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Trivia - Shortest train services in the UK

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Denzo

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There’s been discourse online about the longest routes now that Aberdeen-Penzance has been scrapped. I’ve been conflicting reports suggesting that it’s Aberdeen-Plymouth successor remains the longest, whilst others claim it’s the Euston-Fort William

My own research suggests the former is further as the crow flies but the latter is the longest in terms of time.

But enough of that. I want to know what the SHORTEST is. I’m not talking about journeys that got cancelled at the first stop, what is the shortest regularly scheduled full journey from end-to-end, both in terms of mileage and time?

Waterloo and City line does not count. National rail only.
 
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greatkingrat

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There have been trains between Wrexham Central and Wrexham General in the past (49 chains), although I can't see any in the current timetable.
 
Z

zwk500

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Class15 said:
Oh yes great shout. Not including LU I suspect that is our winner.
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Not if OP is discounting intermediate stops, which 'end-to-end' suggests that they are. Will need OP to confirm their criteria though. Nothing originates at Rotherhithe and terminates at Canada Water, they're all through trains.
 
NSE

NSE

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They aren’t all day every day now, but there are still Brighton - Hove shuttles in the timetable. I haven’t checked, I’m pretty sure there are still some Bognor - Barnham ones too.
 
Dr Hoo

Dr Hoo

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What about loop or ‘circular’ services that take you back to the origin station? Essentially ‘zero’ net distance.

Many years ago I understand that Mersey Railway lift services at James Street and Hamilton Square ran to a timetable to connect with the trains.
 
S

stadler

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What about the two Heathrow Airport shuttles that operate on Christmas Day every year. One 387 spends all day doing T123 to T4. One 387 spends all day doing T123 to T5. It is a special service only for one day but it happens every year so i would still call it a timetabled service. I am not sure of the exact distances but both of these are very short. They both only take about three or four minutes.
 
Kite159

Kite159

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Shortest for SWR must be the couple of Yeovil Pen Mill - Yeovil Junction services run in the evenings. 1 mile, 62 chains for ~ 4/5 minutes.

In the past I'm pretty sure there used to be a random Exeter Central to Exeter St Davids GWR service late evening, solely to get an unit from Barnstaple back down the hill.

Although doesn't come close to the Stourbridge shuttle
 
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P

Pinus contorta

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Ive been from Millom to Millom but only cos it went under the bridge and back again with me on it in the loo. Whoops that doesn't fit the criteria
 
M

Magdalia

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There are various Colchester-Colchester Town workings and vice versa.

Distance is 2m26ch or about 3750 metres and time is usually booked 7 minutes.

Some are booked 10 car class 720s which are about 230m long. This means that the journey is only about 16 times the train length.

There is also an 1822 Cambridge-Cambridge North which is a slightly shorter 2m23ch and is booked 5 minutes. But it is a 5 car train.
 
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Dr Hoo

Dr Hoo

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When the surviving Isle of Wight line was electrified in 1967 Ryde Pier was configured as two single lines, one for trains through to Shanklin and the other for a Pierhead to Esplanade shuttle. I think that this was only 32 chains and 2 minutes. The ex Underground stock was ideally suited for clearing crowds off the ferries.
 
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Sid Edwards

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greatkingrat said:
There have been trains between Wrexham Central and Wrexham General in the past (49 chains), although I can't see any in the current timetable.
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Quite frequently trains only operate between Wrexham Central and Wrexham General but I suspect that is frequently down to a crew shortage, rather than anything else.

Of course presumably the train crew rest room is still located at Wrexham General platform 1 and no facilities exist at Wrexham Central which basically a platform in a shopping centre, rather than a "proper" station.

If a relief crew have to come out from Chester at least there's an approximate hourly service to bring them to Wrexham General to pick up their train and take it to either Bidston or Wrexham Central.
 
Russel

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Magdalia said:
There are various Colchester-Colchester Town workings and vice versa.

Distance is 2m26ch or about 3750 metres and time is usually booked 7 minutes.
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Whenever I do the Colchester Town branch, it always surprises me how long it takes given the short distance, it seems a very slow journey.

Still, much quicker than walking though.
 
xotGD

xotGD

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In the evening, Northern operate some Bradford FS - Shipley shuttles. 2.57 miles. Anything shorter on Northern? Anything shorter with an intermediate station stop?
 
61653 HTAFC

61653 HTAFC

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FGW_DID said:
Slough - Windsor & Eton Central
2M 63C and 6 mins according to RTT

Realtime Trains | 2W37 1730 Slough to Windsor & Eton Central | 20/05/2025

Real-time train running information for 2W37 1730 departure from Slough to Windsor & Eton Central on 20/05/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
www.realtimetrains.co.uk www.realtimetrains.co.uk
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Does the Marlow branch still operate as a split service at Bourne End in the peaks these days? I'd have thought either leg of that would be a contender.
 
A

A S Leib

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61653 HTAFC said:
Does the Marlow branch still operate as a split service at Bourne End in the peaks these days? I'd have thought either leg of that would be a contender.
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A S Leib said:
I'm slightly surprised that the peak Marlow to Bourne End shuttles are longer, although by an eighth of a mile.
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It's around ten chains longer than the West Ealing to Greenford branch.
 
C

ChiefPlanner

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Watford Junction to Croxley Green - before it was withdrawn.........

Often empty , apart from pax who got on at Watford High Street intending to go towards Euston , and we therefore dissapointed !
 
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