If every station had direct London services...

[Gathursty]

A thought spurred by the demand to be in London this past week.

1) Historically what was the best year for the most stations having a direct service to London/ and back (even if it was once a day)?

2) Is it possible to timetable such that every current station can get a London service no matter how early in the morning it has to leave?

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Great idea for a discussion...

Most places that don't have a direct London service at least have the possibility of reaching the capital with just one change, with only a few places needing two changes. If there was a rule that every station must have at least one London service per day, what would be the most efficient way of providing this?

In many cases, extending an existing service in the early hours would be the way- for example an early Sheffield to London being started back from Huddersfield would cover all stations from Huddersfield to Meadowhall. However services like the Highland Chieftain would need to be a 2x5 Azuma, with portion working to Kyle and Wick/Thurso. Some places would end up gaining multiple trains, such as Inverness (the extended Chieftain as described above, plus an extended Aberdeen service to cover the intermediate stations. Likewise Huddersfield would probably gain a service covering Slaithwaite and Marsden in addition to a Penistone line service. Though given the weight restriction on Paddock viaduct, that service could start at Lockwood instead.

The most awkward would be some of the Cornish branches, particularly Looe as the connection between the branch and the main line isn't passed for passenger use IIRC.

 

[Gathursty]

I think the HOWL line might need two stabled trains at Llandrindod: one going South and one going North otherwise it would be quite gruelling for someone in Broome or Bynea to get to London direct.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'd have thought the Merseyrail Northern Line to be one of the most awkward - you'd need to run via Manchester (and Southport or Hunts X) unless the stock interchange line was to be certified for passenger use.

 

[d70g]

But would you route the 07:15 from Shanklin via Portsmouth and Guildford, or up the SWML by way of Southampton?

 

[JGurney]

But would you route the 07:15 from Shanklin via Portsmouth and Guildford, or up the SWML by way of Southampton?

I had been about to comment about the problems of a through service from Devils Bridge, then remembered that line has not been 'mainline' since 1989. That dates me - my first journeys on it were in BR days.....

 

[Llanigraham]

If we went back to having trains that picked up coaches at various "mainl" stations there wouldn't be many.
Wasn't there such a coach that came of the Heart of Wales?

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

Stourbridge Town - London could be an interesting trip on a 139.

 

[Western Sunset]

An IET down to Looe would be interesting... Oh, just seen someone's already mentioned that.

 

[Mikey C]

An IET down to Looe would be interesting... Oh, just seen someone's already mentioned that.

On conversely, a Class 150 from Looe to Paddington

 

[Western Sunset]

On conversely, a Class 150 from Looe to Paddington

Mike, would everyone have to get out at Liskeard whilst the unit shunted onto the mainline?

 

[43172]

Gunnislake would have a similar issue to Looe, as i doubt a 5 car IET would fit in Bere Alston with room to change points.

St Ives would have a unusual situation in that to head towards London you could get away with a reversal on platform 2, at St Erth but in the opposite direction you'd need to do one of the following:

1. After leaving St Austell use the points at Burngullow to run down the up line all the way to St Erth (and cause carnage to the schedule between Penzance and St Austell).
2. Pass through St Erth twice, having to reverse at points between St Erth and Penzance or (and might be easier to plan) run through to Penzance and reverse there.

 

[Techniquest]

Quite an interesting topic this, and I'm immediately thinking of my local area first. Most of it already gets a direct London service, thanks to GWR, although there are some stations that I am wondering how a direct London service would work.

That list is Ludlow, Leominster, Pontypool & New Inn and Cwmbran. Quite, Craven Arms could be on that list too. Church Stretton would be more fitting to Avanti with an extension of their Shrewsbury service, but the others I'm not too sure about. Abergavenny would make sense to be done by extending a Hereford to Paddington service, which has been done in the past. Pontypool and Cwmbran though, there's no obvious working that I can think of which could be modified. New services could certainly happen, sure, but who would run them and what route would they use? I could see GWR running a Paddington to Abergavenny via Newport, that could be workable I suppose. Ludlow and Leominster don't really fit into any GWR services, and even if it was done just by extension of existing Malverns line trains, the journey time wouldn't be terribly attractive.

Droitwich Spa is another weird one, but I guess it could fit onto an extension of a Worcester starter with GWR. Hartlebury's similar odd, it wouldn't really make sense to extend a Chiltern service out that far and I don't think it really fits on GWR either. It just doesn't seem right somehow, but they would be the best fit out of any reasonably sensible option. Bromsgrove's doable with an extension of a 350-operated service from Birmingham.

Other than those, I think almost everywhere gets a direct train to London around here. With exception to the Heart of Wales line of course!

 

[Gathursty]

The Southport line has an easy connection to the WCML and the users would love a direct service to London like they must have had many years ago.
Kirkby could also have a direct London service, perhaps adding on to a Southport line service.
Stations west of Wigan would have to go through Piccadilly to continue on to London.
Leyland, Euxton, Earlestown and Newton-le-Willows could regain the Preston-Crewe stopper and extend it to London.
Chorley line stations would also have to go through Piccadilly.
Ormskirk, Burscough, Rufford and Croston would have to reverse at Preston which would be an unusual direct service to London.

I would be the first person on an Ince - London Euston direct service!

 

[Lemmy99uk]

A train-ferry from the Isle of Wight would be excellent!

 

[OhNoAPacer]

Welcome aboard your west coast mainline service from Glasgow Central to London Euston travelling via the Cumbrian Coast, first class can be found in your dreams as due to the restrictions on the Cumbrian Coast line your service is being operated using class 156's.

 

[Irascible]

On conversely, a Class 150 from Looe to Paddington

Don't give people ideas!

On the other hand six 158s bundled together could explode ( or combine, rather less dramatically ) to serve quite a number of destinations in a far less awkward way than breaking traditional trains up did. If you look at the down Atlantic Coast Express that more or less disintegrated at Exeter... presumably similar things happened in Scotland?

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I had been about to comment about the problems of a through service from Devils Bridge, then remembered that line has not been 'mainline' since 1989. That dates me - my first journeys on it were in BR days.....

You'd need some modified Motorail vans with narrow gauge rails inside, and to build some sort of ramp contraption at Aberystwyth... simple!

Can't imagine it would be very comfortable, nor would there be much of a view out of the windows!

 

[RobShipway]

The services for me that come to mind are one that used to happen, but was cut back and others that I think should happen:

1) Seaford to London Victoria
2) Llandudno to Euston

 

[Falcon1200]

Ayr at one time had direct trains to Euston, both via Dumfries (from Stranraer) and Glasgow Central (an extended WCML service). No demand any more for the former, and I doubt whether a Pendolino could be accommodated nowadays!

 

[zwk500]

Welcome aboard your west coast mainline service from Glasgow Central to London Euston travelling via the Cumbrian Coast, first class can be found in your dreams as due to the restrictions on the Cumbrian Coast line your service is being operated using class 156's.

Some people might be quite happy to see the Mk2s return for a Carlisle to London via Barrow, swapping a 37 for a 90 at Carnforth! Can Mk3s go via the coast?

 

[yoyothehobo]

I would be the first person on an Ince - London Euston direct service!

And last

 

[ian1944]

I'd like North Berwick to London, reversing at Drem, not because I'd ever use it but to see them on the indicator at Kings Cross, as well as East Linton and Reston, of course.

 

[Kingston Dan]

I'd like North Berwick to London, reversing at Drem, not because I'd ever use it but to see them on the indicator at Kings Cross, as well as East Linton and Reston, of course.

Surely you don't reverse and instead send it round the sub to Carstairs and Euston (or St Pancras?)

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

Emerson Park would need a direct service to Liverpool Street.

 

[Purple Train]

I think the HOWL line might need two stabled trains at Llandrindod: one going South and one going North otherwise it would be quite gruelling for someone in Broome or Bynea to get to London direct.

Imagine the announcement if the northbound train originated at Llanelli...
"The train at platform 1 is the 06.54 service to London Euston. Calling at Bynea, Llangennech, Pontarddulais, Pantyffynon, Ammanford, Llandybie, Ffairfach, Llandeilo, Llangadog, Llanwrda, Llandovery, Cynghordy, Sugar Loaf, Llanwrtyd, Llangammarch, Garth (Powys), Cilmeri, Builth Road, Llandrindod, Pen-y-Bont, Dolau, Llanbister Road, Llangynllo, Knucklas, Knighton, Bucknell, Hopton Heath, Broome, Craven Arms, Church Stretton, Shrewsbury, Telford Central, Wolverhampton, Birmingham New Street, Birmingham International, Coventry, Rugby, Milton Keynes Central, Watford Junction, and London Euston. Please note that Bynea, Llangennech, Pontarddulais, Ffairfach, Cynghordy, Sugar Loaf, Llangammarch, Garth (Powys), Cilmeri, Builth Road, Pen-y-Bont, Llanbister Road, Llangynllo, Knucklas, Hopton Heath, and Broome are request stops. This service is formed of 1 coach."
And then, obviously, all that repeated in Welsh as well!

 

[BrianW]

A fascinating thread, which points up some of the difficulties of meeting the wants and expectations of a huge % of the Great British population

 

[6Gman]

Imagine the announcement if the northbound train originated at Llanelli...
"The train at platform 1 is the 06.54 service to London Euston. Calling at Bynea, Llangennech, Pontarddulais, Pantyffynon, Ammanford, Llandybie, Ffairfach, Llandeilo, Llangadog, Llanwrda, Llandovery, Cynghordy, Sugar Loaf, Llanwrtyd, Llangammarch, Garth (Powys), Cilmeri, Builth Road, Llandrindod, Pen-y-Bont, Dolau, Llanbister Road, Llangynllo, Knucklas, Knighton, Bucknell, Hopton Heath, Broome, Craven Arms, Church Stretton, Shrewsbury, Telford Central, Wolverhampton, Birmingham New Street, Birmingham International, Coventry, Rugby, Milton Keynes Central, Watford Junction, and London Euston. Please note that Bynea, Llangennech, Pontarddulais, Ffairfach, Cynghordy, Sugar Loaf, Llangammarch, Garth (Powys), Cilmeri, Builth Road, Pen-y-Bont, Llanbister Road, Llangynllo, Knucklas, Hopton Heath, and Broome are request stops. This service is formed of 1 coach."
And then, obviously, all that repeated in Welsh as well!

Welsh first in Llanelli surely?

 

[Purple Train]

Welsh first in Llanelli surely?

(I don't know, I've never been to Wales.)
(Please don't kill me.)

 

[43172]

(I don't know, I've never been to Wales.)
(Please don't kill me.)

Yes, Welsh first in Wales, then the English version. Though a Holyhead to Euson service that calls at Llanfairpwll would be a mouthful in Welsh and English if you used the full name