Trivia: Largest towns/cities in Great Britain without a direct rail link to London

[A Challenge]

Apologies for continuing the thread-drift, but as the service from the Bay arrives at Central at 0005, is there a valid connection towards Paddington that doesn't involve a wait of several hours? Likewise, is there an arrival from London early enough to get to the Bay with just the one change?

The morning service doesn't come from Cardiff Central anyway, so this doesn't make any difference!

 

[Esker-pades]

Apologies for continuing the thread-drift, but as the service from the Bay arrives at Central at 0005, is there a valid connection towards Paddington that doesn't involve a wait of several hours? Likewise, is there an arrival from London early enough to get to the Bay with just the one change?

I agree completely. I was just pointing out that, theoretically, it was possible. And challenging the assertion that the service didn't exist.

 

[Esker-pades]

The morning service doesn't come from Cardiff Central anyway, so this doesn't make any difference!

And that. Runs ex-Coryton.

 

[Bevan Price]

Being pedantic I would, using modern terminology, define the question as meaning a town or city as being a local government district council or unitary authority and London as being Greater London or terminals therein. This in my opinion would rule out many of the answers given.

Speaking from my knowledge of the West Midlands area I would comment as follows

Walsall has regularly been quoted as the largest town in England without a direct rail link to London but this is planned to change.

West Bromwich has been mentioned but that is in Sandwell which has Stations in Smethwick, Rowley Regis. Langley Green and The Hawthorns as well as Sandwell and Dudley. all of which have trains to London. I think including the name of Dudley in the renaming of Oldbury (Bromford Lane) station as Sandwell and Dudley had more to do with local politics than geographical reality

Dudley has stations in Stourbridge, Cradley Heath, Lye, Old Hill. All with the exception of Stourbridge Town having at least one train per day from London

Redditch and Bromsgrove are two towns (and district councils) which have stations but not with a direct link to London

That is one viewpoint, but many would disagree that places "lumped together" by Whitehall all represent a single "town". Often they are several miles apart and have little in common except that they share the same local council. Some examples would be Southport & Bootle (both ruled by Sefton Council), or Leigh & Wigan (both ruled by Wigan council.)

 

[driver_m]

In my post I defined a town as being a local government district council. No station in the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall (which you tell me has a population of 233000) has a station with a direct service to London although there are plans for that to change.

Yep, but even using both criteria, town or borough, Bolton and Salford are much, much bigger than Walsall in both respects

 

[driver_m]

Delete, double post. And while we're at it. Can you take the Cardiff drift and one change stuff elsewhere please.

 

[TurbostarFan]

I'd say that Thetford is the biggest town in Norfolk that fits the bill.