Alternate Routes to the Norm Involving one TOC

[district]

Traditionally, London to Birmingham has always been using Virgin Trains, from Euston, but thanks to some very clever advertising, Chiltern from Marylebone via High Wycombe is a viable contender

 

[MidnightFlyer]

That is however the only way between those two stations as I believe no TPE or Virgin services call at Carstairs

Just the 2010 Glasgow Central-Crewe on Fridays only I believe. It connects with a TPE service from Edinburgh-Carstairs!

 

[Eagle]

Traditionally, London to Birmingham has always been using Virgin Trains, from Euston, but thanks to some very clever advertising, Chiltern from Marylebone via High Wycombe is a viable contender

As is London Midland nowadays.

 

[district]

How long does LM take compared to Chiltern or VT?

 

[Eagle]

How long does LM take compared to Chiltern or VT?

Between 2h10 and 2h40 (so not a world away from the slow Chilterns), and that'll come down if they get clearance for 110 mph. But the main point is the LM only fares are ridiculously cheap.

 

[Rhydgaled]

Supprised nobody's mentioned Cardiff - MAN with XC, given that using XC for Cardiff - Taunton has been mentioned. The obvious TOC for Cardiff - MAN is ATW of course.

 

[Eagle]

Stratford to Barking with LO.

 

[Ivo]

Supprised nobody's mentioned Cardiff - MAN with XC, given that using XC for Cardiff - Taunton has been mentioned. The obvious TOC for Cardiff - MAN is ATW of course.

Nobody's mentioned it because it's a viable option. Yes, OK, it is less efficient that the through service, and slower than changing at Bristol Parkway, but the route itself is perfectly reasonable to try. It is only ~25% slower on average. In fact, sometimes the FGW/XC option is better.

 

[lemonic]

Under NXEA I believe? I'm sure the one time I saw this it was 3-car (Unless that was a Lowestoft service, of course.)

But yes, it most certainly was a waste. At least the Lowestoft route had potential, even if the stock was wholly inadequate south of Ipswich.

The services from Peterborough/Lowestoft-London Liverpool St were always booked for 3 carriage 170s although occasionally 2 carriage 170s turned up instead. I agree that it was a waste of diesel stock but last Summer when I was at Ipswich station and a Lowestoft train was late arriving at Ipswich, missing the connection to London, a lot of passengers were not happy and were saying how it used to be better having a direct train!

 

[Kentish Paul]

Also London to Bristol TM with SWT instead of FGW. Three through trains a day via Salisbury and Westbury at 09:20, 12:20 and 19:20. These are the rear halves of Exeter trains detached at Salisbury.

 

[Ivo]

Nothing wrong with that; I've done Bath to Waterloo that way before now. Quite a pleasant journey in fact!

...come to think of it, it would have been the day I pulled this stunt!

 

[Deerfold]

Leeds to Manchester.

Norm TPE.
Could be Northern
Leeds to Man Vic via Bradford/Brighouse

How is that not normal?

So is going from Liverpool to London with LM (in fact, it takes an hour and a half longer), but that's not an eccentric route.

Considering the popularity of the Liverpool to London route LM only, and Leeds to Manchester route Via Hebden Bridge tickets, they're hardly abnormal.

Sorry to go back a bit, but if you go from Leeds to Manchester via Bradford and Brighouse, you're not going via Hebden Bridge. I'm assuming you're going to change onto the Northern Huddersfield - Man Vic stopper.

I think the fastest it can be done is 2h25 with one change of train compared with under an hour with TPE.

 

[sprite]

Salford crescent - Leeds
Northern:
Salford - Manchester Victoria -(Via Halifax / Brighouse)- Leeds
FTPE:
Salford - Manchester Oxford Road/Picadilly - (Via Huddersfield) - Leeds
Using the Halifax route gives 2 completely different journeys only sharing tracks on departure and final arrival

 

[northwichcat]

Has Manchester to Liverpool via Wigan been mentioned? I know it's not that exotic but with 3 fast direct Manchester-Liverpool trains per hour and 3 stoppers I can't see many people doing it.

Or what about Ellesmere Port to Manchester using Northern using the token Ellesmere Port to Warrington Bank Quay service and transferring to Warrington Central?

 

[Seacook]

You'd probably cover more distance walking between platforms at Smethwick GB than you would walking from BHM-BMO

How about changing at Droitwich Spa? This does extend the journey just a bit, though.