Trivia:Remaining trains that divide/split

[thenorthern]

While I was passing through Carstairs recently it reminded me of the days when the trains used to divide there with the front portion going to Glasgow and the rear portion going to Edinburgh.

Since the days of Virgin Trains and multiple units however the practice of division has ended and trains either run to Glasgow or Edinburgh and most don't call at Carstairs.

I was wondering though what other trains divide/split now? I know the Cambrian line is the main one with trains splitting/dividing at Machynlleth but are there any others? Also are there any ones that used to divide but don't any more?

Side note though once when I was on a train at Carstairs which was dividing two women got confused at which station we were at and I mentioned Carstairs pointing to the sign to which the two women explained that she thought it was a sign for the car park.

 

[RJ]

A few on Southern - Caterham/Tattenham Corner and several permutations from Victoria to the South Coast.

 

[Hadders]

Lots split at Cambridge with the front 4 cars continuing to Kings Cross and the rear 4 returning to Kings Cross.

Amusing to watch as passengers get their Kings confused wondering if they're in the correct portion

 

[Merseysider]

Manchester to Blackpool/Windermere/Barrow (2 out of the 3) services split at Preston.

 

[LeeLivery]

What I can think of

London to:
Caterham & Tattenham (the only suburban one I can think of)
Portsmouth H & Bognor
Ore & Littlehampton
Southampton & Bognor
Dover Priory & Ramsgate
Margate & Dover
Reigate & Tonbridge
Three Bridges & Reigate
Cambridge & King's Lynn

There are the odd three destination one too:
Tonbridge & Reigate & Horsham
Ore & Eastbourne & Littlehampton

 

[DarloRich]

there are loads every day at Northampton.

 

[ld0595]

West Highland line at Crianlarach where the front 2 cars go to Oban the the rear 2 go to Fort William & Mallaig.

 

[Harbouring]

M-Sa Victoria to Portsmouth/Soton and Bognor split at Horsham. Victoria to Littlehampton and Ore split at Hayward’s Heath.

Sunday Victoria-Portsmouth and Littlehampton split at Worthing.

Waterloo-Portsmouth and Poole split at Eastleigh.

 

[306024]

I know the Cambrian line is the main one with trains splitting/dividing at Machynlleth but are there any others? Also are there any ones that used to divide but don't any more?

Historically in the class 309 days the Liverpool St to Clacton-on-Sea and Walton-on-the-Naze service used to divide at Thorpe-le-Soken.

 

[AlterEgo]

SWR West of England trains from Waterloo. Exeter trains often split at Salisbury or Westbury.

All Caledonian Sleeper trains.

 

[jopsuk]

there's at least one peak time Cambridge service that splits at Royston, with both portions going on to Cambridge, but the rear calls at the south cambridgeshire villages.

 

[Nean]

Liverpool-Norwich splits at Nottingham (I believe 2 stay at Nottingham and 2 go to Norwich).

 

[InOban]

Most West Highland Line trains divide at Crianlarich. Wastes 10 minutes

 

[Kite159]

SWR West of England trains from Waterloo. Exeter trains often split at Salisbury or Westbury.

All Caledonian Sleeper trains.

I'm not sure any split at Westbury, I think there is one in the evening peak which splits at Yeovil Junction.

There is the triple split where the front unit goes forward to Exeter, the middle unit goes to Bristol and the rear unit terminates at Salisbury

 

[ChathillMan]

One train on a Sunday from Inverness splits at Dingwall for Kyle and Thurso

 

[AlterEgo]

I'm not sure any split at Westbury, I think there is one in the evening peak which splits at Yeovil Junction.

There is the triple split where the front unit goes forward to Exeter, the middle unit goes to Bristol and the rear unit terminates at Salisbury

I meant Yeovil, you’re right. In fact that’s the train I usually get home from work.

 

[MG11]

A weekday evening service from London St Pancras to Sheffield/Corby splits at Kettering. The daily Plymouth-Dundee 8 coach Voyager splits at Newcastle.

 

[The Lad]

Lots split at Cambridge with the front 4 cars continuing to Kings Cross and the rear 4 returning to Kings Cross.

Amusing to watch as passengers get their Kings confused wondering if they're in the correct portion

Not the only one getting the King's confused

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

Llandudno Junction has a couple of trains arrive from Chester direction , front two head to Holyhead, rear two return to Chester. Also sometimes some split for LLandudno and the other portion continues up the coast.

 

[Gareth Marston]

Shrewsbury sees quite a number of splits and joins up throughout the day of ATW services. Most BHI to Holyhead services leave a unit behind which either joins up with a Holyhead to BHI service or detach to go to Aberystwyth (unadvertised). There's also ex Wrexham or ex Crewe trains that combine with Cambrian on s to go forward to Birmingham.

 

[GatwickDepress]

You have the 1737 London Cannon Street - Hastings service that divides at Tunbridge Wells. One portion runs fast to Hastings calling at Wadhurst, Etchingham, Battle, St Leonards Warrior Square, and Hastings only, while the other runs all shacks to Hastings.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

VT Voyagers join/split at Chester, Crewe and Wolverhampton.
XC Voyagers have some splits too, certainly at Bristol.
ATW split 158s all over the place, notably at Shrewsbury.
The practice is going to increase with 5-car 80x operation.

 

[_toommm_]

The Sheffield to Worksop train at 5:46 splits at Retford.

 

[Panceltic]

Most BHI to Holyhead services leave a unit behind which either joins up with a Holyhead to BHI service or detach to go to Aberystwyth (unadvertised).

This is so confusing! I was waiting at Shrewsbury the other day, intending to take the train to Aberystwyth which was advertised as coming from Birmingham International. What happened was: a train pulled into platform 5 but it clearly arrived from the Cambrian line (from the right side if looking southwards from the platforms). Everyone got off, and then we boarded.

A few minutes later, another train arrived from Birmingham (the one advertised to Aberystwyth), but it pulled into platform 4, continuing to Manchester (I think). All passengers from the second train then got off, walked across the platform and joined our train which then promptly continued (returned?) to Aberystwyth.

It must have been quite confusing for the people travelling from Birmingham who thought there would be no changes required. The opposite happens too, trains from Aberystwyth being advertised to Shrewsbury but then continuing on to Birmingham (with manual announcements to this effect).

Sorry, I am straying off topic!

 

[causton]

there are loads every day at Northampton.

Only one on a Sunday that is a 'true' splitter though, one portion for Birmingham and the other for Crewe!
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/P47930/2017/12/03

 

[Starmill]

Lots of people have nominated trains with attachments and detachments where there is still only one portion of the train - i.e. part of the train either originates or terminates at the station where it attaches or detaches. The OP didn't make clear if they meant to include these in their trivia or not, but if they did there are rather a lot of them!

 

[greaterwest]

Waterloo-Portsmouth and Poole split at Eastleigh.

Some other SWR ones I've come across too are;

Alton
& Portsmouth Hbr
via Basingstoke

Alton
& Haslemere

Portsmouth Hbr
& Haslemere
(divides at Guildford, rear portion becomes a stopping service, front fast to Haslemere)

Weymouth
& Brockenhurst / Bournemouth
(divides at Southampton Ctl, rear portion a stopping service, front fast to Brockenhurst or Bournemouth)

 

[David Andrews]

Caledonian sleepers.

 

[rmt4ever]

Lots split at Cambridge with the front 4 cars continuing to Kings Cross and the rear 4 returning to Kings Cross.

Amusing to watch as passengers get their Kings confused wondering if they're in the correct portion

What the hell are you talking about ????

 

[Iskra]

What the hell are you talking about ????

He means Kings Lynn and Kings Cross, not Kings Cross and Kings Cross.