Trivia: Large stations where trains pass through but don't stop

[jednick]

I was thinking, about 15 years ago, the "Cathedrals Express" from Hereford to Paddington used to go non-stop from Oxford to Paddington without stopping at Reading.

I know, for example, that certain Virgin Trains services go non-stop from Warrington to Euston, and stop nowhere in between at fairly large stations such as Crewe and Milton Keynes Central.

My question is, what currently is the largest / most important station that a scheduled train passes right through without stopping?

Are there currently any that pass through Reading without stopping? What about any other large station?

Have there ever been any scheduled services that ever passed right through somewhere like Leeds or Birmingham New Street stations without stopping?

I'm talking about trains that actually pass literally right through the station, right past a platform, like the Cathedrals Express used to do at Reading, but don't stop.

I also don't mean trains on diversion due to engineering work, it has to be a timetabled scheduled service at least once a week, or better still, at least once a day.

 

[Failed Unit]

Depends on your criteria.
I have gone a service that went non-stop through Leeds. (Edinburgh - London on diversion)

The sleepers pass through many large stations non-stop.

0540 Edinburgh - London missing York is a big one.

 

[Statto]

Also 07.00 Liverpool-Euston & 19.07 Euston-Liverpool that goes fast Runcorn-Euston, not stopping at Crewe

 

[221129]

1G60 1742 London Paddington to Cheltenham Spa doesn't stop at Reading and should pass through at 95mph

 

[jednick]

Depends on your criteria.
I have gone a service that went non-stop through Leeds. (Edinburgh - London on diversion)

The sleepers pass through many large stations non-stop.

0540 Edinburgh - London missing York is a big one.

I was thinking about trains not on diversion.

The one you mention that doesn't stop at York is a really good answer.

 

[Right Away]

Are there currently any that pass through Reading without stopping?

On a weekday at Reading there are several trains that are not booked to stop there.

1P16 07:06 Didcot Parkway to Paddington.
1L20 05:59 Swansea to Paddington.
1G60 17:42 Paddington to Cheltenham Spa.

1P16 runs fast Tilehurst to Twyford. 1L20 runs fast Swindon to Paddington. 1G60 runs fast Paddington to Didcot Parkway.

 

[theironroad]

Depends on what you class as a big town. Basingstoke (90 on up fast (long term temporary 50)65 on down fast and Woking (100 on up fast, 90 on down fast) both have trains running through fast most hours of the day. Depending on time of day, platforms can be very busy.

 

[asylumxl]

I am not sure if they still run, but I used some services years ago from Plymouth that did not stop at Bristol Temple Meads and instead passed.

 

[Right Away]

The sleepers pass through many large stations non-stop.

The GWR sleepers are a good example. When they are routed via Bristol Temple Meads they are not booked to call there. There are however a variety of routes that these trains can be routed by dependent on engineering work.

 

[jednick]

Ok, so we've got Reading, Crewe, Bristol Temple Meads and York as valid answers so far.

In my mind, I can't decide which of these four is the most important / largest station? Any thoughts?

Is it judged by passenger usage or number of platforms?

Basically, do you rate York, Crewe, Bristol Temple Meads or Reading as the most "important" station? Which one of those four stations is it most surprising that a train passes right through but doesn't stop?

 

[steamybrian]

The 17 platform station of Clapham Junction
There are many services that do not stop there.!!!

 

[MidnightFlyer]

All M-F only as far as I know:
Stoke is missed by the 0700 Manchester-Euston and the (FO) 0938 Preston-Euston only.
Hereford is missed by just the 0830 Llandudno-Cardiff Central.
Stirling is missed by the 1541 and 1641 Glasgow Queen St-Aberdeen (and the 1541 only on Saturdays).
Birmi International and Coventry are missed by just the 0705 Wolves-Euston.
Preston is omitted by the Lowland Sleeper and Carlisle the Highland only.

Two trains an hour pass Crewe non-stop by the way!

 

[MidnightFlyer]

And let's not forget, for now at least, London Bridge several times and hour, and even more so in the peak!

 

[Altfish]

Manchester - London 0700 runs through Stoke non-stop

 

[adrock1976]

I would suggest in addition to the above Motherwell, Stafford, Lichfield Trent Valley, Tamworth, Nuneaton, Rugby, and Watford Junction for Virgin Trains WC Intercity trains.

All of these stations had their calls drastically cut at the December 2008 timetable change.

Of note, a friend of mine who resides in Lanark used to use the train when visiting a family member residing in Rickmansworth. When the timetable was changed, rather than a simple Lanark-Motherwell-Watford Junction journey, this now involves ridiculous doublebacks, making the journey time worse than compared to the days of Class 87+DVT loco hauled sets.

My friend tried an alternative of driving to Carlisle to pick up the train there and double back from London Euston, but 4 out of the 5 times upon arriving at Carlisle, there was either lengthy delays or cancellations. As my friends daughter had recently learned how to drive and passed the test, they drive the whole way to Rickmansworth, sharing the driving between them every 2-3 hours.

 

[Statto]

Would Edinburgh on the Inverness/Aberdeen portions of the Highland Sleeper count, although the Sleeper stops there it's only to split or join, don't think passengers aren't allowed to alight & board from these portions of the Sleeper at Edinburgh?

 

[221129]

Would Edinburgh on the Inverness/Aberdeen portions of the Highland Sleeper count, although the Sleeper stops there it's only to split or join, don't think passengers aren't allowed to alight & board from these portions of the Sleeper at Edinburgh?

No because it stops...

 

[Bromley boy]

Waterloo East (when diagrams are printed incorrectly) has been a notable one recently. Every ex Charing + service *should* stop there. A couple of drivers have recently driven through without stopping, as they were prefectly entitled to do as per their (incorrect) diagrams, and having first advised passengers via the PA, as they have become fed up with reporting errors that are not corrected.

There's one or two Chatham mainline workings in the peak that miss out Bromley South (at least one Blackfriars bound working in the AM peak I believe is fast from Rochester to Blackfriars).

Similarly there are some peak time services that miss Sevenoakes.

Are there any (non GATEX) services that miss East Croydon?

 

[[.n]]

The 17 platform station of Clapham Junction
There are many services that do not stop there.!!!

I was going to suggest this!

 

[Whistler40145]

Do any services run non-stop through Peterborough?

 

[50031]

As regards to services in the fairly recent past, I distinctly remember around 1990, one Northbound summer Saturday cross country service from Paignton running non-stop between Dawlish Warren and Derby, so that missed Exeter St Davids, Taunton, Bristol Temple Meads AND Birmingham New Street!

 

[InOban]

But I think they bypassed Birmingham, didn't pass through without stopping.

 

[jednick]

As regards to services in the fairly recent past, I distinctly remember around 1990, one Northbound summer Saturday cross country service from Paignton running non-stop between Dawlish Warren and Derby, so that missed Exeter St Davids, Taunton, Bristol Temple Meads AND Birmingham New Street!

Interesting!
Would it have definitely past literally right through New Street? Or maybe bypassed it by, for example, deviating off the main line at King's Norton and then through Saltley?

 

[Whistler40145]

It would be interesting to see a timetable from this year. The only reason I can think of if it went via Camp Hill to Saltley direct would be more than likely if Birmingham New Street was congested.

 

[3141]

Are there any trains in passenger service that pass through platforms 13 or 14 at Manchester Piccadilly without stopping?

 

[Whistler40145]

Are there any trains in passenger service that pass through platforms 13 or 14 at Manchester Piccadilly without stopping?

Not to my knowledge, only hear of diverted Virgin Pendolinos being routed this way during engineering works on the WCML

 

[50031]

It would be interesting to see a timetable from this year. The only reason I can think of if it went via Camp Hill to Saltley direct would be more than likely if Birmingham New Street was congested.

Ah yes, didn't think of the Camp Hill line. Still, this train did miss New Street in any case so it has merit for this subject

 

[deltic]

Are there any trains in passenger service that pass through platforms 13 or 14 at Manchester Piccadilly without stopping?

No but a few go through Manchester Oxford Rd without stopping

 

[xotGD]

Do any services run non-stop through Peterborough?

Lots!

 

[Bevan Price]

Do any services run non-stop through Peterborough?

Yes. In addition to the train posted above 05:40 Edinburgh - Kings Cross calling only at Newcastle, many Leeds - Kings Cross services omit Peterborough.

The situation is much less common than it used to be. Surely the most unusual were those (mostly summer only) Blackpool - Scotland trains which passed non-stop through Preston - twice. To avoid reversals & loco change in Preston station, these ran non-stop round the (now partly closed) loop Preston - Farington Curve Jn - Lostock Hall - Todd Lane Jn - Preston.