Long routes where Class 158 trains can be allocated?

[PHILIPE]

Brighton to Milford Haven 295 miles 02 chains.

Brighton to Pembroke Dock 296 miles 43 chains.

Manchester Piccadilly to Penzance (can't remember if it reversed at Newport or used the Maindee loop so have used the mileage via Newport) 392 miles 41 chains.

It went via Newport where it combined with a Milford Haven portion worked by a 153 but later via the Maindee Curve and the portions joined/split at Bristol TM/

 

[Sad Sprinter]

Interesting. I ask because on the seats of 158 units there clearly are slots to allow a reservation ticket to be put in place, suggesting there must have been quite long distance runs. Also, in Video 125’s The Royal Scot the narration mentions at Cairstairs the route to Edinburgh was operated by class 158s from Manchester, although you never passed one in the video.

 

[syorksdeano]

I'm sure that on a Sunday a 158 does Nottingham to Carlisle via Leeds

 

[PHILIPE]

Interesting. I ask because on the seats of 158 units there clearly are slots to allow a reservation ticket to be put in place, suggesting there must have been quite long distance runs. Also, in Video 125’s The Royal Scot the narration mentions at Cairstairs the route to Edinburgh was operated by class 158s from Manchester, although you never passed one in the video.

There are many routes that 158s work over that have reservable services

 

[Ken H]

I'm sure that on a Sunday a 158 does Nottingham to Carlisle via Leeds

Yes, it does. and a return working
remonds me of early 1980s when there was a Nottm - Glasgow train via Leeds, Settle and kilmarnock

 

[Doctor Fegg]

I seem to recall in the late 90s when holidaying in west Wales that there were through trains from Aberystwyth/Pwllheli to Stansted Airport (or possibly only Cambridge - I can't recall which).

Yes, Central Trains had a daily Cambridge-Aberystwyth at one stage (around 96/97, I think).

 

[Merthyr Imp]

In Central Trains days some of the Cardiff - Nottingham services ran through to/from Lincoln. Don't know what the mileage is for that. It may have been when they still ran via Worcester - can't remember.

 

[alangla]

At the opposite end of the scale, can I nominate Motherwell to Cumbernauld? Probably only about 15 miles & 25 mins or so, 158 operated in the early 2010s

 

[Matt Taylor]

Also on Wales & west in 1997-1998 there was a Portsmouth-Liverpool via Newport return working, 292 miles each way.

 

[hexagon789]

At the opposite end of the scale, can I nominate Motherwell to Cumbernauld? Probably only about 15 miles & 25 mins or so, 158 operated in the early 2010s

11 and three-quarters. Glasgow Central - Whifflet is actually shorter I think, maybe 11 and a quarter?

Not sure what Queen Street-Anniesland measures up as, but that must be fairly short.

 

[matchmaker]

Cheers for that! Knew somebody would be willing to put the effort in.

There used to be a Glasgow - Kyle of Lochalsh service using a 158.

 

[DanNCL]

At the opposite end of the scale, can I nominate Motherwell to Cumbernauld? Probably only about 15 miles & 25 mins or so, 158 operated in the early 2010s

Newcastle to Metrocentre probably has to be a contender for this - less than 5 miles. Not been 158 operated for a while (though that'll change soon), but certainly has seen 158s before.

 

[swt_passenger]

At the opposite end of the scale, can I nominate Motherwell to Cumbernauld? Probably only about 15 miles & 25 mins or so, 158 operated in the early 2010s

Brockenhurst to Lymington Pier. Operated until upcoming timetable change. 5m 29ch. 10mins.

 

[318266]

There used to be a Glasgow - Kyle of Lochalsh service using a 158.

And that's 263 miles and 16 chains!

 

[Ken H]

Services have been consolidated to improve reliability, and cut short as franchise boundaries have been redrawn, cutting across old Regional Railways business unit areas that the original tranche of franchises adhered to. You could have sprawling, long distance services with franchises as wide ranging as Central Trains for example, less so when the old Regional Railways Central division it originated from has now been split between Greater Anglia, East Midlands Trains, West Midlands Railway and Crosscountry Trains (And TfW, as far as the Cambrian line is concerned if my recollection is correct). Similar can be said for Wales & West, as Ken H has noted above.

there is the continuing conundrum. Is it better to run through trains thereby reducing the costs of terminating trains and reducing congestion at busy stations, or is it best to run short shuttles so delays dont get transmitted between different parts of the network?

 

[hexagon789]

There used to be a Glasgow - Kyle of Lochalsh service using a 158.

In the 2003 timetable I have, there were the following 'through' services via Inverness:

0708 Glasgow QS-Inverness-Kyle of Lochalsh
1340 Edinburgh-Inverness-Wick
0629 Wick-Inverness-Aberdeen
1152 Kyle of Lochalsh-Inverness-Edinburgh

 

[PHILIPE]

Also on Wales & west in 1997-1998 there was a Portsmouth-Liverpool via Newport return working, 292 miles each way.

Joined/split at Newport as explained in Post #27

 

[talltim]

Liverpool - Portsmouth on Virgin Cross Country, around 243miles

I assume none got painted in Virgin?

 

[sprinterguy]

I assume none got painted in Virgin?

Correct; they were the last class 158 units to retain Regional Railways 'Express' livery - 158750 being the very last, although it was defaced with First Transpennine Express vinyls in spring 2004.

 

[clagmonster]

In Central Trains days some of the Cardiff - Nottingham services ran through to/from Lincoln. Don't know what the mileage is for that. It may have been when they still ran via Worcester - can't remember.

One of them ran through to Cleethorpes.

 

[route101]

Do any of the Scotrail 158 services have seat reservations ?

 

[Parallel]

I’m pretty sure I’ve seen reservations on some Scotrail 158s before. Might have been Inverness to Aberdeen?

 

[route101]

I’m pretty sure I’ve seen reservations on some Scotrail 158s before. Might have been Inverness to Aberdeen?

170s mixed in on them services too

 

[Kite159]

Do any of the Scotrail 158 services have seat reservations ?

Kyle line has.

There probably has been times recently when a 158 has found itself on a Waterloo - Exeter service, not quite in the same league as some of the routes mentioned

 

[davmet]

Do any of the Scotrail 158 services have seat reservations ?

Recently when I travelled from wick to Inverness one coach was reserved for a coach party was only a 2 coach service

 

[tiptoptaff]

There was a Maesteg to Waterloo service too. Probably not in the running for the mileage, but up there with the Wales and West oddball ORCATS raids!

 

[PHILIPE]

There was a Maesteg to Waterloo service too. Probably not in the running for the mileage, but up there with the Wales and West oddball ORCATS raids!

Not being pedantic was one way but the other way round,, something round about 0525 from Waterloo but can't quite remember exactly now.

 

[Esker-pades]

Do any of the Scotrail 158 services have seat reservations ?

Yes. Far North and Kyle Lines. I think Inverness to Aberdeen and also the Highland Main Line when 158s sometimes venture onto there.

 

[43096]

There probably has been times recently when a 158 has found itself on a Waterloo - Exeter service, not quite in the same league as some of the routes mentioned

A 158 is booked to do the weekdays 1020 Waterloo-Exeter with a 159. It then stays in Exeter and does the 1636 Exeter-Honiton, 1707 Honiton-Exeter and 1746 Exeter-Axminster before returning empty to Salisbury depot.

 

[route101]

Yes. Far North and Kyle Lines. I think Inverness to Aberdeen and also the Highland Main Line when 158s sometimes venture onto there.

Whenever ive seen them on Central Belt to Aberdeen , seen no seat reservations on the,