Trivia, London to Lake District 1930's

[pitdiver]

I am watching Hercule Poirot on TV they have just been to "keswick" in the Lake District. I know there is not a station there now but has there ever been.If not let's assume he had gone to any station in the Lake District. My question is, would have been possible to get to the Lake District and back in say 1936/7 by train. Thank you

 

[MarlowDonkey]

My question is, would have been possible to get to the Lake District and back in say 1936/7 by train.

wiki is your friend

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keswick_railway_station
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockermouth,_Keswick_and_Penrith_Railway

There's an organisation that wants to re-open it.
http://www.keswickrailway.com/

 

[najaB]

My question is, would have been possible to get to the Lake District and back in say 1936/7 by train. Thank you

Yes, it would. Even to Keswick. Why would you think it wasn't?

 

[pitdiver]

What I should have said, there and back in ONE day. That's what I thought may have been difficult.

 

[najaB]

What I should have said, there and back in ONE day. That's what I thought may have been difficult.

Had a look at the LMS timetable from 1947 and it looks like an 0752 departure gives a 1620 arrival at Euston for a journey time of just over eight and a half hours. I don't imagine speeds were *that* much slower in the immediate pre-war period (they may actually have been faster). So, yes, I think that it was theoretically possible to get from London to Keswick and back in less than 24 hours.

 

[pitdiver]

Had a look at the LMS timetable from 1947 and it looks like an 0752 departure gives a 1620 arrival at Euston for a journey time of just over eight and a half hours. I don't imagine speeds were *that* much slower in the immediate pre-war period (they may actually have been faster). So, yes, I think that it was theoretically possible to get from London to Keswick and back in less than 24 hours.

According to my wife I'm a boring old fart. But as Mr Poirot had had his breakfast so I would imagine the time was getting on for 1100 hrs. So I don't he would have been able to get to Keswick and back

 

[Bevan Price]

Euston to Keswick and back in one day would have been impossible (July 1939 Bradshaw), unless you used at least one overnight service. Journeys mostly involve connections at Penrith.

(SX)
Euston 00:20 // Keswick arr 08:08
02:35 // 12:13
08:45 // 17:49
12:00 // 18:37 (through service)
14:00 //20:50

Return

Keswick 07:43 // Euston 16:00
09:59 // 16:47 (through service)
11:55 // 19:05
15:15 // 22:40
18:40 // 05:00

I assume that someone like Mr Poirot would have used only the through trains, and probably stayed overnight ( or longer) in a posh-ish hotel.

 

[MarlowDonkey]

Journeys mostly involve connections at Penrith.

The fastest services to Penrith get there from Euston in around 3 hours. Even allowing for a bus or taxi to Keswick, you could do it comfortably there and back in a day nowadays.

 

[pitdiver]

Euston to Keswick and back in one day would have been impossible (July 1939 Bradshaw), unless you used at least one overnight service. Journeys mostly involve connections at Penrith.

(SX)
Euston 00:20 // Keswick arr 08:08
02:35 // 12:13
08:45 // 17:49
12:00 // 18:37 (through service)
14:00 //20:50

Return

Keswick 07:43 // Euston 16:00
09:59 // 16:47 (through service)
11:55 // 19:05
15:15 // 22:40
18:40 // 05:00

I assume that someone like Mr Poirot would have used only the through trains, and probably stayed overnight ( or longer) in a posh-ish hotel.

The funny thing was that in the episode That I was watching he had to get back to London as soon as ossible. It certainly didn't look like he had any overnight bag. I can only assume he did come back the "same" day. I do love accurate portrayal of the railways in film and television.

 

[Cowley]

They should consult this forum before filming (or even writing) and then we could all debate their ideas for days/months/years ah, maybe not.

 

[Deepgreen]

The LMS's 'Lakes Express' was a significant named train, splitting into many portions, including one for Keswick.