of request stops it's perhaps got somewhere slightly earlier - for what reason and whose benefit?

As I said earlier, request stops feel like a massive anachronism that only exist "because they do" (although I have a theory about why some were created in the BR era which I'll leave for now in the hope that someone can actually explain what they're for)

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Feb 2026 ==

You press them, and the train will stop. On the continent there’s typically a stop button on trains (as on buses here) which requests the next stop. On the most rural lines (such as the Far North) you have to press them a few minutes before the train arrives in order to let the driver know on time

That's not what I meant when I asked how they work. I'm pretty sure most of us know how a button works.

What happens once you press the button?

 

[Farigiraf]

If a train manages to get to the next station before the scheduled time because it didn't stop, it will have to wait rather than depart early. If it runs through a succession of request stops it's perhaps got somewhere slightly earlier - for what reason and whose benefit?

As I said earlier, request stops feel like a massive anachronism that only exist "because they do" (although I have a theory about why some were created in the BR era which I'll leave for now in the hope that someone can actually explain what they're for)

With that logic you could say that all bus stops should be compulsory stop as well, since buses need to keep to a timetable. But rarely used stops being only on request have their benefits - less stopping/starting needed (which, while minimal in its impact, does have its effects on the vehicle) plus delayed services can make up time without requiring authorisation to skip stops (which is worse for the passenger, who has to backtrack, and the operator, which has to pay out delay repay).

On self contained, punctual lines (e.g. Looe Valley) it doesn’t make much of a difference, but on longer services it‘s helpful. Perhaps you should ask the Germans or Swiss why they invested in buttons for hundreds of request stops on their branch lines?

 

[RailWonderer]

As I said earlier, request stops feel like a massive anachronism that only exist "because they do" (although I have a theory about why some were created in the BR era which I'll leave for now in the hope that someone can actually explain what they're for)

To stop only when necessary. Say we have a branch line of 11 stops, 10 en-route, all on request only. The train company knows the train stops at an average of 4/10 stops. It can timetable accordingly and occasionally a train will stop at more than average and be a few minutes behind, or a few minutes early and stop at less than average. It allows a faster service without having to add time into the timetable to stop at every halt on the line.

Germany and Switzerland have long stretches of stations more lightly used than here in the UK, so over there it's a bit more justified but Scotland and Wales especially would benefit. England not so much due to its much higher density meaning where it's only one or two halts on a route and not every station on a route being a halt.

 

[Kite159]

I think for TfW on some of their lines with multiple request stops the public facing timetable has the time a minute or 2 earlier than the working timetable to cater for any potential early running if multiple request stops are skipped.

 

[thenorthern]

I suppose as well request stops are not very user friendly for disabled passengers. Not being able to see a train and not being able to hear it are not ideal when flagging down a train. Also not everyone is able to lift their arms up to flag down a train.

It's easier if the train just stops.

 

[SuspectUsual]

On the most rural lines (such as the Far North) you have to press them a few minutes before the train arrives in order to let the driver know on time.

Is that for boarding only or alighting as well?

If both, how does it work for getting off at Culrain and Invershin? Both request stops and less than a minute apart - how is the button push interpreted or does the guard get involved?

 

[Edsmith]

I suppose as well request stops are not very user friendly for disabled passengers. Not being able to see a train and not being able to hear it are not ideal when flagging down a train. Also not everyone is able to lift their arms up to flag down a train.

It's easier if the train just stops.

I thought the onus was on the train driver to look for anybody on the platform?

 

[Farigiraf]

Is that for boarding only or alighting as well?

If both, how does it work for getting off at Culrain and Invershin? Both request stops and less than a minute apart - how is the button push interpreted or does the guard get involved?

If someone presses the button at Culrain and the train has not yet arrived at Invershin, the driver will still know it’s the button at Culrain that’s been pressed and not the one at Invershin. There’s a video where this is demonstrated.

For travel between Culrain and Invershin, I have no clue, but I’m guessing the amount of passengers that travel between these two by train are closer to 0 than 10.

 

[dosxuk]

With modern rolling stock there seems to be little penalty to actually stopping, but it was definitely a real problem in the past. I'm thinking of the 1st gen DMU's where certain class members seemed to use the rotation of the earth to help them get going, by only slowing down and not stopping you could save a significant amount of time and engine wear. Steam was even more variable in performance, so while the timetable would have been achievable on paper, by not having to fully stop everywhere you could make keeping to time much more achievable.

 

[Chrius56000]

. . .Is there any reason why G.A. couldn't make stations such as Buckenham, Cantley, Lakenheath, Shippea Hill, Eccles Road and Harling Road Request Stops instead of the useless "parliamentary" service they have had for decades?

 

[dk1]

. . .Is there any reason why G.A. couldn't make stations such as Buckenham, Cantley, Lakenheath, Shippea Hill, Eccles Road and Harling Road Request Stops instead of the useless "parliamentary" service they have had for decades?

Cantley???

 

[pokemonsuper9]

. . .Is there any reason why G.A. couldn't make stations such as Buckenham, Cantley, Lakenheath, Shippea Hill, Eccles Road and Harling Road Request Stops instead of the useless "parliamentary" service they have had for decades?

For timetabling purposes, a request stop has to be treated as a normal stop, so it may lead to timetabling issues.

 

[dk1]

For timetabling purposes, a request stop has to be treated as a normal stop, so it may lead to timetabling issues.

And most of those stations (Cantley excepted of course) are basket cases when it comes to custom.

 

[Parallel]

Have Northern now made all their request stops mandatory stops? I know they used to have a few such as Entwistle, Braystones, Nethertown, and I think a few between Preston and Colne - they all look to be mandatory stops now.

As others have mentioned, there are still quite a few on the GWR and TfW networks. There are lots on the Barnstaple, Newquay, Cambrian Coast, Heart of Wales, Conwy Valley and Pembroke Dock lines, as well as the Looe Valley and GWR Weymouth lines.

I’m always surprised there aren’t more on the West Highland line - only Locheilside, Lochailort and Beasdale on the whole route. Ardlui and Roy Bridge are advertised request stops for the sleeper only.

 

[The exile]

That shouldn’t limit progress though. There are no drastic differences between the UK and Germany/Denmark/Switzerland’s rail network which make them impractical here but perfectly okay there. Other than how much transport funding there is, that is.

Don't know much about Danish or Swiss railways but I've never encountered anything on German railways that enables you to board a train at a request stop by any means other than making your presence obvious and sticking your hand out (ie no buttons on the platform etc). Buttons exist on trains to request them to stop to let you off, though. Same applies in Czechia as well.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Feb 2026 ==

With modern rolling stock there seems to be little penalty to actually stopping, but it was definitely a real problem in the past. I'm thinking of the 1st gen DMU's where certain class members seemed to use the rotation of the earth to help them get going, by only slowing down and not stopping you could save a significant amount of time and engine wear. Steam was even more variable in performance, so while the timetable would have been achievable on paper, by not having to fully stop everywhere you could make keeping to time much more achievable.

Mind you, coping with request stops when there was a loco-hauled substitution for the scheduled dmu was "interesting". My first (and as yet only) end to end journey on the Central Wales line was behind a 37 where there was a lot of tooting and flag waving at each request stop - with the guard having to lean out rather alarmingly at some of them. Don't think we had to stop at any.

 

[godfreycomplex]

Have Northern now made all their request stops mandatory stops? I know they used to have a few such as Entwistle, Braystones, Nethertown, and I think a few between Preston and Colne - they all look to be mandatory stops now.

As others have mentioned, there are still quite a few on the GWR and TfW networks. There are lots on the Barnstaple, Newquay, Cambrian Coast, Heart of Wales, Conwy Valley and Pembroke Dock lines, as well as the Looe Valley and GWR Weymouth lines.

I’m always surprised there aren’t more on the West Highland line - only Locheilside, Lochailort and Beasdale on the whole route. Ardlui and Roy Bridge are advertised request stops for the sleeper only.

There aren’t all that many stops that aren’t either Token Exchange Points (where the driver has to stop for the unitiated) or protecting some sort of level crossing/bridge on the West Highland Line. Locheilside, Lochailort, Roy Bridge, Loch Awe & Falls of Cruachan are the only ones.

Ardlui, Connel Ferry, Dalmally, Corrour, Loch Eli Outward Bound & Arisaig are Intermediate Token Exchange Points, which allow for the possibility of them being passed through at line speed if a Long Setion time is issued