Comparison of Journey times in 1955 and today

[DerekC]

Mind you I think the Readings are still Richmond-Clapham-Waterloo only, which is only one stop, which would only add presumably about 2 minutes. I guess congestion is the problem, though looking at some of those old BR-era timetables there still seemed to be a lot of peak services - BR seemed to be very clever at squeezing in a lot of peak services, more than today perhaps, without impacting journey times too much.

The Weybridge-Richmond then fast is I think long gone, I don't even remember that from the 80s.

As I think somebody said up-thread, dwell times have increased a lot since slam-door days. Where stoppers are concerned that makes a lot of difference.

 

[Snow1964]

Mind you I think the Readings are still Richmond-Clapham-Waterloo only, which is only one stop, which would only add presumably about 2 minutes. I guess congestion is the problem, though looking at some of those old BR-era timetables there still seemed to be a lot of peak services - BR seemed to be very clever at squeezing in a lot of peak services, more than today perhaps, without impacting journey times too much.

The Weybridge-Richmond then fast is I think long gone, I don't even remember that from the 80s.

16 minutes from busy Richmond to Waterloo becoming 22 minutes now is a bit more than a Clapham Junction stop. What is unusual is the 38% increase in journey time from a significant commuter station, on a line where the number of trains per hour is similar.

Dwell times are irrelevant to what was non-stop, the extra stop is part of it, but some sections have a higher line speed (including approach to Waterloo) which should absorb some of the allowance for an extra stop. To be honest if a peak hour stop at Clapham Junction (and platforms 3&4 are fairly straight) requires 6 minutes extra then have to question why the stop was added.

 

[chorleyjeff]

Manchester - Blackpool (1955) 66 mins (1 train; 90-110 mins was more typical). (2021) 71 mins typical
Manchester - Southport (1955) 50 mins;(1 train, 52-53 mins more typical). (2021) 66 mins
Manchester - Derby (1955) 93 mins; (2021) 109 mins (change at Sheffield)
Manchester - Leicester (1955) 2h.18m.; (2021) 2h.11m. (change at Sheffield)
Manchester - London (1955) 3h.20m.; (2021) 2h.07m.
Liverpool - London (1955) 3h.25m.; (2021) 2h.06m.
Manchester - Glasgow (1955) 5h.40m.; (2021) 3h.11m.
Manchester - Birmingham (1955) 2h.00m.; (2021) 1h.30m.

The Blackpool 66 minutes would use the long closed direct line from Kirkham to Blackpool South which would save a few minutes. The 100 minutes would be round by Lytham stopping at several stations between Kirkham and Blackpool South. A better comparison would be the trains to Blackpool North which used the same route as today's Manchester to Blackpool.

 

[30907]

16 minutes from busy Richmond to Waterloo becoming 22 minutes now is a bit more than a Clapham Junction stop. What is unusual is the 38% increase in journey time from a significant commuter station, on a line where the number of trains per hour is similar.

WTT is 20min including 2.5min for pathing, so 17.5min net. Evening peak down trains are booked 16min with the one stop.

Dwell times are irrelevant to what was non-stop, the extra stop is part of it, but some sections have a higher line speed (including approach to Waterloo)

By how much?

which should absorb some of the allowance for an extra stop.

Trains approach terminal platforms considerably slower than they once did, though, because of TPWS and defensive driving.

To be honest if a peak hour stop at Clapham Junction (and platforms 3&4 are fairly straight) requires 6 minutes extra then have to question why the stop was added.

It doesn't - at most 3min - and the answer is to be seen in the numbers interchanging there. Which I blame - half-seriously - on BR(S) introducing "London SR" tickets in the 60s