Trivia: 3+ changes from York

[HST43257]

Bit of a weird one, but I was just having a wonder, as I cannot for the life of me think of any station requiring 3 or more changes to get there from York. The only cheat code is that Kings Cross and St Pancras are the same station, as a tube journey can’t be completed between the two.

I’ll update this sheet as they come in. The list so far is

Bromley North
Sundridge Park
Sudbury
Bures
Chappel & Wakes Colne
Cardiff Bay
Ryde Pier Head (?)
Ryde Esplanade
Ryde St Johns Road
Smallbrook Junction
Brading
Sandown
Lake
Shanklin
Drayton Green
Caste Bar Park
South Greenford

 

[96tommy]

Bromley North? Would require a change at King’s Cross/St Pancras then London Bridge then Grove Park?

 

[HST43257]

Bromley North? Would require a change at King’s Cross/St Pancras then London Bridge then Grove Park?

Great shout

 

[BeijingDave]

Probably a few in Wales. Harlech?

 

[methethpropbut]

Bromley North? Would require a change at King’s Cross/St Pancras then London Bridge then Grove Park?

In a similar vein - Emerson Park and the stations on the Greenford branch?

 

[W-on-Sea]

I think it is correct to say that Walton-on-the-Naze and Frinton-on-Sea would require changes at Kings Cross, Liverpool Street and then either Colchester or Thorpe-le-Soken. Similarly, stations on the Sudbury branch would necessitate a change at Marks Tey as well as the London transfer.

(I know that there is a limited direct evening service from Peterborough to Colchester that would cut out the need to go via London, or alternatively to charge at Ipswich, and also one Sudbury line train a day that continues beyond Marks Tey to Colchester, and also one through train in the morning from Walton-on-the-Naze that runs through to London.....but in practical terms I'm not sure any of these journeys would be possible within one calendar day with fewer than three changes. Is that so?)

 

[greaterwest]

Probably a few in Wales. Harlech?

Change once at Birmingham New Street? The Aberystwyth/Pwllheli train starts at Birmingham International.

How about Lymington Town / Pier? Since most XC don't stop at Brockenhurst and no XC from York go beyond Reading you would need to do either:
Kings Cross, London Waterloo, Brockenhurst
or
Reading, Basingstoke, Brockenhurst

 

[Snow1964]

In a similar vein - Emerson Park and the stations on the Greenford branch?

I think you could do York-Reading on XC, then Elizabeth line, then be on Greenford Branch on second change

 

[HST43257]

Probably a few in Wales. Harlech?

Direct services from Birmingham, and if not Shrewsbury, so no

I think it is correct to say that Walton-on-the-Naze and Frinton-on-Sea would require changes at Kings Cross, Liverpool Street and then either Colchester or Thorpe-le-Soken. Similarly, stations on the Sudbury branch would necessitate a change at Marks Tey as well as the London transfer.

(I know that there is a limited direct evening service from Peterborough to Colchester that would cut out the need to go via London, or alternatively to charge at Ipswich, and also one Sudbury line train a day that continues beyond Marks Tey to Colchester, and also one through train in the morning from Walton-on-the-Naze that runs through to London.....but in practical terms I'm not sure any of these journeys would be possible within one calendar day with fewer than three changes. Is that so?)

Just has to be physically possible, which it is (Walton to London is back from June). York - Peterborough - Colchester - Walton and Walton - Liverpool Street - Kings Cross - York. Sudbury is impossible in one direction and barely possible in the other, as the last train of the night goes to Colchester, then there’s a Colchester to Peterborough first thing in the morning - not sure if that counts,

 

[Topological]

The fact that York has trains to interchanges such as Edinburgh, Birmingham New Street, Manchester Piccadilly, Liverpool Lime Street, Leeds, Bristol Temple Meads and trains which continue all the way to Penzance, Inverness and Aberdeen really helps getting to the first connection. There is no York to Crewe, but that does not offer much in the way of connections Manchester Piccadilly does not provide.

I was trying to think if there are request stops (X) in South Wales that would need Birmingham, Cardiff then Swansea/Carmarthen. It requires there to be no Cardiff to X train though.

 

[Cach17]

Cardiff Bay, requiring changes at Cheltenham Spa, Cardiff Central and Cardiff Queen Street.

(though honestly any sane person may well just walk or take a bus instead of bothering with the last two legs!)

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Cardiff Bay, requiring changes at Cheltenham Spa, Cardiff Central and Cardiff Queen Street.

(though honestly any sane person may well just walk or take a bus instead of bothering with the last two legs!)

Certainly wouldn't want to wait for the one train per week (SuO) from Cardiff Central direct to Cardiff Bay.

 

[HST43257]

I was trying to think if there are request stops (X) in South Wales that would need Birmingham, Cardiff then Swansea/Carmarthen. It requires there to be no Cardiff to X train though.

And the ability to go York - Bristol Parkway - Carmarthen helps with West Wales

 

[Topological]

And the ability to go York - Bristol Parkway - Carmarthen helps with West Wales

True, I had neglected the GWR extensions to Carmarthen

So there really are not a lot of places that meet the criteria that do not involve London Underground being a leg.

 

[HST43257]

True, I had neglected the GWR extensions to Carmarthen

So there really are not a lot of places that meet the criteria that do not involve London Underground being a leg.

LU can be a leg

 

[Farigiraf]

Having spent some time thinking about this, I cannot find anything other than Bromley North, Emerson Park and Sundridge Park.
Even Alton and Bentley (Hampshire) are possible with two changes at Exeter St Davids and Clapham Junction.
Edit: With the exception of walking between New Street and Moor Street, Bordesley is not possible to reach in under three changes (Leamington Spa, Stratford-upon-Avon, Whitlocks End)

 

[HST43257]

And the Island Line as well, I guess, as 2 changes could only get you from York - London - Croydon - Portsmouth

I’ll input all of these on the first post

 

[JKF]

Island line would be York - Bristol - Portsmouth?

This is kind of like the Kevin Bacon game, I like it.

 

[ExpressTrain]

Stourbridge Town?
Can’t think of anything more efficient than changing at Birmingham New St, Smethwick Galton Bridge and Stourbridge Junction

 

[HST43257]

Island line would be York - Bristol - Portsmouth?

This is kind of like the Kevin Bacon game, I like it.

Then another change on the boat so Ryde Pier Head would be debateable but the rest are still another change

Stourbridge Town?
Can’t think of anything more efficient than changing at Birmingham New St, Smethwick Galton Bridge and Stourbridge Junction

York - Leamington Spa - Stourbridge Jn - Town

Cheers Chiltern

 

[BeijingDave]

Entered Stourbridge Town (but then saw it had just been solved)

 

[MCR247]

Stourbridge Town
(York - Birmingham New Street - Smethwick Galton Bridge - Stourbridge Junction - )

see the post above yours!

 

[Gwr12345]

Any of the Conwy valley line stations south of Llandudno Junction.

 

[dodecahedron67]

I believe all stations between Ore and Ashford International (non-inclusive) require 3 changes since direct trains from Ashford to Brighton got stopped and Thameslink to Ashford is dead?

Using Rye as an example, it’s either
York > KGX/STP > London Bridge > Hastings/Ashford > Rye via SE
Or York > KGX/STP > (BML interchange station of choice) > Eastbourne > Rye

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I believe all stations between Ore and Ashford International (non-inclusive) require 3 changes since direct trains from Ashford to Brighton got stopped and Thameslink to Ashford is dead?

Using Rye as an example, it’s either
York > KGX/STP > London Bridge > Hastings/Ashford > Rye via SE
Or York > KGX/STP > (BML interchange station of choice) > Eastbourne > Rye

Had also considered the Marshlink line stations, but aren't there still many regular services throughout the day operated by South Eastern from London St Pancras to Ashford International? (Meaning just two changes).

 

[duffield]

Had also considered the Marshlink line stations, but aren't there still many regular services throughout the day operated by South Eastern from London St Pancras to Ashford International? (Meaning just two changes).

Two trains per hour from St. Pancras to Ashford. I did this journey a few of months ago, not from York, true, but via St. Pancras and Ashford to the Marshlink line. It's very convenient.

 

[HST43257]

Marshlink is a great connection from York - I’ve visited Rye twice recently.

York - London KX/STP - Ashford - Marshlink station

Any of the Conwy valley line stations south of Llandudno Junction.

York - Newton-le-Willows - Llandudno Junction - Blaenau

 

[greatkingrat]

I think you could do York-Reading on XC, then Elizabeth line, then be on Greenford Branch on second change

The Elizabeth Line trains from Reading don't call at West Ealing though.

 

[dodecahedron67]

Had also considered the Marshlink line stations, but aren't there still many regular services throughout the day operated by South Eastern from London St Pancras to Ashford International? (Meaning just two changes).

Yes there are - d’oh

 

[Farigiraf]

The Elizabeth Line trains from Reading don't call at West Ealing though.

There is the 0608 Paddington-Greenford but that won't work for a 1 day trip.