How busy have your trains been?

[philosopher]

What you have noted tie in with what I see at work/travelling around NW England / over the border to Scotland.
I think what we haven't got at the moment is certainty of the xx:xx service to xxxxx will always be busy-but its coming!
With everything pretty much shut I'm actually surprised just how many people are travelling around already, very encouraging.
The suitcase has become a common sight again on some of the trains!!

Today, the 1910 Avanti West Coast service from Birmingham New Street to London Euston had about 60% of the seats taken in my coach (coach A) and the train manager did say you may have to sit next to someone. If that train is typical, then it definitely has come to the point where the number of Avanti West Coast trains from London to Birmingham need to be increased from one to two an hour.

 

[infobleep]

Today, the 1910 Avanti West Coast service from Birmingham New Street to London Euston had about 60% of the seats taken in my coach (coach A) and the train manager did say you may have to sit next to someone. If that train is typical, then it definitely has come to the point where the number of Avanti West Coast trains from London to Birmingham need to be increased from one to two an hour.

If I was on such a train I would be inclined to stand, rather than sit next to someone. May be that's me being too cautious.

 

[Kite159]

Busiest train yesterday on a trip to London was a Great Northern 717, but they are only running 2tph at uneven intervals, that emptied out by Ally Palace

Today a 2 coach 165 towards Severn Beach got quite busy (as @Techniquest would agree), emptied out at Clifton but was still reasonably busy until Severn Beach itself.

 

[Techniquest]

Busiest train yesterday on a trip to London was a Great Northern 717, but they are only running 2tph at uneven intervals, that emptied out by Ally Palace

Today a 2 coach 165 towards Severn Beach got quite busy (as @Techniquest would agree), emptied out at Clifton but was still reasonably busy until Severn Beach itself.

Indeed, out of Bristol Temple Meads it was pretty quiet but picked up surprising numbers all the way to Clifton Down. I was a bit surprised how well used that 165 was even at the end of the line, certainly coming back towards Bristol it was very quiet and only one or two got on at Avonmouth, where we left the train.

The 158 I had to Worcester was pretty empty, no issues with physical distancing and it was actually enforced too! The 802 home, very quiet especially after Great Malvern.

 

[Killingworth]

The 0839 Sheffield to Norwich is always dead. We've been having distancing warnings for the later departures being overcapacity for the last week or so.

There is still little reason for people to be travelling about. I've been pushing towards 100 on a 2 car train frequently of late.

8.28 from Dore, must try that for a day out to Norwich, not totally dead yet!

 

[yorksrob]

The trans-Pennine core was looking reasonably busy yesterday. We seem to be back to 3-carriage 185's. Not a problem yesterday, but might be annoying if trains get much busier.

The Barrow services I caught also seemed to be well peopled.

 

[Jamesrob637]

The trans-Pennine core was looking reasonably busy yesterday. We seem to be back to 3-carriage 185's. Not a problem yesterday, but might be annoying if trains get much busier.

The Barrow services I caught also seemed to be well peopled.

Blame the Nova 3 for yesterday's 3-car workings. They had to rob Peter to pay Paul yesterday, as it were.

Still sounds as though trains would be pretty empty at normal frequencies - Avanti really need to up their services ASAP.

 

[greyman42]

I was on a Cross Country service yesterday between Birmingham and Cheltenham and the guard came down the coach i was in being quite vocal about passengers not been sat anti-socially distanced, asking them to move. Some of the passengers were obviously part of the same group. It seemed a bit over the top to me.
No interest in checking tickets though.

 

[yorksrob]

Blame the Nova 3 for yesterday's 3-car workings. They had to rob Peter to pay Paul yesterday, as it were.

Cheers for the info. I quite like the Nova's to travel in - it did seem a bit of a Nova desert on Wednesday !

 

[Jamesrob637]

Cheers for the info. I quite like the Nova's to travel in - it did seem a bit of a Nova desert on Wednesday !

No problem. TPE should run the following over the core at present with a few exceptions early and late on in the day:

Manchester Airport to Redcar hourly - booked 6-car 185
Liverpool to Newcastle or Edinburgh on some hours - booked 5-car Nova 1
Manchester Piccadilly to Hull hourly - booked 6-car 185
Manchester Piccadilly to Huddersfield stopper - booked a mixture of 3-car and 6-car 185.
Huddersfield to Leeds stopper - ditto Manchester to Huddersfield stopper.

The only Nova 3 over the core occurs early eastbound (set had maintenance the previous night at Longsight) and late westbound (set returning for maintenance that night at Longsight).

 

[rg177]

The 1525 Kings Cross to Glasgow Central looks to be about 40% full overall in Standard from Darlington (9 car 800).

Certainly healthier than in recent months. Coaches C and J looked to be just about at reasonable social distancing capacity.

 

[route101]

Passed through Glasgow Central a few times last week. Noticed quite a few queuing up for one of the Avanti departures on P1. Seen about 20 people walk to the Liverpool TPE service. A month ago these services would be dead.

 

[LowLevel]

Observed the 1124 Leicester to London fast earlier. Was quite surprised to see (OK, only a 5 car 222 but still) that very nearly if not all rows of seats were occupied, at least in standard class.

 

[S&CLER]

The 10:39 Southport to Parbold was very lightly loaded leaving Southport today (about 8 people on it); the 15:04 return was busier, but still far from full. Both 4-car trains. Merseyrail trains I've taken between Hillside and Southport have been busier.

 

[PTR 444]

Did my first trip to London today since the pandemic began.

09:13 Southampton Central to London Victoria (went with Southern instead of SWR as advance ticket was cheaper): Initially very lightly loaded but gradually filled up as the journey went on. I could count at least 30 other passengers getting off the train at Victoria.

17:35 London Bridge to Brighton was about 30% full, although there were significantly more passengers waiting on the platform, presumably for other services.

17:49 East Croydon to Southampton Central was near social distancing capacity in some coaches, even though the one I was in was only about 1/3 full. I did however notice quite a significant flow of passengers leaving at East Croydon (around 20 or so) before I boarded the service which originated from London Victoria.

Most London Underground trains were i’d say at 50% of pre-pandemic loading. Some carriages were busier than others but it was possible to get a seat on all journeys.

It is safe to say that passengers are swiftly returning to the railway in London, although most likely for leisure rather than work reasons. Now if only we could find a way to make it economical to operate the railway in normal times - without having to squash everyone in like sardines.

 

[rg177]

0920 Doncaster-Sheffield, 158794.

Just about every pair of seats has somebody in this morning, with it probably being about 60% full overall. Pretty encouraging.

 

[Jamesrob637]

0920 Doncaster-Sheffield, 158794.

Just about every pair of seats has somebody in this morning, with it probably being about 60% full overall. Pretty encouraging.

Is that booked 2-car though or is it short-formed today?

 

[Horizon22]

Sunday SWR 1430ish from Alton to Waterloo - rear coaches only lightly loaded, lots of 3+2 completely unfilled. Set coupled at Woking and the front set was seemingly busier but only slightly so and around 60-80 people got off an 8-car.
Sunday at 1530 Jubilee line from Waterloo: very low numbers down the escalators and the Westbound train was fairly quiet, maybe around 30-40% seats still available.

 

[trainophile]

1304 BHM-LIV, two others in my coach so far, might get busier in a minute as we’re approaching WVH.

Edit: Nope, still just me in the 1/3 section.

 

[WestRiding]

Loads busier today, than last week.

 

[Steddenm]

Today I've done Farnborough to Basingstoke to Southampton Central and back.

The Farnborough to Basingstoke service around 11ish was quiet, an XC to Southampton was also quiet but the return SWR about 70% loaded (on a 12 car, mostly shoppers) and the SWR from Basingstoke to Farnborough was also quite busy, about 60%.

Barriers were open at all stations too.

 

[Bald Rick]

The Farnborough to Basingstoke service around 11ish was quiet, an XC to Southampton was also quiet but the return SWR about 70% loaded (on a 12 car, mostly shoppers) and the SWR from Basingstoke to Farnborough was also quite busy, about 60%.

When you say 70% loaded, do you mean as in only 3/10 seats were free? Seems like a lot of people.

 

[Steddenm]

When you say 70% loaded, do you mean as in only 3/10 seats were free? Seems like a lot of people.

Yes was very busy.

Southampton City Centre was also packed solid. Primark at one point had a queue which was 3/4 mile long according to local PCSOs on the High Street.

 

[rg177]

Is that booked 2-car though or is it short-formed today?

I assume that it's shortformed as the Hull to Sheffield fasts are usually solidly 170.

 

[trainophile]

My LNWR Brum-Liverpool was 8 coaches, I doubt it was 20% full. In contract, Merseyrail to Southport was absolutely rammed, people standing all over the place, and no chance of any sort of distancing. I expect it was a one-off for today and may not be so busy once the novelty wears off.

 

[PTR 444]

Yes was very busy.

Southampton City Centre was also packed solid. Primark at one point had a queue which was 3/4 mile long according to local PCSOs on the High Street.

Being a resident of said city, I was able to witness this for myself. The queue stretched back to the bus stop at the bottom end of Hanover Buildings, and people must have been freezing waiting in the cold for that long. Think I’ll wait until all this dies down before indulging in any retail therapy.

 

[infobleep]

For the first time since 16 March, that's 16 March 2020, I am going into the office.

I choose my journey time to be after 9:30, in order to take advantage of my gold card discount at the earliest opportunity.

My journey is Guildford to Surbiton so I choose the 9:37. I've not been on Guildford New Line for ages. probably less summer on a fast service back from Waterloo but I digress.

I join today's train with less than 20 seconds to spare until the doors closed. Nothing unusual there.

I was in coach 3. I think the train is running as an 8 car.

There were 4 other people in my carriage. I decided to see if the next carriage had less. Indeed it did. Just the 2. I decided that will do

I noticed 4 people get on my carriage at Effingham Junction. One person got off. I wasn't really paying attention at other stations prior to this.

At Cobham & Stoke D'Abernon I counted 8 people on the platform. I noticed! Person on the platform at Hinchley Wood but I may have missed the odd other person. There are buses from Hinchley Wood to Surbiton, which are no doubt cheaper, more frequent and might take me there they wish to go, so local journeys more likely by bus.

The train didn't have to wait at the junction before Surbiton. So much so the train arrives in slightly early.

At Surbiton I counted over 20 people on the platform and missed some. Not all for this train but I counted 9 on the platform after its departure.

So safe to say these trains aren't busy. I must qualify this by saying I don't know how busy the 9:37 or equivalent service would have been pre the covid-19 pandemic. Trains from Guildford usually start off quiet. I guess not many people start from Guildford wish to visit places like Surbiton.

It was just so nice to have a strong enough reason to visit the office.

 

[skyhigh]

I've definitely noticed leisure travel has come back in quite an encouraging way round my area- Leeds-Manchester, Knaresborough, York and Sheffield have all had pretty decent loadings over the last few days.

 

[Jamesrob637]

My LNWR Brum-Liverpool was 8 coaches, I doubt it was 20% full. In contract, Merseyrail to Southport was absolutely rammed, people standing all over the place, and no chance of any sort of distancing. I expect it was a one-off for today and may not be so busy once the novelty wears off.

Are they 3-car or 6-car to Southport on Miseryrail?

 

[Techniquest]

It's fair to say loadings on TfW are getting better, although whether it had anything to do with my being on the 0954 out of Hereford going towards Manchester and the 1540 back out of Shrewsbury (so first off peak north and last afternoon off peak south) or not is another thing. 175005 heading north wasn't too bad, but busier now leisure travel over the border is allowed. 175111 was also busy, majority of seats taken. If it wasn't for that insanely annoying evening peak, I'd have been on the 1640 but hey ho :-/