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Completely Empty Trains

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John Taylor

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Twice last week I was fortunate enough to sample completely empty pacer trains along the Northern Network. With Monday being 142094 from Danby to Nunthrope and Sunday being 142026 from Hartlepool to Billingham on the Teeside Airport Train.

My thoughts on journeys that could possibly be empty based on near-experience include:
Sunday 17:32 Newcastle to Metrocentre.
Weekday Chathill Evening Return.

Does anybody know of any services that are usually empty?
 
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John Taylor

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One for LNER but Not Completely Empty is the Sunderland Journeys, they tend to just have a few passengers on-board and most occasions there is more staff than passengers.
 

Whistler40145

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Probably not completely empty, but I wonder how many passengers are on the Stockport to Stalybridge parly service?
 

theblackwatch

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Back on January 1st 2004, I boarded the 07.58 Knaresborough-Leeds at Starbeck, worked by a pair of 37s. The only others on board were the driver and guard. Two others joined at Harrogate - one being a mate of mine, and the other being a passenger who had turned up early for the following service! I suspect that I was the first passenger to have a travel on a loco-hauled train in the UK that year...
 

bramling

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Twice last week I was fortunate enough to sample completely empty pacer trains along the Northern Network. With Monday being 142094 from Danby to Nunthrope and Sunday being 142026 from Hartlepool to Billingham on the Teeside Airport Train.

My thoughts on journeys that could possibly be empty based on near-experience include:
Sunday 17:32 Newcastle to Metrocentre.
Weekday Chathill Evening Return.

Does anybody know of any services that are usually empty?

On the occasions I've used it, 05:33 KX-Cambridge has left King's Cross with just me on it, although it picked up a handful at Finsbury Park. Not bad for a 12-car!
 

yorksrob

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I've sometimes been the only passenger on trains from Ribblehead (at least as far as Settle).
 

Bletchleyite

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From videos I have watched it tends to be like a Contracted Bus Service with the majority of users over the age of 65.

I forget what time it runs now, but when it used to be on a Saturday lunchtime it used to load quite well, mainly with enthusiasts of both rail and real ale, probably to the point of being nominally profitable.
 

robbeech

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The Sheffield to York via Pontefract has known to be empty after Moorthorpe.
 

Kite159

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I would imagine loadings on some of the Broxbourne Expresses (the GA services which run counter-peak nonstop to/from Liverpool Street as ECS moves put into passenger service)will be close to zero. Probably some of the evening peak Beckenham Junction - Victoria nonstop services as well

@John Taylor the LNER service to Sunderland can be popular for folk boarding at Newcastle heading towards Sunderland in the evening as it is one of the last 'fast' services to the land of the Sun.
 

furnessvale

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Best one I travelled on was a boat train from Newhaven to London. Just me and my brother, both on free passes!
 

SeanG

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A good few years ago (maybe 2004) when the Huddersfield - Wakefield - Knottingley service ran between those points only, my dad and I were the only ones on the service on a Saturday morning and the guard said that this was usual
 

Darandio

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Really? o_O I generally feel lucky if I can find an empty seat, at any time of the day or night!

I guess it depends when you are travelling and which section. When me and my son pop to Newcastle he normally wants to ride up to the airport and back. On the return from the airport we are often the only one onboard until South Gosforth.
 
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I was the sole passenger on a Gainsborough Lea Road to Doncaster train one weekday afternoon (before 1997) - and it was on a free pass!
I have been the sole passenger on Robin Hood Trains, on the northern section, when heading south from Worksop, in the early evening.
 

sprinterguy

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I guess it depends when you are travelling and which section. When me and my son pop to Newcastle he normally wants to ride up to the airport and back. On the return from the airport we are often the only one onboard until South Gosforth.
I have had Bede to Pelaw Empty, Pelaw to Gateshead Empty, South Hylton to Pallion Empty and from the Airport aswell.
I can more or less envisage it occurring at the network extremities such as South Hylton and the Airport (I've seen it fairly quiet on those sections myself, though never empty), finding similar conditions on the busy southern 'core' section between Pelaw and Gateshead astonishes me, though, unless it was a Pelaw starter heading back towards Newcastle in the evening peak.
 

Frothy

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A few years ago, perhaps 2013, I got on the Sundays Only Metrocentre-Darlington at Stockton, 142-operated, for Teesside Airport. I was the only passenger on board until Eaglescliffe.
 

jamesst

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In the past you could often find New Brighton services empty off peak. Nowadays with recent developments it's very rare to get an empty train there
 

fowler9

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Until May this year the Liverpool South Parkway to Preston service was regularly empty as far as Lime Street. It was my train of choice.
 

Bletchleyite

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Until May this year the Liverpool South Parkway to Preston service was regularly empty as far as Lime Street. It was my train of choice.

I must admit to not understanding at all what the point of the extra dog-leg on that was. I think your report of low loadings confirms that there in fact was no point in it.
 

Impey0711

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Quite often the 05:56 metropolitan line service from Northwood to Watford just has 1 person on board
 

DarloRich

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I have been the only passenger on the Marston Vale line on more than one occasion especially early morning or late at night on a Saturday.
 
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