Which train service has the slowest approach to a train station?

[infobleep]

Which train service has the slowest approach to a train station?

The 8.46 Guildford to Waterloo takes at least 4 minutes to get from outside Woking Junction to Woking platform. In contrast some trains get from Woking to Guildford in just 7 minutes. By the time this train reaches the junction, it's already done 10 minutes, which is the time it takes the 7.45 to reach Woking station. The reason for this is that the 8.46 is taking up a platform at Guildford that another train needs to use, so it has to depart when it does. With so many other trains passing through Woking it has to wait where it least gets in the way of other services.

Some services from the north into Reading on a Sunday, wait for about 5-10 minutes outside the station. Reading station is announced sometime before you get there. Even says in the next few minutes. It actually a bit longer than that. I assume that will change once all the building work is completed though, if it hasn't changed already.

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[TDK]

Which train service has the slowest approach to a train station?

The 8.46 Guildford to Waterloo takes at least 4 minutes to get from outside Woking Junction to Woking platform. In contrast some trains get from Woking to Guildford in just 7 minutes. By the time this train reaches the junction, it's already done 10 minutes, which is the time it takes the 7.45 to reach Woking station. The reason for this is that the 8.46 is taking up a platform at Guildford that another train needs to use, so it has to depart when it does. With so many other trains passing through Woking it has to wait where it least gets in the way of other services.

Some services from the north into Reading on a Sunday, wait for about 5-10 minutes outside the station. Reading station is announced sometime before you get there. Even says in the next few minutes. It actually a bit longer than that. I assume that will change once all the building work is completed though, if it hasn't changed already.

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The approach to Warrington from the Helsby Line is only 10mph and that is slow.

 

[bicbasher]

London Overground's WLL and SLL services into Clapham Junction surely are a contender? I think some trains are given 8 minutes between Wandsworth Road and Clapham Junction.

I went to CJ on the SLL on Saturday and it did seem an eternity.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

If you want to take this thread in the direction of timetable padding be prepared for at least three thousand answers. Expect a similar number of answers if you are talking about bottlenecks in the peaks.

 

[455driver]

Which train service has the slowest approach to a train station?

The 8.46 Guildford to Waterloo takes at least 4 minutes to get from outside Woking Junction to Woking platform.

Because it has a booked wait before the junction for the down Basingstoke 2L17 (on the down slow) and 2B24 to Waterloo (on the up fast line) to go through first.

The 0846 is formed from 2G11 which arrives (from Cobham) into platform 2 at 0832, it cannot wait at Guildford and leave later because the platform is required by another service which arrives as 2F11 at 0850, this then forms the 0858 (2D22) to Waterloo via Epsom.

All these suburban services have to use platform 2 as they work between the Woking line and the Cobham route, none of them can use platform 3 as that has the 444 split from the 0839 to Portsmouth (1P17) which is then attached to by the 0854 to Waterloo (1G22) which runs fast via the New Line.

5 minutes looking on RTT would have given you all this information just by looking at how the platforms at-
Guildford (http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/advanced/GLD/2014/05/13/0842?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt) are used and the services running through
Woking jn (http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/advanced/WOKINGJ/2014/05/13/0857?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt).

 

[chorleyjeff]

If you want to take this thread in the direction of timetable padding be prepared for at least three thousand answers. Expect a similar number of answers if you are talking about bottlenecks in the peaks.

OK
To kick off how about 25 minutes from Blackpool South to Blackpool Central for a London to Blackpool train. Maybe the usual Blackpool 6P/5F was a bit winded after 220miles.

 

[londiscape]

Which train service has the slowest approach to a train station?

is Birmingham New Street anywhere up there? On the few times I've been there, approaching from south on a VT 390, there's always been about a 10 minute wait outside the station before pulling in to the platform.

 

[455driver]

is Birmingham New Street anywhere up there? On the few times I've been there, approaching from south on a VT 390, there's always been about a 10 minute wait outside the station before pulling in to the platform.

Really!
Can you give us dates and times and we will check that!

 

[Moonshot]

Southport to Meols Cop must be worth a consideration ( and the reverse )

 

[eisenach]

Newport from the Marches line. I don't think I've ever gone straight in, and often get stuck in multiple places !

 

[eisenach]

Sorry ! Double post. No idea why !

 

[infobleep]

Because it has a booked wait before the junction for the down Basingstoke 2L17 (on the down slow) and 2B24 to Waterloo (on the up fast line) to go through first.

The 0846 is formed from 2G11 which arrives (from Cobham) into platform 2 at 0832, it cannot wait at Guildford and leave later because the platform is required by another service which arrives as 2F11 at 0850, this then forms the 0858 (2D22) to Waterloo via Epsom.

All these suburban services have to use platform 2 as they work between the Woking line and the Cobham route, none of them can use platform 3 as that has the 444 split from the 0839 to Portsmouth (1P17) which is then attached to by the 0854 to Waterloo (1G22) which runs fast via the New Line.

5 minutes looking on RTT would have given you all this information just by looking at how the platforms at-
Guildford (http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/advanced/GLD/2014/05/13/0842?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt) are used and the services running through
Woking jn (http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/advanced/WOKINGJ/2014/05/13/0857?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt).

I'm actually aware of all of that, although other won't be. I just felt I shouldn't make my post rather long so I kept it short for once and kept that information out, or to be precise, took it out after typing it.

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[londiscape]

Really!
Can you give us dates and times and we will check that!

I would struggle to do so, my last trip was around Christmas last year and while I could probably dig out the date given some trawling around, I most certainly don't remember times other than around mid-afternoon (I don't use advance fares on these journeys, just turn up and go) and with 3tph from EUS to BHM it won't help.

 

[SansPareil]

Kingston loop services going into Twickenham over the bridge and down the bank into platform 3. It's very slow, and then you can see the Reading train arrive on time to platform 4 just early enough so you can't catch it, and so one minute gets dragged out to a whole 15 minutes if you're heading to Waterloo.

 

[infobleep]

Kingston loop services going into Twickenham over the bridge and down the bank into platform 3. It's very slow, and then you can see the Reading train arrive on time to platform 4 just early enough so you can't catch it, and so one minute gets dragged out to a whole 15 minutes if you're heading to Waterloo.

I know that feeling. If the 8.46 could arrive into Woking slightly earlier I could catch the 8.59 fast to Surbiton. As it is, to catch that train I have to get the 8.31 from Guildford and wait 18 minutes. Still that's only 5 minutes slower than getting the stopping service via Cobham and it has toilets on board.

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[455driver]

So the 0846 goes straight into Woking where does 2B24 go?

 

[Welshman]

I nominate the approaches to Manchester Oxford Rd and Piccadilly from the Ordsall Lane direction.

Services from North Wales seem very rarely to get straight into Oxford Rd without being held-up somewhere in that congested section.

I was on a diverted VT from Oxenholme to Crewe via Manchester Piccadilly a couple of weeks ago. Just north of Salford Crescent, the automated PIS advised us we were "now approaching Manchester Piccadilly" and so folks started gathering their bags and belongings and making for the doors. We then crawled to Ordsall Lane, stopped there and at Castlefield Junction and again in Deansgate Station, and then in Oxford Rd station, before crawling into Piccadilly. We were obviously following closely on the heels of a stopper, and at both dead stands in Deansgate & Oxford Rd, the guard warned that the doors would remain locked, as we were not in Piccadilly yet.

Knowing the route, I remained smugly in my seat, but those who'd heeded the warning at Salford Crescent were standing in the vestibule for at least 10 minutes!

 

[adrock1976]

How about Barnehurst to Slade Green? This journey is scheduled for at least 12 minutes to travel a very short distance between the 2 stops. I am also aware that the train sits on the curve during this time.

In peace

Adam

 

[SpacePhoenix]

A lot of larger stations may well have blanket slow speed limits partly for safety but probably mainly because of the sheer amount of pointwork

 

[infobleep]

So the 0846 goes straight into Woking where does 2B24 go?

That comes from Southampton also goes into Woking, platform 1 and then on to Surbiton and finally Waterloo. It's one of the services that will eventually be lengthened to 8 carriages.

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[route:oxford]

Any Virgin service approaching Haymarket from Carlisle...

It always *feels* like there is a 10 minute delay each time

 

[Class172]

During the past couple of months, all trains arriving at Droitwich from the direction of Kidderminster had been crawling at around 3mph whilst passing the signal box and the junction. Usually, after seeing the distant train from the platform, it takes around 45secs for the train to arrive - whilst this was happening, it was around 3 mins. Luckily, the situation as reverted to the normal state.

 

[Hyphen]

Really!
Can you give us dates and times and we will check that!

The approach to New St can be (or at least feel) very slow at congested times, especially during disruption or if you're approaching it early.

One Sunday a few years ago there was a lot of padding added to services approaching from Water Orton due to works. My service from Nottm flew through it all and got to Grand Junction 7-8 mins before time, and we were stopped at every signal between there and the platform, arriving bang on time.