24 hour rail service/timetable

[92011]

I’m pretty sure Thameslink run a 24 hour service, are there any others at the minute?

What are your thoughts on companies running a “around the clock” service, I’m sure it won’t be long until it happens up and down the country due to customer demand...
Where would be the best places/areas to do so do you reckon?

 

[221101 Voyager]

I’m pretty sure Thameslink run a 24 hour service, are there any others at the minute?

What are your thoughts on companies running a “around the clock” service, I’m sure it won’t be long until it happens up and down the country due to customer demand...
Where would be the best places/areas to do so do you reckon?

I don't think many people will travel at say 2 or 3 am for example, the only people I can think of is a few late night workers (who actually could benefit from this), or most likely drunk people!

 

[cactustwirly]

I’m pretty sure Thameslink run a 24 hour service, are there any others at the minute?

What are your thoughts on companies running a “around the clock” service, I’m sure it won’t be long until it happens up and down the country due to customer demand...
Where would be the best places/areas to do so do you reckon?

There's also the Reading to London Paddington stopping services operated by GWR, which run virtually throughout the night on weekdays

 

[Peter0124]

The 24 hour service on Thameslink is useful because of the connection with Luton and Gatwick airports allowing people to travel by train for early morning flights without staying over.

 

[NoMorePacers]

TPE are still running a 24 hour service between York and Manchester and Sheffield and Manchester at the moment.

 

[JonathanH]

I’m pretty sure Thameslink run a 24 hour service, are there any others at the minute?

Paddington to Reading

What are your thoughts on companies running a “around the clock” service

Not going to happen - better done with coaches or buses (and not by the railway hiring them). You need year round custom for it to be worth doing and it is very difficult to establish it. I guess one option is to gradually extend the time of last and first trains until there isn't a gap.

Where would be the best places/areas to do so do you reckon?

Last time it was discussed here - https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/next-routes-to-get-24-hour-services.183667/

 

[theironroad]

TPE are still running a 24 hour service between York and Manchester and Sheffield and Manchester at the moment.

Shf to man seems to have a few hour gap overnight.(using tonight)


Thameslink seem quite regular between Gatwick and STP.

What would constitute a 24 hr service?

At least every hour? Every two hours?

A three hour gap between say 0100 and 0400 just seems to be a late last train and early first train tbh.

 

[NoMorePacers]

Shf to man seems to have a few hour gap overnight.(using tonight)


Thameslink seem quite regular between Gatwick and STP.

What would constitute a 24 hr service?

At least every hour? Every two hours?

A three hour gap between say 0100 and 0400 just seems to be a late last train and early first train tbh.

Admittedly Sheffield-Manchester is clutching at straws to an extent - although as you say, it depends on how a 24 hour service is defined.

 

[theironroad]

Admittedly Sheffield-Manchester is clutching at straws to an extent - although as you say, it depends on how a 24 hour service is defined.

Tbf, until I saw your post I wouldn't have thought of sheff or York having such late,/early services, so not too bad really. (Though others may disagree!)

 

[NoMorePacers]

Tbf, until I saw your post I wouldn't have thought of sheff or York having such late,/early services, so not too bad really. (Though others may disagree!)

They work out as quite good budget mobile hotels when out and about. Although on a more serious note, Sheffield and York have done rather well in that respect (helps that there are plenty of diversionary routes, all of which are served by 24 hour signal boxes I think).

 

[Daniel740]

It wouldn’t surprise me if the 24hr Thameslink service gets the chop in the near future, I passed through Gatwick last week and it was completely dead.

 

[JonathanH]

It wouldn’t surprise me if the 24hr Thameslink service gets the chop in the near future, I passed through Gatwick last week and it was completely dead.

As I posted in a similar thread a year ago the overnight services to Gatwick are dead most of the time, not just in the current circumstances (although what is going on now will be making it worse and the day trains are dead as well).

Now is not the time to be talking about increasing the number of empty trains running around.

 

[theironroad]

As I posted in a similar thread a year ago the overnight services to Gatwick are dead most of the time, not just in the current circumstances (although what is going on now will be making it worse and the day trains are dead as well).

Now is not the time to be talking about increasing the number of empty trains running around.

Unless of course those empty trains would be running anyway as ECS movements from three bridges (after maintenance etc) to remote locations for start of a more normal hours service. Probably wouldn't apply to all obviously, but a few passengers could benefit.

 

[JonathanH]

Unless of course those empty trains would be running anyway as ECS movements from three bridges (after maintenance etc) to remote locations for start of a more normal hours service. Probably wouldn't apply to all obviously, but a few passengers could benefit.

True, indeed Thameslink are short of siding space and arguably the amount of siding space that has been provided is based on an assumption that some units will be out overnight.

 

[Daniel740]

Unless of course those empty trains would be running anyway as ECS movements from three bridges (after maintenance etc) to remote locations for start of a more normal hours service. Probably wouldn't apply to all obviously, but a few passengers could benefit.

True, indeed Thameslink are short of siding space and arguably the amount of siding space that has been provided is based on an assumption that some units will be out overnight.

Thameslink don’t help themselves by not running north of London Bridge on Sunday mornings, which (pre COVID) would have been the busiest time for the service.

 

[Eloise]

Thameslink don’t help themselves by not running north of London Bridge on Sunday mornings, which (pre COVID) would have been the busiest time for the service.

I think this may be to do with standard maintenance, only chance they get to patrol the line.

Having done a Brighton Main Line overnight train (03:02 ex Vic or something like that on a Sunday pre COVID) it was a full and standing 8-car Class 377. I was genuinely surprised and about the only person sober.

 

[221101 Voyager]

I think this may be to do with standard maintenance, only chance they get to patrol the line.

Having done a Brighton Main Line overnight train (03:02 ex Vic or something like that on a Sunday pre COVID) it was a full and standing 8-car Class 377. I was genuinely surprised and about the only person sober.

That does not surprise me, as it's what I mentioned about in post #2!

 

[Bletchleyite]

I don't think many people will travel at say 2 or 3 am for example, the only people I can think of is a few late night workers (who actually could benefit from this), or most likely drunk people!

The 03something MKC-Euston, which I've used all of once, carries a reasonable load of e.g. tube and bus drivers, though it is one of the few services on the south WCML where 4 coaches are completely adequate. (It's formed of the similarly quiet 0134 off Euston going back south - that set doesn't "go to bed").

I'd agree a 2-3am *from* Euston would be a vomit comet of the worst kind. FWIW, I would say that the weekday WCML timetable, while not quite 24 hour, covers pretty much all the main requirements. The lack of a later Saturday return train can be a bit of a nuisance (0015 is the last one) but the main "vomit comets" are actually the earlier ones, between about 2200 and 2300, that one is more likely to be full of theatre goers etc.

 

[TC60054]

Admittedly Sheffield-Manchester is clutching at straws to an extent - although as you say, it depends on how a 24 hour service is defined.

Sheffield to Manchester I would be amazed if it could class as a 24 hour service. The last eastbound leaves Manchester before midnight with the next train being at around 6am from Manchester - Sheffield has a similar gap but from 10/11pm until 3.30am.
I believe there was initially a plan in the May timetable for an overnight return from Cleethorpes to Manchester which would have made a roughly two-hourly service over the Pennines in either direction (certainly at the Sheffield side) but alas this never came to fruition.

 

[Bald Rick]

Thameslink don’t help themselves by not running north of London Bridge on Sunday mornings, which (pre COVID) would have been the busiest time for the service.

Core block for maintenance. Must be patrolled weekly.

 

[92011]

It wouldn’t surprise me if the 24hr Thameslink service gets the chop in the near future, I passed through Gatwick last week and it was completely dead.

I guess it’s abit different at the minute due to coronavirus, probably isn’t as many passengers going there etc.

I suppose it wouldn’t be a nationwide thing, operators like Hull Trains and Grand Central obviously couldn’t

I’m personally surprised the Birmingham lines and Merseyrail aren’t 24 hours

 

[CW2]

Until the newspaper contract was lost, there were departures from Manchester Piccadilly to Cleethorpes at 01:20 via Doncaster and 02:10 via Retford and Lincoln. Passenger numbers were not massive (and the first train was unadvertised, so officially Staff Only).

 

[JonathanH]

I’m personally surprised the Birmingham lines and Merseyrail aren’t 24 hours

I don't think you should be surprised. People prefer door to door transport late at night - and are prepared to pay for taxis.

There only appear to be three night buses in Birmingham - why would the trains run all night?
https://nxbus.co.uk/west-midlands/i...rmation/24-hours-a-day-7-days-a-week-services

 

[Daniel740]

I guess it’s abit different at the minute due to coronavirus, probably isn’t as many passengers going there etc.

I suppose it wouldn’t be a nationwide thing, operators like Hull Trains and Grand Central obviously couldn’t

I’m personally surprised the Birmingham lines and Merseyrail aren’t 24 hours

There’s just not the traffic for 24 hr services. If there isn’t the demand for night buses, how could you run night trains at a profit?

 

[92011]

I don't think you should be surprised. People prefer door to door transport late at night - and are prepared to pay for taxis.

There only appear to be three night buses in Birmingham - why would the trains run all night?
https://nxbus.co.uk/west-midlands/i...rmation/24-hours-a-day-7-days-a-week-services

I see it in terms of, you can most likely get about more on rail. Think about how many millions use Merseyrail for example, Liverpool and the surrounding areas aren’t exactly small after all. I’d personally rather catch a train then a bus but everyone’s different I suppose

There’s just not the traffic for 24 hr services. If there isn’t the demand for night buses, how could you run night trains at a profit?

Certainly not in all areas, no.

 

[Daniel740]

I don't think you should be surprised. People prefer door to door transport late at night - and are prepared to pay for taxis.

There only appear to be three night buses in Birmingham - why would the trains run all night?
https://nxbus.co.uk/west-midlands/i...rmation/24-hours-a-day-7-days-a-week-services

There used to be more night buses in Birmingham, but were withdrawn due to lack of demand. Same as Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, pretty much the only two places to have a decent system are London and Edinburgh.

 

[JonathanH]

I see it in terms of, you can most likely get about more on rail. Think about how many millions use Merseyrail for example, Liverpool and the surrounding areas aren’t exactly small after all. I’d personally rather catch a train then a bus but everyone’s different I suppose

There are very many fewer reasons to travel at night than there are to travel during the day. Some people work night shifts, some people work and take part in the 'nighttime economy' and other people might want to travel overnight rather than waste the day travelling, other people need to get to airports. That is about it though - you don't go out for travel overnight without a purpose. So whilst many people want to use trains by day, that doesn't automatically translate to a desire to do it overnight.

If you are travelling any distance, a coach is better overnight with the lights off than a train with the lights on. If you are travelling locally, you can hire a taxi. In some places, train use does exist overnight but it is really limited.

 

[92011]

There are very many fewer reasons to travel at night than there are to travel during the day. Some people work night shifts, some people work and take part in the 'nighttime economy' and other people might want to travel overnight rather than waste the day travelling, other people need to get to airports. That is about it though - you don't go out for travel overnight without a purpose. So whilst many people want to use trains by day, that doesn't automatically translate to a desire to do it overnight.

If you are travelling any distance, a coach is better overnight with the lights off than a train with the lights on. If you are travelling locally, you can hire a taxi. In some places, train use does exist overnight but it is really limited.

I guess it’s all down to personal preference really.
My tread was as having seen an article about it, where did people think there would be interest to have a 24 hour timetable if it to was ever come about.
Although, yeah, I’d have to agree with you from a coach point of view. Maybe not as quick haha

To be honest though, buses/coaches aren’t going to cover the same route as the national rail but that’s probably off topic.

I mean it’s a given certain areas of the country wouldn’t benefit from it at all and others quite possibly could.

 

[700007]

I think this may be to do with standard maintenance, only chance they get to patrol the line.

Having done a Brighton Main Line overnight train (03:02 ex Vic or something like that on a Sunday pre COVID) it was a full and standing 8-car Class 377. I was genuinely surprised and about the only person sober.

I have always maintained in a pre Covid world that the 24 hour services should extend southbound from Three Bridges to Brighton. Brighton had a thriving night economy before the pandemic hit and the last/first trains of the day most nights a week were actually quite well used to get to Haywards Heath / Gatwick / London. Even an hourly service would have sufficed. Not sure how strong the case study would be in the new world but right now it is dead.

 

[387star]

Always been gutting the last train to Chichester off Victoria is 2239 except Saturday night
Horsham does a little better being closer to London