Trivia: When a slower line is also the quickest.

Clansman · 23 Jun 2017

This one is a little bit tricky to explain, as the title confusingly suggests. So I'd be as well give an example:

Glasgow to Edinburgh, service wise, is quickest via Falkirk High at around 55 minutes. However, as the Caledonian Sleeper demonstrates (often when delayed), Glasgow and Edinburgh has been travelled between in 45 minutes non-stop via Airdrie and Bathgate - whereas the usual journey time on that route is around 70 minutes, with services being all stop suburban extensions from Glasgow. Thus, Edinburgh and Glasgow via Airdrie is the quickest way between the 2 stations, despite regular services on the line being one of the slowest.

Are there any other lines which pose the quickest route between 2 stations, where it isn't necessarily utilised in a way where the journey time isn't the quickest available to passengers - if that makes sense?

Note to mods: Please retitle this if you think of a better and less confusing one.

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Dr Hoo · 23 Jun 2017

There are plenty of freight-only lines, avoiding lines and sides of triangles that offer theoretically faster journeys than those possible on normal, scheduled services (often requiring a change).

E.g. Northallerton to Durham via Darlington station avoiding tracks; Neath to Gowerton, not reversing at Swansea; Eaglescliffe to Durham via the Stillington line.

Railsigns · 23 Jun 2017

Clansman said:
Glasgow to Edinburgh, service wise, is quickest via Falkirk High at around 55 minutes. However, as the Caledonian Sleeper demonstrates (often when delayed), Glasgow and Edinburgh has been travelled between in 45 minutes non-stop via Airdrie and Bathgate - whereas the usual journey time on that route is around 70 minutes, with services being all stop suburban extensions from Glasgow. Thus, Edinburgh and Glasgow via Airdrie is the quickest way between the 2 stations, despite regular services on the line being one of the slowest.

You haven't actually demonstrated that this is true, since you're comparing the non-stop journey time on one route (Airdrie-Bathgate) with the stopping journey time on the other route (via Falkirk High).

In the early 1970s, trains were scheduled to make the journey via Falkirk High in just 43 minutes.

greatkingrat · 23 Jun 2017

Assuming a clear run, Littlehampton - Victoria via Dorking would be quicker than the normal route via Hove.

LNW-GW Joint · 23 Jun 2017

There are several routes which could be faster than current through services.
King's Cross to Nottingham (via Grantham) and Sheffield (via Retford) could be quicker than the current services via the MML and Leicester.
But if you offer those services it undermines the viability of the MML to other destinations.

Euston-Edinburgh via Carlisle could be quicker then King's Cross-Edinburgh via Newcastle, but the franchise system prevents direct services via the WCML.
North Wales/Chester-Birmingham is 10 miles shorter and 30 minutes quicker via Crewe than via Shrewsbury, but almost all through trains take the longer/slower route.
Chiltern services via High Wycombe could be quicker if they ran into Paddington, but they were diverted into Marylebone to use the spare capacity there, and Paddington got Heathrow services instead.

adrock1976 · 23 Jun 2017

Glasgow - Cheltenham Spa and onwards to Penzance could be quicker via Preston. The present direct trains run via Carstairs, Edinburgh Waverley, and Leeds along their route to the South West.

bradford758 · 23 Jun 2017

Bradford to Leeds.
Forster Square to Leeds runs are timed to take slightly longer than Interchange to Leeds journeys. The former is a flatter, electric route, so theoretically be 16' non stop.

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bradford758 · 24 Jun 2017

Leeds to Hebden Bridge.
Currently the fastest journey is the Class 1 via Halifax/Bradford (continuing to Preston/Blackpool North), but the route via Dewsbury/Brighouse is shorter.

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najaB · 24 Jun 2017

Railsigns said:
You haven't actually demonstrated that this is true...

Not to mention the fact that it's not a like for like comparison of rolling stock either.

Lampshade · 24 Jun 2017

York to Sheffield via Pontefract? (is this still a diversionary route?)

BigCj34 · 24 Jun 2017

adrock1976 said:
Glasgow - Cheltenham Spa and onwards to Penzance could be quicker via Preston. The present direct trains run via Carstairs, Edinburgh Waverley, and Leeds along their route to the South West.

I'm not sure that would be the case as the title is, by my interpretation, a line that's physically slower offering the fastest service. Going via the WCML uses both the fastest lines and services.

BigCj34 · 24 Jun 2017

I think going from Glasgow to Leeds often has a quicker service going via Edinburgh and Newcastle than taking the more direct route via Carlisle and Settle, by virtue of how the connections co-ordinate.

route:oxford · 25 Jun 2017

Clansman said:
Are there any other lines which pose the quickest route between 2 stations, where it isn't necessarily utilised in a way where the journey time isn't the quickest available to passengers - if that makes sense?

Perth to Edinburgh via Stirling.

It can be as low as 1h20m when the Chieftain does it (GLE, STG, FKG, HYM), albeit about on par with a similar morning departure 1h38 vs 1h34 for a stopper (GLE, DBL, BEA, STG, LBT, CMO, FKG, PMT, LIN, EDP, HYM).

sk688 · 25 Jun 2017

This will be a short one , but between Kings Cross and Farringdon , the Met takes 2min , whereas the TL service is 6 min ( according to the timetable ) , so I guess here the slower Met line is quicker

Trivia: When a slower line is also the quickest.

Clansman

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Dr Hoo

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Railsigns

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greatkingrat

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LNW-GW Joint

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adrock1976

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bradford758

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najaB

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Lampshade

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route:oxford

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sk688

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