Trivia: Trains that pass through two common stations with different intermediate calling points

Marylebone to Aylesbury via Amersham or High Wycombe

mallard said:

Nottingham to Peterborough via Loughborough and Melton Mowbray or via Grantham

Click to expand...

Wouldn't you prefer to take the 6:53 from Nottingham to Peterborough via Lincoln?

Manchester Victoria to Leeds - Northern route via Rochdale and then Bradford or Dewsbury - and the main TPE route. They certainly diverge for quite a while, before meeting nearer Leeds, maybe at Dewsbury actually. So, part of that route would count at least. The Dartford to London lines as mentioned before - but a more specific example from my childhood is Charlton, Blackheath, Lewisham, London Bridge vs Charlton, Westcombe Park, Maze Hill, Greenwich, Deptford, London Bridge

The Calder Valley via Dewsbury trains join the main line at Mirfield and are much quicker at least Sowerby Bridge- Leeds than going via Bradford