• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Shortest scheduled end to end journey

Status
Not open for further replies.

CC 72100

Established Member
Joined
23 Jan 2012
Messages
3,777
Evening folks :)

During a leisurely Devon Evening Ranger, I boarded what possibly is the shortest start to finish scheduled journey in the UK. I present to you 2R95 - 21:14 Exeter St Davids - Exeter Central. http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/timetable/details?id=1&return=false&callingPage=tf

Now, I'm well aware this train goes off on the 21:21 Exeter Central - Paignton a couple of minutes after terminating at Central, but given that my service is listed as a separate service in it's own right, surely it is the shortest advertised service out there?

Another first for me this evening was having the whole train to myself - I've always wanted my own 150/1 for all of 3 minutes and 62 chains! :p
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

Michael.Y

Established Member
Joined
14 Oct 2011
Messages
1,431
Cardiff Queen Street - Cardiff Bay is 4 minutes long also, but longer at approximately 1 mile.
 

CC 72100

Established Member
Joined
23 Jan 2012
Messages
3,777
Wow! Never knew there were so many! I knew the Stourbridge junction- Stourbridge Town one would come close, but I wasn't aware of the Wrexham one.

I know my journey was scheduled for 5 minutes, but it only took about 3. About 20 -25 got on at Central for the service to Paignton, so that was pretty well loaded given the time of night.
 

greatkingrat

Established Member
Joined
20 Jan 2011
Messages
2,751
On LU, the Mill Hill East shuttle is booked for 2.5 minutes northbound and 3 minutes southbound.

Brighton - Hove is 4 minutes as well.
 

Ivo

Established Member
Joined
8 Jan 2010
Messages
7,307
Location
Bath (or Southend)
I never realised just how long the Colchester Town shuttle was until this thread came along! At over 2¼ miles it is enormous compared to some of these.
 

OliverS

Member
Joined
5 Dec 2011
Messages
108
I never realised just how long the Colchester Town shuttle was until this thread came along! At over 2¼ miles it is enormous compared to some of these.

Given connection times at North Station you used to be able get off an Ipswich service and walk to Colchester Town quicker than catching the shuttle. At least I have done so, walking past Colchester Town as the shuttle pulled in to the platform. You do have to walk fast though...
 

tsr

Established Member
Joined
15 Nov 2011
Messages
7,400
Location
Between the parallel lines
But is that a branch line or just a shuttle between two stations?

Both. There are electrified services between Reigate and London terminals, but there are also some EMU-worked shuttles between Redhill and Reigate. In addition, you have the DMU-worked North Downs Line services between Redhill/Gatwick Airport and Reading via Reigate, Dorking and Guildford. All EMUs are 377s, and DMUs are either 165s or 166s. The North Downs Line has several non-electrified sections, but Redhill-Reigate is not one of them.
 

class26

Member
Joined
4 May 2011
Messages
1,123
Culrain to Invershin on the Far north line. Most services are allowed just 1 minute between the two.
 

Batman

Member
Joined
27 Jun 2011
Messages
497
Location
North Birmingham
Culrain to Invershin on the Far north line. Most services are allowed just 1 minute between the two.

Same between Erdington and Chester Road on the Birmingham Cross City Line.

With acceleration on the 323's, it feels like it's over in about 30-40 seconds.

And it's followed by another very short trip from Chester Road to Wylde Green. If you're reading a newspaper and not paying attention to whats going on out the window, it's very easy to loose track of what station you're at.
 

tsr

Established Member
Joined
15 Nov 2011
Messages
7,400
Location
Between the parallel lines
Same between Erdington and Chester Road on the Birmingham Cross City Line.

With acceleration on the 323's, it feels like it's over in about 30-40 seconds.

And it's followed by another very short trip from Chester Road to Wylde Green. If you're reading a newspaper and not paying attention to whats going on out the window, it's very easy to loose track of what station you're at.

On another line, trips between East Croydon and South Croydon will last for under two minutes, but the difference is pretty noticeable if you so much as glance out of the window. However, I have known infrequent travellers to get confused as to which station they are at between Coulsdon (either station) and East Croydon, and also between East Croydon and Clapham Junction.
 

Deerfold

Veteran Member
Joined
26 Nov 2009
Messages
12,571
Location
Yorkshire
Shortest 3-station route?

Bradford FS to Shipley? (there's 3 an evening Mo-Sa each way) is almost as short at 7 minutes (not that it takes that long). Also electrified.

There were about 4 people on the 4 carriage train last time I got one. I certainly had a carriage to myself.
 

Tracked

Established Member
Joined
30 May 2011
Messages
1,242
Location
53.5440°N 1.1510°W
Bradford FS to Shipley? (there's 3 an evening Mo-Sa each way) is almost as short at 7 minutes (not that it takes that long). Also electrified.

There were about 4 people on the 4 carriage train last time I got one. I certainly had a carriage to myself.

I Think there's a couple of Doncaster-Bentley-Adwick services that don't run on from Sheffield/Lincoln
 

W230

Established Member
Joined
6 Jan 2012
Messages
1,214
Brundall Gardens to Brundall on the Wherry lines is only 3 minutes. Not sure how far it is though...

Not an end of service run though!
 
Last edited:

transmanche

Established Member
Joined
27 Feb 2011
Messages
6,018
Is there not an end-of-service run between Ryde Pierhead and St John's Road?
Yes, 2D65 Ryde Pier Head to Ryde St John's Road at 22:45. 1 mile 19ch. Booked for 6 mins with an intermediate stop at Ryde Esplanade.
 

142094

Established Member
Joined
7 Nov 2009
Messages
8,789
Location
Newcastle
Newcastle - MetroCentre is also a short one, and if they stopped at Dunston, would be a very short 3-station trip.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top