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The tightest connection you have ever made at a train station
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Strathclyder
Established Member
Changing from a Dalmuir-Larkhall train to a Inner Circle Subway train at Partick a year or so ago. Made it a few seconds before the doors closed.
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carriageline
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Came off the overground at euston, a rather brisk walk over to St Pancras and was on my departing train in just under 10 minutes! That was thanks to Yorkies brilliant shortcut between the two, which I couldn't live without now!
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James Wake
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One of my tightest and best was I got off the 1640 ex Shepperton at Waterloo at 1735 in the height of rush hour, wanted to make 1808 from West Ham to Basildon, thanks to a quick Jubilee, with a seat after Canada Water, and the c2c running slightly late, I made the 1759 (departed at 1801), 26 mins. Done many more tight tube connections.
CallySleeper
Established Member
Tried a few impossible connections at Derby in my time. Lost out on most of them.
91103eastcoast
Member
Back in the days of loco hauled across the top, there was an Aberdeen - Inverness that was a substantial minus onto a Inverness - Aberdeen at Inverness. (about -9 or -10 IIRC)
It always made, because the catering trolley was booked to transfer between the two. As soon as the trolley was across, the train left.
It always made, because the catering trolley was booked to transfer between the two. As soon as the trolley was across, the train left.
theblackwatch
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I've made many a train with seconds to spare, and missed a few as well.
With regard to tight connections, when I did the DPS Freedom of Scotland tour in 2003, the tour was booked back into Preston at 21.35 and my last train to get me home was at around 21.00 - I decided to risk it and we made it comfortably with time to join in a 'seminar' at Preston station (the tour was 75 early).
With regard to tight connections, when I did the DPS Freedom of Scotland tour in 2003, the tour was booked back into Preston at 21.35 and my last train to get me home was at around 21.00 - I decided to risk it and we made it comfortably with time to join in a 'seminar' at Preston station (the tour was 75 early).
trickyvegas
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I used make a -1 connection at Stockport on a regular basis, coming off the all stations Stoke-Piccadilly to make the Buxton - Blackpool North (not calling at Heaton Chapel and Longsight). In main, helped by the 323's better deceleration over the 150. This then got me to platform 13 at Piccadilly with 3 minutes to run across to Platform 3 for the 1756 service to Middlesbrough. As they have now removed the Stalybridge stop from the Middlesbrough service, there is no longer any need for me to do this anymore.
At Nottingham I used to regularly attempt a 30 second connection from the 1528 arrival from Cardiff on to the 1529 to Lincoln. Failed more times than I succeeded, and that was normally only with some frantic running and waving to the dispatcher - I always banked on having a 45 minute wait for the next one, but gaining the extra time was worth trying it.
JamesRowden
Established Member
I made a connection that according to the public timetable is a 0 minute connection but according to the working timetable is a 1 minute connection. It was getting off the XX:50 (actually XX:49) service from Reading at Gatwick to change onto the XX:50 service to Littlehampton. As I made the lift take me down to the platform someone else just missed the lift (and the train). I hadn't seen them when I pressed the lift button 
I made a connection from St Pancras Thameslink (Platform B) to Kings Cross (Platform 3) in 4 minutes today - with a heavy case in tow (no lifts used, carried up the stairs!). I was out of breath, but I was saved an hours wait in London 
Statto
Established Member
2 minutes, many times changing from TPE & EMT to Evening sometimes Sunday Merseyrail West Kirby branch at Liverpool Lime Street, also did 2 minute connection at Crewe coming off Euston-Manchester VT from platform 5 to ATW Chester, which went from Northern bay platform 10.
My record is just under 5 minutes from P4C New Street to P1 Moor Street. The main problem is people getting in the way.
ValleyLines142
Established Member
I made a -16 connection at Bristol Parkway the other day!
But in terms of non-delays I made a 1 minute connection at Cardiff last week!
But in terms of non-delays I made a 1 minute connection at Cardiff last week!
tractakid
Member
On Saturday's London challenge, I did (with thanks to some excellent bus knowledge from my teammate) High Barnet arrival to New Barnet departure in 9 minutes!
Best I've done recently is 18 minutes between arriving at Liverpool Street and departing Waterloo. I actually made it with a couple of minutes to spare in the end but I did get lucky only having a short wait for a Waterloo & City line train.
bussnapperwm
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Crewe P7-P4 (VT ex Wolverhampton onto VT to Manchester) -3 connection (and still had time to get some coke from P4!)
On saturday at the London Challenge, me, Nat67 and my dad made a +30 seconds at Herne Hill though the Subway, off an TL train and onto a SE train.
My dads best is 43 minutes from boarding a train at Reading to boarding another at Euston!
My dads best is 43 minutes from boarding a train at Reading to boarding another at Euston!
Keith Jarrett
Member
My best has to be way back in 1979 on August Bank Holiday Monday.
Here's the story. Plan had been to cover the loco hauled into Skegness but virtually everything was dud apart from the Alfreton to Skegness with 20147/195. I was at Nottingham and it was next stop Boston. Required 37087 followed up on the Cambridge. Back out of Skeg with a DMU all the way to Grantham. Winning 37102 was heading south on an unknown train (no realtimetrains in those days) so off to Peterborough for a required 31291 to Hinckley and 31322 back to Leicester. Word had come through that an extremely large 37040 had worked a Sheffield Cleethorpes excursion. On the return it was booked crew change at Doncaster and set down at Rotherham Masborough. Most bashers headed for 040 at Doncaster but were bowled by a middle road crew change.
Two of us declined the leap to Doncaster as we had got wind of 37101 coming up on a Birmingham to York control relief. Only place that we could intercept it was Sheffield using 45149 to get there. 37101 was as large as 37040 (both rare non boilered machines) and I was content to get 101 in the book. As we arrived at Rotherham, 37040 was in and the platform "ned" was already blowing up for it to leave. Cue a rapid bail off 37102 just as it came to a stop and across to 37040's train just as it was about to move off. No central door locking in those days. Platform "ned" bellowed at us saying that it was not a service train but was drowned out by the sound of 37040 being thrashed. Two happy bashers that night scoring rare 37s.
I swear that I was at Rotherham for about 10 seconds maximum so that goes down as my tightest connection although I managed a sub 20 second one a few weeks back at Salford Crescent
Here's the story. Plan had been to cover the loco hauled into Skegness but virtually everything was dud apart from the Alfreton to Skegness with 20147/195. I was at Nottingham and it was next stop Boston. Required 37087 followed up on the Cambridge. Back out of Skeg with a DMU all the way to Grantham. Winning 37102 was heading south on an unknown train (no realtimetrains in those days) so off to Peterborough for a required 31291 to Hinckley and 31322 back to Leicester. Word had come through that an extremely large 37040 had worked a Sheffield Cleethorpes excursion. On the return it was booked crew change at Doncaster and set down at Rotherham Masborough. Most bashers headed for 040 at Doncaster but were bowled by a middle road crew change.
Two of us declined the leap to Doncaster as we had got wind of 37101 coming up on a Birmingham to York control relief. Only place that we could intercept it was Sheffield using 45149 to get there. 37101 was as large as 37040 (both rare non boilered machines) and I was content to get 101 in the book. As we arrived at Rotherham, 37040 was in and the platform "ned" was already blowing up for it to leave. Cue a rapid bail off 37102 just as it came to a stop and across to 37040's train just as it was about to move off. No central door locking in those days. Platform "ned" bellowed at us saying that it was not a service train but was drowned out by the sound of 37040 being thrashed. Two happy bashers that night scoring rare 37s.
I swear that I was at Rotherham for about 10 seconds maximum so that goes down as my tightest connection although I managed a sub 20 second one a few weeks back at Salford Crescent
Shortcut? Do tell...
carriageline
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It may not be much of a shortcut, but coming from HS1 instead of turning left behind the escalators and come out opposite kings cross into euston road, turn right, walk all the way to the opposite side of the station (near the Thameslink escalator), out that door, turn right cross the road, take the first left (down past the Francis Crick institute currently under construction), follow that right all the way and you get to the side of euston. Turn left, and you will eventually get to the entrance to euston
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GWRjake
Member
I was suitably impressed when I was arriving into Liverpool Street and leaving Paddington in under half an hour this summer (at the back end of rush hour the morning after the "great storm")
adrock1976
Established Member
My tightest connection is from the 14:37 arrival at Bolton (origin Clitheroe) into the 14:41 departure to Kirkham & Wesham with 75 seconds to spare as the 14:37 was running a few minutes behind schedule.
I used common sense here for that scenario by making sure that I was at the rear of the train, so as I could make a sprint over the bridge to the Preston-bound platform, going 3 or 4 steps at a time over the bridge.
I did have a back up plan in the event I failed to make that connection. Events from that day (Lancashire Day ranger) will be in a trip report in the very near future, something that is on my list of things to do.
In peace
Adam
I used common sense here for that scenario by making sure that I was at the rear of the train, so as I could make a sprint over the bridge to the Preston-bound platform, going 3 or 4 steps at a time over the bridge.
I did have a back up plan in the event I failed to make that connection. Events from that day (Lancashire Day ranger) will be in a trip report in the very near future, something that is on my list of things to do.
In peace
Adam
Kite159
Veteran Member
That bridge at Bolton is a right pain for fast platform changes.
Jegerpizza
Member
Probably around 5-10 seconds from a late running Regionstog Service at Nykøbing Falster straight onto the other side of the island platform.
I put my feet in the door, to make the sensor re-open the closing door, which it did and I didnt have to wait 30 minutes for the next train!
I put my feet in the door, to make the sensor re-open the closing door, which it did and I didnt have to wait 30 minutes for the next train!
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DiscoStu
Member
I never actually made the connection, but it's quite a funny story anyway ...
When I was bashing back in about 1990, I arrived at New Street and had literally about a minute to run up to the concourse/bridge and get down to another platform for a Scotland bound service. I was doing okay until I started running down the steps to my destination platform ... I was running so fast I was unable to turn or stop and ran clean into one of the big round pillars, face first, and practically knocked myself out in the process. My train had left by the time I "came too"
The worst thing was that not one person came to my aid ... gits :roll:
When I was bashing back in about 1990, I arrived at New Street and had literally about a minute to run up to the concourse/bridge and get down to another platform for a Scotland bound service. I was doing okay until I started running down the steps to my destination platform ... I was running so fast I was unable to turn or stop and ran clean into one of the big round pillars, face first, and practically knocked myself out in the process. My train had left by the time I "came too"
The worst thing was that not one person came to my aid ... gits :roll:
Arrived into York on Platform 5 (South end) in the front coach furthest from the bridge on a 0721 from Newcastle and made into onto a 0724 to Manchester on Platform 4 yesterday
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