Worst Sunday Rail Service

[sheff'd victoria]

Roll up Roll up

Im looking for a list of the worst Sunday passenger services out there.

These could include lines that had a good Sunday service but has been cut back, lines that have never had a Sunday service but need one & lines where it takes forever to get there on a Sunday

Top lines at present in my area are :

Sheffield Midland - Cleethorpes via Brigg ( Saturday Only Service )
Sheffield Midland - Lincoln ( 1342pm first train on a Sunday )

Im sure you can name a few

 

[northwichcat]

Acton Bridge gets no Sunday service, while the first southbound train from Hartford and Winsford on Sunday is just after mid-day.

The Atherton line gets a Sunday service now but there's a disclaimer on the timetable saying it will only run as long as TfGM funding remains available.

 

[martinsh]

Crewe to Derby - first Sunday train not until after 2pm !

What's more it has been that way for at least 40 years. I remember vaguely there used to be 1 morning train, that usually got replaced by a bus between Uttoxter and Stoke - but I think that stopped in the mid 70s.

 

[Twoonthebuzzer]

Pilning gets no service.

Severn Beach only has a morning and a evening train, with buses in the afternoon.

Out of the summer season, the first train to Weymouth from Bristol is in the afternoon and vice versa.

 

[dvboy]

Lincoln, from memory:
First train Sheffield 12 noon
Next train Nottingham 3pm
No trains to/from Grimsby/Cleethorpes in Winter

 

[All Line Rover]

Hawarden Bridge has no services on a Sunday.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Crewe to Derby - first Sunday train not until after 2pm !

What's more it has been that way for at least 40 years. I remember vaguely there used to be 1 morning train, that usually got replaced by a bus between Uttoxter and Stoke - but I think that stopped in the mid 70s.

That's got to be one of the worst around for what is a fairly well used line.

 

[cjohnson]

West Ealing and Hanwell have no Sunday service; even though the Heathrow Connect still runs on that day! Hopefully once Crossrail comes they will open on Sundays.

 

[D6975]

The West Highland is pretty dire in the Winter.
After 28 October there's:
Just one train up, 18:20 off Q St
One down 16:05 Mallaig/18:11 Oban
plus the Southbound sleeper 19:00 off Fort Bill

The late departure from Q St means very late arrival at places beyond Fort Bill.

 

[DarloRich]

Marston Vale line: No service

 

[YorkshireBear]

I think the harrogate line has to be one of the worst (when comparing to midweek) it has 4tph peak and 2tph off peak.
It has 1tp2h on a sunday for most of the day. starting at half 10.

Robin Hood line must be pretty poor too?

 

[dk1]

Crewe to Derby - first Sunday train not until after 2pm !

What's more it has been that way for at least 40 years. I remember vaguely there used to be 1 morning train, that usually got replaced by a bus between Uttoxter and Stoke - but I think that stopped in the mid 70s.

Very poor when they are racing at Uttoxeter, one of the most conveniently sites courses in the UK.

 

[Proud Salopian]

Heart of Wales Line: just two trains in each direction on Sundays.

 

[OxtedL]

The first train from Uckfield on a Sunday doesn't leave until after 10.30.

It's taking the Michael, I tell you.

 

[Deerfold]

West Ealing and Hanwell have no Sunday service; even though the Heathrow Connect still runs on that day! Hopefully once Crossrail comes they will open on Sundays.

Taplow has 4 trains on a Sunday:

0001 to Oxford
0021 and
0045 both to Reading
0024 to Paddington.

Shame as I think it'd be reasonably well used - they've doubled the Mon-Sat off peak service to 2tph.

 

[philjo]

Crewe to Derby - first Sunday train not until after 2pm !

What's more it has been that way for at least 40 years. I remember vaguely there used to be 1 morning train, that usually got replaced by a bus between Uttoxter and Stoke - but I think that stopped in the mid 70s.

I noticed that one as trying to get to Derbyshire for 2pm on a Sunday next month.
No service as far as I could see Grantham-Nottingham on Sunday mornings.

Quickest way on sunday 23rd sept to Derby from Stevenage is EC to Doncaster & XC south to Derby! Will use EMT from StP though extended journey times due engineering works south of leicester (diverted via corby) which means no suitable connection for Matlock as I would get there too late - so will be picked up at Derby.


Cumbrian coast - no service Barrow-whitehaven.
Cambrian coast - winter 1 train each way per day (northbound one is early evening so too late on the day I needed to go to Aberdovey for sun afternoon arrival so had to travel the previous day & stay an extra night)

 

[northwichcat]

The first train from Uckfield on a Sunday doesn't leave until after 10.30.

That's very good in comparison to the much larger Lincoln mentioned above.

 

[Gwenllian2001]

Maesteg.

 

[neilm]

The first train from Uckfield on a Sunday doesn't leave until after 10.30.

It's taking the Michael, I tell you.

And it does not even go to east Croydon, although I think pre southern there was no Sunday service at all.

 

[Searle]

Holmwood, Ockley and Warnham have no Sunday service

 

[OxtedL]

And it does not even go to east Croydon, although I think pre southern there was no Sunday service at all.

Indeed. The current Sunday service is now basically what the off peak service was pre-Southern, but with a more reasonable start for the train crew.

They get remarkably full sometimes now, particularly in the Summer. I wonder if extending them to London would help, but then there'd be no difference between the Sunday and Saturday services...

Gosh we have it hard here in the South East.

 

[trentside]

Lincoln, from memory:
First train Sheffield 12 noon
Next train Nottingham 3pm
No trains to/from Grimsby/Cleethorpes in Winter

First train out of Lincoln on Sundays is the 1105 to Newark Northgate, and during the summer months this forms the 1135 Northgate to Cleethorpes via Lincoln (dep. 1200). From September, return working terminates at Lincoln. The next departure is the 1300 to Newark, then 1500 to Nottingham and the 1515 to Leeds (via Sheffield). The next departure to Nottingham isn't until 1800 and then it's hourly to 2200.

 

[Donachie]

Dumfries To Kilmarnock on G&SW, only 2 trains each way on a Sunday .

 

[swcovas]

Heart of Wales Line: just two trains in each direction on Sundays.

Beggars can't be choosers considering we never had "real" sunday service til the mid 1990's (not sure of exact date). However, the timings of the 2 each way service are such that it makes it difficult to use for any feasible day out anywhere! The sunday "Rambler Trains" of the 1980s actually offered a much better service but that was summer only.

 

[Class172]

Bromsgrove doesn't have any services towards Birmingham until mid-afternoon on a Sunday.

 

[DarloRich]

Lotys of people are telling us about sparse services on a Sunday. Surely the worst service on Sunday is no service. How many lines (not stations) have no service at all on a Sunday?

 

[2Dogbox]

First train out of Lincoln on Sundays is the 1105 to Newark Northgate, and during the summer months this forms the 1135 Northgate to Cleethorpes via Lincoln (dep. 1200). From September, return working terminates at Lincoln. The next departure is the 1300 to Newark, then 1500 to Nottingham and the 1515 to Leeds (via Sheffield). The next departure to Nottingham isn't until 1800 and then it's hourly to 2200.

It is most definitely a dreadful service round here on Sundays. Why an hourly service can't run to Nottingham starting at about 1000 I have no idea. There seem to be enough staff who would work the Sunday's required. I have always got the impression that there is no effort on the part of the TOC to want to change anything from the minimum service level set out for the franchise by the DFT.

 

[exile]

TBH Sunday services are far better than they were back in the 60s - Scotland had hardly any Sunday trains at all - but then a Scottish Sunday in the 60s consisted of going to church or taking healthy walks through the heather.

 

[David Goddard]

Taplow has 4 trains on a Sunday:

0001 to Oxford
0021 and
0045 both to Reading
0024 to Paddington.

Shame as I think it'd be reasonably well used - they've doubled the Mon-Sat off peak service to 2tph.

Technically Sunday but in reality the tail end of Saturday's service.


There are five stations on this route in all with no Sunday service:
Acton Main Line
West Ealing
Hanwell
Iver
Taplow
Plus of course the whole Greenford branch

 

[craigwilson]

I remember Horton-in-Ribblesdale having a particularly thin Sunday service when I was up there earlier this year.

 

[6Gman]

Very poor when they are racing at Uttoxeter, one of the most conveniently sites courses in the UK.

Getting from the coach park to the course involved crossing the railway line when I last visited, so the authorities are probably quite relieved if there are no trains running!