Least popular journeys made between two stations served by a direct train? Based on tickets sold?

[Mcr Warrior]

Bit like getting an Annual Gold Card season ticket down in the South East for a short distance hop like Newhaven Town to Newhaven Harbour, presumably.

 

[BigCj34]

Aberdeen to somewhere before Penzance, St Erth maybe? There will no doubt be a few enthusiasts making the full journey which prevents Aberdeen to Penzance having the distinction of no tickets being sold, but hard to imagine anyone making the journey almost all of the way.

The quickest way to travel from Aberdeen to Penzance (or generally anywhere north of Edinburgh to the Southwest), pre-Covid and the Aberdeenshire landslip, was via the WCML. If anyone was making that trip for practical travel purposes they may choose 2-3 changes over an extra hour of travel. They may even choose to fly.

 

[Howardh]

In conurbations like Greater Manchester, day-long tickets such as the Ranger may hide the fact that people do travel between stations that they normally wouldn't buy a ticket for. Example, I wouldn't buy Oxford Road to Piccadilly, but if I had a Ranger I could well use it for that short journey if convenient, so around the region there may well be plenty of examples where those with day cards find it convenient to pop on and pop off 2 mins down the road, but they wouldn't consider it if they had to buy a single ticket.

 

[mm333]

Saltaire to Shipley? So close that it wouldn't really be worth bothering with the train.

I've been walking to Saltaire and got as far as Shipley station when the rain's started. Waiting for the next train (usually 4 an hour) is far preferable to walking for 25 mins in the rain!

 

[Alfonso]

How about Holton Heath to Upwey?

I'm sure this is a very popular journey. When SWT/SWR suggested speeding up Dorset to London trains by skip-stopping and having a slow to Portsmouth, there was uproar from people living far from the madding crowd. (Or maybe a few very vocal or influencial people)

 

[Jamesrob637]

Saltaire to Shipley? So close that it wouldn't really be worth bothering with the train.

Likewise Ben Rhydding and Ilkley

Saltaire to Shipley is along the canal isn't it. Very tranquil.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Can't believe that there will ever be zero ticket sales between any given station on the network and the very next one up the line.

Much more likely to be minimal or zero ticket sales between two obscure request stops (or similar rural stations) on longish distance secondary or tertiary routes, such as the Far North Line, the Cambrian Coast line or the Heart of Wales line, with a couple of hours travelling from the ticket origin to the destination.

Difficult to verify though without access to the relevant data.

 

[D841 Roebuck]

Snaith to Hensall.

My plan for doing the four shacks twixt Knottingley and Goole involves a bus from Selby to Hensall, train to Rawcliffe, walk to Snaith, train to Whitley Bridge then taxi to a mate's pub in Ponte Carlo. So hopefully, one balmy evening next May, Whitley Bridge to Rawcliffe return can be crossed off this thread!

 

[yorksrob]

My plan for doing the four shacks twixt Knottingley and Goole involves a bus from Selby to Hensall, train to Rawcliffe, walk to Snaith, train to Whitley Bridge then taxi to a mate's pub in Ponte Carlo. So hopefully, one balmy evening next May, Whitley Bridge to Rawcliffe return can be crossed off this thread!

Snaith is a nice village. I got the train there once.

 

[Skipness]

Although most posts in this thread refer either to remote lines in Scotland and Wales, or short hops between stations, a good way of discovering little used journeys is to select a service made of two combined routes. For example the Esk valley trains from Whitby are extended beyond Middlesbrough to reach (depending on day and time) Darlington, Newcastle and Hexham. Therefore a journey starting from Battersby (in the middle of nowhere) or James Cook Hospital (serving a distinct local purpose) to any of the intermediate stations between Thornsaby and Darlington (Teeside Airport has to be discounted currently) or intermediate stations on the coast line (excepting Hartlepool, Sunderland) and beyond Newcastle must surely have little or no demand. (Steps back when somebody claims to regularly travel from Sleights to Dinsdale for example!)

 

[Springs Branch]

Although most posts in this thread refer either to remote lines in Scotland and Wales, or short hops between stations, a good way of discovering little used journeys is to select a service made of two combined routes...

Permutations of the OP's question seem to come up on here from time and time, and the inclination is frequently to mention "celebrity" small stations - well-known by virtue of remoteness, low footfall or very limited / parliamentary services.

A lot of these examples (like Reddish South to Denton) might well see the occasional enthusiast buying odd tickets to/from them, just because of their uniqueness and the stations being well-known to those interested in this sort of thing.

Much more common, as @Skipness and @Mcr Warrior have said, is pairs of boring, workaday local stations in unremarkable locations and which most people rarely think about - but which have direct trains between them simply because of operational convenience to the TOC.

As the previous example showed, under normal circumstances there is quite a number of these in Northern-land, where two routes are linked through Sheffield, Manchester, Leeds etc., not necessarily due to any natural end-to-end passenger flow and where there may be only limited through trains per day or per week.

Another example: In past years, on Sundays Northern ran DMUs between Southport and Chester via Bolton, Piccadilly and the mid-Cheshire line. Obviously this was not intended for through journeys (and the only Southport/Chester ticket sold was not even valid on these trains), but it did provide direct trains between Gathurst and Mouldsworth - for which I'd be surprised if any tickets were ever sold.

 

[bearhugger]

Although most posts in this thread refer either to remote lines in Scotland and Wales, or short hops between stations, a good way of discovering little used journeys is to select a service made of two combined routes. For example the Esk valley trains from Whitby are extended beyond Middlesbrough to reach (depending on day and time) Darlington, Newcastle and Hexham. Therefore a journey starting from Battersby (in the middle of nowhere) or James Cook Hospital (serving a distinct local purpose) to any of the intermediate stations between Thornsaby and Darlington (Teeside Airport has to be discounted currently) or intermediate stations on the coast line (excepting Hartlepool, Sunderland) and beyond Newcastle must surely have little or no demand. (Steps back when somebody claims to regularly travel from Sleights to Dinsdale for example!)

Although James Cook was built to primarily serve the hospital, quite a few locals from Berwick Hills, Park End & even Easterside estates use the station. Only last week I went from James Cook to South Bank (SBK) to go to the big Asda store just a couple of minutes from there. Seaham and the new Horden / Peterlee are good for me to do a different stretch of the coastal paths to walk along. I know omeone who semi regularly commutes from Gypsy Lane to Newcastle.

 

[tomsy47]

In my part of the world, I should think tickets sold between Appleford and Culham are rare. The service between the two is poor due to the stopping pattern of the Didcot to Oxford shuttle, and even if someone wanted to travel between them, there are no ticket buying facilities at either station and the service is DOO so ticket checks are rarer still.

 

[BluePenguin]

Does London Victoria to London Victoria or Waverly to Waverly on their respective loop services count? Not even sure if you can buy a direct ticket for either...

I don’t think it’s possible to buy a ticket from with the same origin and destination. However I did once see a ticket from London Victoria to London Waterloo routed Not Underground. Not in keeping with the thread though as there are no direct trains between the two 2

There is one train per day from London Victoria to London Charing which travels right the way round via Ramsgate. I’m not sure if there is a ticket you can buy for this

 

[Ianno87]

I don’t think it’s possible to buy a ticket from with the same origin and destination. However I did once see a ticket from London Victoria to London Waterloo routed Not Underground.

Yep: It is a thing! http://www.brfares.com/#faredetail?...ert=on&flow=12&multi=0&fare=1&rte=208&tkt=SDR

 

[Mcr Warrior]

There is one train per day from London Victoria to London Charing which travels right the way round via Ramsgate. I’m not sure if there is a ticket you can buy for this

Why wouldn't a London Terminals -> Ramsgate return not be valid on this?

 

[class26]

Havenhouse to Netherfield ?

Possible on the 15.45 from Nottingham. No return though

 

[Marvin]

Birmingham Moor Street- Snow Hill ... it'd often be quicker to walk than wait for the next train.

I once missed a train at Moor Street and managed to catch it at Snow Hill by running across town.

 

[Deepgreen]

An impossible question to answer accurately.

Canary wharf to heron quays. They are practically in the same building

Given the water between them and the ease of Oyster use, there'll be loads. I used to work at CW and saw countless people do it.

I'd say Reddish South to Denton would be pretty rare,considering the journey can only be made on a Saturday

Would anyone buy a ticket though?

 

[Sprinter107]

I once missed a train at Moor Street and managed to catch it at Snow Hill by running across town.

Its possible, but you'd have to race. I remember one Sunday evening, 2 lads came onto the platform as I was pulling away, but we had 7 minutes stand time at Snow Hill, and they managed to catch it, but they had to run.

 

[Marvin]

Its possible, but you'd have to race. I remember one Sunday evening, 2 lads came onto the platform as I was pulling away, but we had 7 minutes stand time at Snow Hill, and they managed to catch it, but they had to run.

Oh, I'm not saying it was easy (or that I'd be able to do it now I'm older!), but it did happen.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

There was a separate trivia thread on stations where it is quicker to walk between the two, than get the train, a few weeks ago.

 

[NorwichRailFan]

I should think it is probably Between either Denton and Reddish South or Shippea hill and Spooner Row, but I don't know.

 

[Esker-pades]

I should think it is probably Between either Denton and Reddish South or Shippea hill and Spooner Row, but I don't know.

Covered already; there'll be a number of people who buy Denton - Reddish South tickets just for the thrill of getting an 'unusual' ticket. Shippea Hill to Spooner Row is a reasonable shout.

 

[NorwichRailFan]

Covered already; there'll be a number of people who buy Denton - Reddish South tickets just for the thrill of getting an 'unusual' ticket. Shippea Hill to Spooner Row is a reasonable shout.

Ok.

 

[sd0733]

There must be some of the longer distance small stops on the tfw Manchester to West Wales services, there must be few if any Wem to Pontyclun or Whitchurch to Clunderwen tickets sold and numerous others. In the normal timetable there was the direct Manchester to Fishguard and a Tenby too, a lot of those must struggle to sell a ticket.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

The Hawthorns to Bordesley might be a contender, especially with crowds not being allowed at the football and with WBA being in a different division to both Birmingham City and their tenants Coventry City. I assume Bordesley is just getting the "parliamentary" calls at the moment with there being no football traffic?

EDIT: Scrub that, the parly only runs in the opposite direction it appears, requiring a change at Tyseley. I'll change my suggestion to Bordesley to The Hawthorns instead.

 

[AverageTD]

St Margarets to Twickenham perhaps? It's a busy line but the two stations are so close together that by the time you buy your ticket and walk down the platform you could be halfway there walking. Also many buses link the two from down the road and anyone travelling between the 2 would probably be on oyster.

 

[Kilopylae]

Before December 2019, there were direct trains from Barnstaple to Exmouth, and I'd wager that there was almost no traffic from the quiet Tarka Line halts (e.g. Portsmouth Arms or Chapelton) to Lympstone Commando.

I remember a trip to Devon I did last year. The guard told me that while I wasn't the only person he'd ever seen with a Basingstoke to Pinhoe ticket (since it's a good split for travel to Exeter), I was the only person he'd ever seen who was actually doing that as a journey! That said, I suspect Overton to Pinhoe would be even less used.

I actually did Basingstoke to Pinhoe myself this August, though it was using separate Basingstoke to Salisbury and Salisbury to Pinhoe tickets.

Canary wharf to heron quays. They are practically in the same building

Paddington (Hammersmith and city line) Paddington Praed Street.

I'm afraid I've done both of these for my own amusement, which I think strengthens Bletchleyite's theory.

I'd say the likelihood of someone buying a train ticket for their walk is pretty small.

Have you ever been to Devon?

 

[MedwayValiant]

A couple I imagine on the GN mainline which are probably quite low - Welwyn North to Ashwell & Morden, Welham Green to Brookmans Park, Watton At Stone to Bayford.

Come to that, I doubt there is very much call for Baldock to Ashwell & Morden even though it's one stop. Ashwell & Morden station is in the middle of nowhere, 2¼ miles from Ashwell and either further from either of the Mordens, and the "little old lady" in Ashwell who wants to go to Tesco in Baldock goes on the bus. The "little old lady" in Guilden or Steeple who wants to go to Tesco in Royston does that on the bus too, and I imagine that users of Ashwell & Morden station are almost all travelling to or via either London or Cambridge.

It was thirty or more years ago now, but I once encountered a fellow whose mission was to board a train at every station in Cambridgeshire within the calendar month. I didn't ask why. He'd done the awkward ones - Manea and Shippea Hill - but he was very dubious when I told him that Ashwell & Morden station is in Cambridgeshire by about 200 yards, much as it is surrounded by Hertfordshire on three sides. He was the sort of fellow who probably felt that he had to hop along the platform at Royston to make the change that would have been necessary at that time, in order to avoid setting both feet in a "foreign" county ...