[TRIVIA] What are the longest routes between two close places for each of the TOCs, using only their trains/routes

[yoyothehobo]

I was looking at a map the other day and thinking about if you went from Scarborough to Whitby by train and used Northern trains only.

The as the crow flies distance is approx 25km between the two.

Using Northern trains only Scarborough - Hull - Leeds - Carlisle - Newcastle - Middlesbrough - Whitby is approx 500km. 20 times the distance.

Are there any other TOCs with comparable situations. I assume for TPE it would be Cleethorpes to Hull. 28km direct to 300km by TPE only rail.

 

[Western Gaffer]

In terms of multiples, Tyndrum Lower to Upper Tyndrum is about 25 times further by ScotRail than as the crow flies, if different stations qualify as different places....

 

[yoyothehobo]

Measured that at 13km against approx 311km

 

[NorthOxonian]

Kyle of Lochalsh - Fort William (via Inverness and Glasgow) might be up there, and Galashiels - Carlisle using Scotrail (via Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Kilmarnock) won't be far off.

 

[yoyothehobo]

In terms of multiples, Tyndrum Lower to Upper Tyndrum is about 25 times further by ScotRail than as the crow flies, if different stations qualify as different places....

I suppose you would have to look at things suitably as otherwise most places close by but separated by a junction will have high ratios!

 

[Ken H]

Kirkby Stephen - Kendal. Down to Skipton or Long Preston, across to Lancaster, then wait for a Northern train to Kendal. Passing Carnforth twice.

 

[PTR 444]

Gatwick Airport to Brighton via GWR

 

[Ken H]

Does Northern run any trains between York and Darlington. If not then its a long long way round via Leeds, Lancaster, Barrow, Carlisle, Newcastle and the Durham coast.

 

[mm333]

St Pancras to Victoria on only Southeastern would be a 65 miles via Rochester for 2½ miles as the crow flies

 

[TXMISTA]

Weymouth and Yeovil Junction with SWR is an example, although not as significant as OP's example. It's under 30 miles between the two but using only SWR would require a change at Basingstoke or two changes at Southampton and Salisbury.

 

[Springs Branch]

Are there any other TOCs with comparable situations. I assume for TPE it would be Cleethorpes to Hull. 28km direct to 300km by TPE only rail.

It's difficult with the current reduced timetables but in theory, with services restored, TP Express could do:-
Grimsby - Sheffield - Man Picc - WCML - Edinburgh - York - Garforth - Hull.

Back-of-an-envelope mileage for this trip is around 611 miles or 978 km.
If you inserted a diversion through Liverpool I'm guessing you'd be over 1,000 km.
(i.e. adding: Man Picc - Man Vic / Man Vic - Chat Moss - Lime St / Lime St - WCML - Edinburgh. Doubling back between Huyton & Lime St, but without station stops in that section)

Link to TPE Route Map

 

[greyman42]

Does Northern run any trains between York and Darlington. If not then its a long long way round via Leeds, Lancaster, Barrow, Carlisle, Newcastle and the Durham coast.

Northern do not run between York and Darlington.

 

[Western Gaffer]

It's difficult with the current reduced timetables but in theory, with services restored, TP Express could do:-
Grimsby - Sheffield - Man Picc - WCML - Edinburgh - York - Garforth - Hull.

Back-of-an-envelope mileage for this trip is around 611 miles or 978 km.
If you inserted a diversion through Liverpool I'm guessing you'd be over 1,000 km.
(i.e. adding: Man Picc - Man Vic / Man Vic - Chat Moss - Lime St / Lime St - WCML - Edinburgh. Doubling back between Huyton & Lime St, but without station stops in that section)

Link to TPE Route Map

Perhaps OP will clarify but I interpreted the question as finding the longest of all the shortest routes between pairs of close places, even though it was phrased as simply the longest route. Literally longest route between two places could involve all sorts of traversing each TOC's network, dependent on rules being defined about doubling back and so on, so OP's original Northern example would probably need to include a jaunt around the Cumbrian coast, as well as Sheffield, Manchester, Liverpool, etc....

 

[Watershed]

Northern do not run between York and Darlington.

Not in passenger service, that is. They do run ECSs between York and Heaton.

 

[Ken H]

Does Northern run any trains between York and Darlington. If not then its a long long way round via Leeds, Lancaster, Barrow, Carlisle, Newcastle and the Durham coast.

oops. of course they can get to Leeds via the Settle-Carlisle. no need to go round the Cumbrian Coast.

 

[greyman42]

oops. of course they can get to Leeds via the Settle-Carlisle. no need to go round the Cumbrian Coast.

I think that is the idea as it is the longest route.

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

Gatwick Airport to Brighton via GWR

Only for another couple of weeks. Portsmouth to Gatwick by GWR will be a fair trek.

 

[Basil Jet]

Emerson Park to the rest of London Overground can't be done at all.

 

[RPI]

Hereford to Newport with GWR?

 

[najaB]

Kyle of Lochalsh - Fort William (via Inverness and Glasgow) might be up there, and Galashiels - Carlisle using Scotrail (via Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Kilmarnock) won't be far off.

How about Edinburgh Park to Edinburgh Gateway via Inverness and Aberdeen?

 

[xotGD]

Inverness to Aberdeen via Preston on Caledonian Sleeper.

And various other similar trips.

 

[paulmch]

Melton Mowbray to Nottingham with CrossCountry - as the crow flies it's about 20 miles, via New Street is 119.

 

[Watershed]

Melton Mowbray to Nottingham with CrossCountry - as the crow flies it's about 20 miles, via New Street is 119.

They do actually run ECSs between Leicester and Nottingham to be fair. And occasionally Nottingham services are diverted via Leicester as a result.

 

[mrcheek]

with GWR, there are a couple of routes that whilst they dont have the distance differences of routes listed above, they can be done without changing trains.

I speak of course of Weston-super-Mare to Cardiff, and Dawlish to Exmouth. Each a short hop across the water, but a long way round on the most direct GWR service

 

[najaB]

How about Edinburgh Park to Edinburgh Gateway via Inverness and Aberdeen?

I just checked this using the mileage engine vs Google Maps. 350 miles by rail vs 1 mile to walk. It's not the longest shortest route, but it is one that only requires two changes rather than bouncing backwards and forwards between trains.

 

[plugwash]

Can't you just travel via edinburgh?

 

[Silver Cobra]

Sandy to Bedford, which is around 8 miles as the crow flies, would be around 93 miles by train using purely Thameslink services (Sandy to St Pancras, then St Pancras to Bedford).

 

[Murray J]

East Grinstead to Edenbridge (not to be confused with Edenbridge Town), less than 7 miles away but 2 hours by train on Southern.

 

[Route115?]

Do circular journeys such as St pancras - Ramsagate outbound via Ashford & invound via Faversham count. (If you are being strict Ebbsfleet - Gravesend via Ramsgate does not double back at all.)

 

[crossani]

Inverness to Aberdeen via Preston on Caledonian Sleeper.

And various other similar trips.

Caledonian Sleeper serves both Glasgow Queen Street (Highland Sleeper) and Glasgow Central (Lowland Sleeper).

Shortest journey from Central to Queen Street is via Watford Junction and Dalmuir (you can't get off at Queen Street on the Highland Sleeper, you have to continue to Dalmuir, then wait until the return Sleeper that night). Return journey would have to be via Euston as the Southbound Highland Sleeper doesn't stop at Watford Junction.

Either direction it would be over 2 days to travel about 1/2 a mile.