Longest non-stop railway journey

[EMT Commuter]

What's the longest non-stop journey that can be made in GB? The longest I can find is Euston - Preston (approx 219 miles) and completed in two hours. Quite a long way if you get on the wrong train!

But maybe there is a more obscure one that I can't find.

 

[Drsatan]

I think Aberdeen - Penzance by XC is the longest. It's about 10-11 hours end to end.

 

[Failed Unit]

What's the longest non-stop journey that can be made in GB? The longest I can find is Euston - Preston (approx 219 miles) and completed in two hours. Quite a long way if you get on the wrong train!

But maybe there is a more obscure one that I can't find.

I think that you are right in the normal timetable, although diversion may throw up some longer.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I think Aberdeen - Penzance by XC is the longest. It's about 10-11 hours end to end.

That is for a different Thread

Inverness / Aberdeen - London via Carlisle anyone

 

[Geezertronic]

I think Aberdeen - Penzance by XC is the longest. It's about 10-11 hours end to end.

I think the OP means without stopping, not total distance of a route.

 

[Old Timer]

I would have said one of the overnight sleepers would be the best bet.

Some years back the 2330 Glasgow to Euston used to hold the record running non stop Motherwell (pick up) to Watford Jct (Set Down).

The Invernessy used to pull in at Crewe I recall, and the Penzance to Paddington was a veritable milk train !

 

[flymo]

Table 65 suggests 209 miles, not 219. Is the 219 via a route not covered in the Table mileage?

 

[Failed Unit]

I would have said one of the overnight sleepers would be the best bet.

Some years back the 2330 Glasgow to Euston used to hold the record running non stop Motherwell (pick up) to Watford Jct (Set Down).

The Invernessy used to pull in at Crewe I recall, and the Penzance to Paddington was a veritable milk train !

With the sleepers, when on a ECML diversion they according to the timetable do Edinburgh - London non-stop, however often stop at stations for crew reasons (either Doncaster or York). The current Watford - Carlisle must be longer than Preston - London however now you mention it....

 

[EMT Commuter]

Table 65 suggests 209 miles, not 219. Is the 219 via a route not covered in the Table mileage?

Sorry, the 219 is the approx road distance, don't have the TT to hand.

However, it looks like Watford Junction to Carlisle on the London -Glasgow / Edinburgh sleeper may be the winner.

 

[Old Timer]

I am working on the basis of booked passenger stops rather than crew changes.

As I recall the 2330 off Glasgow (SX) was a Glasgow man to Carlisle, and Crewe men Carlisle to Crewe and Crewe to Euston. (SO) it was worked by a Rugby men Crewe to Rugby, and then a fresh Rugby man to Euston as there was no back working for the Crewe man to get home from Euston on Sundays, although memory dims with age.

 

[Failed Unit]

I am working on the basis of booked passenger stops rather than crew changes.

As I recall the 2330 off Glasgow (SX) was a Glasgow man to Carlisle, and Crewe men Carlisle to Crewe and Crewe to Euston. (SO) it was worked by a Rugby men Crewe to Rugby, and then a fresh Rugby man to Euston as there was no back working for the Crewe man to get home from Euston on Sundays, although memory dims with age.

In that case your winner would be the London - Inverness portion of the sleeper then it is diverted via ECML. It has no booked stops between London & Stirling (unless you count Edinburgh shut but no pax can board / leave). Slightly longer than the Inverkeithing stop on the Aberdeen portion. Westerton would beat it but the Fort William protion is stop to pick up at Edinburgh.

 

[Mintona]

Am I allowed to say London - Brussels or not?

 

[jopsuk]

Only the first what is it sixty miles of that are in GB though.

 

[EltonRoad]

On Summer Saturdays there is an FGW HST non-stop between Reading and Lostwithiel. Destination Newquay. Not sure whether this beats Watford to Carlisle on the Sleeper, which surely is the winner for regular non-diverted services.

 

[dk1]

On Summer Saturdays there is an FGW HST non-stop between Reading and Lostwithiel. Destination Newquay. Not sure whether this beats Watford to Carlisle on the Sleeper, which surely is the winner for regular non-diverted services.

Wasnt this also either pick-up or set-down (cant remember what in which direction) at Plymouth?

 

[EltonRoad]

You could be right, but as far as I remember there were two HSTs from Paddington to Newquay, one did certainly stop at Plymouth (and Exeter) to pick up, but I'm pretty sure the other one was first stop Lostwithiel (to set down).

 

[bengolding]

What's the longest non-stop journey that can be made in GB? The longest I can find is Euston - Preston (approx 219 miles) and completed in two hours. Quite a long way if you get on the wrong train!

I was on the 15:53 Preston to Euston recently, which is one of only two southbound weekday services that run non-stop, as opposed to the usual pattern of stopping at Wigan and Warrington only. Spoke to the Train Manager who said there were 2 customers bound for Wigan and Virgin control refused an additional stop. Repeated announcements were made before departure about the next stop being Euston. They must have arrived back a couple of hours late! Still better than several years back when I was on the (non-Pendolino) 13:40 from Glasgow which was non-stop from Preston at 16:20, arriving 18:52, when the same situation happened.

It was a great run to Euston, Preston to Euston in 1 hour 56 minutes isn't bad!

 

[poshbakerloo]

Am I allowed to say London - Brussels or not?

I don't think that would be the longest anyway...

 

[mumrar]

I don't think that would be the longest anyway...

It's a 232 mile run from St Pancras, don't know how that compares to what's been previously posted

 

[Bittern]

Didn't one Pendolino (I'm sure it was Penny) do Euston - Glasgow non-stop a few years back?

 

[mumrar]

Didn't one Pendolino (I'm sure it was Penny) do Euston - Glasgow non-stop a few years back?

It was the other way round, I was on it and it was very surreal, but also very fast. Because it was a publicity exercise and staff where all volunteering, it was cheap too at £40 single. It was amusing to be flying past all the 'normal' pendos between Rugby and Euston as we got priority on the fast. Slick operation, and the added bonus for most to hop behind 87002 to head back north, to New St in my case. The perfect comparison of journey time and the stock differences too.
The new name given to the set on the day was 'Heavens Angels' or something like that, with money raised going to the Railway Children charity.

 

[Failed Unit]

Although the are not running today BR and later GNER used to do London - Darlington non-stop. The 0700 Southbound used to call at Durham and Darlington only. The 1700 Northbound used to be Darlington, Newcastle & Edinburgh. The York stop was covered by other workings. Southbound the service ran in the late 1990's Northbound I think it was about 1994 before the York stop was added.

GNER also did Newcastle - London non-stop on a scheduled passenger service during Christmas 2003. The 955 Aberdeen - London.

Although Glasgow - London would win it, it was in effect a charter service. I think Newcastle - London would have it for sheduled services something that the flying scotsman did in steam days.

 

[Saltleyman]

If we can include foreign routes in this thread,the SNCF in France ran a TGV non-stop from Calais to Marseille about two years ago.And it only took just under seven hours to complete a 1000 kms. trip.

 

[yorksrob]

Although the are not running today BR and later GNER used to do London - Darlington non-stop. The 0700 Southbound used to call at Durham and Darlington only. The 1700 Northbound used to be Darlington, Newcastle & Edinburgh. The York stop was covered by other workings. Southbound the service ran in the late 1990's Northbound I think it was about 1994 before the York stop was added.

GNER also did Newcastle - London non-stop on a scheduled passenger service during Christmas 2003. The 955 Aberdeen - London.

Although Glasgow - London would win it, it was in effect a charter service. I think Newcastle - London would have it for sheduled services something that the flying scotsman did in steam days.

Am I right in thinking that the LNER used to do London - Edinburgh non stop at one time - hence the little corridoor through the coal bunker on some of it's steam loco's to allow a crew change without stopping ?

 

[Railjet]

It's a 232 mile run from St Pancras, don't know how that compares to what's been previously posted

In any case, St Pancras to Paris is longer, surely.

 

[Daimler]

Am I right in thinking that the LNER used to do London - Edinburgh non stop at one time - hence the little corridoor through the coal bunker on some of it's steam loco's to allow a crew change without stopping ?

Yes indeed - I'm fairly sure the LMS' Coronation Scot did London-Glasgow non-stop too.

 

[mumrar]

If we can include foreign routes in this thread,the SNCF in France ran a TGV non-stop from Calais to Marseille about two years ago.And it only took just under seven hours to complete a 1000 kms. trip.

Well, we can't include this, as the OP said journey in the UK. I'd a guess a proviso is at least one end of the trip should be on these shores.

In any case, St Pancras to Paris is longer, surely.

Yes, at just over 308miles it is longer.

 

[EMT Commuter]

Thanks for all your responses.

I was really thinking about a journey that could be made today and commencing in the UK. The sort of train you don't want to get on by mistake. Or perhaps one to get shot of the kids for a few hours!

 

[will1337]

If we can include foreign routes in this thread,the SNCF in France ran a TGV non-stop from Calais to Marseille about two years ago.And it only took just under seven hours to complete a 1000 kms. trip.

That's an average of about 88mph, which is really really slow by HSR standards?

 

[."ooo!.]

If we can include foreign routes in this thread,the SNCF in France ran a TGV non-stop from Calais to Marseille about two years ago.And it only took just under seven hours to complete a 1000 kms. trip.

That's an average of about 88mph, which is really really slow by HSR standards?

The journey took just over 3hrs (which is under 7 hours ) if wikipedia is to be trusted, giving an average of 317km/h or 198mph.

 

[Ascot]

Longest would either be Preston to Euston or Glasgow to Preston. York to Kings Cross stands a good chance too. (Need someone to measure the map).

Sleeper Carlisle to Watford does not really count as they stop at Preston to load supplies.