How busy have your trains been?

[infobleep]

This evening I git the 17:11 Guildford to Redhill service, which was on time. It even got unto Redhill on time.

Lots of people getting in and off on route, although I still got two seats to myself.

I ran around and got a 4 minute delayed train to Three Bridges. I took a seat new the loos. It was a busy train but still room for 2 seats for yourself.

Now I had an option change at Gatwick Airport or Three Bridges. I decided Three Bridges would be fine as a shorter walk and there were 4 minutes at Gatwick Airport to change trains.

What I didn't want on was being held outside Three Bridges as despite their being 5 platforms, we were booked for platform 2 and train from Horsham to Peterborough was in it.

In the end, we ended up using platform 1. Shame the Horsham train couldn't have done that. No announcement from the guard either. Ended up being 9 minutes late in. So a further 5 minute delay.

This caused me I miss the train to Haywards Heath. Of course, there are fewer trains from Three Bridges so I had to watch 2 fast trains go through non-stop.

So next train 18:41. No time saving going back to Gatwick Airport either. So whilst waiting I heard a member of staff talking to someone about having no train and being booked on.

Some monjtes later I notices there was an 18:36 service. I doubt this was laid on for me so perhaps for the guard without a train.

Either way it cut my delay by 6 minutes. Bonus.

This train wasn't as busy as the krhees I was on but this has 12 carriages so maybe has more people spread out.

Lesson learnt. Don't ever change at Three Bridges, if your time is critical, even though the minimum connection time is less than at Gatwick Airport.

In hindsight, I should have changed at Horley where the wait is longer. I just wanted to get the first train south.

 

[Cricketer8for9]

Saturday 19/03/22.

Victoria Line service Euston - Green Park had all seats occupied.
Piccadilly Line service Green Park - Hatton Cross full.
Piccadilly Line service Hatton Cross - Heathrow Terminal 5 was full and standing.

Later....

Piccadilly Line service Heathrow Terminal 5 - Green Park full load leaving but all seated.
Victoria Line service Green Park - Euston full and standing.

Interesting definitions of “full” on the Underground. For my money all seats taken normally means pretty empty, certainly not enough to make money. Full means at least as many people standing as there are seated and probably more like double. Then there is crush loaded which, on a tube gauge train means people standing between the seats (ie in the aisles) and 20 plus people beside each set of double doors.

 

[infobleep]

Due to earlier trespassers, I ended up on the 19:18 Haywards Heath to Bedford service.

I was in coach 8 at the back and the standard class compartment with first class labels and head years maybe that 6-8 people in it.

Having heard an announcement about the next fastest direct train to London, I forgot that the 19:21 overtakes this service at Three Bridges.
.my eventual aim was Guildford.

Still getting this one would cut the waiting time at Clapham Junction and I did get the luxury of declassified first class.

At East Croydon, I picked up what would have been the delayed 19:12 from Haywards Heath.

This was only 4 carriages but I still got a table to myself in the back carriage. Most groups of seats had 1 to 3 people in them though.

I'd still have a wait at Clapham Junction of 21 minutes.

Going this way though would shave off 10 minutes from an otherwise 60 minute delay. Unofficial of course, as one must allow 10 minutes to change at Gatwick Airport and I rarely allow that, being a regular traveller.

At Clapham Junction, I boarded the 20:27 owing to the fact it is set down as well as pick up at Woking.

This enabled me to get the 20:55 Woking to Guildford service.

Oh for the days when they had an x22 Clapham Junction to Guildford service. I'd have saved 20 minutes off the delay back then. A second direct train from Gatwick Airport would also help.

The 20:27 to Exter St David's was formed of 6 carriages and I boarded carriage 5. It was reasonably full with every set of 2 or 4 seats taken by at least 1 person. I sat next to someone.

Despite being standard class, this was more comfortable than the class 700. Still, that is a safer train all around.

So I finally boarded the 20:55, 10 carriage 442. The first class was in the wrong place so I wandered further down to see if the next carriage was also wrong but it wasn't. The first class on coach 6 didn't seem too busy as I walked through it to the standard class section. This was busy with many seats taken but I still got 2 table seats opposite someone else, who had 2 to themselves.

 

[Cricketer8for9]

17:15 Victoria to East Croydon today. 8th of 12. Very full, mainly due to 17:09 being cancelled. Apropos a different thread the 17:32 to Cat/Tatt was held for a minute or so allowing many people to make the connection (it’s normally off the 17:09). Lots of happy commuters.

 

[Mag_seven]

On LNER today 1st class was surprisingly busy even in the middle of the day. Also I noted that the mobile phone bores and the laptop keyboard bashers are back.

 

[greyman42]

On LNER today 1st class was surprisingly busy even in the middle of the day. Also I noted that the mobile phone bores and the laptop keyboard bashers are back.

1st class always seems to be busy on LNER since they introduced the 8xx's with less 1st class capacity.

 

[Cricketer8for9]

Laptop keyboard bashers paid fares as well, and often premium fares. Without them the Railway would lose even more money.

 

[Mag_seven]

Laptop keyboard bashers paid fares as well, and often premium fares. Without them the Railway would lose even more money.

Oh I don't doubt that and many will be paying the full whack as well - its good to see them back and not lost to Zoom forever.

 

[cambsy]

I haven’t travelled on trains for a couple of months or so, and last time travelled, was at weekends, which I found to be busy at times, as leisure travel seems to be the main market now, but during the week, what are travel patterns like? Are peak times getting busy? And is off peak buoyant or still flat during the week? I have booked a First class return on 7th April, 10.04 Paddington-Penzance and 16.15 back, with Pullman Dining, as a bit of a treat, as haven’t been out for a couple of months, new job etc, so am I likely to find these trains generally busy? And busy in first class?.

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

A sunny day in Manchester (a phrase not often used) brought out the crowds yesterday. Piccadilly was back to its old self, with the concourse thronged and Platforms 13/14 heaving with the usual crush on the stairs. Both long-distance and local services were busy, so all very encouraging, but the age profile was striking - very few oldies like me.

By contrast, I travelled back from Devon on Tuesday last week via London (from Okehampton no less!). The 0824 Okehampton to Exeter was encouragingly busy, but the 1015 to Paddington (2x 5car) was surprisingly lightly loaded - in normal times a very popular train. Similarly the 1307 Liverpool (as far as Crewe) Pendolino from Euston was conveying lots of fresh air.

 

[S&CLER]

The 09:49 Manchester to Sheffield stopper (3-car 195) was very crowded today, as was my return train, the slightly delayed 15:32 from Hathersage. Standing in doorways and aisles. The real crowds were travelling to and from Edale, as ever. There always appear to be large numbers of Chinese students going out for a day's walking from Manchester on Saturdays on the 09:49. On the return, I noticed that several cyclists were denied boarding.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

A jaunt to catch up with family.

The railway has caught up with increasing business. Stood on a very busy St Albans to St Pancras yesterday at 1057 , and whilst the 1207 Euston to Liverpool was fully reserved in standard (bar coach C) - 1st class was fairly quiet.

Merseyrail to St Michaels and to Southport today very decently busy (some 6 cars out) , but the weather was glorious. Loads of local short hops.

1547 back to London - 1st only available in the dire coach K (so backward facing seat) - the 2 standard permiers were deserted.

The real shock was the 1821 to Bedford - some problems earlier so it made additional calls (sensibly) at Mill Hill , Elstree on the fasts and Radlett on the slows. I have not seen such patronage on Thameslink (even on the GN outer services) - very , very busy and left St Albans with heavy standing (a sight not seen for years) , and the problem of only having one footbridge was amply displayed - platforms did not clear before the next northbound. I suspect the staff must be cheered after these months of "key workers" only and lockdowns and restrictions - good to see very busy stations and services - and a definite buzz of conversation around. Luton Airport traffic seems to have rerurned in force. Stood again of course ........

 

[Killingworth]

The 09:49 Manchester to Sheffield stopper (3-car 195) was very crowded today, as was my return train, the slightly delayed 15:32 from Hathersage. Standing in doorways and aisles. The real crowds were travelling to and from Edale, as ever. There always appear to be large numbers of Chinese students going out for a day's walking from Manchester on Saturdays on the 09:49. On the return, I noticed that several cyclists were denied boarding.

It's the same from the Sheffield end. A lot go to Bamford for the Derwent reservoir views - they trend on Chinese social media, particularly from Bamford Edge.

Price has a lot to do with it. I've just checked a single from Sheffield to Manchester for next Saturday morning. Can be as low as £5.40 taking 1 hour 18 minutes on the Northern 12.14 Class 195 stopper, or £15.90 on the TPE 12.11 Class 185 taking 53 minutes stopping only at Stockport. Naturally many end to end leisure users opt for the cheaper fare so all estimates of how busy the trains are need to take that into account. From Manchester to Sheffield next Saturday I see Northern's 12.49 is priced at £18.30 taking 1 hour 17 minutes.

On this route local users are being crowded out by people the service wasn't designed to serve. (It's also impacted by TPE rest day working issues and ERM roling stock shortages.)

 

[S&CLER]

It's the same from the Sheffield end. A lot go to Bamford for the Derwent reservoir views - they trend on Chinese social media, particularly from Bamford Edge.

Price has a lot to do with it. I've just checked a single from Sheffield to Manchester for next Saturday morning. Can be as low as £5.40 taking 1 hour 18 minutes on the Northern 12.14 Class 195 stopper, or £15.90 on the TPE 12.11 Class 185 taking 53 minutes stopping only at Stockport. Naturally many end to end leisure users opt for the cheaper fare so all estimates of how busy the trains are need to take that into account. From Manchester to Sheffield next Saturday I see Northern's 12.49 is priced at £18.30 taking 1 hour 17 minutes.

On this route local users are being crowded out by people the service wasn't designed to serve. (It's also impacted by TPE rest day working issues and ERM roling stock shortages.)

I paid £14.10 for my Southport to Hathersage senior anytime short return, very good value at just over 10p/mile (66m 72 ch each way via Atherton, about 2m longer each way via Bolton), and no restriction on time. All the intermediate stations were well used.

 

[miami]

0701 St Pancras to Paris this morning a little over half full in Standard. Queue for food before boarding was ridicluous, decided to wait until we were going into the tunnel, still had to queue 40 minutes.

 

[bramling]

A few journeys on the Island Line yesterday evening. 1715 from Shanklin, no more than about 15 on at any time. A return to Shanklin in the early evening didn’t exceed 10, and 2045 Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin only 3 on. Numbers may have been depressed as the catamaran wasn’t running yesterday.

 

[TravelDream]

A sunny day in Manchester (a phrase not often used) brought out the crowds yesterday. Piccadilly was back to its old self, with the concourse thronged and Platforms 13/14 heaving with the usual crush on the stairs. Both long-distance and local services were busy, so all very encouraging, but the age profile was striking - very few oldies like me.

I was on a TFW 3-car 175 from Crewe to Cardiff on Saturday. The train arrived in Crewe absolutely rammed. A lot got off, but a lot more got on. When I say rammed, I mean rammed. Every seat was taken and there were dozens of people in each aisle with the vestibules also packed. It was worst between Leominster and Hereford as a party of around 30 drinkers tried to get on an already jammed train.
The train remained packed all the way down to Cardiff when I got off. A lot were waiting to get on to head further west, though I think there'd probably have been just enough seats.

 

[miami]

Tubes are busy too, and breakfast in my central London hotel which I've stayed at on many occasions was heaving

I miss the days of lockdown when you would barely see anyone on a train or in a hotel

 

[J-2739]

Tubes are busy too, and breakfast in my central London hotel which I've stayed at on many occasions was heaving

I miss the days of lockdown when you would barely see anyone on a train or in a hotel

I don't. It's great seeing people moving again, and being amidst it all. We are recovering!

 

[STINT47]

Tubes are busy too, and breakfast in my central London hotel which I've stayed at on many occasions was heaving

I miss the days of lockdown when you would barely see anyone on a train or in a hotel

Overall it's better to see busy services. If no one was using them then they will not continue for much longer. Plus life is for getting out and living, not hiding away.

On the other hand from a personal point of view the days when I could take long distance trains and have an entire coach to myself were rather enjoyable. At the time I thought make the most of it, it's no good for the long term but as a one off having my own private train was rather nice.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

After the past two years I, for one, will never complain again about a train being packed full and standing - except if it is in the context of getting the proper timetable restored, obviously.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

I don't. It's great seeing people moving again, and being amidst it all. We are recovering!

Agreed - the end of "Karen on Facebook" - I quote Weber (with apologies) - "man is a gregarious animal" - not one hiding away with a 1 hour walk a day permitted.

 

[infobleep]

I've been on various trains of late. Last Sunday I got the 10:05 Guildford to Clapham Junction. Gold job it was a Sunday when a train to Clapham departs at this time as I was heading to the cinema in Chiswick and 10:35 would have been too late.

The train had some people on it but it was not overly packed.

The Overground train to Brompton had some people standing but not rammed and I think I got a seat.

I then picked up a tube to Earls Court, followed by one to Stamford Bridge. These weren't packed but had people kn them.

Once id finished in Chiswick I attempted to get to South Kensington. Alas, I ended up in High Street Kensington.

I had no problem getting a seat. It was around 3 pm.

Once in High Street Kensington, it took time to find a train I knew was departing from Earls Court, as I didn't seem to come across one to South Kensington.

Again I didn't find the facts overly packed.

I got a tube from Earls Court to South Kensington and found it to be much the same. It's possible there were some unannounced delays.

Later I got a tube from Knightsbridge to Green Park and then one to London Bridge.

Lots of people walking between platforms.

Later that evening I got a train from London Bridge to Waterloo East around 20:05 and then Waterloo to Clapham Junction. Trains weren't busy. The one to Clapham Junction was a 450 going via Kingston due to engineering works so I enjoyed declassified first class.

Then I boarded the 20:39 to Guildford. Another 450 class train but without declassified first class so I sat in standard class. Again it was packed.

On Monday I got a train from Guildford to Redhill. The 1î7:11. It was reasonably busy but not to the point of standing.

I then managed to get the 17:57 to Gatwick Airpot. In the back declassified carriage it was fair quiet.

Once at Gatwick Aiport I got the 18:14 to Haywards Heath. The back declassifies carriage was busier. but I managed to get a seat.

Thursday, aka today, I got the 19:12 Haywards Heath to Gatwick Airport. Before it left I watched an aggregates trains depart. We then overtook it.

This train wasn't too busy but lots of people wanted to board it at Gatwick Airport.

I then got the 19:29. The section I got in, near the lol wasn't too busy but people joined along the route.

So overall felt like trains were not that different to pre-covid not as packed as park rush hour but not empty.

Where the trains had enough people in them to be making a profit I can't say.

 

[cambsy]

Im starting an agency job, hopefully in week or so, so will be out again on Saturdays, and able to report on how busy trains are on Saturdays, be interesting to see, how passenger numbers increase as the summer draws on, and get idea what weekend travel trends are like.

 

[infobleep]

This evening I got the 17:11 Guildford to Redhill. I got a seat in the back carriage near the back. It seemed quieter than last week on the same trsin.

I'd looked up the trains from Guildford to check they were OK but not from Redhill. Oops. There was overhead wire problems further north and major disruption.

It looked like I would be on the 18:16 to Gatwick Airport, which departs Guildford 28 minutes later, it being faster. However, I need to get the 17:11 for arrival time reasons at my final destination, Haywards Heath.

Anyway although not advertised online,, I overheard a member of staff on platform 0 say the train parked there was going to Horsham.

Whether it was announced over the main speakers I don't know. I just made my way round with reasonable speed, so I wouldn't be left behind. I had no idea when it might leave.

It seems at some point it was added online but Redhill and Horley has no report on the live departure board, so maybe it hit added as it got to Gatwick Airport.

On the platform I was told no hurry. This was the 18:07 and the driver was setting it up. When I got on there was perhaps just 1 other person. I walked from first class right through to enhanced standard class at the very back..

Reminds me of lockdown now I think about it again. I suspect some others got on board to as we were held at the platform for 5 minutes, so the Reading to Gatwick Airport train could arrive into platform 2. However, I doubt it so many.

We then departed and due to other train delays I alighted at Horley for the 8 coach non-stop 18:16 to Haywards Heath. This departed 12 minutes late.

I even watched the Reading to Gatwick Airport train zoom through. This train from Horley was still faster than changing at Gatwick Airport.

A lot of people got off this train. I was in coach 6 and I could have got one of the few remaining seats but decided to stand and film out of the window.

We had a rare calling pattern of Horley, Three Bridges, Balcombe, Haywards Hearh and then stations to Ore. Usually it runs non-stop to Haywards Heath

Dispite stopping at 2 extra stations, it made up 1 minute of lost time! If only all trains could make extra stops and still make up time. Shows how slow the service usually is when running non-stop! It usually follows a stopping service.

 

[infobleep]

4 car train. The 19:12 Haywards Heath to Gatwick Airport. I was sure it would make up its lost time but it didn't. Coach 2 had about 20 people in it with plenty of space.

A lot of people were looking to board at Gatwick Airport though and they had to be told to hurry up and board.

I got on a fairly empty 19:29 Gatwick Airport to Reading service.

Less than 10 in the back carriage when I boarded.

At Redhill, though I counted 16 people as we pulled into platform 1 and those were just for the back carriage. As usual, l people had to wander down the platform. Some seem to think the train will stop closer to the down end of the platform. It actually stood in the middle.

Unusually areal Tome Trains has the train as being on platform 0. First time I've ever noticed that being incorrect. By the time we departed Redhill or just after, it had corrected itself.

 

[pnepaul]

8.49 Carlisle to Preston abt half full, by the time it left Preston abt 80% full
10.17 Preston to Crewe ( ex Blackpool ) abt a quarter full
12.01 Crewe to Stone very quiet

1606 Stone to Crewe quiet
1711 Crewe to Carlisle full and standing in Standard Class. Me and 2 others in Standard Premium lol.

Whilst waiting at Crewe for the above connections the Avanti trains were very busy as were the TFW trains to Cardiff and beyond.

 

[peteb]

0737 Kidderminster to Worcester Foregate St packed, but only 3 car today, 0756 Droitwich to Worcester Shrub Hill 4 car fairly full, 0813 WOS to Evesham which I am now on, quiet. Gripped twice in this journey, many without tickets!! First class looked busy though,.....

 

[miami]

1012 Stoke-Euston, tried to buy an offpeak return for that train at 8AM using trainline, they refused to sell me one saying it was unavailable, presumably no seats to reserve.

Bought in standard premium instead, about half full in coach H. I was given a reserved seat, however there's no reservation listed and there's someone sat in it (to be fair it says "Available" - not even "Available if unoccupied").

No ticket check and we're nearly an hour into the journey. I'm sure the conductor has better things to do than spend 5 minutes walking through and check everyone has actually paid the appropiate premium.

Moral of the story - buy an off peak return and sit in standard premium, pay for the upgrade if challanged.

 

[davetheguard]

I miss the days of lockdown when you would barely see anyone on a train or in a hotel

I don't - because like millions of others I never saw the inside of a train/hotel/pub/restaurant/cinema at the time, and now I do again.