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Trivia: Longest train journey between two geographically close towns

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Jones

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Let me explain :D

Bangor and Pwllheli are 29 miles apart but would take near enough 7 hours to travel between on a train.

Can you think of any other examples?
 
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pemma

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The village of Hartford is adjacent to the town of Northwich but to get a train to Hartford station (on Liverpool to Crewe line) from Northwich station (on Altrincham-Chester line) would take you up to 2 hr 30.
 
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adc82140

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Farnborough North to Farnborough Main- 8 minutes to walk, 1 hour 1 min by train off peak.

Also, slightly OT, but relevant...

I was speculating the other day whether if you were travelling on a Guildford to Ascot train, you could leave the train at Ash and set off on foot to Ash Vale and pick up the same train (bearing in mind its long layover at Aldershot). I reckon you'd have to break in to a bit of a jog, but definitely possible. :D
 
dk1

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Some of my treks around Ireland are far from easy by rail. I did give in once Derry To Sligo & gave in to Bus Éireann.
 
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Emyr

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Knutsford and Chelford, 5 miles.

KNF -> CEL 1h50
CEL -> KNF 1h20

Sunday
KNF -> CEL 1h50
CEL -> KNF 2h45

because services through KNF and CEL drop to every-other hour on Sundays.


Similarly, Urmston and Altrincham, about 6 miles but 1h20 by train
 
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The Decapod

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Hertford East and Hertford North stations are less than a mile apart but to get from one to the other by train you'd have to go via Cambridge or London (the latter might involve using the underground too).
 
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yorkie

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I've edited the thread title to comply with our Forum Rules regarding trivia:-

  • If posting a thread requesting a list of examples of a specific, or combination of characteristics, you should start the thread title with "Trivia:".
adc82140 said:
Farnborough North to Farnborough Main- 8 minutes to walk, 1 hour 1 min by train off peak.
Click to expand...
I'm not sure that's what the OP had in mind though; they're part of the same station group and there are no tickets available for that journey.

However, without a definition which excludes such examples, and if you say that no out-of-station interchanges are allowed and the journey must be wholly by rail, then King's Cross to St Pancras would beat the Farnborough stations by a long way!

The thread title refers to "towns" though, so I'd say such examples are excluded. However the definition of 'town' could prove problematical...

There are plenty of examples in this thread Trivia: Two adjacent/nearby stations with no direct rail link
 
LNW-GW Joint

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Merthyr Tydfil to Ebbw Vale Parkway will take you over 2 hours by train via Cardiff, but only about 30 mins via Heads of the Valleys on the bus.

Fishguard to Pembroke Dock is a bit dodgy as well, via Whitland/Carmarthen, but better now than when Fishguard only got trains every 12 hours.

Exmouth-Starcross: a few minutes on the ferry, an hour or longer on the train via Exeter.

Whitby-Scarborough? (train via Northallerton, bus via Robin Hood's Bay).
 
kevconnor

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Reddish North - Reddish South is a mile apart but depending how you time it the journey by train could either take you an hour or a week. :lol:

but proper ones are

Buxton - Matlock - 20 miles apart and an approx 3hr journey
Colne - Keighley - 14 miles apart and 3:30 min journey
 
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higthomas

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Yeovil pen mill to Yeovil junction, 2 miles by road, 80 miles by rail. Giving a miles by rail per mile by crow value of 40 ( i give this because it seems like a good indicator of circuitousness)
 
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robschopper

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Penrhyndeudraeth (Cambrian) to Blaenau Ffestiniog - 9 miles / 12 minutes by road ... 7 and a half hours by train.
 
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Michael.Y

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Ebbw Vale to Abergavenny. 12 miles apart. 21 minute drive. 2 hours 2 minutes with one change involving a reversal along most of the SWML between CDF and NWP.
 
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pemma

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Emyr said:
Knutsford and Chelford, 5 miles.

KNF -> CEL 1h50
CEL -> KNF 1h20

Sunday
KNF -> CEL 1h50
CEL -> KNF 2h45

because services through KNF and CEL drop to every-other hour on Sundays.
Click to expand...

The sad thing about that is it might be quicker than using the bus, given how long the gap is between bus services on the 27 route.

The 27 bus service was hourly and when the contract awarded to Bowers (now High Peak) was nearing an end Cheshire East issued an ITT for a replacement service that would run at the same frequency. However, High Peak registered a commercial service which operated every 90 minutes and the Knutsford-Macclesfield return fare went up from £3.50 to £4.80 overnight. High Peak tried to run the service using a single bus but it didn't work as punctuality was very poor and a lot of people gave up on the bus. Then High Peak gave up on the service and by that stage Cheshire East council weren't interested in awarding an ITT for an hourly service and GHA Coaches registered a 2 hourly service commercially.
 
317666

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Spooner Row to Shippea Hill is 34 miles 5 chains, so not that close, but it's a nice 14 hour 35 minute journey with an overnighter in Ely!
 
fishquinn

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Stratford-Upon-Avon and Kingham are fairly close but it takes about 2 and a half hours on a train.
 
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thenorthern

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Stafford to Uttoxeter is an hour by train even though its only 12 miles by road.

New Mills Central to Newtown must be a long one as well.
 
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Oliver

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It might be more interesting to determine which pair of stations fit this category, but for which tickets are offered. If you consult (for example) The Trainline, you cannot get a fare for Farnborough Main to Farnborough North, but you can buy Buxton to Matlock (£37.10, Anytime Single).
 
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hilly

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Fishguard to Aberystwyth - 60 od miles by road - so 1.5 hours at most or 7.5 hours on the train - via Swansea, Newport, Shrewsbury, and Machynlleth
 
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The Planner

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Bicester Town to Bicester North comes out well on National Rail, 2 minute frequency 25 minute walk costing £17.70....
 
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Parallel

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Maesteg to Neath. About 10 miles apart/ 20 minute drive or about an hour and 15 minutes by train (changing at Bridgend).
 
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