Examples of unusual calling patterns amongst regular services

[joke2711]

Hi Forum Members

Thoughts on this ...

I travelled from Newton Le Willows to Sandwell and Dudley for a meeting yesterday.

The normal routing is via Warrington Bank Quay but sometimes it may be quicker via Manchester.
Journey was uneventful and after meeting, I left Sandwell at 13:20 on the Glasgow train to Warrington. Arrived at Warrington .. 5 minutes after the TFW service had left so kicked my heels for 55 minutes and then boarded the next service at around 15:16.

Being in a world off my own I wasn't paying much attention to the announcements and only when the lady next to me started getting in a panic as she wanted Manchester Oxford Road, did I realise my error. That TFW service Monday - Friday only stops at Earlestown after leaving Warrington and then runs express to Manchester Piccadilly only.

I had to get off at Earlestown and await a Northern service in half an hour for the short hop to Newton Le Willows.

Find this very strange that this one service should differ its stopping pattern and also that there is a 2 hour gap to Newton Le Willows from Warrington Bank Quay

I did check the journey planner and I should have changed at Stafford and Manchester Piccadilly from that service at Sandwell but still find it very bizarre that this is scheduled? I am sure that many more people each weekday are caught out by this ...

 

[Parallel]

There used to be a morning (07:30?) Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour train that didn’t stop at Bradford On Avon due to he MOD having a path to Warminster. The train ran non-stop Bath to Trowbridge.

There are also some Severn Beach trains that don’t stop at Lawrence Hill which seems to confuse some people!

 

[Bertie the bus]

I caught the 12:58 Stoke - Manchester Piccadilly yesterday and was surprised when we sailed through Stockport. These anomalies are strange, pretty pointless and no doubt quite confusing and inconvenient to many people.

 

[agbrs_Jack]

I caught the 12:58 Stoke - Manchester Piccadilly yesterday and was surprised when we sailed through Stockport. These anomalies are strange, pretty pointless and no doubt quite confusing and inconvenient to many people.

See also:
13:58 and 15:58 (Both only on Satudays)

 

[Esker-pades]

A few counter-peak workings to/from London Cannon Street skip out London Bridge.

 

[mm333]

There used to be (unless 2018 IFAIK) one train a day that went straight through Brough non-stop. And I think there's one LNER Leeds-London train a week that doesn't call at Doncaster.

 

[mm333]

Hull Trains has one train a week that doesn't call at Retford and one train a week that does call at Stevenage: https://live-departures.info/rail/timetable-toc/Hull-Trains/

 

[700007]

There's a GA service out of London Liverpool Street that leaves at 1628 which has an unusual calling pattern that catches people out. It sort of tries to be a mixture of the stopping and semi fast service.

I believe it calls at Tottenham Hale, Broxbourne, Harlow Town, Sawbridgeworth, Bishops Stortford, Stansted Mountfitchet, Audley End, Whittlesford Parkway and Cambridge.

There was also a TfL Rail service; the 1650 from London Liverpool Street to Gidea Park a few years back that for some odd reason went Stratford, Maryland, Forest Gate, then straight to Ilford, Chadwell Heath, Romford and Gidea Park. I never understood why it skipped Manor Park even though the 1640 and 1700 stopped there.

 

[wls1]

c2c peak time can crop up some unusual calling pattens, notable ones are these
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/L48007/2019/02/25/advanced
Misses out Southend Central, Westcliff and Chalkwell and then form a fast service,
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/L48021/2019/02/25/advanced
A fast service that calls at West Horndon whilst the Stopper skips it,

And in the evening some of the fast services have a pick and mix calling pattern
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/L48075/2019/02/25/advanced

 

[TurboFintan]

On my local line, the 07:44 and 08:44 Maidenhead to Paddington calls at Southall but skips Ealing Broadway. During off-peak all local 387 trains call at Ealing Broadway and half (2 of 4) call at Southall otherwise runs non-stop to Hayes & Harlington. Suppose both services are unusual for a fast from Slough.

 

[geoffk]

There are quite a few oddities on the Calder Valley line, mostly odd skip-stop arrangements, too numerous to list.

Re the Newton-le-Willows example quoted by the OP, this is the loco-hauled train (propelled) and I assume that, because of the slam door stock, extra time is allowed at stations so no time to stop at Newton or Oxford Road. It also misses Shotton.

The 07.51 Hazel Grove to Manchester Piccadilly, new in December, calls at Woodsmoor, Davenport and Heaton Chapel but not Stockport.

 

[RailWonderer]

Some Stansted - Liverpool St morning services call at Brimsdown and Enfield lock but skip everywhere else besides Stortford and Tottenham Hale. Weird. Also in the evening you have an Ipwisch that stops at Stratford then Hatfield Peverel. There's many of these in the peaks. Then the Virgins that stop in the Trent Valley. Depends wheat you mean by unusual. Reading - Paddington in the morning that stops at Slough, Southall then Paddington. There's too many to note.

 

[Ken H]

1 train a day (2 on sats) from beyond Skipton stop at Steeton and Silsden. And the 1515 from Leeds stops Steeton and Silden and Cononley but none do on Saturdays. There is a 1526 leeds - skipton stopper.

 

[tommy2215]

The 06:30 LNER service from Bradford Forster Square to Kings Cross runs non-stop between Wakefield Westgate and Kings Cross. Its the only LNER train from Leeds that doesn't stop at Doncaster

 

[DanTrain]

The Hope Valley services mostly call at all stations, but occasionally they skip stops somewhat at random. One for example runs fast Sheffield-Edale, no idea why!

 

[PR1Berske]

Passengers used to buses calling at all stops may be confused by trains which don't!

 

[SouthernOne]

The 09.26 and the 11.26 Mon to Fri Southern service from Southampton Central to Brighton run via Eastleigh. Both don’t stop at Fareham. So fast Eastleigh to Cosham.

The 15.21, 16.21, 16.51 Brighton to Littlehampton runs fast West Worthing to Littlehampton. The 17.42 fast Worthing to Littlehampton. All services in the other direction Littlehampton to Brighton call at all stations.

 

[hexagon789]

The 1747 SX Glasgow Central to Ayr calls at Paisley Gilmour Street and is then fast to Irvine, the only Ayr service to miss out Kilwinning I believe.

It's quite unusual as fast services to Ayr are normally non-stop to Kilwinning, missing a Paisley call, though an evening peak Ayr service not calling at Kilwinning seems to have been a feature of Ayrshire timetables for some years.

 

[tsr]

1V40 0903 Gatwick Airport to Reading is the only Great Western service on this route which skips North Camp and Blackwater. Up until May last year, it didn’t stop at Wokingham either. It’s a lovely quick service but nobody really seems to know why... ssssh!

 

[mmh]

There are a fair few odd services on the North Wales coast line which do things like Rhyl to Chester non-stop for no obvious reason.

One oddity in the current timetable is the 15:47 from Holyhead to Birmingham International, it runs all stops from Holyhead to Llandudno Junction (including the request stops) then fast to Chester.

 

[pompeyfan]

The 09.26 and the 11.26 Mon to Fri Southern service from Southampton Central to Brighton run via Eastleigh. Both don’t stop at Fareham. So fast Eastleigh to Cosham.

The 15.21, 16.21, 16.51 Brighton to Littlehampton runs fast West Worthing to Littlehampton. The 17.42 fast Worthing to Littlehampton. All services in the other direction Littlehampton to Brighton call at all stations.

It’s really unusual for trains not to call at Fareham. Possibly the only in service trains of the day not to call.

The Sunday’s only 00:50 Waterloo - Portsmouth harbour 1P01 is Waterloo, Clapham, Woking, Guildford, Havant, Fratton etc. When there’s a block on at Haslemere the train will run as far as Guildford, back up to Woking then next stop Fratton via Eastleigh.

Another odd one is the 1845 from Waterloo, first stop West Byfleet but slips Worplesdon.

 

[Strathclyder]

Scotrail's 1Y20 0521 Oban to Glasgow Queen St springs to mind in this respect. The calling pattern for this particular W.H.L service beyond Helensburgh Upper make it stick out - Cardross, Dumbarton Central, Singer, Maryhill and Possilpark & Parkhouse.

This is the only West Highland Line service in either direction to call at any of these stations (Dumbarton Central excepted, of course) and the only one to skip Dalmuir. There is no equivalent working in the evening peak.

 

[route101]

Used to be few on Glasgow South Western and still is . Dumfries , Carlisle and Newcastles stopping at Pollokshaw West and Crossmyloof .
I think theres a Aberdeen service from Glasgow that misses Stirling .
Noticed last Weekend 175x service from Edinburgh to Glasgow Central via Shotts calling at Cambuslang

 

[route101]

The 1747 SX Glasgow Central to Ayr calls at Paisley Gilmour Street and is then fast to Irvine, the only Ayr service to miss out Kilwinning I believe.

It's quite unusual as fast services to Ayr are normally non-stop to Kilwinning, missing a Paisley call, though an evening peak Ayr service not calling at Kilwinning seems to have been a feature of Ayrshire timetables for some years.

Fast and slow services to Ayr , im sure most used to call at Paisley

 

[Robert Mann]

If this is the service I think it is, I believe the reason it skips Newton-Le-Willows is something to do with it being the loco hauled service with Class 67, 4 Mark 3 carriages and Driving Van Trailer?

I'm not sure about the length of Newton-Le-Willows station but is it possible that this station doesn't have a long enough platform perhaps? Or maybe there's another reason why the loco hauled services can't stop there?

Hi Forum Members

Thoughts on this ...

I travelled from Newton Le Willows to Sandwell and Dudley for a meeting yesterday.

The normal routing is via Warrington Bank Quay but sometimes it may be quicker via Manchester.
Journey was uneventful and after meeting, I left Sandwell at 13:20 on the Glasgow train to Warrington. Arrived at Warrington .. 5 minutes after the TFW service had left so kicked my heels for 55 minutes and then boarded the next service at around 15:16.

Being in a world off my own I wasn't paying much attention to the announcements and only when the lady next to me started getting in a panic as she wanted Manchester Oxford Road, did I realise my error. That TFW service Monday - Friday only stops at Earlestown after leaving Warrington and then runs express to Manchester Piccadilly only.

I had to get off at Earlestown and await a Northern service in half an hour for the short hop to Newton Le Willows.

Find this very strange that this one service should differ its stopping pattern and also that there is a 2 hour gap to Newton Le Willows from Warrington Bank Quay

I did check the journey planner and I should have changed at Stafford and Manchester Piccadilly from that service at Sandwell but still find it very bizarre that this is scheduled? I am sure that many more people each weekday are caught out by this ...

 

[cactustwirly]

There's a few GWR services to/from Reading that stop at Hanwell, West Ealing & Acton Mainline

 

[Ih8earlies]

If this is the service I think it is, I believe the reason it skips Newton-Le-Willows is something to do with it being the loco hauled service with Class 67, 4 Mark 3 carriages and Driving Van Trailer?

I'm not sure about the length of Newton-Le-Willows station but is it possible that this station doesn't have a long enough platform perhaps? Or maybe there's another reason why the loco hauled services can't stop there?

Newton-Le-Willows has a specific stop board for a Class 67 just off the end of the platform - so they must be able to stop there when timing permits?

 

[duffield]

Passengers used to buses calling at all stops may be confused by trains which don't!

If they live where I do they'll be used to alternating express/stopping buses (same route, same operator) - the 'fast' buses don't stop within the city boundary until they get to the centre.

 

[hexagon789]

Fast and slow services to Ayr , im sure most used to call at Paisley

Yes, when it was a half-hourly service to Ayr, the trains called at Paisley and Johnstone first.

Used to be few on Glasgow South Western and still is . Dumfries , Carlisle and Newcastles stopping at Pollokshaw West and Crossmyloof .
I think theres a Aberdeen service from Glasgow that misses Stirling .
Noticed last Weekend 175x service from Edinburgh to Glasgow Central via Shotts calling at Cambuslang

I don't think any trains from Newcastle or Carlisle stop at Crossmyloof, but they do call at Pollokshaws West on Sundays. Kilmarnock services calling at Pollokshaws West on Sundays has been a feature since proper Sunday services were introduced on the Glasgow and South Western again in the 1990s.

Presently two Glasgow-Aberdeen are non-stop Queen St to Perth, plus one return is set-down only at Stirling.

A service missing out Stirling each-way appears to have existed since the hourly service was introduced in the early 1990s; and there were some very peculiar stopping patterns on Glasgow-Aberdeen services back then. Prior to the hourly service being introduced, it was two-hourly with a more-or-less regular calling pattern.

 

[nw1]

Fast from Waterloo to Brookwood (missing Woking) or Waterloo to West Byfleet (missing Clapham and Surbiton) both still occur in the peaks IIRC, and have occurred since at least the 80s.

Back in around 1983 there used to be a late evening peak, something like 1832 out of Waterloo, which terminated at Fratton and between Guildford and Haslemere called at Godalming and Witley only - no Farncombe. (As an aside I remember one Friday in Oct 83 this service was formed of 8EPB, though the normal was CIG/VEP)

Also, for a long time in around 2003-06 there was a 2130-or-so (from Cosham) Southern service from Victoria to Southampton which randomly stopped at Woolston (and possibly Netley too). No idea why a Woolston stop was seen as important at that time in the evening in particular; it wasn't covering for a missing SWT stopper!

EDIT: this last still runs. 2205 out of Woolston. Also calls St Denys, but not Netley. The existence of this one has been a long-standing mystery!