Being on a train alone?

[Jerrygill]

What are the best routes to take to be the only one on the train in the UK? Preferably a single carriage 153.

 

[HarleyDavidson]

Why? Not upto something weird are you?

 

[cuccir]

I can't imagine that the 05:55 Newcastle to Chathill is ever very busy...

 

[Clansman]

Both daily (except Sunday) Glasgow to Carnoustie and Carnoustie to Dundee services.

I don't live in 153 territory so couldn't suggest anything other than maybe the first/last Cardiff Bay to Cardiff Queen Street shuttle.

 

[Jerrygill]

Not at all, just something I would like to experience.

 

[CC 72100]

I can't imagine that the 05:55 Newcastle to Chathill is ever very busy...

If that is worked by a Pacer, looks like quite a decent high-speed run for one though

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Can't imagine there's much patronage on the Saturday only 0048 Tain to Muir of Ord...

 

[cuccir]

To follow up on that Chathill train - the 'Mersey Tart's' blog on it confirms that he was only traveller.

 

[Clansman]

The 0508 from Perth to Inverness is safe bet for an empty train also.

 

[theageofthetra]

Plenty of early/late Grove Park-Bromley North which carry air

 

[TheDavibob]

Find an STP Cambridge - Cambridge North. I accidentally ended up completely alone on a late evening 12-car train, returning from Stansted (and fancied walking back from North instead of central, given there was a train waiting at Cambridge). Though, of course, a 12-car second-gen EMU isn't quite a 1-car 153...

 

[Far north 37]

Can't imagine there's much patronage on the Saturday only 0048 Tain to Muir of Ord...

i wouldnt be surprised either though if it was quite busy a lot of people from alness and invergordon go to tain for a night out so very possibly a few people on it

 

[Peter Mugridge]

What about the Chiltern "Parliamentary" off Paddington? High chance of having a 2 car 165 to yourself on that one.

Not a complete train, but if you're right at the back of an off peak 12 car Gatwick Express that starts at Gatwick ( rather than Brighton ) to Victoria you'll have a high chance of having the rear three or four cars all to yourself...

 

[MidnightFlyer]

i wouldnt be surprised either though if it was quite busy a lot of people from alness and invergordon go to tain for a night out so very possibly a few people on it

Going to Tain for a night out is a possibility I had never before entertained, but that does actually make some sense. I always thought it was a glorified ecs move and the main flow was the punters staying out for a late-ish one in Inverness.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

I was the only passenger earlier this year between York and Sherburn-in-Elmet on a short working to Selby around 1100 on a Thursday. Somebody then got on. I came back from Selby an hour or so later in order to do the other curve back on to the ECML.

 

[Far north 37]

Going to Tain for a night out is a possibility I had never before entertained, but that does actually make some sense. I always thought it was a glorified ecs move and the main flow was the punters staying out for a late-ish one in Inverness.

yeah i would imagine its mainly for people coming back from inverness but tain can get quite busy some saturday nights i imagine passengers for fearn also might be on the return working

 

[Bletchleyite]

What are the best routes to take to be the only one on the train in the UK? Preferably a single carriage 153.

There's a late evening Euston to Bletchley all stops, on which there is a not unreasonable chance of having 8 coaches to yourself past Leighton. Like some of the morning ones into London it's really a Tring stopper but is going back to Bletchley CS to sit overnight so might as well do so in service as it also has a Bletchley crew.

2105, indeed. The 1834 which is operated by the 319s is also quiet after Leighton but usually there are a few remaining passengers for Bletchley.

 

[causton]

What about the Chiltern "Parliamentary" off Paddington? High chance of having a 2 car 165 to yourself on that one.

You would be surprised!

Perhaps I picked the wrong day but last time I took it there were 3 or 4 other passengers and also a group of three GWR staff route learning (which was interesting comparing my knowledge to theirs as they went along and detailed the route!)

 

[fowler9]

Get a Liverpool South Parkway to Preston service from South Parkway as far as Lime Street. As close as you can get to a guaranteed private train but only for about a ten minute journey. Unless you are going all the way to Preston there is a London Midland service a couple of minutes before that gets to Lime Street first that everyone gets.

 

[rwebster]

Both daily (except Sunday) Glasgow to Carnoustie and Carnoustie to Dundee services.

Certainly the afternoon train back to Carnoustie is relatively well used - whilst it's the only northbound train of the day that stops at Golf Street etc, Carnoustie is a reasonably large town.

 

[route101]

Both daily (except Sunday) Glasgow to Carnoustie and Carnoustie to Dundee services.

I don't live in 153 territory so couldn't suggest anything other than maybe the first/last Cardiff Bay to Cardiff Queen Street shuttle.

Isent the Glasgow to Carnoustie a peak time service?

 

[deltic]

04.45 Shrewsbury to Llandrindod and 05.20 Llanelli to Llandovery may be possible contenders, along with 00.23 Milford Haven to Carmarthen, 02.44 Carmarthen to Swansea and 04.50 to Milford Haven

 

[Jerrygill]

04.45 Shrewsbury to Llandrindod and 05.20 Llanelli to Llandovery may be possible contenders, along with 00.23 Milford Haven to Carmarthen, 02.44 Carmarthen to Swansea and 04.50 to Milford Haven

What about the far north line?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

What about the far north line?

I have used the Far North Line twice; on both occasions the trains I used were about 80% full each way.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Middle of the day into Watford Met....

 

[Clansman]

Isent the Glasgow to Carnoustie a peak time service?

Yes, but between Dundee and Carnoustie its a different story.

 

[Ianno87]

I think I was the sole passenger on the Chiltern out of Paddington when I did it. As I was when I did the (no longer operating) Kensington Olympia to Wandsworth Rd parly.

I've also been the sole passenger on the Finchley Central-Mill Hill East shuttle before now.

Another good bet would be the Stourbridge shuttle at certain times of day...

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Yeah, the 2354 to Stourbridge Town and return might be empty. Shame it’s not ten years ago or it would be the 153 you want!

 

[tsr]

Again not a 153, and I've posted it elsewhere, but the 2004 Uckfield-London Bridge on weekdays is very empty up to East Croydon. Usually only 1 or 2 passengers on it at most. That line also has very few passengers heading north on a Sunday evening, or south of East Croydon on the 0608 out of London Bridge on a Saturday. Other contenders in Southern land are the evening shuttles heading from Reigate towards Redhill at the tail end of the evening peaks early in the week (not vice versa due to commuter flows out of London, unless people miss connections) - also some of the very early and late services on the Tonbridge line.

 

[yorksrob]

Again not a 153, and I've posted it elsewhere, but the 2004 Uckfield-London Bridge on weekdays is very empty up to East Croydon. Usually only 1 or 2 passengers on it at most. That line also has very few passengers heading north on a Sunday evening, or south of East Croydon on the 0608 out of London Bridge on a Saturday. Other contenders in Southern land are the evening shuttles heading from Reigate towards Redhill at the tail end of the evening peaks early in the week (not vice versa due to commuter flows out of London, unless people miss connections) - also some of the very early and late services on the Tonbridge line.

I can remember getting a thumper saloon to myself on either that or a later service.

In terms of empty trains for the OP, there aren't as many around as there used to be. I've been the sole passenger get on the 21:00 off Ribblehead before, but some fellow passengers turned up at Settle.

I also had a 153 almost to myself between Appleby and Ribblehead, but that was a year or two ago when the line was partially closed.