Sunday Services

[NSE]

Hey all,
While finding my mum a train time for a sunday journey, we discussed Sunday frequencies. It got me thinking, are there any routes that don't get their service reduced, or possibly even increased on a sunday?
Thanks!

 

[Drsatan]

Hey all,
While finding my mum a train time for a sunday journey, we discussed Sunday frequencies. It got me thinking, are there any routes that don't get their service reduced, or possibly even increased on a sunday?
Thanks!

Cardiff-Portsmouth Harbour services run every hour seven days a week.

 

[Eagle]

Ditto Bournemouth–Manchester and Plymouth–Edinburgh, both 1tph 7dpw :P

(That's assuming of course that there aren't any longterm engineering works though, which there usually seem to be on XC...)

 

[Nym]

Bolton - Chester gets a massive frequency increase on sundays...

0tph to 1tp2h...

 

[NSE]

Oh right, thanks guys The service I looked at was the FCC from St. Neots, could really do with half hourly on a sunday at least in the evenings

 

[WelshBluebird]

Cardiff-Portsmouth Harbour services run every hour seven days a week.

And indeed they are much more convenient for me on a Sunday (as they stop at Oldfield Park, meaning I don't have to change trains at Bristol).
Is there any actual operational reason for Sundays having reduced services? I understand the whole issues with Sunday stemming from our country historically being a Christian one (sunday trading hours are another example), but in my experiences sundays are generally just as busy (if not more), so having a "normal" service would be hugely beneficial (or at least a better sunday services than many places currently have).

 

[Ivo]

And indeed they are much more convenient for me on a Sunday (as they stop at Oldfield Park, meaning I don't have to change trains at Bristol).

You must be pretty close to the station to say this! It's not as though there aren't any buses to the city centre (for those who don't know Bath, both the 5 and 10 routes run every 20 minutes on Sundays). Also, doesn't the erratic frequency Sunday cause any problems?

Is there any actual operational reason for Sundays having reduced services? I understand the whole issues with Sunday stemming from our country historically being a Christian one (sunday trading hours are another example), but in my experiences sundays are generally just as busy (if not more), so having a "normal" service would be hugely beneficial (or at least a better sunday services than many places currently have).

I can't answer about operation issues (sorry!), but I have to agree that in some cases Sunday services are almost too busy. Some on here will tell you that Sunday afternoons should be considered peak periods, and in all honesty it's hard to disagree. The Cardiff-Pompey 158s can be a nightmare on Sunday afternoons sometimes...

 

[Mojo]

You must be pretty close to the station to say this! It's not as though there aren't any buses to the city centre (for those who don't know Bath, both the 5 and 10 routes run every 20 minutes on Sundays). Also, doesn't the erratic frequency Sunday cause any problems?

You seem to be mistaken and assume that people actually want to travel by bus. Especially if you're on your way to catch a train to somewhere with an Advance ticket, risking it on a bus is probably the last thing you'd want to be doing. Depending on the proximity, I'd much rather walk, or take a connecting train where possible, but a direct service is always an advantage. Having walked between Oldfield Park and Bath Spa last year I know it isn't that far, but of course that depends which side of Oldfield Park station you live on as to whether you'd consider walking all the way.

 

[gazthomas]

Goes from no trains all week to trains on Sunday's only!

 

[jopsuk]

Cambridge-London on the West Anglia route. Sort of. On Sunday's the "stopping" service gets merged with a Lea Valley stopping service, so calls at all stations from Cambridge to Ponders End, and then, Olympic works permitting, goes to Stratford, not Liverpool Street.

 

[telstarbox]

And indeed they are much more convenient for me on a Sunday (as they stop at Oldfield Park, meaning I don't have to change trains at Bristol).
Is there any actual operational reason for Sundays having reduced services? I understand the whole issues with Sunday stemming from our country historically being a Christian one (sunday trading hours are another example), but in my experiences sundays are generally just as busy (if not more), so having a "normal" service would be hugely beneficial (or at least a better sunday services than many places currently have).

Some drivers are on contracts where Sunday working is voluntary - see http://www.metro.co.uk/news/731232-train-drivers-refuse-sunday-working