[Trivia] Longest sequence of stations in increasing character length

[LUSOwner]

Any thoughts?

See also: https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...ence-of-stations-in-alphabetical-order.204156

Note changes are not allowed, it must be one through service...

 

[Any_Permitted]

I can think of a couple on the south coast, both 5 stations long:

Southern from Brighton to Southampton:

Havant (6) > Cosham (6) > Fareham (7) > Swanwick (8) > Southampton Central (18)

South Western Railway from London Waterloo to Portsmouth:

Woking (6) > Guildford (9) > Godalming (9) > Haslemere (9) > Petersfield (11)

These may be disqualified if a station is not allowed to have the same number of characters as the previous station.

If you want to ride an entire service in increasing character length:

Stourbridge Town (15) > Stourbridge Junction (19)

 

[Stephen1001]

A purely increasing sequence of five on the West Coast Main Line: Canley - Tile Hill - Berkswell - Hampton-in-Arden - Birmingham International.

There's also one train a day (0627 Manchester Piccadilly-Euston) which does Stafford - Wolverhampton - Sandwell & Dudley - Birmingham New Street - Birmingham International.

If repeated character counts are allowed, I can get to 6: Richmond - Kew Gardens - Gunnersbury - South Acton - Acton Central - Willesden Junction, or Rannoch - Tulloch - Corrour - Roy Bridge - Spean Bridge - Fort William (which would have been 7 prior to 1964 when Gorton was still open). There must be something longer than this out there though.

 

[LUSOwner]

Indeed, I would allow stations to have equal character numbers...

Can anyone beat 6??

 

[sjb-2812]

Couple of 7s at https://www.citymetric.com/transpor...ing-every-single-national-rail-timetable-3690 ? Not sure if these are still running

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

Roydon (6) > Harlow Town (10) > Harlow Mill (10) > Sawbridgeworth (14) > Bishop's Stortford (16) > Stansted Mountfitchet (20)

Edit: And another...

Whimple (7) > Feniton (7) > Honiton (7) > Axminster (9) > Crewkerne (9) > Yeovil Junction (14)

And previously you could've made that seven stations before Cranbrook opened, having Pinhoe (6) coming before Whimple.

 

[Barnsley]

Witham, Kelvedon, Marks Tey, Colchester, Manningtree, Harwich International (1848 off Liverpool Street)

Roby, Huyton, Whiston, Rainhill, Lea Green, St Helens Junction
Only consecutive ones I can find at the moment

Edit - an 8!

Llanwrda, Llangadog, Llandeilo, Ffairfach, Llandybie, Ammanford, Pantyffynnon, Pontarddulais

 

[London Trains]

Cheam (5) - Sutton (6) - Carshalton (10) - Hackbridge (10) - Mitcham Junction (15) - Mitcham Eastfields (17)

Another 6 I found

 

[London Trains]

Couple of 7s at https://www.citymetric.com/transpor...ing-every-single-national-rail-timetable-3690 ? Not sure if these are still running

That article says the highest numbered platform is 22. Waterloo has 24 platforms?

 

[London Trains]

Realtime Trains - 2Y67 2106 London Euston to Wolverhampton

Realtime Trains provides live realtime running information for the Great British railway network using open data.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Lea Hall (7) - Stechford (9) - Adderley Park (12) - Birmingham New Street (19) - Smethwick Rofle Street (20) - Smethwick Galton Bridge (21)

 

[Halish Railway]

deleted

 

[LUSOwner]

Witham, Kelvedon, Marks Tey, Colchester, Manningtree, Harwich International (1848 off Liverpool Street)

Roby, Huyton, Whiston, Rainhill, Lea Green, St Helens Junction
Only consecutive ones I can find at the moment

Edit - an 8!

Llanwrda, Llangadog, Llandeilo, Ffairfach, Llandybie, Ammanford, Pantyffynnon, Pontarddulais

Wahey!!

Couple of 7s at https://www.citymetric.com/transpor...ing-every-single-national-rail-timetable-3690 ? Not sure if these are still running

Indeed they do both run (unsure whether the former still calls at Batley when coming from the North East) ...

 

[London Trains]

On the tube:

Green Park (9) - Bond Street (10) - Baker Street (11) - St John's Wood (11) - Swiss Cottage (12) - Finchley Road (12) - West Hampstead (13)