Which Service are You Likely to get a Carriage to Yourself ?

[Dave A]

With a 8/9 car HEx service on a late Sunday evening from PAD, there were times when there was no-one on it!

Done quite a few PAD - BRI (vice versa) trips where I've been the only one in a carriage for the whole journey. The same from PGN - BRI.

Also, most FGw HST First Class carriages are empty outside peak hours, from what I've seen...

 

[Zoe]

Barking to East Ham on the Hammersmith & City line.

 

[gnolife]

Manchester - Rose Hill fasts are usually very quiet.

 

[scarby]

The 22.03 Scarborough-York, especially in winter, must be a pretty good bet for very few passengers. Wouldn't be surprised if it occasionally runs empty.

Several years ago, for some unknown reason (I guess it was to do with stock movements) there used to be a 09.17 departure from Leeds to Scarborough, followed by an 09.22 departure from Leeds to Scarborough, the latter calling only at York. So one day I decided to catch it, reasoning that any "normal" person would catch the 09.17.

Sure enough, I was the only person on board.. until with about 2 minutes to departure some other sod got on and "spoilt" it.

 

[dvboy]

I was going to mention the Gatwick Express too.

The only other times I've had a coach to myself on have been first of the day.

 

[Tomonthetrain]

Several class 139 services from Stourbridge Junction/Stourbridge Town.

 

[yorksrob]

The very last Huddersfield - Wakefield of the day - sometimes (but only after Mirfield).

 

[merlodlliw]

!st Class up WAG Express (1) usually.

The 9.10 a.m. Euston to Holyhead, guaranteed a coach to yourself from Chester on this ten car voyager.

Bob

 

[Essexman]

Norwich to London, evening trains in first class

 

[Tramfan]

I thought I had a coach to myself a couple of Sundays back on a pair of 185s from Preston to Manchester, 2 or 3 people did appear just after departure from Preston though.

There seemed to be confusion amongst fellow passengers due to engineering works, and one of the units having Not In Service on the blind. Therefore everyone seemed to have boarded the rear unit.

Makes a nice change, as I'm so used to packed 185s!

 

[route101]

Airdrie to Bathgates , its fairly empty between Drumgelloch and Bathgate .
Also the Glasgow to North Berwick service in the Afternoon.

 

[Michael.Y]

0557 off Newport, as far as Abergavenny at least.

 

[ANorthernGuard]

A Reply to the original Post

on our services any carriage that the guard is in

Fare dodgers like to be as far away from us as possible

 

[bengolding]

I recently got the 06:03 Euston to Birmingham New St and I was the only customer in all 4 First Class carriages . This service is still classed as off peak so Standard can be pretty busy but First is always very quiet until at least Rugby.

 

[ATW Alex 101]

been on the 7:17 chester-euston 7 times 5 times were the carriage to myself 2 times there was only 2 or 3 other people in the csrriage

 

[glenbogle]

Had all of coach K to myself yesterday on the 0930 Liverpool Street to Norwich, best £13 i have spent!

 

[causton]

Quite a few off-peak midweek WGC-Moorgate slow trains north of New Barnet - especially when they're 6 cars!

Caught the 2032 Hatfield - Potters Bar last night with nobody else in the rear carriage of 6 - was surprised!

 

[EXD]

The only time I've ever had a carriage to myself was on the 1330 Carmarthen-Milford Haven (presumably originating in Manchester?) back in June. It was actually quite busy until Haverfordwest, but everyone else got off there.

Other than that, evening Waterloo-Exeter services are normally very quiet after around Gillingham, but I'm yet to have the whole carriage to myself.

 

[TheJRB]

Yesterday, my grandfather and I had a whole carriage of a 321 to ourselves east of Garston on the St Albans Abbey branch (10:31 departure from Watford Junction). Also there was only about one other person between Bedford St Johns and Bedford on the 153 we used too.

Another carriage we had to ourselves was on a D stock between Olympia and Earl's Court on the District line at about 14:45 on a Saturday in September.

One other was between Pluckley and Ashford (15:40 departure from Charing Cross) on the same day as we used the Olympia branch I mentioned above.

Not empty, but leaving West Ruislip on the Central line mid afternoon on a December Saturday was quite quiet too.

 

[Stats]

There was one occasion last year where I travelled on the FRI 1930 service from KGX to NCL. Rather than a Standard Advance all the way to NCL the cheapest option was to split the ticket on a Standard Advance to YRK then a 1st Advance YRK-NCL. Standard was heaving, so I was overjoyed at YRK when I could move in to 1st and found I had the whole of the 1st class carriage to myself.

 

[mralexn]

Plymouth To Penzance on a Weekday evening after 1930

Exeter To Plymouth after 21:00

 

[CC 72100]

22:42 Exeter St Davids - Salisbury is always a good bet too, a very lightly loaded service on a lovely 159... me and dad were the only two in the front coach between St Davids and Central the other week!

 

[andykn]

17.30 Norwich - London, Coach K Tuesdays. Not unusual for me to be the only one in that carriage. I only work Wed-Fri in Norwich now so someone else can have it.

The Buffet car is often empty when a 1st class one as well.

 

[fraser158]

1538 Invergordon - Inverness

 

[150222]

1848 fast & 1921 stopper Manchester Victoria to Leeds via Bradford Interchange: Weekdays both booked a 3-car 158 and normally the front carriage is nearly empty especcially between Rochdale and Hebden Bridge. Quite crowded in the rear 2-cars though and saturdays normally procure an inhumainly overcrowded class 142.

 

[34D]

EC introduced a late up service (M-F) a couple of timetable changes ago, newcastle-kings cross, around 22:20 at York. This was very lightly loaded at first, but has grown since.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Walsall to Wolverhampton direct

Does this still run? Thought it had ceased completely actually

 

[150222]

Deleted.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

One still runs on friday evening only.

It runs Monday-Friday Walsall-Wolves only.

 

[trentside]

The 2115 Cleethorpes to Lincoln midweek is a good bet. I've worked it with no-one on all the way. On Fridays you get a few get on at Market Rasen though.

I might have to try that one out someday - is it booked for a 153?

I've almost had a carriage to myself on a 156 from Doncaster to Lincoln. The only other guy appeared to be a fellow enthusiast, as the guard remarked that he was heading straight back to Lincoln! This was during the Lincoln Christmas Market too (in 2008, I think).

 

[Peter Mugridge]

11.36 Paddington - Gerrard's Cross...... get an entire 165 to yourself!


I recently had an entire S Stock to myself out of Baker Street to Harrow on the Hill in the middle of a Friday morning!