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Long routes where Class 158 trains can be allocated?

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driver9000

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Yes they did work Anglo-Scottish services under Intercity Cross Country and later Virgin Cross Country using 158747-751. They were used on Liverpool and Manchester Airport to Edinburgh services and also worked to the South coast.

Northern Spirit used 158s on the Leeds to Glasgow Central via Settle services.

North Western Trains used them on the Blackpool North and Rochdale to London Euston services.
 

sprinterguy

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Liverpool to Norwich must be in with a shout, both historically and currently: It looks to be around 15 miles longer (via Sheffield) than the c.234 miles between Manchester Airport and Edinburgh or Glasgow, and longer still than any of Blackpool North - London Euston, Birmingham International - Pwllheli, Newcastle - Liverpool Lime Street, Edinburgh/Glasgow - Inverness or Inverness - Wick/Thurso. Journeys of around 200 miles, give or take 30 miles, seem fairly common for these units.
Wales & Borders' Penzance - Manchester Piccadilly.
Alright, I can't beat that. :lol:
 

swaldman

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Going on time, rather than distance, I'd imagine the Far North Line must be up there? (about 3h45m) Though probably not when compared to Penzance-Manchester.....!
 

swt_passenger

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Did SWT run Penzance to Brighton weekends only before 2006? Might have been only one way?

Even if not from Brighton then Waterloo to Penzance is a decent length and time for a 158. 303 miles?
 
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sprinterguy

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Going on time, rather than distance, I'd imagine the Far North Line must be up there? (about 3h45m) Though probably not when compared to Penzance-Manchester.....!
It's a good effort, but Liverpool - Norwich at 5 hours 16 minutes is still significantly longer (It even trumps the long stagger from Birmingham International to Pwllheli by a handful of minutes). There's probably more passengers doing Inverness - Thurso/Wick all the way through, though, especially in the summer.
 
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swaldman

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Ouch. I should note that the 3h45m is only to Thurso - my mistake - it's a bit longer for Wick. It won't exceed 5 hrs though!!!
 

Ken H

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08:59 brighton - Gt Malvern via Bristol.

quite a few Gt Malvern - Weymouth ones. I assume 158's Think I caught one a few years ago GM to Foregate St.

NRT table 123
 

hexagon789

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Ouch. I should note that the 3h45m is only to Thurso - my mistake - it's a bit longer for Wick. It won't exceed 5 hrs though!!!

Used to be an Edinburgh-Inverness-Wick service that took 7 hrs 50, I assume it was 158 operated.
 

Right Away

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Regional Railways and later Wales & West used to run a through train from Brighton to Milford Haven/Pembroke Dock. The 1993 timetable shows a through train from Milford Haven to Brighton.
 
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sprinterguy

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Used to be an Edinburgh-Inverness-Wick service that took 7 hrs 50, I assume it was 158 operated.
I still always viewed that as two separate services across Inverness, but it certainly was advertised as a through service and 350 miles by the one unit is a fair old stretch.

Here's a few approximate mileages of some of the longer runs, past and present, to stimulate debate. I've tried to be as accurate as possible with the routings, but wouldn't be surprised if a few inaccuracies have crept in:

392.5 miles: Penzance - Manchester Piccadilly
349 miles: Edinburgh - Wick (via Inverness) (7hr 50 mins)
296.5 miles: Brighton - Pembroke Dock
250 miles: Liverpool - Norwich (5hr 16mins)
245 miles: Liverpool - Portsmouth
234 miles: Manchester Airport - Edinburgh/Glasgow
226 miles: Blackpool North - London Euston
210 miles: Brighton - Great Malvern (5hr 31mins)
180 miles: Newcastle - Liverpool Lime Street
175 miles: Edinburgh - Inverness
174 miles: Inverness - Wick (via Thurso)
172 miles: Birmingham International - Holyhead
170 miles: Manchester Piccadilly - Cardiff Central
168 miles: Birmingham International - Pwllheli
163 miles: Weymouth - Great Malvern

I might add more journey times if I get a chance. Thanks to hexagon789 and Right Away for providing the 'big hitters'. :smile:
 
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SeanG

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Ouch. I should note that the 3h45m is only to Thurso - my mistake - it's a bit longer for Wick. It won't exceed 5 hrs though!!!

But don't forget those of us who have gone from Inverness to Wick, waited for an hour (55 minutes too long) and then gone back to Inverness...
 

hexagon789

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I still always viewed that as two separate services across Inverness, but it certainly was advertised as a through service and 350 miles by the one unit is a fair old stretch.

Here's a few approximate mileages of some of the longer runs, past and present, to stimulate debate. I've tried to be as accurate as possible with the routings, but wouldn't be surprised if a few inaccuracies have crept in:

250 miles: Liverpool - Norwich (5hr 16mins)
245 miles: Liverpool - Portsmouth
234 miles: Manchester Airport - Edinburgh/Glasgow
226 miles: Blackpool North - London Euston
210 miles: Brighton - Great Malvern (5hr 31mins)
180 miles: Newcastle - Liverpool Lime Street
175 miles: Edinburgh - Inverness
174 miles: Inverness - Wick (via Thurso)
172 miles: Birmingham International - Holyhead
170 miles: Manchester Piccadilly - Cardiff Central
168 miles: Birmingham International - Pwllheli
163 miles: Weymouth - Great Malvern

I might add more journey times if I get a chance. Happy to make revisions, and if anyone wants to muddle through working out the really mental journeys like Penzance - Manchester then that's up to them. ;)

About 378 miles, no idea of the journey time though.
 

Polarbear

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Also Manchester Pic to Waterloo via the Marches. Pretty sure it was operated by 158s.

It was indeed 158 operated. I wonder if anybody just boarded the first London bound service at Piccadilly & wondered why it took so darned long?:lol:
 

Right Away

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Brighton to Milford Haven 295 miles 02 chains.

Brighton to Pembroke Dock 296 miles 43 chains.

Manchester Piccadilly to Penzance (can't remember if it reversed at Newport or used the Maindee loop so have used the mileage via Newport) 392 miles 41 chains.
 

Ken H

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I still always viewed that as two separate services across Inverness, but it certainly was advertised as a through service and 350 miles by the one unit is a fair old stretch.

Here's a few approximate mileages of some of the longer runs, past and present, to stimulate debate. I've tried to be as accurate as possible with the routings, but wouldn't be surprised if a few inaccuracies have crept in:

250 miles: Liverpool - Norwich (5hr 16mins)
245 miles: Liverpool - Portsmouth
234 miles: Manchester Airport - Edinburgh/Glasgow
226 miles: Blackpool North - London Euston
210 miles: Brighton - Great Malvern (5hr 31mins)
180 miles: Newcastle - Liverpool Lime Street
175 miles: Edinburgh - Inverness
174 miles: Inverness - Wick (via Thurso)
172 miles: Birmingham International - Holyhead
170 miles: Manchester Piccadilly - Cardiff Central
168 miles: Birmingham International - Pwllheli
163 miles: Weymouth - Great Malvern

I might add more journey times if I get a chance. Happy to make revisions, and if anyone wants to muddle through working out the really mental journeys like Penzance - Manchester then that's up to them. ;)

Thanks for that. Interesting stuff
 

rob.rjt

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I seem to recall in the late 90s when holidaying in west Wales that there were through trains from Aberystwyth/Pwllheli to Stansted Airport (or possibly only Cambridge - I can't recall which).
 

Parallel

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I read previously there was a Liverpool (or possibly Manchester) to Waterloo via Bristol and Salisbury service before. Did that actually run and if so, did that use a 158?
 

Right Away

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I read previously there was a Liverpool (or possibly Manchester) to Waterloo via Bristol and Salisbury service before. Did that actually run and if so, did that use a 158?
There was an advertised through service from Liverpool Lime Street to Portsmouth Harbour where the train from Liverpool coupled to a Cardiff to Portsmouth service at Newport. The reverse happened in the morning with the Liverpool portion being detached at Newport from a Portsmouth to Cardiff service.
 
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Ken H

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All these services in the first flush of privatisation. Have things "seized up" since then?
The original Wales and West franchise was huge. Once they chopped the welsh bit out, including the marches line, the scope for these through trains went.
 

sprinterguy

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All these services in the first flush of privatisation. Have things "seized up" since then?
Services have been consolidated to improve reliability, and cut short as franchise boundaries have been redrawn, cutting across old Regional Railways business unit areas that the original tranche of franchises adhered to. You could have sprawling, long distance services with franchises as wide ranging as Central Trains for example, less so when the old Regional Railways Central division it originated from has now been split between Greater Anglia, East Midlands Trains, West Midlands Railway and Crosscountry Trains (And TfW, as far as the Cambrian line is concerned if my recollection is correct). Similar can be said for Wales & West, as Ken H has noted above.
Brighton to Milford Haven 295 miles 02 chains.

Brighton to Pembroke Dock 296 miles 43 chains.

Manchester Piccadilly to Penzance (can't remember if it reversed at Newport or used the Maindee loop so have used the mileage via Newport) 392 miles 41 chains.
Thanks for that, I'll add the headlines to the top of the 'leader board' if that's okay.
 
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