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Boat trains

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How many dedicated trains to we have these days which connect to a sailing ? I know of London Liverpool St to Harwich , and perhaps London Waterloo to Portsmouth Harbour
 
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ashkeba

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1A95 07:20 Harwich International to London Liverpool Street and
2W06 07:50 Harwich International to Cambridge (for the 06:30 arrival)

2A04 05:25 Lowestoft to Harwich International a07:26 and
2A06 06:38 London Liverpool Street to Harwich International a08:07 (for the 09:00 sailing)

1A97 20:45 Harwich International to London Liverpool Street (for the 19:45 arrival)

2A86 19:32 London Liverpool Street to Harwich International a21:00 and
2A48 19:47 Cambridge to Harwich International a21:30 (for the 23:00 sailing)
 
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StephenHunter

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They're not specifically advertised for those services, are they? Nor limited to passengers for them?
 

30907

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1A95 07:20 Harwich International to London Liverpool Street and
2W06 07:50 Harwich International to Cambridge (for the 06:30 arrival)

2A86 19:32 London Liverpool Street to Harwich International a21:00 and
2A48 19:47 Cambridge to Harwich International a21:30 (for the 23:00 sailing)
Plus the equivalent services for the day boats (though the Lowestoft-Harwich using the set for the 0750 is stretching a point!), and arguably the 2102 LST-HPQ though that no longer officially connects.

Some of the Fishguard services are designed as connections and the ships are shown in the GBTT.

The Ardrossan Harbour service on Sundays is timetabled around the ferries (and partly so on weekdays)the.

No others come to mind.
They're not specifically advertised for those services, are they? Nor limited to passengers for them?
Yes (eg by Stena) and no respectively.
 

Class 170101

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1A95 07:20 Harwich International to London Liverpool Street and
2W06 07:50 Harwich International to Cambridge (for the 06:30 arrival)

2A04 05:25 Lowestoft to Harwich International a07:26 and
2A06 06:38 London Liverpool Street to Harwich International a08:07 (for the 09:00 sailing)

1A97 20:45 Harwich International to London Liverpool Street (for the 19:45 arrival)

2A86 19:32 London Liverpool Street to Harwich International a21:00 and
2A48 19:47 Cambridge to Harwich International a21:30 (for the 23:00 sailing)

Also an evening 21:47 Harwich International to Lowestoft.

It should noted that 1A95, 2A06 and 2A86 are slighty different during COVID (as shown) than before COVID.
 

ashkeba

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At Fishguard Harbour:

1B96 a. 1229 From Swansea for the 1310 sailing
1B97 d. 1250 To Cardiff Central for the 1145 arrival
2E34 a. 2157 From Carmarthen for the 2345 sailing
2E35 d. 2213 To Carmarthen for the 2125 arrival
 

skifans

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There are the Northern services to Heysham Harbour as well, only run to connect with a sailing to the Isle of Man. Used to be run as extensions of the Leeds to Morecambe trains till a few years ago till it became just a Lancaster to Heysham Harbour train.

You don't technically have to connect on/off the ferry to use it, and there is other access into the station, but come on.

Monday to Saturday its 1249 from Lancaster, arriving at 1317. Return leaves for Lancaster 3 minutes later. Its about 15 minutes earlier on Sundays and still runs to/from Leeds. The ferry typically arrives from the Isle of Man at 1145 and the return leaves at 1415.
 

JBuchananGB

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Has anyone thought of the service from Glasgow to Oban for the boat to Isle of Mull? Not a dedicated boat train, but definitely a route for which a train and a ferry boat are co-ordinated.
 

Jan Mayen

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How many open stations still exist which are used by trains and ferries? I'm thinking of places like Portsmouth Harbour, Lymington Pier as well as Harwich International. Oban wouldn't count as the station and ferry terminal are a few minutes apart.
 

zwk500

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How many open stations still exist which are used by trains and ferries? I'm thinking of places like Portsmouth Harbour, Lymington Pier as well as Harwich International. Oban wouldn't count as the station and ferry terminal are a few minutes apart.
Doe Newhaven Town count for the Ferry terminal, as it's pretty much next door? Of course, Newhaven Harbour never had boat trains and Newhaven Marine is no more.

Other than that, Fishguard Harbour, Holyhead, Heysham are the only ones I can think of that you didn't mention, all mentioned upthread of course. Maybe Tilbury has a station for the Gravesend ferry?
 

skifans

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How many open stations still exist which are used by trains and ferries? I'm thinking of places like Portsmouth Harbour, Lymington Pier as well as Harwich International. Oban wouldn't count as the station and ferry terminal are a few minutes apart.
In addition to those added by zwk500 how about Ryde Pier Head?
 

30907

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In addition to those added by zwk500 how about Ryde Pier Head?
Lymington Pier might have qualified at one time, because trains terminated short at Town if there was no connecting ferry. It's a moot point now.

Back to the OP: in the strictest sense, there are no "dedicated" boat trains that only convey boat passengers (and wait for delsyed boats!) - that was a UK speciality, and disappeared with the Tunnel.
 

43055

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Whilst Holyhead gets a generally hourly service there a extra services at lunchtime to connect with the late morning arrivals and early afternoon sailings. Avanti run 2 services departing Euston at 0810 and 0910 returning at 1253 and 1358 and TfW run the Manchester loco set as well instead of going to Llandudno.
 

Spartacus

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Lymington Pier might have qualified at one time, because trains terminated short at Town if there was no connecting ferry. It's a moot point now.

Back to the OP: in the strictest sense, there are no "dedicated" boat trains that only convey boat passengers (and wait for delayed boats!) - that was a UK speciality, and disappeared with the Tunnel.

There were the Southampton DRS 'Cruiseliner' trains a few years ago, though I think they eventually opened up bookings to enthusiasts as well. They did theoretically hold the ship for the train if delayed, though only for so long, and the return trains were held for delayed ships.
 

BayPaul

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Has anyone thought of the service from Glasgow to Oban for the boat to Isle of Mull? Not a dedicated boat train, but definitely a route for which a train and a ferry boat are co-ordinated.
As are sailings to Arran, Bute, and Dunoon
 

AndrewE

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Still in Scotland, while there may be no boat trains as such, Wemyss Bay needs a shout-out as the best station for rail/boat connections in the UK, and maybe anywhere.
It's worth a trip even if you're not getting a boat! Looking at Wikipedia, I shall have to go outside next time I'm there as well...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wemyss_Bay_railway_station shows
 

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DarloRich

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several out of Glasgow to ports for the islands - the boat connection is marked on the information screens with a little boat icon
 

zwk500

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Which is the service that runs to Stranraer?
Nowadays Stranraer only sees Glasgow trains (and some only get to Ayr/Kilmarnock), and not timed specifically for the ferry. It's also a fair bus ride from Stranraer station to the Cairnryan ferry terminal.
The ferry companies themselves actually advertise for passengers to travel to Ayr and catch a connecting bus from there.
 

Western 52

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Does the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway still connect at Lakeside with the boats on Windermere? They did when I was last there, but that was 1975!
 

Roast Veg

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Nowadays Stranraer only sees Glasgow trains (and some only get to Ayr/Kilmarnock), and not timed specifically for the ferry. It's also a fair bus ride from Stranraer station to the Cairnryan ferry terminal.
The ferry companies themselves actually advertise for passengers to travel to Ayr and catch a connecting bus from there.
Moving the terminal to Cairnryan was a tragedy. The car park is nowhere near big enough in the summer season, and the access to it from most anywhere is pretty terrible without a car.
 

30907

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Does the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway still connect at Lakeside with the boats on Windermere? They did when I was last there, but that was 1975!
Yes it does - and they make much of it. And in normal times probably carry more connecting passengers than any other boat train :)
 

adamedwards

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The best has to be Lymington Pier for the Isle of Wight. Off the train to the end of the platform, down the ramp with bikes, ticket checked and bikes pushed on to the rear of the ferry. 30 secs tops. Longer for the pedestrians who had to go round via the gangway ramp.
 
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