Trivia - Furthest you've seen someone carried beyond their intended stop

[contrex]

In the summer of 1985 there was a short-lived Saturdays-only through EMU return service from Reading to Folkestone Harbour. It called at the usual stops as far as Clapham Junction, then ran via Ludgate, Longhedge and Factory Jcts to continue non-stop to Ashford. I took a trip on it on one occasion and as it was bowling along the SEML past Tonbridge I heard a young chap ask the conductor when the train would be arriving at Waterloo...

Picture here "Two trains in Folkestone Harbour Station on 8 June 1985, on the left one to London whilst on the right is the 'Day out in Kent or France' service, 1930 Folkestone Harbour - Reading. Departing Reading at 0823 as a normal service to Waterloo this ran Clapham Junction - Factory - Longhedge - Ludgate Jns. - Herne Hill"

GENSHEET Photo Gallery 1: Rare, freight and closed lines

photo gallery for rare track freight and closed lines

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[alangla]

Two come to mind, one I’m pretty sure about, the other less so.
First one was when Virgin were running an early evening (1630 departure I think) Euston to Glasgow service that stopped at Preston only & had a stopper behind it. Person got on at Preston then after departure asked the guard if it was definitely next stop Glasgow. Guard refused to let them off at Carlisle so that’s 102 mile over-carry. I remember him moaning to a steward that he’d already had several special stops at Carlisle on that train. Needless to say in the next timetable a Carlisle stop was added.

Next one was boarding a late evening HST at Reading that had come from Cardiff or Swansea. When it got to Paddington someone was sound asleep. Much banging on tables etc eventually woke them up but telling them “we’re in Paddington” produced a confused response. Hope they weren’t planning to get off in Newport...

 

[4COR]

I've seen a man get carried off to Carlisle when trying to see his daughter on the train with her luggage at Glasgow (even worse was that he expected to be able to get off at Motherwell and return, but was a fast one...).

Personally: sailing through Upper Warlingham (well, not stopping at Sanderstead was the first hint...) when I've rushed for the train at E Croydon P6 : having seen it was an E Grinstead, but not realised the fast one was 4 min late, and left at the same time the stopper usually did. Next stop: Oxted...

 

[185143]

I wonder if anyone has ever used the Sleeper "day coach" a couple of stops from Fort Bill and ended up at Euston - or do they check?

You're forgetting passengers will need to change carriages at Edinburgh, unless I'm missing the point and you mean deliberately end up at Euston?

When I did the FTW portion in 2019 we were told that we needed to move at Edinburgh when boarding and then again around Edinburgh Park. I don't remember a ticket check though, aside from our names being ticked off a list when we boarded at Bridge of Orchy. Though I was well refreshed by the time we reached Edinburgh!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I wonder if anyone has ever used the Sleeper "day coach" a couple of stops from Fort Bill and ended up at Euston - or do they check?

Not possible - the day coach comes off at Edinburgh doesn't it?

 

[185143]

Forgot another one that I did in Northern Ireland. Was heading up the Larne branch and decided to be clever and tick off Whiteabbey en route so jumped on the Derry~Londonderry train. Departed Yorkgate, next stop Mossley West. Oops.

That was the point I found out that not all Translink NI Railways trains call at every station. I later found out a colleague of mine had done similar in reverse, stood at Whiteabbey heading to Derry~Londonderry and watched the train fly past.

 

[43096]

I saw someone on a Project Rio service ask the guard when the train would get to Stansted, having got on at Leicester. Next stop was Stockport.

 

[MrEd]

I wonder if anyone has ever used the Sleeper "day coach" a couple of stops from Fort Bill and ended up at Euston - or do they check?

Impossible (perhaps fortunately), as the Fort William seated coach is always detached at Edinburgh Waverley, so everyone has to disembark there regardless of whether they’re a ‘local’ or an ‘overnight’ passenger. I’m fairly sure, though, that the guard would check to ensure that they got off in the right place and did not end up at Waverley at midnight- CS staff are usually good at this and it’s not as though there’s much train to go through (just one seated coach with 31 seats- though only 15 or so of these are reserved on the Fort William section).

 

[Bald Rick]

Not quite overcarried, as returned to sender...

In the mid 90s me and one of my best mates had an after work swift pint that turned into a gallon and a scramble for the last trains home from New St. I got my cross city service, he got his last train to Walsall. He fell asleep, and was woken by the chimes of the doors closing - at Walsall. He found out the hard way that the last train of the day from Walsall to New St is the only one that runs non-stop. Found himself back where he started with no trains home. Taxi!

Best thing is he was more annoyed about how quick it was without stopping at all the shacks.

 

[MrEd]

Where to start...

I had a passenger come up to me at Man Picc after being kicked off a TPE Cleethorpes arrival asking for directions with an extremely strong Eastern European accent and fairly poor English. I couldn't get the name of the station he was saying, but it didn't sound local. He then went into his bag and came out with a ticket and a tube map which had Kings Cross and Liverpool Street circled on it. He'd come from Grimsby and hadn't understood he needed to change at Doncaster, and thought he was at London Kings Cross. Oops. The Avanti staff took pity on him and put him on the last London service with less than a minute to spare.

I remember my first trip to London with my parents, boarding at Warrington on a non stop Pendo. We headed down the train to find our seats, containing a drunk Glaswegian asleep. He woke up and asked if we were at Warrington yet as we sped through Acton Bridge...

And then the ones I've done myself:
Heading back from Blackpool after a day and evening on the adult beverages, changed at Preston onto a 185 to Manchester Oxford Road. Woke up wondering why I was still on the train at 23:40 then saw Heald Green out the window. Oops.

Got woke up by a kind fellow passenger in 1st Class on an SWR 444 the afternoon after being on night shift telling me I'd need to move forward if I were going beyond Bournemouth. This was while we were in the platform at Pokesdown. I wanted Christchurch. I didn't manage to gather my stuff in time so had an unintentional trip to Bournemouth.

I remember reading a tale on here, which admittedly may or may not have been true, of a passenger on the Caledonian Sleeper getting friendly with a gentleman in the Aberdeen lounge car before both heading back to his cabin to Err... y'know. She woke up on the East Coast of Scotland heading to Aberdeen while her belongings were in her empty cabin heading to Fort William!

Regarding the sleeper story, it’s entertaining but its reliability is questionable given that there are various different versions. One version has the lass inadvertently going into the Inverness lounge car, getting friendly with an Inverness-bound passenger, going back to bed with him and waking up at Kingussie while all her belongings went to Aberdeen. Another (even more hilarious, and perhaps more believable) version has the lass who is Aberdeen-bound getting friendly with a certain Fort William-based musician in the lounge car (which Aberdeen and Fort William portions share), going back to his cabin and waking up in Glen Falloch between Ardlui and Crianlarich in snow and -1 degrees with only a nightdress (all her clothes and belongings being in her berth in the Aberdeen portion). This story came coupled with a further suggestion that she was a high-ranking executive in the oil industry and had an urgent meeting at 10am that morning... at which point she was still freezing her tits off in Crianlarich with just her nightdress on. Cue speculation about how (if ever) she got to Aberdeen and whether she still had her high-flying job...

Did any of this really happen? A lot of this sounds like tales which some of the old-school Scottish crew and Highlander regulars tell to entertain tourists if I can be honest, and the story is almost certainly embellished. Perhaps there were three separate incidents? Who knows. Still it keeps us entertained.

 

[unlevel42]

A friend from South Wales was living in Sheffield.
He went to Cardiff to watch Wales play Scotland in the 70s with some mates in the car.
At the end of the day the Police in Cardiff were sweeping people off the streets and putting on trains out of Cardiff.
They put him on a service to Sheffield and he woke up in Edinburgh.
They let him come back to Sheffield on the first train -he never bought a ticket arriving back for a lunchtime session on Sunday.

When Wrexham played a quarter final of the FA Cup in Burnley ended there was trouble on the terraces. To calm things down we Wrexham fans were kept in the ground for an hour and were all marched to the station for the Special train to Wrexham via Preston, Warrington BQ, Crewe and Chester.
I lived in Sheffield. I managed to get off at Chester were a very understanding worker validated a ticket to Manchester from where my return ticket was valid.

 

[nr758123]

Somebody who wanted to get off at Stoke on Trent having an unplanned trip to Watford Junction.

A former work colleague, sometime in the late 1990s and living in Stoke, who had a very convivial retirement party at their workplace in Manchester. He was put on the train at Piccadilly - from my dealings with him, it's quite possible that he was literally put on to the train - and who was woken up on arrival at Euston.

 

[johntea]

I see daily (or used to before working from home became the 'norm' anyway!) London punters jump on the LNER train at Leeds Platform 6...they seem a bit confused when they step off at Harrogate! Feel sorry for them as it then adds at least an extra hour on their journey, I do try to double check if I see a passenger boarding with 6 suitcases that they actually want Harrogate!

 

[185143]

Regarding the sleeper story, it’s entertaining but its reliability is questionable given that there are various different versions. One version has the lass inadvertently going into the Inverness lounge car, getting friendly with an Inverness-bound passenger, going back to bed with him and waking up at Kingussie while all her belongings went to Aberdeen. Another (even more hilarious, and perhaps more believable) version has the lass who is Aberdeen-bound getting friendly with a certain Fort William-based musician in the lounge car (which Aberdeen and Fort William portions share), going back to his cabin and waking up in Glen Falloch between Ardlui and Crianlarich in snow and -1 degrees with only a nightdress (all her clothes and belongings being in her berth in the Aberdeen portion). This story came coupled with a further suggestion that she was a high-ranking executive in the oil industry and had an urgent meeting at 10am that morning... at which point she was still freezing her tits off in Crianlarich with just her nightdress on. Cue speculation about how (if ever) she got to Aberdeen and whether she still had her high-flying job...

Did any of this really happen? A lot of this sounds like tales which some of the old-school Scottish crew and Highlander regulars tell to entertain tourists if I can be honest, and the story is almost certainly embellished. Perhaps there were three separate incidents? Who knows. Still it keeps us entertained.

I agree entirely with that. I can certainly imagine it being a story (or even a warning!) told to tourists in the lounge cars of an evening.

I had a steward on ScotRail out of Aberdeen pick up an English accent in conversation and tell me to look out for three legged Haggis running round in the fields on the way to Edinburgh. No chance was she having me with that one. She confessed it was a common Scottish "take the mick" joke with tourists.

Then proceeded to tell me of a time she'd had some American tourists on the train who'd been told there were cows in Scotland that produce chocolate milk and were enquiring where they would see them en route. And to be honest, I can actually believe that happened.

 

[tpjm]

One of my colleagues told me about a year ago of a young couple who she found on a service to Liverpool Lime Street around Newton-le-Willows with tickets to Liverpool Street.

Over-carried from Greenfield to Marsden/Mossley is quite a common one when customers don’t listen to, look at, or engage with the conductor, all telling them to move forward for the short platform. Unfortunately, at both stations the train in the opposite direction is roughly around the same time so it’s quite common to have an hour to wait for a 4 minute journey.

 

[fairysdad]

Not the furthest distance by any means, but an amusing story: I've been undercarried - got off the train at Stoneleigh and walked home, brief moment of panic when my car wasn't in the driveway until I remembered I drove to Ewell West station that morning and the car was in the car park there!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Worst I've had personally wasn't all that bad, fell asleep coming home from Leeds and woke as the train passed through Guide Bridge. Worst I've seen on the other hand was someone asleep on board an early Grand Central at York where I boarded. He woke up just South of Doncaster and asked when we were due into York, when I told him "about 25 minutes ago mate" he wasn't too happy... I had a funny feeling he wouldn't like the answer to his next question either, and I was right!

 

[Devon Sunset]

In 2005 I worked the 15.33 Edinburgh-Dunblane from what is now platform 8 at Waverley. It had a recognised connection at Stirling for Inverness and due to some disruption in Fife and previous cancellations the train (2 car 158) left Edinburgh full and standing with most people heading for Stirling. On arrival at Dunblane as I’m walking through to make sure everyone is off I came across a gentleman who asked when this train got to North Berwick? At that time the next train on platform 8 was the 15.43 North Berwick, to say he was unimpressed was an understatement and of course it wasn’t his fault.

 

[mikeg]

The furthest I've seen involves travel in a different direction. Two chavs were too slow in getting off an ex Manchester tpe service bound for Middlesbrough (or was it Newcastle?) , intending to change at York for Scarborough. I was headed for Thirsk and they were advised by the guard to get off at Northallerton and travel back to York. Unfortunately that would be as far as they'd get by the time they got back to York but I agreed with the guard it'd be easier and cheaper (or perhaps similar price) to get a taxi from York to Scarborough as it would from Northallerton or Thirsk to Scarborough.
Of course they viewed it as anyone's fault but their own, despite having been given nearly two minutes to get off the train at York. Guard was very reasonable and even issued a zero fare ticket from Northallerton to York to avoid them having any issues, didn't think they could do that.

It was the first time but not the only time this happened as also had a chap end up in Northallerton again meaning to go to Scarborough as his ticket said via York so got on any old service to York. He complained his ticket should have told him to change at York. Apparently reading the destination of the train was too tricky for him. Normal people are really not understood by me it has to be said.

 

[Neptune]

I was working the last train from Man Vic to Leeds many years ago and at Leeds found a bloke who’d fallen asleep and wanted Todmorden. I told him that the good news was it was the same unit back but the bad news was it was in 4 and a half hours and as the unit required locking up and cleaning he’d have to get off.

 

[onlinespotting]

When I lived in Wakefield I’d generallly get the first GNER home after a night out but ended up in Doncaster a few times and Grantham once.
Coming back from Manchester to Stoke I’ve ended up in birmingham Rugby Tamworth and even euston!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Not possible - the day coach comes off at Edinburgh doesn't it?

It does indeed, I was being thick

 

[scrapy]

I was on a Virgin service from Manchester to Euston due to stop at Wilmslow and Crewe. Before Stockport there was a totally inaudable PA message. The train then turned off towards Macclesfield much to the horror of several passengers going to Wilmslow and Crewe. The train manager was adamant it would be first stop Euston due to a problem at Crewe and said it had been announced for passengers to change at Stockport. In the end passenger pressure got a stop at Stoke but they very nearly ended up going to Euston.

 

[D841 Roebuck]

A story I was told about a former work colleague, in the 1980s.

Lived in Stockport, worked in Manchester. Out for several pints after work, headed home as was usual for him on the Joiner (00xx Euston Sleeper). Fell asleep, woke up the following morning in Willesden carriage sidings...

...rang his manager (who had also been at the pub) up for a day's leave. No problem. However the manager was less pleased the day after to get a similar call, as his staff member had celebrated his day off by having a sesh with some friends from London, and waking the next morning in Glasgow after getting the wrong Sleeper!

 

[ungreat]

York...when I wanted Peterborough!

 

[Colin1501]

I used to travel home from work on the 17.05 Waterloo to Weymouth, first stop Winchester (66 miles). One evening, as we passed through Clapham Junction (4 miles), a chap across the aisle with a worried look on his face asked, "doesn't this train stop here?".

 

[Spartacus]

A friend from South Wales was living in Sheffield.
He went to Cardiff to watch Wales play Scotland in the 70s with some mates in the car.
At the end of the day the Police in Cardiff were sweeping people off the streets and putting on trains out of Cardiff.
They put him on a service to Sheffield and he woke up in Edinburgh.
They let him come back to Sheffield on the first train -he never bought a ticket arriving back for a lunchtime session on Sunday.

When Wrexham played a quarter final of the FA Cup in Burnley ended there was trouble on the terraces. To calm things down we Wrexham fans were kept in the ground for an hour and were all marched to the station for the Special train to Wrexham via Preston, Warrington BQ, Crewe and Chester.
I lived in Sheffield. I managed to get off at Chester were a very understanding worker validated a ticket to Manchester from where my return ticket was valid.

I've almost been on the end of something very similar. After the infamous Cardiff - Leeds FA Cup match a few years ago all us Leeds fans were being marched back to the station by the local police, very WWII prison march style, to be put on a special back to Leeds. Trouble is I lived near Birmingham at the time and had drove down! We managed to slip our guard near where we'd parked but it was worrying for a while!

I've managed a few beer induced doss overs myself, managing to fall asleep at Mirfield to be jolted awake by Micklefield Jn while wanting Dewsbury. Luckily the TPE terminated in platform 7 at York and went straight back.
I've over-dossed in the opposite direction, just long enough to see the doors close and have to get off in Ravensthorpe. Pretty unspectacular apart from that I had an early flight to Ireland in the morning and I left my train tickets on the seat!
Furthest I've done is returning home from Darlington, made the mistake of deciding to get a KX service as far as York. Fell asleep before Northallerton and was woken by the guard before Doncaster. Next stop KX! Guard was understanding though and arranged for me to come back North on the next service.

I've know there's been plenty who've got on 1E01 from Newcastle wanting York or other stations when it's fast to KX.

One unusual one was someone who'd got on a GTR service somewhere through London who wanted Gatwick and ended up heading North through Bedfordshire when they were discovered! I think there was a slim chance they could have made their flight, but given the number of bags they had......

 

[47296lastduff]

Back in 1966 I did an overnight Plymouth to Padd, Mark 1 compartment, blinds down, fully asleep along the seat. Woke up puzzled as to why we were going the wrong way, and discovered I was on my way to Old Oak. On arrival I discovered a D63XX on the front, and my companion and I were bundled onto an ecs back to Padd, with another D63XX at the head. Not a major inconvenience, but new track and haulage gained.

 

[pdeaves]

I've shared this before...

Leaving St Pancras on a first stop Wellingborough service in loco-hauled days, someone ran up at the last second and just managed to clamber aboard as the train accelerated. They wanted Welwyn Garden City. Wrong train from wrong station. Oops.

 

[J-P_L]

I came across a gentleman leaving Newcastle who showed me a ticket Liverpool Lime Street to Manchester Victoria... asked where he got on and where he was going... transpires he got on at Liverpool (4 hours earlier) and was trying to get to London Victoria!

He had managed to buy the wrong ticket and got from Liverpool all the way to Newcastle without anyone noticing, waited in the station and got back on the Liverpool train having seen “Victoria” on the board. After speaking to his concerned wife who was waiting for him in London, I sorted his ticket out and handed him over to the staff at Durham (same platform, next train) to make sure he got on the London train.