Which timetabled passenger train which has the most reverses?

[GrimsbyPacer]

Hello everyone, most trains reverse at each end, but Liverpool to Norwich trains reverse at Sheffield aswell.
which direct trains in service can be ridden with more reverses in the train's direction without returning to the original station? (no restrictions on using foreign or recent pre-pandemic timetables, but it has to be a passenger train service)
Thanks

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

The recently withdrawn London Waterloo to Corfe Castle via Dorchester services were reversed at Yeovil Junction, Yeovil Pen Mill, Weymouth and Wareham.

 

[Bill57p9]

I can think of a number of routes that routinely reverse once:

• Nottingham - Crewe at Derby
• Nottingham - Skegness at Grantham
• Maidenhead - Marlow at Bourne End
• Middlesbrough - Whitby at Battersby
• Liskeard - Looe at Coombe Junction
• Plymouth - Gunnislake at Bere Alston
• Heart of Wales line at Llanelli
• Inverness - Wick at Georgemas Junction
• Glasgow - Mallaig at Fort William
• Lancaster - Heysham Port at Morecambe
• Cross Country services at Reading
• Cambrian Coast services at Shrewsbury
• Holyhead - Cardiff at Chester
• A number of Manchester Airport services at Piccadilly
• Caledonian Sleeper Highlander at Edinburgh (or Wembley when diverted via ECML)
• Caledonian Sleeper Edinburgh - Euston at Carstairs (or Wembley when diverted via ECML)
• Great Central Railway Nottingham reverses at Manor Park

Milford Haven to Manchester Piccadilly services reverse at both Carmarthen and Swansea.

The 0518 (Mon-Sat) Lincoln to Nottingham calls at Newark North Gate, reversing there and again at Newark Crossing East Junction.

The 0639 Mon-Fri / 0642 Sat Nottingham to Reading XC reverses at Derby and Birmingham New Street.

Way back in the day there was a weekly Summer Friday overnight HST service from the North East to Cornwall via Paignton, reversing there and Newton Abbott. I can't recall whether it went via Gloucester to add a third reversal.

The Royal Scotsman has a leg from Kyle of Lochalsh to Boat of Garten with reversals at Welshes Bridge (Inverness), Inverness and Aviemore, however I don't think that was the kind of candidate you were seeking.

 

[furlong]

Summer Saturdays (Waterloo) Salisbury to Corfe Castle was a contender (4) until the pandemic

Direct trains to Corfe Castle from across Dorset Somerset and Wiltshire this summer

www.southwesternrailway.com

 

[MCR247]

Hello everyone, most trains reverse at each end, but Liverpool to Norwich trains reverse at Sheffield aswell.
which direct trains in service can be ridden with more reverses in the train's direction without returning to the original station? (no restrictions on using foreign or recent pre-pandemic timetables, but it has to be a passenger train service)
Thanks

Liverpool to Norwich trains actually reverse twice en-route, at Sheffield and Ely

 

[edwin_m]

Liverpool to Norwich trains actually reverse twice en-route, at Sheffield and Ely

There used to be some that reversed at Nottingham too, to go via Loughborough.

Stopping trains from Westbury (or beyond) to Cheltenham (or beyond) reverse at Bristol and Gloucester.

 

[Bigman]

Everything going through Bradford Interchange, plus stopping services through Castleford. Gunnislake and Looe branches too come to mind.

 

[janb]

I can think of a number of routes that routinely reverse once:

• Lancaster - Heysham Port at Morecambe

The pandemic limited timetable had a Heysham to Lancaster service that reversed at Morecambe *and* Carnforth. Now back to the normal Lancaster - Heysham service, and normal Lancaster - Morecambe via Carnforth early morning service.

 

[Bigman]

Just noticed that the 2C12 currently en-route from Great Malvern - Westbury reverses at both Gloucester and Bristol Temple Meads.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Far North trains (Inverness-Wick) reverse twice - at Georgemas Jn and shortly afterwards at Thurso.

 

[Whisky Papa]

Manchester Piccadilly to Hadfield at Glossop. In normal times, the peak services operated as a Picc to Picc circular, reversing at Hadfield then Glossop in the morning, and Glossop then Hadfield in the afternoon.

 

[mike57]

Brighton to Worcester daily service reverses twice, at Bristol and Gloucester

 

[Efini92]

Everything going through Bradford Interchange, plus stopping services through Castleford. Gunnislake and Looe branches too come to mind.

A few did try to carry on at interchange

 

[AlterEgo]

There was a Nottingham to Southampton or Bournemouth Voyager wasn’t there? Several years ago, or am I imagining it? Reversed at Derby, Birmingham New Street, Reading.

 

[SargeNpton]

East Sussex Coast services at Eastbourne.

 

[scrapy]

Northerns' Liverpool to Crewe/Wilmslow via Newton-le-Willows services reverse at Manchester Airport.

 

[class ep-09]

I think there was Cheltenham - Southampton train ( or Westbury ) reversing at Gloucester and Swindon to go via Melksham

Isn’t Brighton to Gt Malvern reversing 3 times - Portsmouth,( or Fratton ) Bristol and Gloucester ?

I may be wrong about Portsmouth though

 

[DanNCL]

Are there any NE - SW XC services that reverse at all three possible locations? Newcastle (to run via the High Level Bridge), Birmingham New Street (to run via Camp Hill) and Gloucester.

 

[swt_passenger]

This was discussed twice last year, no one ever beat the now cancelled SWR Waterloo to Swanage with 4.

in March:

Trivia: Current services where the train reverses ends, mid-journey.

(Carved out from another current thread about choosing the "safest" place to travel on a train)... Must be a few routes across the network. Some examples... Middlesbrough -> Whitby (Northern service, train reverses at Battersby Junction): Leeds -> Manchester Victoria via Calder Valley...

www.railforums.co.uk

and in July:

Services with the most "train reverses here"

Anyone know which passenger services have the most change of ends for a driver?

www.railforums.co.uk

Isn’t Brighton to Gt Malvern reversing 3 times - Portsmouth,( or Fratton ) Bristol and Gloucester ?

I may be wrong about Portsmouth though

It doesn't go into Portsmouth on the normal through workings. The first arrival at Brighton comes from Portsmouth but only starts in service from there.

 

[30907]

I think there was Cheltenham - Southampton train ( or Westbury ) reversing at Gloucester and Swindon to go via Melksham

Isn’t Brighton to Gt Malvern reversing 3 times - Portsmouth,( or Fratton ) Bristol and Gloucester ?

I may be wrong about Portsmouth though

You are

Are there any NE - SW XC services that reverse at all three possible locations? Newcastle (to run via the High Level Bridge), Birmingham New Street (to run via Camp Hill) and Gloucester.

No - you could have added Sheffield (via the Old Road) too

I can't beat two scheduled reversals, currently/recently, apart from the Corfe Castle train (how many times did it actually run?!) - though another random "two" for many years was a Penzance-Gunnislake or vv, and I am not sure Newcastle-Southampton has come up.

"Threes" that have existed since sectorisation/privatisation include (IIRC) Gt Yarmouth-Liverpool and West Wales-Portsmouth/Waterloo.

 

[Com166]

Cardiff Portsmouth at Bristol Temple Meads

 

[swt_passenger]

Cardiff Portsmouth at Bristol Temple Meads

The aim is to find the threes or more though...

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Manchester Piccadilly to Hadfield at Glossop. In normal times, the peak services operated as a Picc to Picc circular, reversing at Hadfield then Glossop in the morning, and Glossop then Hadfield in the afternoon.

Didn't the off peak services run Manchester Piccadilly to Glossop, reverse there for the short run to Hadfield, then back to Glossop again, before the return working to Piccadilly?

 

[The exile]

Can’t remember whether any of the North of Edinburgh - West Country trains back in the day called at Gloucester - but if so they had 4 reversals: Waverley, Carstairs, New Street and Gloucester.

 

[edwin_m]

There was a Nottingham to Southampton or Bournemouth Voyager wasn’t there? Several years ago, or am I imagining it? Reversed at Derby, Birmingham New Street, Reading.

0638 from Nottingham IIRC. Doesn't seem to be running currently but it ran before Covid.

 

[jfollows]

Didn't the off peak services run Manchester Piccadilly to Glossop, reverse there for the short run to Hadfield, then back to Glossop again, before the return working to Piccadilly?

Yes, but these are two different train services with one reversal each.

 

[Rick1984]

Glasgow to Stranraer reverse at Kilmarnock

 

[XAM2175]

Glasgow to Stranraer reverse at Kilmarnock

The thread isn't a list of services with single reversals.

 

[Martin_1981]

Back around 1994, I remember a Derby to Penzance IC Holidaymaker HST which reversed at Gloucester, Paignton and Newton Abbot. I think it left Derby around 6.40am ish and arrived Penzance around 1.30pm ish.

 

[Cheshire Scot]

To chuck in some historic examples - and I am sure there will be lots of these!

In the 1970s The Thames Clyde Express reverse at Nottingham and Leeds - as did the 21.30 St Pancras to Glasgow

In the same era the Fort William portion of the 20.00 from Kings X which was marshalled front for detachment at Edinburgh reversed at Princes Street gardens, then a Waverley bay platform and on arrival at Glasgow Queen St, then in Queen St tunnel (shunting to the front of the train (inside the leading van) and again at Queen St ready for departure.