Trivia: Longest trip that any loco or unit has every done.

[Merseyrailfan]

Would the 507s longest Journey would be either Liverpool Central to Chester or Hunts Cross to Southport, which one? 507s have not gone anywhere since their introduction back in 78.

 

[Taunton]

Worth a mention is the surprising run of over 200 miles from Plymouth to Didcot on Saturday 2/12/1967 by preserved 0-4-2T 1466, coupled inside Hall 6998, on a GWS stock working. Both engines were in steam, and ran via Taunton, the Berks and Hants line and the Reading West curve, with water stops at Totnes, Exeter SD and I think Westbury. The 0-4-2’s bunker must have been quite low on coal on arrival at Didcot Railway Centre, or maybe the the Hall did most of the work!

As individual moves this was nothing unusual on the Western, where all steam locos periodically visited Swindon works, including those from the far-flung corners, and then after overhaul commonly got reallocated wherever elsewhere, so over time all tended to have made these lengthy runs. Most notable were the two pannier tanks, 1646/49, which from new in 1951 were allocated to the Dornoch branch in the far north of Scotland until withdrawn in 1962. I believe they only came back to Swindon for overhaul once in that time, plus their initial delivery run, but it must have been quite a trip.

 

[andy1571]

How far did the CrossCountry 158s venture? I seem to recall they cropped up on workings like Blackpool - Portsmouth on occasion…did they go further than that?

 

[61653 HTAFC]

How far did the CrossCountry 158s venture? I seem to recall they cropped up on workings like Blackpool - Portsmouth on occasion…did they go further than that?

They were intended for Manchester to Scotland, but as you say they did get elsewhere at times. Don't think they ever got as far as Aberdeen or Penzance, and almost certainly didn't run in service between the two.
Prior to 1994 they had a tendency to stray off IC XC routes and onto more mundane work such as Trans-Pennine.

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

Another long Anglo-Scottish freight working, though no longer running, was the Burngullow-Irvine clay tanks. A pair of Laira's 37/5s, normally from the sequence 3767x, worked the train throughout returning with the same tanks after unloading. Distance wise would surely be longer than Kings Cross-Aberdeen.

 

[Mzzzs]

Surely the 322 manchester airport to Euston service is the longest service by the units.
Didn't the 158 run a Euston to Blackpool service as well?

 

[brad465]

465s and 466s would likely be either London Victoria-Dover Priory via Chatham, or Cannon St (recent)/Charing X (several years back) to Ramsgate via North Kent and Chatham. They also went to Folkestone Central on peak services long ago but that may not be the longest. Don't believe they've gone to Hastings.

395s would be the former "rounder" service from St Pancras-St Pancras via HS1, Dover, Ramsgate, Faversham, Chatham and Gravesend, or vice-versa.

Not sure about 375s, although there is at least one service from Faversham to Charing X going round via Ramsgate, Dover and Ashford before going up the SEML that must be in with a shout.

 

[Doomotron]

Not sure about 375s, although there is at least one service from Faversham to Charing X going round via Ramsgate, Dover and Ashford before going up the SEML that must be in with a shout.

That is (or was) indeed a real service. There is also a Faversham - St Pancras via Deal service although obviously that won't be as long as the Kent loop service (although may well be the longest 395 service today).

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Surely the 322 manchester airport to Euston service is the longest service by the units.
Didn't the 158 run a Euston to Blackpool service as well?

The short-lived FNW service will certainly be the longest a 322 has done, along with 309s as they occasionally deputised. The Rochdale and Blackpool runs with 158s won't be though, as they've also run to Manchester from both London Waterloo and Penzance in Wales&West days.
For 321s it'll be the time the West Yorkshire units were subbed onto Kings Cross services from Leeds after the Sandy derailment which saw all IC225 sets stopped for checks.

Would the 507s longest Journey would be either Liverpool Central to Chester or Hunts Cross to Southport, which one? 507s have not gone anywhere since their introduction back in 78.

Strictly speaking the Chester runs are Chester to Chester via the Liverpool loop, so that will be the longest.

Might also be the longest for 508s, depending on what workings they did on the SW and SE.

 

[Mzzzs]

The short-lived FNW service will certainly be the longest a 322 has done, along with 309s as they occasionally deputised. The Rochdale and Blackpool runs with 158s won't be though, as they've also run to Manchester from both London Waterloo and Penzance in Wales&West days.
For 321s it'll be the time the West Yorkshire units were subbed onto Kings Cross services from Leeds after the Sandy derailment which saw all IC225 sets stopped for checks.


Strictly speaking the Chester runs are Chester to Chester via the Liverpool loop, so that will be the longest.

Might also be the longest for 508s, depending on what workings they did on the SW and SE.

For 508 at connex worked the London bridge to Tonbridge wells regularly.

 

[lyndhurst25]

Back in the 1980s, I believe some of the Tyseley based suburban DMUs got to exotic locations like Skegness.

Tyseley Class 116 DMUs used to do the summer Saturdays Leicester to Scarborough service in the 1980s.

 

[Chris M]

It wouldn't surprise me if a 143 had done something like Penzance to Swansea back in Wales&West days, longest run I had on one was Taunton to Newport though, which ran as far as Cardiff Central.

I know in the early First Great Western days a 143 did Cardiff to Penzance. When FGW took over the local services from Wessex Trains there was a period when the attitude seemed to be that any DMU was interchangeable with any other DMU so we got things like 158s on the Taunton-Gloucester stoppers and 143s on semi-fasts.

In terms of shortest longest journeys, then 487s are probably unbeatable* - Waterloo to Bank
*Unless you count 482s as different to LU 1992 stock, in which case the two classes are equal.

 

[LOL The Irony]

Speaking of the 309s, when FNW got rid, didn't they do a Manchester to GEML railtour?

 

[busestrains]

The 168s would probably be London Marylebone to Kidderminster i think.

The 170s might be London Waterloo to Penzance which i believe they worked. I think that it was normally 158s or 159s booked on this service but i think 170s substituted on at least one rare occasion. So this might possibly be the furthest the 170s have done.

The 171s would be the old Brighton to Ashford direct services.

The 172s would probably be London Marylebone to Kidderminster i think.

The 313s have done Brighton to Ore via Eastbourne and Brighton to Southampton via Swanwick and Brighton to Southampton via Eastleigh all in passenger service. I am not sure of the distances but for the 313s it would be one of those three. I am not sure which is the longest but it would likely be one of these three. Unless any of the 313s ever made it to Cambridge or Kings Lynn or Peterborough when FCC or GN or WAGN had them but i am not aware of this ever happening.

The 377s would probably be either London Victoria to Southampton via Worthing and Eastleigh or maybe Brighton to Watford Junction too. I am not sure which one is further. But it would be one of those two.

The 442s would be the London Waterloo to Weymouth services.

The 444s would be the London Waterloo to Weymouth services.

The 450s would probably be on that old once a day in each direction London Waterloo to Brighton service via Woking and Basingstoke and Eastleigh and Havant etc.

The 455s might be Brighton to London Victoria which they worked on multiple occasions. But i am not sure if they went further distances at SWR or SWT perhaps.

The 456s might be Brighton to London Victoria which they worked on multiple occasions. But i am not sure if they went further distances at SWR or SWT perhaps.

The 458s might be London Waterloo to Haslemere i think. Unless they ever been further to Portsmouth or Southampton or anywhere else in the past that i am not aware of.

The 460s would be Brighton to London Victoria on that old once a day early morning service that ran for a few months.

The 483s would be the Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin services.

The 484s would be the Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin services.

The 700s might be the Littlehampton to Bedford services i think.

The 707s i was going to say would be London Waterloo to Reading but i just read that Flange Squeal said they worked London Waterloo to Southampton before so i think that wins.

The 717s might be Moorgate to Letchworth Garden City i think. Unless any of the 717s ever made it to Cambridge or Kings Lynn or Peterborough but i am not aware of this ever happening.

 

[Magdalia]

The 313s have done Brighton to Ore via Eastbourne and Brighton to Southampton via Swanwick and Brighton to Southampton via Eastleigh all in passenger service. I am not sure of the distances but for the 313s it would be one of those three. I am not sure which is the longest but it would likely be one of these three. Unless any of the 313s ever made it to Cambridge or Kings Lynn or Peterborough when FCC or GN or WAGN had them but i am not aware of this ever happening.

Class 313s have worked Kings Cross-Cambridge, during the "wrong sort of snow" in February 1991, but not in regular passenger service. I think that Kings Cross-Cambridge is nevertheless not quite as far as Brighton-Southampton.

The longest regularly timetabled workings for class 313s on the GN were Kings Cross-Royston.

The 377s would probably be either London Victoria to Southampton via Worthing and Eastleigh or maybe Brighton to Watford Junction too. I am not sure which one is further. But it would be one of those two.

Class 377/5s worked Thameslink for a while including lots of Bedford-Brighton, though the longest working was probably Bedford-Ashford via Maidstone.

 

[Mat17]

Speaking of the 309s, when FNW got rid, didn't they do a Manchester to GEML railtour?

I believe they did.

 

[WizCastro197]

222- St Pancras to Scarborough?

 

[AJM580]

307 units - Liverpool St - Norwich (pair on a footex in 1988/89 for Norwich City v Millwall)
315s - poss Liverpool St _ Southend Vic (had one myself to Billericay)

 

[Halish Railway]

315s - poss Liverpool St _ Southend Vic (had one myself to Billericay)

I’m pretty sure they did Liverpool Street to Cambridge services during the WAGN days.

 

[william.martin]

The xc 221's do Plymouth to Aberdeen; 11hrs and 19 mins.
475 miles total.

 

[LOL The Irony]

Has a 323 ever made it to Euston either under BR, Central, LM or FNW? If not, New Street to Liverpool is probably the longest.

 

[Mat17]

Class 506 once made it from Manchester to Penistone in passenger service (not sure if they got to Sheffield or not).

 

[Deepgreen]

The short-lived FNW service will certainly be the longest a 322 has done, along with 309s as they occasionally deputised. The Rochdale and Blackpool runs with 158s won't be though, as they've also run to Manchester from both London Waterloo and Penzance in Wales&West days.
For 321s it'll be the time the West Yorkshire units were subbed onto Kings Cross services from Leeds after the Sandy derailment which saw all IC225 sets stopped for checks.


Strictly speaking the Chester runs are Chester to Chester via the Liverpool loop, so that will be the longest.

Might also be the longest for 508s, depending on what workings they did on the SW and SE.

508s did Waterloo to Horsham regularly - 39 miles I think.

 

[randyrippley]

I think Waterloo - Paignton services appeared in around 1994 shortly after the 159s took over - they were definitely running by 1996. Plymouth was added as a destination around 2000. For some years the majority of London - Torbay services ran from Waterloo and SWT provided Ivybridge's only London service.

Waterloo-Paignton started in the early 1970s with class 33 haulage as a way of making use of otherwise ECS stabling runs to Newton Abbott. They were used for early evening Exeter-Paignton commuter traffic. They ran as through services but may not have been publicly timetabled

 

[D1537]

The longest single run I've had with a 47 was with 47657 - Aberdeen to King's Cross via Edinburgh, Carstairs, Carlisle, Newcastle and to King's Cross via the Joint Line and also the Hertford loop, approx 565 miles.

The longest I've had with non-extended range 47 was on an Inverness to Cambridge via Aberdeen chartex. 47464 should have been replaced at Newcastle but there was no suitable locomotive available and the swap to 47431 eventually took place at York by which time 464 must have been on fumes after 443 miles.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

The 483s would be the Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin services.

The 484s would be the Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin services.

Cockfosters to Hounslow?
Richmond to Upminster?

 

[CW2]

There was the Glasgow Central - Harwich Parkeston Quay service which was a through 86/2. Initially it was dragged Camden Road - Channelsea Jn by a 47 until the North London Line was electrified. I believe there was a short period of through electric working before the train was withdrawn. Did anybody on here do it? I did the balancing train out of Harwich at 0750 one morning, after some Continental bash. We made an out of course stop at Ilford, and despite the announcements to stand clear, a number of GE commuters boarded the train thinking it was an express to Liverpool Street. The guard greeted them over the PA with "Good morning, and welcome aboard The European to Glasgow Central. Our next stop will be Crewe." In fact there was a pick up only stop at Watford Junction, so the stowaways were able to alight there! I make it about 466 miles for the 86/2, or 471.75 after through electrification.

For Deltics, my highest mileage run was 55016 on 26/09/81, when it did the 2230 Kings Cross - Edinburgh throughout, including diversions via Cambridge, Askern, Leamside, and Carlisle. 460.25 miles.

I can also offer 90028 2323 Glasgow Central - Kilburn Loop 09/12/01 via Carstairs, Edinburgh, ECML, Kings Cross Incline. The train reversed in Kilburn Loop with 90028 dead on rear to Euston. 453.25 miles.

 

[Magdalia]

Here are a few suggestions that I think have not been mentioned yet.

Electric loco: class 86s Harwich-Glasgow via Birmingham.

There was the Glasgow Central - Harwich Parkeston Quay service which was a through 86/2. Initially it was dragged Camden Road - Channelsea Jn by a 47 until the North London Line was electrified. I believe there was a short period of through electric working before the train was withdrawn. Did anybody on here do it? I did the balancing train out of Harwich at 0750 one morning, after some Continental bash. We made an out of course stop at Ilford, and despite the announcements to stand clear, a number of GE commuters boarded the train thinking it was an express to Liverpool Street. The guard greeted them over the PA with "Good morning, and welcome aboard The European to Glasgow Central. Our next stop will be Crewe." In fact there was a pick up only stop at Watford Junction, so the stowaways were able to alight there! I make it about 466 miles for the 86/2, or 471.75 after through electrification.

As I have already mentioned, this train ran via Birmingham not the Trent Valley, so the mileage is even further.

It ran for one timetable only which was 1987/88. For most of the period it was dragged over the North London Line. Northbound the drag was Channelsea to Camden Road but southbound the drag was longer from Willesden No 58 signal to Stratford.

Through electric running, after overhead line energisation on the North London Line, was for 4 weeks only 18/04/88 to 15/05/88 so anyone wanting to do it with electric traction had to be quick.

The Watford Junction stops were pick up and set down, and the next stops further north were Milton Keynes Central. On the Great Eastern there were booked stops at Colchester, Chelmsford and Shenfield. Going south it was usually possible to get off at Stratford while the drag loco was detached.

There was a Sunday train from/to Parkeston Quay too, but only out and back to Birmingham. I did once do the Sunday evening train from Watford Junction to Stratford.

 

[david l]

156441 covered for a 158 on the Rochdale-Euston that was a FNW service.

 

[Harvester]

In the summer of 1948 the Flying Scotsman was restored to a non stop run between London and Edinburgh and vice versa. In August severe storms swept away several bridges between Berwick and Dunbar and all Anglo-Scottish services were diverted to run via Kelso and Galashiels. Initially no thought was given to running non stop but on August 24th Driver Stevenson of Haymarket shed had a go at running non-stop and succeeded in covering the 90 miles from Waverley to Lucker troughs and the train ran on to London non-stop, a world record distance for a steam engine of 408 miles. This feat was subsequently repeated 17 times (8 down and 9 up).

Of the six A4s involved, in those 17 recorded 408 mile non-stop runs, 60029 accomplished the feat nine times. The decision to reroute from Tweedmouth to Edinburgh via Kelso and Galashiels, and vice versa, was announced on 17th August and workings began on Monday 23rd. I would have thought some route learning, over the St Boswells-Kelso-Tweedmouth branch must have been undertaken beforehand, by the top-link Haymarket crews involved.