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Trivia: Journeys that can be made between stations on one train without an official direct service

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Clansman

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As the title says.

I gather that the train that works the Highland Chieftain in both directions is diagrammed to work to and from Hull (northbound from Hull to King's Cross, southbound to from King's Cross Hull).

So theoretically one could make a direct journey aboard the same train without changing between Hull and Inverness despite an official direct revenue service not existing between them.

Where else does this apply to? I wonder if Wick to Glasgow Central had ever been done in one day by a 158?

Others include;

North Berwick to Largs (North Berwick > Waverley > Glasgow Central via Carstairs > Largs)
East Kilbride to Morpeth (East Kilbride > Glasgow Central > Carlisle > Newcastle > Morpeth)
Anniesland to Tweedbank (Anniesland > Glasgow QS > Dundee > Waverley > Tweedbank)

I'm sure pre-covid that Northern used a ScotRail each day to run to Middlesbrough after it came from Scotland, so you could have done either Dumfries or Glasgow Central (or East Kilbride/Ayr/Stranraer?) to Middlesbrough in one day.
 
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xotGD

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I have travelled from Bingley to Preston on the same unit. Arrived into Leeds from Carlisle and then its next turn was to Preston.
 

Mike99

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On Saturdays, (and maybe other occasions) the 06:24 Bury St Edmunds to Ipswich 2W03 arrives Ipswich at 07:02 and then forms the 07:16 2D68, Ipswich to Lowestoft service. Creating the possibility of a Bury St Edmunds to Lowestoft 'through' service without changing trains
 

Basil Jet

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In 1997 I used to get a train from Cheam to Horsham every morning which then formed a service via Littlehaven where I worked.

The timings of the Norwich - Sheringham service suggest it probably shares diagrams with another service in the peaks, but I don't know which one(s). If it shared diagrams with the Wherry lines at all times, it wouldn't have to skip various stations in the off-peak in order to keep time.
 

Dai Corner

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There are some on the Cardiff Valley Lines such as 2C35 1500 Radyr to Coryton which forms 2B94 1545 Coryton to Cardiff Bay enabling a journey from Radyr, Danescourt, Fairwater, Waun-Gron Park or Ninian Park to Cardiff Bay without changing. Though it would be quicker to change at Queen Street.
 

mrcheek

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Anywhere on the Gunnislake line to anywhere on the Cornish main line.

I think its still a separate service: Theres a Gunnislake to Plymouth train which on arrival in Plymouth becomes a Plymouth to Penzance stopper. Its even usually announced on arrival at PLymouth as such, since in the past, many people got off to train to make a connection, only to find themselves coming back to the same train
 

507020

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Blackpool south- colne
Colne-Omskirk
Blackpool south-Omskirk
That’s not quite right. Blackpool South - Colne yes but it’s Ormskirk - Blackpool South. I’ve even seen Blackpool South as the destination at Ormskirk even though it’s not timetabled as a through service, but only 1 train a day runs through from Colne - Ormskirk, reversing at Preston, the 17:26 departure from Preston, with all other Colne services terminating to recover for late running from poor performance on the Colne branch. In a future timetable, Blackpool South is to be a shuttle and a timetabled through Colne - Ormskirk is to reverse at Preston all day.
 

superalbs

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Bristol to Nottingham in a 170 at silly o'clock in the morning, service changes at Cardiff Central with a 40 minute wait.
 

Mcr Warrior

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So basically, just about any train service which terminates somewhere, and its next working immediately thereafter is on some other different route?
 

waverley47

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I believe there are two separate strands to this question.

Number 1 - Which unit diagram has the furthest apart start and end points?

This will probably be a unit that starts in Aberdeen/Glasgow/Edinburgh and ends in London, unless the Aberdeen to Penzance unit still runs.


Number 2 - Which unit travels the most different routes daily, and following on from this, what are the two furthest apart points on that route?

The answer to this is probably a Great Western, Northern or Scotrail diesel unit.
 

Falcon1200

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So basically, just about any train service which terminates somewhere, and its next working immediately thereafter is on some other different route?

Indeed, and also it only works if staff do not instruct all passengers to alight after the first journey has terminated (and the set is not put onto another diagram !)
 
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I once travelled from Derby to Ruskington, thinking I’d need to change twice (Nottingham and Lincoln). Turned out to be the same unit for all three services, so sat on it throughout. There was a poor woman who unloaded her many suitcases at Nottingham, clambered out, stood on the platform looking confused for about 30 seconds, before loading them all back in again and sitting back in the same seat she was in before.
 

Watershed

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I've frequently encountered this abroad. I once took the train from Sofia to Ruse. I had a rather comfortable spot in a compartment but understood from my reservations that I'd have to change trains at Gorna Oryahovitsa, so off I got when the train arrived and started looking for my connection.

The other passengers couldn't help showing a wry smile of amusement when I rejoined them in the same compartment I'd just left. I didn't realise that it was a through working, just splitting at Gorna. I suppose having the same coach and seat number should have been a clue! ;)
 
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An interesting one you can do is Anniesland to Oban/Mallaig, 2W52 07:03 Anniesland - Queen Street forms 1Y21 08:23 to Oban and Mallaig (divide at Crianlarich) upon arrival into Glasgow
 

Hb06_

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St Pancras International - Ramsgate via Ashford International and Dover Priory used to unofficially do a loop via Medway. So, for example, you could get from Dover Priory to Whitstable without getting off the train, but the service changes at Ramsgate, en-route.

Not sure if that's how it works any more.
 

MP393

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TFW 1W74 Carmarthen - Manchester Piccadilly arrives on platform 14 and immediately forms 1D47 Manchester Piccadilly - Chester via Warrington. (Monday - Friday)
 

allaction

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How about the unheralded and unadvertised West Wales Irish Seaports Express - coming your way again from mid-May?

2E19 0954 Fishguard Harbour to Carmarthen arr 1046 magically becomes
2E14 1055 Carmarthen to Pembroke Dock arr 1216. No platform change needed at the bustling west Wales railway hub, either.

This train would be ideal for Irish -based mariners who have just been sacked by Stena on arrival at Fishguard and who have found immediate alternative employment by Irish Ferries on the Pembroke Dock route.

I think TfW are missing a marketing trick here.
 

Peter0124

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You can currently get to Glasgow Central from both platforms at Newton (or any station Hamilton Circle). It will require different tickets however to go the long way as I doubt Newton-Glasgow Central wouldn't be valid via Motherwell.

Either go direct via Cathcart Circle platform 1 or take a Motherwell service from platform 2, which then goes up to Glasgow Central via Carmyle. These journey opportunities end on May the 9th when the Argyle Line reopens.

However on regular Sundays it's still possible to go from Milngavie to Balloch via Hamilton and Carmyle (with only a 2 minute wait at Motherwell).


And some more interesting Monday-Friday examples:

Class 380 Newton to Ayr:
2M77 07:50 Newton to Glasgow Central (via Maxwell Park) becomes 2K63 09:04 Glasgow Central to Ayr

(This diagram currently doesn't run due to the Argyle Line closure, will be back May 9th)


Class 334 Springburn to Motherwell (and Cumbernauld):
2V37 19:25 Springburn to Milngavie (via Glasgow Queen St Low Level) becomes 2C26 20:38 Milngavie to Cumbernauld (via Glasgow Central Low Level and Hamilton)

(This diagram currently doesn't run due to the Argyle Line closure, will be back May 9th)


Class 390 Manchester to Birmingham to Euston to Liverpool to Euston to Glasgow:
9R23 06:27 Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston (via BHM)
1F14 10:07 London Euston to Liverpool Lime Street
1A35 12:47 Liverpool Lime Street to London Euston
1S82 16:30 London Euston to Glasgow Central

(This diagram used to form the 1S78 15:30 Euston to Glasgow instead, but due to the covid timetable it forms the 1S82 16:30 for now. It might form the 15:30 from May 16th TT change).

Basically the majority of Liverpool-Euston services went on to form the fast xx:30 Glasgow. Now probably until May 16th it is mostly a mix between the Liverpool arrivals (though they wait 90 minutes at Euston rather than 30) and the xx:15 Manchester to Euston services which go on to form a Glasgow service and also the odd Glasgow/Birmingham arrival. It can be followed on RTT by platform at Euston/by unit number allocation.
 
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pdeaves

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Any branch where the first/last trains of the day run in passenger service to 'big town' for depot. Years ago I did Plymouth-Par, then Par-Newquay as a 'through' service. It was a long wait at Par (40 minutes or so) but the guard kindly announced that passengers can stay on board (we got off for a leg stretch, but didn't have to). I don't think the first branch-forming service is available to passengers now.
 

SeanG

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The 0620 from Newcastle to Carlisle, arrives 0758, becomes the 0808 Carlisle to Glasgow.

Until recently, this was advertised as a through service, and had a false destination of Barhead on the boards at Newcastle
 

Llandudno

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Are there any through workings which are not advertised and consequently don’t show on journey planners as it doesn’t meet the required minimum connection time..?

I think something like this happens to on the Colne-Blackpool South-Ormskirk circuit?
 

Watershed

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Are there any through workings which are not advertised and consequently don’t show on journey planners as it doesn’t meet the required minimum connection time..?

I think something like this happens to on the Colne-Blackpool South-Ormskirk circuit?
Yes, those services are shown separately, despite interworking. I imagine you'd be pretty p****d off if you travel from Ormskirk to St Annes and your train is cancelled, but you can't claim any Delay Repay because you "should" have waited at Preston for an hour.
 

swt_passenger

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In the normal timetable (when it restarts), there are a couple of through journeys via Southampton Central made available by staying on the same SN train. Hence from west coastway stations to Southampton Airport or Eastleigh journey planners will show you a 6 min same platform change at Central, the OBS would normally explain by manual announcement that you can stay on the same train. Most other times of day you’d change to an SWR service with a longer wait.
 

sd0733

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On a Sunday there's a Swansea to Manchester which has a Holyhead unit https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:P21439/2022-04-24/detailed#allox_id=2 which attaches at Cardiff and divides at Crewe to form the 1434 Holyhead. This is the unit from Camarthen which continues on from Swansea that forms this so there's an unadvertised Carmarthen to Holyhead direct in the same unit. Ironically, the advertised Swansea to Manchester isn't actually possible without swapping between the units at Cardiff or Crewe.
 

miklcct

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Lymington Pier - New Milton

The last branch train of the day (22:36 from Lymington Pier) forms a working departing 23:16 from Brockenhurst to Poole.
 

berneyarms

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Any branch where the first/last trains of the day run in passenger service to 'big town' for depot. Years ago I did Plymouth-Par, then Par-Newquay as a 'through' service. It was a long wait at Par (40 minutes or so) but the guard kindly announced that passengers can stay on board (we got off for a leg stretch, but didn't have to). I don't think the first branch-forming service is available to passengers now.
The set that operates the first service to Newquay overnights in Par now.
 

nw12398

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Almost Weymouth-Portsmouth Harbour on some Sundays including today - if it weren't for a short ECS move where the train changes from one service to the other at, well, Cardiff Central. I'm sure there are have been/may still be similar services all the way to Brighton too, or changing services at Great Malvern.
 

Fenchurch SP

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In the morning peak some regular passengers board Grays bound services at Rainham and Purfleet and stay on the train for the next working towards Fenchurch Street via Upminster.
 

Chiltern006

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Hayes-Sevenoaks/Dartford
Dartford-Orpington
among others in SE London metro, but these spring to mind first
 
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