Question: Is there a route between two UK mainland stations that has never before been undertaken?

[birchesgreen]

Catford to Catford Bridge?

At least 2 Youtubers have done this.

 

[Merle Haggard]

If you, or someone familiar with Northampton, can advise some of the gaps, maybe forum members can contribute their tickets

I have browsed this while waiting for an Up train (it's on the footbridge which is draught-free unlike waiting on the shelter-less Up platform) and what's surprising is the through tickets that HAVE been bought - including long distance first class ones. I'll report back with examples next time I'm there. There's not many gaps, either.

 

[Starmill]

I have browsed this while waiting for an Up train (it's on the footbridge which is draught-free unlike waiting on the shelter-less Up platform) and what's surprising is the through tickets that HAVE been bought - including long distance first class ones. I'll report back with examples next time I'm there. There's not many gaps, either.

Agreed. It is surprising but there are sales made between very little-used stations a very long way away from one another. Somewhere like Northampton will have few gaps where zero sales are made.

 

[david1212]

The thread title specifically say

a route between two UK mainland stations

rather than

a journey between two UK mainland stations

Back in time there are journeys that would have been popular when lines now long closed were running.

Fairly local a couple of examples are Redditch to Evesham and Redditch to Stratford-upon-Avon. I'm sure both journeys have been made within numerous times with the last 50 years and both have tickets available but I wonder how many are sold each year?

Anywhere are two stations quite close together but the distance / time by rail is so long that the journey may never have been made? I exclude specifically breaking the journey en route beyond changing trains e.g. Redditch > spend time in Birmingham > travel on to Stratford-upon-Avon.

 

[Kite159]

Grateley to Pewsey are but 16 miles apart and a journey over 2 hours. At £27.50 or £98 1st anytime with 2 changes.
I am guessing but there must be thousands of examples like thi

I've done that journey one of the bank holidays this year (splitting at Hungerford) to walk the K&A canal.

Although the Swindon bus is probably quicker if you can reach Salisbury.

 

[richard17smith]

How on earth did that get issued?

l had been keeping an eye out on the GWR site and they became available and wanted them as a souvenir for the starting date but ended up with a rare ticket

 

[spyinthesky]

I've done that journey one of the bank holidays this year (splitting at Hungerford) to walk the K&A canal.

Although the Swindon bus is probably quicker if you can reach Salisbury.

That’s another off the list, Good job. I also walked K&A from Pewsey to Bedwyn.

 

[Travelmonkey]

Thinking stations where you have more chance of a canal boat than a stopping service what about Wedgwood & Barlaston stations in Staffordshire. You can still buy tickets but I dunno where to look for the "Rail Replacement bus" information,

 

[etr221]

TfL provided for an FoI request 2021 stats as to how how journeys had been made between each pair of LU stations (counting each direction seperately) - about 1000 out of 71000 odd possibilties had not been made. While this is but a snapshot - and to be handled with care - it does give some indication as to probability: even with very much longer time span than a single year, the very much larger number of possibilities on the whole railway network makes me think the number will be significant - probably into the hundreds, or - depending on what you include - even more.

 

[Class800]

TfL provided for an FoI request 2021 stats as to how how journeys had been made between each pair of LU stations (counting each direction seperately) - about 1000 out of 71000 odd possibilties had not been made. While this is but a snapshot - and to be handled with care - it does give some indication as to probability: even with very much longer time span than a single year, the very much larger number of possibilities on the whole railway network makes me think the number will be significant - probably into the hundreds, or - depending on what you include - even more.

With the proximity of LU stations, journeys between consecutive stations may be seldom made or in some cases not made. E.g. Covent Garden to Leicester Square - why would you? It would take longer than walking by time you get down and up again

 

[The exile]

At least 2 Youtubers have done this.

That’s probably the issue with the really weird ones. However, in the same way that (say) Scotscalder to St Erth is much less likely than Wick to Penzance, and sticking with a theme I’ve touched before, how about Combe Junction (or either of the Lelants) to St Budeaux Victoria Road? Or Calstock to St B Ferry Road?

 

[Class800]

That’s probably the issue with the really weird ones. However, in the same way that (say) Scotscalder to St Erth is much less likely than Wick to Penzance, and sticking with a theme I’ve touched before, how about Combe Junction (or either of the Lelants) to St Budeaux Victoria Road? Or Calstock to St B Ferry Road?

Coombe Junction to St Budeaux Victoria Rd I've done it - but on a day ranger

 

[Mcr Warrior]

With the proximity of LU stations, journeys between consecutive stations may be seldom made or in some cases not made. E.g. Covent Garden to Leicester Square - why would you? It would take longer than walking by time you get down and up again

Some folk certainly would, if just for the novelty! But are they UK train stations, as per the thread title?

 

[Sad Sprinter]

London Kings Cross to London St. Pancras? Battersea Park to Queenstown Road Battersea?

 

[The exile]

Coombe Junction to St Budeaux Victoria Rd I've done it - but on a day ranger

I realised after I’d typed that there may well be times when coming from Cornwall to St B the quickest way is into Plymouth and out again - and the “out again” may be on a Gunnislake train - so the Gunnislake etc to the “wrong” St Budeaux is a better call!

 

[birchesgreen]

Covent Garden to Leicester Square

Loads of tourists do this.

 

[etr221]

With the proximity of LU stations, journeys between consecutive stations may be seldom made or in some cases not made. E.g. Covent Garden to Leicester Square - why would you? It would take longer than walking by time you get down and up again

For that example, about 15000 went one way, and 9000 the other...

And they are train stations (you can get a train from there) in the UK, so I would say, yes, they qualify.

I would suggest the really unlikely journeys - so likely for this question - are between low use, local, 'non-destination' (so very, very few people want to go there) stations in areas that are far from each other (e.g. a London suburb to a Glasgow suburb)

 

[The exile]

How about Helensburgh Upper to Central or vice versa? Certainly little genuine reason for doing it!

 

[Jamesrob637]

WEE (Weeley) to POO (Poole)?

A journey of excremental proportions!

 

[Jamesrob637]

Grateley to Pewsey are but 16 miles apart and a journey over 2 hours. At £27.50 or £98 1st anytime with 2 changes.
I am guessing but there must be thousands of examples like this.

A good 1.5hrs on a nice bike then with a couple of brief rest stops, where brief is <5mins each.

 

[185143]

I've got an advance for Portway Park & Ride to Thanet Parkway, so that's definitely been done.
I travelled from Lakenheath to Duncraig once too, albeit not on a through ticket. And also Warrington West-Robroyston shortly after they both opened.

Have to wonder how many Aberdeen-Penzance via London tickets have been sold. I'd imagine most people doing that journey would be enthusiasts on all line rovers, or using the direct XC service. Something I would have done had I not just spent the previous 15.5 hours on the NorthLink and missed it...

Wouldn't be surprised if I've done some combinations on lines like the Heart of Wales, Far North and Cambrian lines that few others have. I can't see Altnabreac-Scotscalder being particularly popular, and the conductor was not particularly impressed either! All done on rovers though.

(Tongue firmly in cheek) What about something like Kempston Hardwick-Lidlington?

 

[Class800]

Whimple to Feniton won't be a frequent journey - but I'm sure it'll have been done. Neighbouring stations but usually not served by same train.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Whimple to Feniton won't be a frequent journey - but I'm sure it'll have been done. Neighbouring stations but usually not served by same train.

That’s a recent thing,it wasn’t always like that especially when it was a two hour service.

 

[Springs Branch]

With the proximity of LU stations, journeys between consecutive stations may be seldom made or in some cases not made. E.g. Covent Garden to Leicester Square - why would you? It would take longer than walking by time you get down and up again

For that example, about 15000 went one way, and 9000 the other...

If you do the arithmetic on that example - taking the total 24,000 journeys per year between Covent Garden & Leicester Square (both ways) and the Tube operating 364 days per year, that makes an average of over 65 single trips per day.

Assuming these travellers are almost all tourists & visitors (not native Londoners), who are generally out and about between 10am and 11pm (i.e. a 13hr. day), it means on average around 5 individual journeys are made each hour during that daytime / evening period.

The 5/hr. figure probably ramps up well above the yearly average during the peak summer season. Wonder how many of these buy the £6.70 single paper tickets?

 

[Merle Haggard]

Reading the thread title exactly one can discount Kettering - Northampton straight away.
It IS a route undertaken, and frequently - by 'Corby Electrics' from their depot to maintenance.
Today's railway.

 

[thomas379]

Catford to Catford Bridge?

I did this a few weeks ago, and think quite a few enthusiasts have done it. Unfortunately, short of photos it's impossible to prove, as the ticket machines won't sell you a ticket for the journey.

As for the original question, I'd expect most places from Lakenheath would be winners.

 

[Class800]

I did this a few weeks ago, and think quite a few enthusiasts have done it. Unfortunately, short of photos it's impossible to prove, as the ticket machines won't sell you a ticket for the journey.

As for the original question, I'd expect most places from Lakenheath would be winners.

You can prove it when there's youtube videos showing this journey

 

[The exile]

As for the original question, I'd expect most places from Lakenheath would be winners.

Although any station close to a military base will have an over proportionally high number of journeys to places scattered all over the country. Not recently maybe, but we’re talking “ever”.

 

[Merle Haggard]

Although any station close to a military base will have an over proportionally high number of journeys to places scattered all over the country. Not recently maybe, but we’re talking “ever”.

In B.R. days (probably not now, though) the admin. office at military bases would issue 'Forces Duty' or 'Forces Leave' warrants; the system was that the warrant would represented to the booking clerk and a rail ticket issued in exchange.

In my own experience the warrants seemed to me to display a poor grasp of geography or sensible rail journeys but we couldn't decline them and it was all easy revenue. There were certainly some very bizarre ones presented at Northampton, but maybe that was because it involved the Pioneer Corps.

Similarly, if you were called for Jury Service at Northampton Crown Court and lived away from the county town you were sent a warrant for rail travel from your nearest station. When I was called, years ago, none of my fellow jurors actually used their warrants, for obvious reasons.

 

[Joey Beauchamp]

That seems highly likely.

There is a display at Northampton station where they appear to have been trying to collect an example of a ticket to Northampton from all of the other stations in the country. There are still gaps.

My wife gave staff at the barriers her Pevensey Bay to Northampton ticket and it's now in the wall! I'm really tempted to try to complete the gaps but I think the time / money accrued might be a step to far. Maybe when my boy's a bit older and I can use a family railcard.

Speaking of Northamptonshire, I’d be surprised if anyone’s made a train journey between Northampton and Kettering or Kings Sutton.

I will check Kettering on the ticket wall next time I go to Northampton. I'm pretty sure it will be there because the remaining gaps are mostly really obscure stations. I have done Kings Sutton to Northampton quite a few times - I lived in the village when I met my Northampton based wife! The bus direct to Brackley doesn't run anymore and train is way quicker (although definitely not cheaper) than the bus anyway.