Trivia: Longest scheduled non-stop run on any National Rail service

[RailWonderer]

Apologies if there is a thread for this already, though it may have been a long time ago.
I believe both the longest time gap and physical distance between two stations non-stop is Warrington Bank Quay to London Euston, 1 hour 50 mins non stop. If there is any larger time span or mileage between two stations please post it here and let the forum know.

P. S. for the sheer speed, scenery, and tilting fun I have to say Warrington - Euston has to be one of my top favourite train journeys ever. If you think so please say also.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

At a guess, 'normal' passenger train would be Newcastle-Kings Cross on the 0540 ex-Edinburgh during the week; though the Lowland Sleeper's Watford then Carlisle may be (slightly!) further.

Edit - Goes without saying the latter takes longer!

 

[Dren Ahmeti]

1E01 runs Newcastle - Kings Cross fast in the morning, iirc departing Edinburgh at 0540, as @MidnightFlyer said.
392.8 miles exactly, timed for exactly 4 hours, giving an average speed of 98.2mph!

Coincidentally, the longest non-stop run in my region are the fast Reading - Exeter St. Davids via the B&H and Taunton, they’re very fast!

 

[yorkie]

At a guess, 'normal' passenger train would be Newcastle-Kings Cross on the 0540 ex-Edinburgh during the week; though the Lowland Sleeper's Watford then Carlisle may be (slightly!) further.

Edit - Goes without saying the latter takes longer!

WFJ - CAR is about 13 miles longer than NCL - KGX, but the scheduled average speeds are circa 53mph vs 104mph respectively.

 

[Master29]

1E01 runs Newcastle - Kings Cross fast in the morning, iirc departing Edinburgh at 0540, as @MidnightFlyer said.
392.8 miles exactly, timed for exactly 4 hours, giving an average speed of 98.2mph!

Coincidentally, the longest non-stop run in my region are the fast Reading - Exeter St. Davids via the B&H and Taunton, they’re very fast!

The Cornish Riviera does Reading to Exeter in around 1hr 35 min. I only think they hit 110mph a couple of times around Newbury and Thatcham.

 

[Mag_seven]

though the Lowland Sleeper's Watford then Carlisle may be (slightly!) further.

It stops at Preston for a crew change.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

It stops at Preston for a crew change.

I work off passenger calls

 

[Kite159]

I work off passenger calls

In that case the sleeper from Edinburgh - Euston via the ECML (ignoring the crew change at Newcastle & Doncaster, plus the reversal in Wembley yard)

 

[bunnahabhain]

The Eurostar to Marseille would be a good shout if it didn't have crew stops at Lille and Marne-la-Vallée. Technically passenger calls are Ashford International then Gare de Lyon-Part-Dieu.

 

[westcoaster]

Did there used to be an evening VWC service to glasgow that was first stop preston.

 

[Hadders]

Did there used to be an evening VWC service to glasgow that was first stop preston.

Yes there was. The 16:30 off Euston arriving Glasgow at 20:38 called only at Preston. A shame when it was withdrawn which was only a couple of years ago iirc.

 

[185143]

I work off passenger calls

It was a passenger call around 1 month ago when the Highlander was cancelled and the Lowlander picked me (and just me!) Up at Preston!

 

[cle]

Yes there was. The 16:30 off Euston arriving Glasgow at 20:38 called only at Preston. A shame when it was withdrawn which was only a couple of years ago iirc.

I can see first stop Preston trains returning once more of the Lancs trains are on line, but they'd probably call at Carlisle and maybe one other stop in that stretch, I suppose Lancaster is most important.

 

[Mag_seven]

In that case the sleeper from Edinburgh - Euston via the ECML (ignoring the crew change at Newcastle & Doncaster, plus the reversal in Wembley yard)

Technically when ECML diversions are in operation it would be Motherwell-Euston on the Glasgow portion as no Edinburgh stop would be advertised on it.

Did there used to be an evening VWC service to glasgow that was first stop preston.

Back in the days of a "real" (i.e. loco hauled WCML) most Euston Glasgow services were non-stop between Euston and Preston and vv.

 

[Ianno87]

Back in the days of a "real" (i.e. loco hauled WCML) most Euston Glasgow services were non-stop between Euston and Preston and vv.

Was it ever "most"? Back in the mid-90s there were two each way as I recall - The Caledonian and The Royal Scot, about 1230 and 1630 southbound off Preston, IIRC.

 

[Mag_seven]

Was it ever "most"? Back in the mid-90s there were two each way as I recall - The Caledonian and The Royal Scot, about 1230 and 1630 southbound off Preston, IIRC.

I'm talking about from 1974 (electrification Weaver Jn to Glasgow completed) and in the mid 80's when 110mph was introduced.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

In that case the sleeper from Edinburgh - Euston via the ECML (ignoring the crew change at Newcastle & Doncaster, plus the reversal in Wembley yard)

I work off passenger calls on the day I check them

Yes there was. The 16:30 off Euston arriving Glasgow at 20:38 called only at Preston. A shame when it was withdrawn which was only a couple of years ago iirc.

The additional stops were inserted in May 2016 IIRC. I am sure its regulars miss having a coach to themselves

 

[Kite159]

It's one service I was hoping to do in January 16 (or 17?) but due to the viaduct in Scotland being damaged by the flood I didn't manage to do it.

More of the novelty of going nonstop through Carlisle

 

[route:oxford]

Is there an overall (union? legal?) limit to the distance or time that a driver is permitted to drive continuously without stopping?

 

[vlad]

In that case the sleeper from Edinburgh - Euston via the ECML (ignoring the crew change at Newcastle & Doncaster, plus the reversal in Wembley yard)

Edinburgh isn't a passenger call for two chunks of the Highlander, so how about Falkirk to London?

 

[Bald Rick]

Yes there was. The 16:30 off Euston arriving Glasgow at 20:38 called only at Preston. A shame when it was withdrawn which was only a couple of years ago iirc.

A shame yes, but then IME it was poorly loaded - rarely more than 200 people on it. And trundling through Carlisle at 30mph seemed almost pointless.

Was it ever "most"? Back in the mid-90s there were two each way as I recall - The Caledonian and The Royal Scot, about 1230 and 1630 southbound off Preston, IIRC.

I'm talking about from 1974 (electrification Weaver Jn to Glasgow completed) and in the mid 80's when 110mph was introduced.

There were only about 8 trains a day each way back then though, and probably only half of those were non stop Preston to Euston. That was well before domestic air services became attractive as well.

 

[ainsworth74]

A shame yes, but then IME it was poorly loaded - rarely more than 200 people on it. And trundling through Carlisle at 30mph seemed almost pointless.

Novel though! But yeah in this day and age it did seem a bit of a waste of a path...

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The Eurostar to Marseille would be a good shout if it didn't have crew stops at Lille and Marne-la-Vallée. Technically passenger calls are Ashford International then Gare de Lyon-Part-Dieu.

There are several St Pancras-Paris Nord trains that are non-stop. That's 492 km versus the 432 km of King's Cross-Newcastle.
Several more Eurostars run Ebbsfleet-Paris non-stop in 457 km.
There's also the winter ski-train which is first stop Moutiers after Ashford which must be further, but as you point out it might have crew stops.

 

[driver9000]

Is there an overall (union? legal?) limit to the distance or time that a driver is permitted to drive continuously without stopping?

Yes there are but not mandated in law like PCV or HGV Drivers hours. They are agreed between company management and union representatives. For example at my TOC I can drive up to 4h30 before requiring a break but it relates to time not distance, I can drive over 100 miles without stopping on some services.

 

[ComUtoR]

6hrs and you would legally require a break

 

[VT 390]

I may be wrong but at one point around 2006 I thought there was a non stop Glasgow Central to London Euston service operated by a Pendolino.

 

[Mag_seven]

I may be wrong but at one point around 2006 I thought there was a non stop Glasgow Central to London Euston service operated by a Pendolino.

That may have been the special charity run.

 

[GW43125]

I may be wrong but at one point around 2006 I thought there was a non stop Glasgow Central to London Euston service operated by a Pendolino.

Would there not have been a Preston stop (as discussed above) for a crew change?

 

[VT 390]

Would there not have been a Preston stop (as discussed above) for a crew change?

I don't think so.
I have just found it and it was a record run attempt which did the full WCML in 3 hours 55 minutes 27 seconds so was never a regular timetabled service.

 

[yorkie]

Would there not have been a Preston stop (as discussed above) for a crew change?

No. This was a non stop charity run. It wasn't in public service.