CaledonianBlue
Member
- Joined
- 20 Jul 2019
- Messages
- 51
Partly inspired by the "what is inter city" and by a recent journey, my question is what significance, if any, does the Express label have these days?
For example I see the ScotRail Express label is applied to seemingly any old service between Glasgow and Edinburgh that for example stop at most of the stops en route (Croy, Falkirk High. Polmont, Linlithgow, Haymarket; missing only three, Bishopbriggs, Lenzie, Edinburgh Park). Seems a bit more semi-fast than Express?
I remember the 'good old days' when the fast trains between those cities stopped only at Falkirk High and Haymarket. More like an Express.
I also recall the days when Euston-Glasgow stopped only at Preston, Carlisle and Motherwell (setting down only) - now that was a proper express and I can't help envying those days rather than the train stopping at all sorts of intermediate places, often filling up and crowding with local traffic between Warrington and Lancaster in particular.
I know there must be operational and financial reasons for the above pattern but as a passenger can't help feeling short-changed, that they put in these new fast trains but then wilfully hamper them by stopping them too often.
Nice to still do Edinburgh - Newcastle - York - London, with York-London non stop, that's more like it!
(What are the the longest timetabled not stop runs these days?)
Also Gatwick Express - nicely non stop.
If Express means anything these days, what are the Express services worthy of the name, and why?
For example I see the ScotRail Express label is applied to seemingly any old service between Glasgow and Edinburgh that for example stop at most of the stops en route (Croy, Falkirk High. Polmont, Linlithgow, Haymarket; missing only three, Bishopbriggs, Lenzie, Edinburgh Park). Seems a bit more semi-fast than Express?
I remember the 'good old days' when the fast trains between those cities stopped only at Falkirk High and Haymarket. More like an Express.
I also recall the days when Euston-Glasgow stopped only at Preston, Carlisle and Motherwell (setting down only) - now that was a proper express and I can't help envying those days rather than the train stopping at all sorts of intermediate places, often filling up and crowding with local traffic between Warrington and Lancaster in particular.
I know there must be operational and financial reasons for the above pattern but as a passenger can't help feeling short-changed, that they put in these new fast trains but then wilfully hamper them by stopping them too often.
Nice to still do Edinburgh - Newcastle - York - London, with York-London non stop, that's more like it!
(What are the the longest timetabled not stop runs these days?)
Also Gatwick Express - nicely non stop.
If Express means anything these days, what are the Express services worthy of the name, and why?
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