TRIVIA: Longest End-to-End Journeys done by Rolling Stock in service [NEW Edition]

[Ayman Ilham]

I've done a thread like this in the past, but now with all sorts of new rolling stock and service patterns popping up, I thought I'd bring it back as it was a really fun discussion but this time, I'll make clear some rules for suggestions:

1. Longest service could either be by distance (rail mileage) or by duration (based on timetable) between the service end points, as long as the end-to-end journey could be done without leaving the train (NO endless back-and-forth)
2. It can be either a regular service, seasonal (e.g. summer only) or a one-off (either covering for another unit or a special timetable), past or present, as long as it was or can be rideable by regular fare-paying customers
3. Trains that were only ever confined to one route DO NOT COUNT, such as the Class 139 on the Stourbridge Shuttle and the Class 332 on Paddington to Heathrow (no cheating)
4. Units no longer in service such as the Class 142, Class 365 or old loco-hauled sets can also be included

I'll list some examples to start off, although I'll update this list as I go along (please correct me where necessary):

• Class 150: Manchester Piccadilly to Milford Haven (6h15m*) with Transport for Wales (covering for a 175) **
• Class 156: Norwich to Liverpool (5h38m) with East Midlands (formerly Central Trains) along with the usual 158 **
• Class 158: Manchester Piccadilly to Penzance via Hereford (8h20m*) with Wales & Borders **
• Class 165/166: Great Malvern to Brighton (5h15m*) with Great Western Railway
• Class 170: Norwich to Liverpool (5h38m) with Central Trains (pre-2007) **
• Class 175: Manchester Piccadilly to Milford Haven (6h05m) with Transport for Wales (formerly Arriva Trains Wales)
• Class 195: York to Blackpool North via Bradford Interchange (2h39m) with Northern
• Class 220/221/HST: Aberdeen to Penzance (13h27m) with CrossCountry (longest scheduled service in Britain)
• Class 317/321: London King's Cross to Leeds (3h??) with GNER/WAGN? (one-off cover in 1998)
• Class 319: Rugby to Brighton (3h??*) with NSE/Thameslink? (back in the 1990s or early 2000s)
• Class 322: Manchester Airport to London Euston (3h20m*) with North West Trains (late 1990s)
• Class 323: Crewe to Liverpool Lime Street via Manchester Airport (2h11m) with Northern
• Class 331: Stoke-on-Trent to Blackpool North via Stockport (2h20m) with Northern
• Class 334: Edinburgh to Helensburgh Central via Bathgate (2h17m) with Scotrail
• Class 350: Manchester Airport to Edinburgh (3h20m*) with Transpennine Express
• Class 375: London Victoria to Ramsgate via Canterbury West (2h24m) with Southeastern
• Class 377: London Victoria to Southampton Central via Horsham (2h28m) with Southern
• Class 380: North Berwick to Ayr (3h??*) with Scotrail (joined-up services)
• Class 387: London Paddington to Cardiff Central (2h30m*) with Great Western Railway (covering for 800)
• Class 390: Edinburgh to London Euston via Birmingham New Street (6h20m) with Avanti West Coast (formerly Virgin Trains)
• Class 444: London Waterloo to Weymouth (2h57m) with Southwestern Railway (formerly South West Trains)
• Class 465/466: London Charing Cross to Ramsgate (3h30m) with Southeastern (2016 crowd-buster all-stops)
• Class 700: Peterborough to Horsham (2h45m) with Thameslink
• Class 800: London King's Cross to Inverness (7h56m) with LNER

* approximate time where I can't remember the exact
** there may have been a longer service with this unit so please let me know

 

[SeanG]

Not sure how long the Manchester - Penzance via Hereford trains took, they used 158s

 

[DC21]

I've done a thread like this in the past, but now with all sorts of new rolling stock and service patterns popping up, I thought I'd bring it back as it was a really fun discussion but this time, I'll make clear some rules for suggestions:

1. Longest service could either be by distance (rail mileage) or by duration (based on timetable) between the service end points, as long as the end-to-end journey could be done without leaving the train (NO endless back-and-forth)
2. It can be either a regular service, seasonal (e.g. summer only) or a one-off (either covering for another unit or a special timetable), past or present, as long as it was or can be rideable by regular fare-paying customers
3. Trains that were only ever confined to one route DO NOT COUNT, such as the Class 139 on the Stourbridge Shuttle and the Class 332 on Paddington to Heathrow (no cheating)

I'll list some examples to start off, although I'll update this list as I go along (please correct me where necessary):

• Class 150: So many possibilities - Carmarthen to Penzance? Manchester to Milford Haven? Who knows?
• Class 158: Pwllheli to Lowestoft (8h??*) with Central Trains (there might be a longer one, but I'm not sure)
• Class 165/166: Great Malvern to Brighton (5h15m*) with Great Western Railway
• Class 170: Norwich to Liverpool (5h38m) with Central Trains (pre-2007)
• Class 175: Manchester Piccadilly to Milford Haven (6h20m*) with Transport for Wales (formerly Arriva Trains Wales)
• Class 195: York to Blackpool North (2h39m) with Northern
• Class 220/221: Aberdeen to Penzance (13h27m) with CrossCountry (longest scheduled service in Britain)
• Class 322: Manchester Airport to London Euston (3h20m*) with North West Trains (late 1990s)
• Class 331: Hazel Grove to Blackpool North (1h42m) with Northern
• Class 350: Manchester Airport to Edinburgh (3h20m*) with Transpennine Express
• Class 375: London Victoria to Ramsgate via Canterbury West (2h24m) with Southeastern
• Class 377: London Victoria to Southampton Central via Horsham (2h28m) with Southern
• Class 387: London Paddington to Cardiff Central (2h30m*) with Great Western Railway (covering for 800)
• Class 444: London Waterloo to Weymouth (2h57m) with Southwestern Railway (formerly South West Trains)
• Class 700: Peterborough to Horsham (2h45m) with Thameslink
• Class 800: London King's Cross to Inverness (7h56m) with LNER

* approximate time where I can't remember the exact

Class 334: Helensburgh Central to Edinburgh Waverley

 

[Watershed]

Class 150: So many possibilities - Carmarthen to Penzance covering a 158? Manchester to Milford Haven covering a 175? Who knows?

I'm sure there was at one stage a Holyhead to Hull working. I imagine that would have taken on the order of 5.5 hours. Though probably beaten by Manchester to Milford Haven.

As for class 156s, there was a Colchester to Barrow working (in that direction only) around 1989.

 

[Ayman Ilham]

Not sure how long the Manchester - Penzance via Hereford trains took, they used 158s

That service was a thing? When was this? I know Manchester to Newport is just over 3 hours based on the current Manchester to South Wales TfW service, then Newport to Penzance about 5 and a half hours based on the current GWR Castle service, but shave off about a half-hour assuming this past service in question was express down through to Bristol and Penzance, that estimates around 8 hours-ish; definitely a contender!

Class 334: Helensburgh Central to Edinburgh Waverley

Added it to the list does the 334 do other services though?

 

[Watershed]

That service was a thing? When was this? I know Manchester to Newport is just over 3 hours based on the current Manchester to South Wales TfW service, then Newport to Penzance about 5 and a half hours based on the current GWR Castle service, but shave off about a half-hour assuming this past service in question was express down through to Bristol and Penzance, that estimate around 8 hours-ish; definitely a contender!

There were also Manchester to Waterloo services, which ran via Shrewsbury, Hereford, Bristol, Westbury and Salisbury. Though the Penzance services probably took a little longer and covered a slightly longer distance.

This is the reason for the existence of (now bizarre) tickets such as Shrewsbury to London, route "Warminster-Salisbury".

 

[hexagon789]

Added it to the list does the 334 do other services though?

Yes, but Edinburgh-Helensburgh is the longest.

I'm sure there was at one stage a Holyhead to Hull working. I imagine that would have taken on the order of 5.5 hours. Though probably beaten by Manchester to Milford Haven.

As for class 156s, there was a Colchester to Barrow working (in that direction only) around 1989.

What about Scarborough-North Wales (I think Llandudno, possibly Bangor?) Back when the new 150/2s took over the alternate hour TransPennine services. (The ones starting at Newcastle remaining loco-hauled until the 158s.)

 

[Magdalia]

• Class 317: London King's Cross to Newcastle (4h??*) with GNER/WAGN? (one-off cover)
• 
  
• Class 321: London King's Cross to Leeds (3h??) with GNER/WAGN? (one-off cover)

* approximate time where I can't remember the exact

I'm not aware of any class 317s working to Newcastle (or York) on trains that were "rideable by regular fare-paying customers". But class 317 and class 321 did work advertised passenger trains between Kings Cross and Leeds in the aftermath of the Sandy derailment in 1998.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

I'm not aware of any class 317s working to Newcastle (or York) on trains that were "rideable by regular fare-paying customers". But class 317 and class 321 did work advertised passenger trains between Kings Cross and Leeds in the aftermath of the Sandy derailment in 1998.

The 317s to Newcastle was an excursion train not a timetables service

 

[Sussex Ben]

Class 700 Littlehampton to Bedford (3 hours) due to restart in May: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:W81375/2022-05-18/detailed. Service also ran pre-covid, however may have been a different journey time based on its calling pattern north of London.

 

[DanNCL]

The longest remaining Class 91 worked service is 1A13 06:55 Skipton - London Kings Cross.

 

[Kite159]

Class 331 - Wouldn't it be that daily Stoke on Trent - Blackpool North service (https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:G31283/2022-04-12/detailed#allox_id=0)

As for the 350s, wouldn't those old Liverpool - Birmingham - Northampton - London LNR services have been longer in terms of time taken, especially those near the end of the day which called at nearly every station between Milton Keynes & London? [Could swear from memory there was a 4 hour+ one)

 

[mister-sparky]

Class 375 - Charing Cross to Margate via tonbridge, Ashford and Dover (used to continue to Margate)

 

[Ayman Ilham]

There were also Manchester to Waterloo services, which ran via Shrewsbury, Hereford, Bristol, Westbury and Salisbury. Though the Penzance services probably took a little longer and covered a slightly longer distance.

This is the reason for the existence of (now bizarre) tickets such as Shrewsbury to London, route "Warminster-Salisbury".

It appears Any Permitted (Off-Peak) Returns between Manchester and London are also valid via Hereford according to that same website which is interesting; might give that one a go!

What about Scarborough-North Wales (I think Llandudno, possibly Bangor?) Back when the new 150/2s took over the alternate hour TransPennine services. (The ones starting at Newcastle remaining loco-hauled until the 158s.)

According to Watershed's estimate of how long that service took, the Milford Haven to Manchester Piccadilly service remains longer in the unfortunate event a 150 covers the usual 175; however, I'm looking for anything longer than 6 hours the 150 did in the past.

The 317s to Newcastle was an excursion train not a timetables service

Ah thanks for letting me know; I've amended my list accordingly!

Class 331 - Wouldn't it be that daily Stoke on Trent - Blackpool North service (https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:G31283/2022-04-12/detailed#allox_id=0)

Ah nice, didn't even know that was a thing

 

[Magdalia]

I've done a thread like this in the past, but now with all sorts of new rolling stock and service patterns popping up, I

• Class 377: London Victoria to Southampton Central via Horsham (2h28m) with Southern

Marginally defeated by Bedford-Brighton via Crystal Palace, during the London Bridge rebuilding, at 2 hours 30 minutes. Some of the late evening trains were slower.

 

[London Trains]

Class 444: London Waterloo to Weymouth (2h57m) with Southwestern Railway (formerly South West Trains)

These take much longer (cant remember the exact timings) during engineering works somewhere between Surbiton and Southampton when they are run via Guildford and Havant (and sometimes Cobham too).

 

[Magdalia]

Class 313 In terms of time the Moorgate-Royston trains, at about 1 hour 20 minutes, are probably the longest. These ran on various weekends during Canal Tunnel construction work in 2014.

But St Pancras-Bedford is longer in terms of distance.

 

[The exile]

Did a BSK (or similar) not use to make it to Lairg on a regular basis with the papers from Euston? Whether it was officially in passenger service the whole way is a different matter.

 

[uvarvu]

Can the entry

• Class 220/221: Aberdeen to Penzance (13h27m) with CrossCountry (longest scheduled service in Britain)

be corrected to

• Class 43/220/221: Aberdeen to Penzance (13h27m) with CrossCountry (longest scheduled service in Britain)

?

Not sure whether class 47 + mkii rake can also be added to that entry.

 

[RichJF]

Class 465/466: Charing Cross - Ramsgate (3h30) during summer 2016. Believe they were seasonal "crowd buster" type services. Possibly 'all stops' from Dartford - Ramsgate.

 

[mlambeuk]

142 Barrow to Newcastle via the Cumbrian coast/ Tyne valley approx 4hrs 15 mins

 

[Xavi]

There was a Paignton to Inverness sometime in the 1980s.

 

[Magdalia]

• Class 800: London King's Cross to Inverness (7h56m) with LNER

And even longer when various diversionary routes are involved. I don't know which of these adds the most time. For example, last time trains were diverted via Cambridge, the Saturday Inverness train departed Kings Cross at 1013 instead of 1200, presumably hitting the same path north of Perth.

 

[Ayman Ilham]

Class 375 - Charing Cross to Margate via tonbridge, Ashford and Dover (used to continue to Margate)

There was a Paignton to Inverness sometime in the 1980s.

142 Barrow to Newcastle via the Cumbrian coast/ Tyne valley

I need timings for these (approximate answers to the nearest 10 minutes) before I add them to my list and, for the Paignton to Inverness run, what set did that? Thoughts go out to the poor souls that had to endure that entire run on the 142 wonder what unit normally did that, on an unrelated note?

Class 313 In terms of time the Moorgate-Royston trains, at about 1 hour 20 minutes, are probably the longest. These ran on various weekends during Canal Tunnel construction work in 2014.

But St Pancras-Bedford is longer in terms of distance.

Is Brighton to Portsmouth on Southern any longer? That might be a contender if so. Do they ever cover a 377 on Brighton to Southampton? If that did happen on occasions, that beats your suggestion hands down.

Can the entry

• Class 220/221: Aberdeen to Penzance (13h27m) with CrossCountry (longest scheduled service in Britain)

be corrected to

• Class 43/220/221: Aberdeen to Penzance (13h27m) with CrossCountry (longest scheduled service in Britain)

?

Not sure whether class 47 + mkii rake can also be added to that entry.

Shoved the HST in with the Voyagers; was it any slower when the Class 47 was doing it?

 

[Watershed]

And even longer when various diversionary routes are involved. I don't know which of these adds the most time. For example, last time trains were diverted via Cambridge, the Saturday Inverness train departed Kings Cross at 1013 instead of 1200, presumably hitting the same path north of Perth.

The diversions via Carlisle will have been the slowest of the lot, taking around 3 hours from Edinburgh to Newcastle alone.

 

[Magdalia]

Is Brighton to Portsmouth on Southern any longer? That might be a contender if so. Do they ever cover a 377 on Brighton to Southampton? If that did happen on occasions, that beats your suggestion hands down.

Brighton-Portsmouth is shorter in terms of distance, and there's few through trains in the current timetable. Pre Covid there may have been slow trains that took more than 1 hour 20 minutes.

There's been very few class 313s to Southampton, and at least some of those started from Littlehampton not Brighton. There isn't firm evidence that a class 313 has worked all the way from Brighton to Southampton, unless someone knows better?

 

[Peter0124]

318/320: Dalmuir to Carstairs via Whifflet (about 38 miles)

If we are talking staying on two seperate services without reversing, then on Sundays its possible to do Milngavie to Balloch via Hamilton and Whifflet.
Eg 09:41 Milngavie - 12:03 Balloch by staying on the same train and going round the Hamilton Circle without reversing once. 57.7 miles. The headcodes change at Motherwell so they aren't advertised through trains but technically are anyway.

If we are talking historical services, then 318s worked direct Glasgow Central to North Berwick services in the early 2000s (About 78 miles).

 

[swt_passenger]

Brighton-Portsmouth is shorter in terms of distance, and there's few through trains in the current timetable. Pre Covid there may have been slow trains that took more than 1 hour 20 minutes.

There's been very few class 313s to Southampton, and at least some of those started from Littlehampton not Brighton. There isn't firm evidence that a class 313 has worked all the way from Brighton to Southampton, unless someone knows better?

This thread from 2016 was fairly emphatic:

313 To Southampton

Given to understand a 313 may have worked the 16:33 Brighton to Southampton Central and 18:32 Southampton Central to Brighton today. If correct this is a rare outing to Southampton for a 313. Can anyone confirm or otherwise?

www.railforums.co.uk

…but I’ve always thought properly diagrammed WTT services to Southampton were pretty much non-existent. But there are some threads (found by the search function) where people have reported a period of them happening regularly on Sundays.

 

[scotrail170407]

Currently I’m sure that the longest 170 operated service is 1A69 14:39 Glasgow - Inverness via Aberdeen which is 262 miles and 4 hours 58 minutes, it can also be 158 operated now and again

 

[The exile]

Brighton-Portsmouth is shorter in terms of distance, and there's few through trains in the current timetable. Pre Covid there may have been slow trains that took more than 1 hour 20 minutes.

There's been very few class 313s to Southampton, and at least some of those started from Littlehampton not Brighton. There isn't firm evidence that a class 313 has worked all the way from Brighton to Southampton, unless someone knows better?

I believe Clacton very briefly had 313s - did any ever make it to Liverpool Street on a stopper?