Trivia: Odd through trains?

[james60059]

Another service I remember as well in Central Trains days was when I was at Hinckley Station, think it was Autumn 2001 a train came in for Chester , not sure where it originated from though as at the time my interest in trains waned a great deal (didn't come back fully until 2003-ish).

Of course other routes I remember from Coventry in CT days was a Coventry - Sheffield service (departed Cov at 10:30 IIRC ) via Leicester and Nottingham (use to reverse at Nuneaton then before the crossovers got took out) and Sundays there was quite a few Coventry - Lincoln services too.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Possibly talking out of my backside but I seem to remember this and also sleeper services running into Waterloo at around that time. Could it have been something to do with the remodelling of Paddington when the Heathrow branch was built?

I think it was a normal timetabled service but am not 100% sure, still as you mentioned about the re-modelling then it could have well been the case

Derby to Swansea via Birmingham and Barnes, now that must have been one of the weirdest routed trains ever.

I've just realised that BNS is the code for Barnes haha, BHM I think I should have really put

 

[northwichcat]

Another service I remember as well in Central Trains days was when I was at Hinckley Station, think it was Autumn 2001 a train came in for Chester , not sure where it originated from though as at the time my interest in trains waned a great deal (didn't come back fully until 2003-ish).

Central ran the Birmingham-Chester service until 2003, as they also ran a Stansted Airport-Liverpool service, maybe they sent an odd Stansted Airport service to Chester instead of Liverpool.

I recall that in the Liverpool-Norwich timetable under Central one service was shown as only going part way with a footnote saying "To Cambridge."

 

[Hellfire]

With separate compartments depending on religious persuasion - couldn't have mourning CofE pax mingling with distraught non-conformists...

They had 1st, 2nd and 3rd class funerals too.

And two separate stations in the cemetery. North for non-conformists and South for Anglicans.

The service ran until 1941 when bombs damaged the station. They made an effort to run services from Waterloo for a while but that didn't last long as demand fell away.

 

[Birdbrain]

At some point VT did operate HSTs into Portsmouth Harbour, once daily. But I can't remember where it ran to / from. It gave me the opportunity to clear my HST buffets for haulage ( "rideage", being trailers??? ) though.

I think that the outward journey from Portsmouth was to Blackpool North.

 

[12CSVT]

An odd one that ran on summer Sundays in 1993, booked for a pair of Crewe based 37/4s.

Crewe - Chester (avoiding road) - Chester North Junction (reverse / propel) - Chester South Junction (reverse) - Chester (platform road / advertised station stop) - Northwich - Altrincham - Stockport - Manchester Piccadilly - Salford Crescent - Bolton - Chorley - Preston - Blackpool North.

Not sure if the propelling move would be allowed today with passengers on board.

 

[Whistler40145]

IIRC that SuO 37/4 diagram dropped a pair of 37/0s on a few occasions.

Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

[nw1]

I think I recall an old BR service from Paddington to Glasgow. Or is my memory failing me?.

Sorry for the late reply but only just seen this. No you're right, in 1983/84 the 0730 from Reading was a Paddington to Glasgow. This was the same service that became the Hull/Leeds the following year, incidentally, when the "Wessex Scot" was introduced to provide the daily Reading to Glasgow service around 0940 - in turn replacing, over the Reading to Birmingham section, the Portsmouth to Manchester service which became a Portsmouth to York and ran six hours later.

In the 80s the Cross-Country timetable from Reading to Birmingham seemed to change just about every year! There was always a northbound around xx40 but the origin and the destination of each varied most years.

 

[Darren R]

In the 80s the Cross-Country timetable from Reading to Birmingham seemed to change just about every year! There was always a northbound around xx40 but the origin and the destination of each varied most years.

This was hardly unique to the cross-country routes in BR days! But you're right - it was worth forking out for the all-line timetable just to see what weird-and-wonderful services appeared! I seem to remember at one point in the mid-80s a Summer Saturdays Only train between Paignton and Rose Grove in each direction. The following year it ran southbound only, before disappearing altogether the following year.

 

[nw1]

This was hardly unique to the cross-country routes in BR days! But you're right - it was worth forking out for the all-line timetable just to see what weird-and-wonderful services appeared! I seem to remember at one point in the mid-80s a Summer Saturdays Only train between Paignton and Rose Grove in each direction. The following year it ran southbound only, before disappearing altogether the following year.

From the same era who remembers the 0805 Portsmouth Harbour to Poole via Reading? This ran 1984/85 and I think 1985/86 too, the previous year it had been the Manchester direct service but in 84/85 the through train to the north from Portsmouth went to York instead. It was partly a positioning move as the train then formed a Poole to Manchester, but I'm guessing the reason for the via Reading route was to maintain a morning service from Portsmouth to the north with only one change required, at Reading, as it connected into the "Wessex Scot" at Reading.

In 1986/87 the 0805 ex-Portsmouth became a through train to the North again, to Liverpool this time - so during its four years of running it went to 3 different destinations. I think through services from Portsmouth were withdrawn in 1987, possibly 1988, but I'm not sure.

From the same era, there was the one-a-day Portsmouth to Paignton (I think) run by a 50 and NSE MkII coaches. This was inter-worked with Waterloo to Exeter trains meaning there was one southbound and one northbound London-Portsmouth and vice-versa fast train run with 50 and coaches in the 1986/87 (I think) timetable. The northbound left Guildford at around 1620, in the path of a regular semi-fast ("82") north of Guildford, which that hour ran as an all-stations ("83") instead.

 

[Birkbeck]

Back in my youth when I lived in Bath, around 1990-1991, I remember there was a daily working to Manchester Piccadilly. It started from Swindon, stopped at Chippenham, then Bath about 0712 before going to Temple Meads and onwards to the North. From what I recall though there wasn't an equivalent return working!

 

[Andyjs247]

From the same era who remembers the 0805 Portsmouth Harbour to Poole via Reading? This ran 1984/85 and I think 1985/86 too, the previous year it had been the Manchester direct service but in 84/85 the through train to the north from Portsmouth went to York instead. It was partly a positioning move as the train then formed a Poole to Manchester, but I'm guessing the reason for the via Reading route was to maintain a morning service from Portsmouth to the north with only one change required, at Reading, as it connected into the "Wessex Scot" at Reading.

In 1986/87 the 0805 ex-Portsmouth became a through train to the North again, to Liverpool this time - so during its four years of running it went to 3 different destinations. I think through services from Portsmouth were withdrawn in 1987, possibly 1988, but I'm not sure.

From the same era, there was the one-a-day Portsmouth to Paignton (I think) run by a 50 and NSE MkII coaches. This was inter-worked with Waterloo to Exeter trains meaning there was one southbound and one northbound London-Portsmouth and vice-versa fast train run with 50 and coaches in the 1986/87 (I think) timetable. The northbound left Guildford at around 1620, in the path of a regular semi-fast ("82") north of Guildford, which that hour ran as an all-stations ("83") instead.

In the mid 80s there was also a 1246 FO Portsmouth Harbour - Leeds which would often produce a 33 as far as Birmingham. Can't remember if there was a return working.

 

[nw1]

In the mid 80s there was also a 1246 FO Portsmouth Harbour - Leeds which would often produce a 33 as far as Birmingham. Can't remember if there was a return working.

Yes, it ran on a Sunday evening. I remember for a time it stopped at Haslemere, which was my local station in those days, which was something of a novelty with an inter-city train stopping there. Apparently for members of the navy wanting to get back home at the weekend.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

This was hardly unique to the cross-country routes in BR days! But you're right - it was worth forking out for the all-line timetable just to see what weird-and-wonderful services appeared! I seem to remember at one point in the mid-80s a Summer Saturdays Only train between Paignton and Rose Grove in each direction. The following year it ran southbound only, before disappearing altogether the following year.

Yes, I recall that Rose Grove service too, took me ages to find out where Rose Grove was, then a few years later I went through that Station and there were a few sidings there which I presume is where they made the train up/stored it etc.,

I was in Carlisle this Sunday and saw there is a Sunday only service still operating once a day from Blackpool to Carlisle, I presume that goes via the little passenger service route north from Clitheroe too?

There is also a Sunday only service from Sheffield to Carlisle which returns right through to Nottingham, although on Sunday it was only going as far as Langley Mill owing to the big works around Notts. I noted however, to see that train was only made up of 2 carriages which I thought was surprising considering that the length goes over one of the most famous and scenic lines in the country, (I did also note the normal services from Leeds only seemed to be 2 coaches too), do they not get overcrowded, especially at this time of the year?) they all seemed to be operated by units that looked similar to the 158/159s that SWT use, rather then the railbus that was departing for Newcastle.

Does the Leeds to Glasgow service still operate over the S&Cr?

 

[Eagle]

Does the Leeds to Glasgow service still operate over the S&Cr?

Leeds to Glasgow services go via Newcastle and Edinburgh.

 

[Deerfold]

Does the Leeds to Glasgow service still operate over the S&Cr?

No, there were 2 a day for few years (late 90s?) but now they all terminate at Carlisle.

Many Settle-Carlisle trains are only 2 cariages though 4 is common.

 

[acg5324]

In addition to the Paddington - Leeds and Hull and return working to Brighton the Brighton mainline also saw in the summers of 1984 and 1985 a 2330 FO Manchester to Poole routed via Birmingham the Thames Valley, Olympia, Gatwick, Hove, Havant and Southampton.


http://1s76.com/1S76%201984.htm
http://1s76.com/1S76%201985.htm

 

[159jim]

Anyone remember the Yeovil Junction to Totton 159?

 

[Mvann]

Another service I remember as well in Central Trains days was when I was at Hinckley Station, think it was Autumn 2001 a train came in for Chester , not sure where it originated from though as at the time my interest in trains waned a great deal (didn't come back fully until 2003-ish).

This was a Leicester to Chester service. I caught it from Leicester occasionally on my way back to Bangor for work. Guard always said change at Nuneaton tho. There used to be a pythelli to Leicester service on a Saturday as well.

 

[Welshman]

There used to be a pythelli to Leicester service on a Saturday as well.

Was that in addition to the one from Pwllheli?



AS this thread isn't limited to the 80s and 90s, let my memory take us back to the even earlier days of nationalisation - the 1960s.

1st Gen. dmus were being introduced, and were very popular.

During the summer months, there was a daily Newcastle-Bournemouth service, but in the winter it was cut-back to York-Banbury. This left York about 1020, and was worked by a dmu, and for a while was the longest dmu working in the country.

Then one with which I was very familiar - the daily Bradford Exchange-Blackpool Central[then South] service [yes, there was only one in those days!]. It left Bradford Exchange at 9am and returned from Blackpool Central at 1.30pm and South at 1.35pm, running via the Fylde Coast in both directions, and returned via the East Lancashire side of Preston station.

During the winter months, a 3, or even 2-car dmu sufficed, but on summer Saturdays, 9 or even 10-car formations were commonplace.

During at least one summer season, a portion was extended back to/from Castleford on Saturdays. This worked via Normanton, Wakefield Kirkgate & Westgate, the Copley Hill curve avoiding Leeds, Stanningley and Bradford Exchange, where it was added to/detached from the main Bradford-Blackpool train.

 

[Darren R]

Yes, I recall that Rose Grove service too, took me ages to find out where Rose Grove was, then a few years later I went through that Station and there were a few sidings there which I presume is where they made the train up/stored it etc.,

I was in Carlisle this Sunday and saw there is a Sunday only service still operating once a day from Blackpool to Carlisle, I presume that goes via the little passenger service route north from Clitheroe too?

There is also a Sunday only service from Sheffield to Carlisle which returns right through to Nottingham, although on Sunday it was only going as far as Langley Mill owing to the big works around Notts. I noted however, to see that train was only made up of 2 carriages which I thought was surprising considering that the length goes over one of the most famous and scenic lines in the country, (I did also note the normal services from Leeds only seemed to be 2 coaches too), do they not get overcrowded, especially at this time of the year?) they all seemed to be operated by units that looked similar to the 158/159s that SWT use, rather then the railbus that was departing for Newcastle.

Does the Leeds to Glasgow service still operate over the S&Cr?

The Sundays-Only DailsRail trains from Blackpool North to Carlisle have been running for years - don't know when they started but they were certainly running in the 80s. Until 1991 though they weren't published in the BR timetables, and operated as a sort of charter train rather than by BR themselves. For many years they were the only trains that called at the otherwise-closed Clitheroe, and it was their success and increasing popularity that played a part in regular trains to Clitheroe restarting in 1994.

The Leeds - Carlisle trains are booked 158s, although it seems to be pot-luck whether it's a 2 or 3 car train that turns up. And yes - in my experience they do get very overcrowded sometimes! (Once had to stand from Carlisle to Skipton on a 2-car 158.)

To be fair to Northern, I frequently see formations strengthened by a 153, and there is one 'fast' return journey per day which I think is generally four cars.

 

[dannypye9999]

these strange trains were loco hauled trains in the 80's and saw a Paignton to Nottingham via Birmingham and Leiceser, Paignton to Bradford Interchange and Paignton to Blackburn via Crewe and Preston. Not forgetting an intercity 125 from Penzance to Glasgow Queen Street and vice versa.

 

[Darren R]

these strange trains were loco hauled trains in the 80's and saw a Paignton to Nottingham via Birmingham and Leiceser, Paignton to Bradford Interchange and Paignton to Blackburn via Crewe and Preston. Not forgetting an intercity 125 from Penzance to Glasgow Queen Street and vice versa.

I have no idea what was the usual traction, but the Bradford Interchange to Paignton service of which you speak was at least sometimes formed of an IC125 set. There's something in the back of my mind that the last IC125 set to call at BDI (until recently) was on this very service. (But don't take that as gospel - it's a while back! )

 

[b0b]

Yep, it's a staff stop. There's often a few of the Three Bridges/Bedford services that stop at Norwood Junction on nights for the same reason.

I assumed the 2 daily Selhurst Thameslink services were parliamentary services, as stations from Selhurst to streatham used to have Thameslink service before it was rerouted around the wimbledon loop. Guess not!

 

[davetheguard]

Sorry for the late reply but only just seen this. No you're right, in 1983/84 the 0730 from Reading was a Paddington to Glasgow. This was the same service that became the Hull/Leeds the following year, incidentally, when the "Wessex Scot" was introduced to provide the daily Reading to Glasgow service around 0940 - in turn replacing, over the Reading to Birmingham section, the Portsmouth to Manchester service which became a Portsmouth to York and ran six hours later.

In the 80s the Cross-Country timetable from Reading to Birmingham seemed to change just about every year! There was always a northbound around xx40 but the origin and the destination of each varied most years.

The Wessex Scot, as its name probably suggests, didn't start at Reading, but was a through working Poole to Glasgow via the West Coast. It was usually twelve coaches and hauled by a 47 (presumably as far as New Street), and split at Carstairs with a through portion to Edinburgh. There was a corresponding working, also called the Wessex Scot, southbound.

I also seem to remember a Paddington to Paddington loco hauled train (cl.50?) that ran via Oxford, Worcester SH, Droitwich Spa, Birmingham New St., Leamington, Oxford. However, as this ran over the Cotswold Line, I presume this was a pre-sectorisation working, as the Oxford - Worcester Cotswold Line was Regional Railways and not part of the IC sector.

On the subject of Droitwich, I was amazed, the only time I ever boarded a train there, to find it was a through working to Worcester from Cleethorpes!

 

[Aldaniti]

these strange trains were loco hauled trains in the 80's and saw a Paignton to Nottingham via Birmingham and Leiceser, Paignton to Bradford Interchange and Paignton to Blackburn via Crewe and Preston. Not forgetting an intercity 125 from Penzance to Glasgow Queen Street and vice versa.

The Clansman ran from Paignton to Inverness for one year on summer Saturdays only and I recall a Milton Keynes - Penzance and return utilising a West Coast Mk3 set on Saturdays, sometimes with a 50 as traction from/to New Street. Many of the summer Saturday trains ran long distances without a public timetable stop. There was a Paignton to Leeds that departed Taunton late morning and was then right away Wakefield Westgate for example!

 

[dannypye9999]

The Clansman ran from Paignton to Inverness for one year on summer Saturdays only and I recall a Milton Keynes - Penzance and return utilising a West Coast Mk3 set on Saturdays, sometimes with a 50 as traction from/to New Street. Many of the summer Saturday trains ran long distances without a public timetable stop. There was a Paignton to Leeds that departed Taunton late morning and was then right away Wakefield Westgate for example!

Not forgetting the Poole to Liverpool service that called at Bournemouth and then next Stop was Crewe!

 

[Class172]

I also seem to remember a Paddington to Paddington loco hauled train (cl.50?) that ran via Oxford, Worcester SH, Droitwich Spa, Birmingham New St., Leamington, Oxford. However, as this ran over the Cotswold Line, I presume this was a pre-sectorisation working, as the Oxford - Worcester Cotswold Line was Regional Railways and not part of the IC sector.

On the subject of Droitwich, I was amazed, the only time I ever boarded a train there, to find it was a through working to Worcester from Cleethorpes!

I've heard of that looped PAD-PAD service also — I wonder how long a round trip would've been.

When was that working to Cleethorpes: I can only guess during Central Trains days where they often tagged many services together (ie Hereford-Nottingham; Nottingham-Lincoln; Lincoln-Cleethorpes).

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Was that in addition to the one from Pwllheli?



AS this thread isn't limited to the 80s and 90s, let my memory take us back to the even earlier days of nationalisation - the 1960s.

1st Gen. dmus were being introduced, and were very popular.

During the summer months, there was a daily Newcastle-Bournemouth service, but in the winter it was cut-back to York-Banbury. This left York about 1020, and was worked by a dmu, and for a while was the longest dmu working in the country.

Then one with which I was very familiar - the daily Bradford Exchange-Blackpool Central[then South] service [yes, there was only one in those days!]. It left Bradford Exchange at 9am and returned from Blackpool Central at 1.30pm and South at 1.35pm, running via the Fylde Coast in both directions, and returned via the East Lancashire side of Preston station.

During the winter months, a 3, or even 2-car dmu sufficed, but on summer Saturdays, 9 or even 10-car formations were commonplace.

During at least one summer season, a portion was extended back to/from Castleford on Saturdays. This worked via Normanton, Wakefield Kirkgate & Westgate, the Copley Hill curve avoiding Leeds, Stanningley and Bradford Exchange, where it was added to/detached from the main Bradford-Blackpool train.

Wow, some of those DMU services did go over long distances didn't they? I wonder if they had any catering/buffet cars on board, I did hear that some of the Newcastle/Carlisle early DMUs did.

Must have been good if you got the seats at the front with a full forward drivers eye view, so long as the blinds were not pulled down.

I do recall being at Cardiff Central in the 1980s and there was a 2 or 3 car old DMU going all the way to Nottingham which seemed to me to be a long trip in one of those trains.

I also recall seeing advertised in the the late 1970s and early 1980s, a DMU working I think, that went from Banbury, via Olympia to Gatwick and perhaps onto Brighton. This was before the cross country/inter-city services that operated in the mid 1980s onwards from the North via Oxford, Olympia, Clapham Jct to Gatwick, Brighton and around the Kent Coast.

 

[Welshman]

Wow, some of those DMU services did go over long distances didn't they? I wonder if they had any catering/buffet cars on board, I did hear that some of the Newcastle/Carlisle early DMUs did.

Must have been good if you got the seats at the front with a full forward drivers eye view, so long as the blinds were not pulled down.

You're right - some Newcastle-Carlisle dmu services had a miniature buffet, and the 6-car "Trans-Pennine" [later Cl.124] sets introduced in 1961 between Liverpool Lime St and Hull had a Griddle Car.

But the Cl. 110s on the Calder Valley had no such luxury, and the 3.75 hour journey from Castleford to Blackpool was a long time without any refreshment facilities.

And there was usually a scramble for the front seats, for, as far as I recall, it was not until the late 70s-early 80s that drivers used to leave the blinds pulled-down permanently.

The forward-view was one of the great selling-points of the early dmus.

 

[High Dyke]

Summer Sundays a Cambridge - Skegness train ran (1D03), and return. Always good for a class 37.