Trivia: Stops You Wouldn't Expect

[Dai Corner]

1C01, the 0519 Paddington to Swansea via Bath and Bristol Temple Meads calls at the suburban station Filton Abbey Wood even though a Taunton-Cardiff local is just five minutes behind.

Are there other examples of calls you wouldn't expect?

 

[nw1]

There's a random Southern service mid-late evening which stops additionally at Woolston and St Denys, currently the 21:34 from Cosham. A similar service has made these calls since at least 2003.
Not sure why this particular service - at a quiet time of day - makes the calls; the normal hourly SWT/SWR service still runs in this hour.

Granted Woolston and St Denys could do with more trains at certain times of day but not sure this is one of them!

 

[Wirewiper]

London Paddington - Paignton services calling at Dawlish Warren on Summer Saturdays.

 

[GW43125]

14:52 Aberdeen-London calling at Stevenage of all places.

 

[AndrewE]

In the 1970s at least one of the Bristol to Liverpool trains in each direction used to call at Hartford - I was told for the benefit of the ICI staff travelling between Avonmouth and Northwich, where there were research labs as well as the chlor-alkali industry.

 

[WelshBluebird]

The Bristol Temple Meads to London Waterloo SWR services stopping at Keynsham and Oldfield Park always strikes me as surprising, considering other than that, those stations get just the GWR stopping at all shacks services.

 

[Deafdoggie]

London Paddington - Paignton services calling at Dawlish Warren on Summer Saturdays.

Is that unexpected? Transporting holidaymakers from city to seaside in the summer should be very expected surely?

 

[GatwickDepress]

The first service to Ore (0532 from London Victoria) calls at Purley and then all stations via Redhill to Three Bridges before continuing the normal stopping pattern. No doubt its a way to serve Redhill at the extremes of the day while also getting stock in place, but it is a test of endurance.

 

[cuccir]

1C01, the 0519 Paddington to Swansea via Bath and Bristol Temple Meads calls at the suburban station Filton Abbey Wood even though a Taunton-Cardiff local is just five minutes behind.

Are there other examples of calls you wouldn't expect?

I wonder if this is related to the MoD site at Filton, and a use in having an early train from London in getting people to meetings.

 

[Dai Corner]

I wonder if this is related to the MoD site at Filton, and a use in having an early train from London in getting people to meetings.

Also a through train from Bath, from where a significant number of jobs were relocated to Abbey Wood. There used to be trains for these commuters which avoided Temple Meads.

 

[ctrh136]

The 0526 VIC to EGR has a couple of unusual stops at Norwood Junction & South Croydon, before running fast to Oxted.

 

[Ianno87]

The random Southeastern Chatham Main Line Up morning peak stops at Bellingham, Crofton park etc.

 

[Harbouring]

I’m sure the logic is there but Southern have an hourly service that goes Victoria-Clapham Jn-East Croydon-Horley-Burgess Hill-Brighton. Just looks strange to not see Gatwick/Hayward Heath/Three Bridges in there

 

[GW43125]

I’m sure the logic is there but Southern have an hourly service that goes Victoria-Clapham Jn-East Croydon-Horley-Burgess Hill-Brighton. Just looks strange to not see Gatwick/Hayward Heath/Three Bridges in there

Remember that until the Gatwick express extension, there were the Ex-Connex expresses which ran Victoria-Clapham-E Croydon-Brighton. Now they're gone it's bumped up journey times from Clapham a fair bit.

 

[30907]

Is that unexpected? Transporting holidaymakers from city to seaside in the summer should be very expected surely?

Indeed, and the Warren is densely populated with mobile homes, not to mention the camping coaches.

 

[30907]

The random Southeastern Chatham Main Line Up morning peak stops at Bellingham, Crofton park etc.

My guess is that the Crofton Park stops serve to balance train loadings and/or provide a link from the Catford Loop to Victoria (now that the South London Line doesn't do the job). Incidentally, it's interesting that Denmark Hill has replaced Peckham Rye as the semi-fast stop of choice in the last 20 years.

 

[Flying Claret]

Any train that stops in Blackburn... why would you...?

 

[30907]

Any train that stops in Blackburn... why would you...?

Objection, m'lud!

Or, to change for Accrington?

 

[martinsh]

The Liverpool - Birmingham services which stop at Coseley

 

[Confused147]

2245 Wolverhampton to Euston that calls at Northampton

Recently the Caledonian sleeper called at Warrington BQ on a mon only

 

[theageofthetra]

When it was in use did any passenger services stop at Hoo jct staff halt? - or was it just ECS?

 

[roversfan2001]

Any train that stops in Blackburn... why would you...?

To stick the steam engine at the front for it's trip back in time further east

 

[170401]

VTECs Highland Cheiftan oddly calls at Dunblane. But only in the up direction and only on a Sunday!

 

[Starmill]

A lot of people have posted calls that actually make very good sense. Consider what would happen if they didn't call. For example, the Up Chatam mainline trains had a small handfull of stops at places like Bellingham and Crofton Park were inserted because the stopping trains on that line were at capacity and people were being left behind at these stations, while some of the passing fast trains had space.

The 2310 from Birmingham New Street does indeed call at Northampton - it's the final service!

The fast trains on between Birmingham and Wolverhampton call at the busiest stations (Coseley, Sandwell & Dudley and Smethwick Galton Bridge) in order to provide more than 2 services per hour on this very busy section of track while maintaining the speed of longer-distance services.

You might say it's a surprise that the 1452 from Aberdeen to London KX calls at Doncaster, Peterborough and Stevenage, but there isn't another train southbound from York for an hour and a quarter after it, so there would be a very long gap indeed for anyone travelling from York or north thereof to Peterborough or Stevnage without this.

These all make very good sense.

 

[Envy123]

One time I rode the Stansted Express, the PIS said that it would stop at Sawbridgeworth. As far as I know, this isn’t a usual stop...

 

[Kite159]

VTECs Highland Cheiftan oddly calls at Dunblane. But only in the up direction and only on a Sunday!

That service calls at other stations on the Highland Main Line which it doesn't normally call at, only the Up service on Sundays. I think the only station it skips is Dalwhinnie

 

[Flying Claret]

To stick the steam engine at the front for it's trip back in time further east

Ha you should know that it's still horse and cart only, east of accrington..

 

[PHILIPE]

1M25 0700 Cardiff Cen to Manchester Picc XC Voyager calls at Severn Tunnel Jn, Patchway and Filton Abbeywood. This is the only XC of the day along this section of route and replaces the usual GWR Cardiff to Taunton at this time and conveys commuters into Bristol.

 

[SWTrainspottin]

1T48 2120 Cheltenham Spa - Bristol Temple Meads is booked as a HST and calls at Yate and Cam & Dursley.

 

[SWTrainspottin]

1C40 0702 Plymouth - Penzance also booked a HST calls at Devonport.