How busy have your trains been?

[bramling]

They were checking ticketa on the Great Western Railway service I got on Saturday but no RIPs on the two Thamelink trains.

I haven't seen any on-train revenue on GN / TL since March. I think the RPIs are helping out on gatelines instead.

 

[paul1609]

They were checking ticketa on the Great Western Railway service I got on Saturday but no RIPs on the two Thamelink trains.

Possibly an unfortunate typo in the current circumstances.

 

[nlogax]

Got on a train to Waterloo from Surbiton at the weekend and it was the busiest train I'd been on since the current unpleasantness began. Was a surreal pleasure to stand due to the lack of available seats, felt like something out of pre-Covid times.

 

[infobleep]

Possibly an unfortunate typo in the current circumstances.

Good spot. Now amended.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Got on a train to Waterloo from Surbiton at the weekend and it was the busiest train I'd been on since the current unpleasantness began. Was a surreal pleasure to stand due to the lack of available seats, felt like something out of pre-Covid times.

Isn't that unpleasant in reverse, seeing a packed train under the current circumstances? Trains in places were creaking at the seems up to 2019, make no mistake, but packed trains right now may raise alarm bells.

 

[nlogax]

Isn't that unpleasant in reverse, seeing a packed train under the current circumstances? Trains in places were creaking at the seems up to 2019, make no mistake, but packed trains right now may raise alarm bells.

Doesn't worry me in the slightest to be honest. I'm not doing it every day so I suppose there's also a novelty value there considering the last ten months of nearly empty trains but it gives me hope.

 

[james60059]

12/12/20.

1U20 07:45 Crewe - London Euston.
350373 + 350373.

I was at Atherstone waiting for the LSL 90, and the above train arrived, and there was 38 passengers in the entire train.

1N55 13:00 Cambridge - Birmingham New Street.
170101.

Train arrived at Narborough as I waiting for the Midland Pullman HST, and all 3 coaches were at least 90% full, which is pleasing to see.

 

[Jamesrob637]

12/12/20.

1U20 07:45 Crewe - London Euston.
350373 + 350373.

I was at Atherstone waiting for the LSL 90, and the above train arrived, and there was 38 passengers in the entire train.

1N55 13:00 Cambridge - Birmingham New Street.
170101.

Train arrived at Narborough as I waiting for the Midland Pullman HST, and all 3 coaches were at least 90% full, which is pleasing to see.

Think your autocorrect kicked in on the LNWR unit numbers good to see one fullish train albeit a short one.

 

[Peregrine 4903]

I'd say trains on the South WCML have got a little busier since I last used them two weeks ago. But still, the morning peak is extremely quiet.

 

[Ianno87]

Did Cambridge-London-Bedford and return yesterday (Sunday).

Maybe 15-20% loading on each train (fast Cambridge-London then EMR to Bedford), which I'd give a "not bad" given the lousy weather.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

My wife did Richmond -West Hampstead on the NLL the other Thursday and reported it at 1800 or so to be full with some standing. (which worried her as there were the usual maskless "challenge us" types on board) - one to take some action on I reckon.

Of course with London now in tier 3 , the empty spaces on Thameslink are very unlikely to get any busier. For this year anyway.

 

[bramling]

My wife did Richmond -West Hampstead on the NLL the other Thursday and reported it at 1800 or so to be full with some standing. (which worried her as there were the usual maskless "challenge us" types on board) - one to take some action on I reckon.

Of course with London now in tier 3 , the empty spaces on Thameslink are very unlikely to get any busier. For this year anyway.

Did a London and back today. First thing the train was fairly empty (this particular service always is - if anything it had slightly more on than usual). However I hung around at King's Cross for an hour or so, and some of the following trains were surprisingly busy. It does seem that the peak has got earlier, though I can't see that sticking. Train home (early afternoon) was pretty dead, though again that's fairly normal.

The notion of completely empty trains is very much a myth, though loadings are clearly down.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Did a London and back today. First thing the train was fairly empty (this particular service always is - if anything it had slightly more on than usual). However I hung around at King's Cross for an hour or so, and some of the following trains were surprisingly busy. It does seem that the peak has got earlier, though I can't see that sticking. Train home (early afternoon) was pretty dead, though again that's fairly normal.

The notion of completely empty trains is very much a myth, though loadings are clearly down.

Yes - well down and though there was some hope of local (St Albans) commuters hitting the train again , today's news will quash that. (A family member has done 2/3 days a week all through this and Tuesday will be her last one for this year at least) - options for modest theatre and careful dining in London are now dead , and the train loadings will suffer accordingly (albeit from a low base)

 

[ServerHoster]

07:29 CRE - EUS on Saturday was virtually empty. In my (first class) carriage there was only one other passenger (except from the people I was travelling with). I went on the same train (07:29) in October, virtually empty then too.

The 17:40 out of Euston on Saturday again was different - virtually every table bay was full (in first class)! They might want to change this from a 9-car to an 11-car 390 if possible (after London's tier 3).

 

[Hadders]

Victoria Line last Saturday morning 12th Dec (c.11am) from Highbury & Islington to Oxford Circus was standing room only, like pre-covid times.

 

[Scotrail314209]

Currently on the 17:12 Glasgow Central to Paisley Canal. Relatively loaded throughout, not as much as peak times but there’s still 10 minutes until departure.

 

[PHILIPE]

TFW have introduced, like GWR for one, an Advance Booking system to book a space rather than a specific seat and saying that staff can control numbers boarding a train. Some services have a reduced number of carriages and are sending out messages on Twitter saying that people should consider the necessity of making a journey. They seem to have reverted back to their days of discouraging people from travelling earlier in the pandemic.`

 

[trainophile]

TFW have introduced, like GWR for one, an Advance Booking system to book a space rather than a specific seat and saying that staff can control numbers boarding a train. Some services have a reduced number of carriages and are sending out messages on Twitter saying that people should consider the necessity of making a journey. They seem to have reverted back to their days of discouraging people from travelling earlier in the pandemic.`

TFW are still the only ones not doing Advance fares at all. They have lost my custom for good, I'd rather pay less and go a longer way round, which is what I've been doing since travel was permitted again. Pity because (most of) the staff at my local station which is TFW operated are really nice, and their Twitter desk are nice too, but I'm not paying over the odds indefinitely.

 

[MDB1images]

On Anglo Scots every train I work is busier than the last time I worked it so loads slowly climbing and this despite a lot of the route being in English and Scot Tier 3 areas.
Positive signs.

 

[NorthWestRover]

Friday 18th December

10.11 Wigan NW to Warrington BQ
12.27 Warrington BQ to Wigan NW

Both 9-car Pendolinos and both sparsely populated. Small handful in each carriage. Single figures to low teens.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Friday 18th December

10.11 Wigan NW to Warrington BQ
12.27 Warrington BQ to Wigan NW

Both 9-car Pendolinos and both sparsely populated. Small handful in each carriage. Single figures to low teens.

I might have seen your return pass under me near Gemini

 

[ChiefPlanner]

To London today for last min shopping - Thameslink not empty on the up - but busier on the 1451 St Pancras return (18 on at West Hampstead on a fast) - visited Kings Cross , Charing Cross and Euston. All showing some signs of life but nowhere near a pre Xmas Friday. Seems to be extra Eurostar services. Weather horrible and wet , tube -maybe 30% on the Victoria line - maybe 20% on the Northern Charing Cross northbound branch.

Observation is that a decent number of luggage toting passengers (travelling early ?) and a gratifying number of "day out" kids and parents traffic , seeing the likes of Hamleys toy store and so on.

 

[bramling]

To London today for last min shopping - Thameslink not empty on the up - but busier on the 1451 St Pancras return (18 on at West Hampstead on a fast) - visited Kings Cross , Charing Cross and Euston. All showing some signs of life but nowhere near a pre Xmas Friday. Seems to be extra Eurostar services. Weather horrible and wet , tube -maybe 30% on the Victoria line - maybe 20% on the Northern Charing Cross northbound branch.

Observation is that a decent number of luggage toting passengers (travelling early ?) and a gratifying number of "day out" kids and parents traffic , seeing the likes of Hamleys toy store and so on.

My train in this afternoon was surprisingly busy, though I think there was to some extent that occasional phenomenon of everyone piling into a couple of carriages (which I assume happens due to the sheep mentality of one person going to a spot on the platform and others following - hardly what we need at the moment!) as I don't think there were that many on the train as a whole. Rest of week has been utterly dead, I actually managed to have an entire 700/1 to myself coming north from London last night, though that was partly due to service disruption as there was a comparable service just in front.

 

[Peregrine 4903]

15:55 from Milton Keynes Central to Birmingham New Street which is an 8 coach train had all seats taken and a few people standing.

15:59 to Euston had about 80 people on it I'd say, not too bad.

The morning Avanti services out of Euston were busier than they have been in the last few weeks. Seems to be a lot of people travelling with luggage.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

My train in this afternoon was surprisingly busy, though I think there was to some extent that occasional phenomenon of everyone piling into a couple of carriages (which I assume happens due to the sheep mentality of one person going to a spot on the platform and others following - hardly what we need at the moment!) as I don't think there were that many on the train as a whole. Rest of week has been utterly dead, I actually managed to have an entire 700/1 to myself coming north from London last night, though that was partly due to service disruption as there was a comparable service just in front.

Idly observing a Peterborough 700 at St Pancras before the 1451 Bedford , and it actually had quite a decent load on for that time of day - better almost than pre-Covid , - not that the service was really marketed in those happy days before these present issues. How things might have been with only Brexit to worry about .....

 

[bramling]

Idly observing a Peterborough 700 at St Pancras before the 1451 Bedford , and it actually had quite a decent load on for that time of day - better almost than pre-Covid , - not that the service was really marketed in those happy days before these present issues. How things might have been with only Brexit to worry about .....

I do think that no matter how much they try and market it, they're going to struggle to get people going for a day out to places like Horsham, Crawley or Croydon!

Interestingly the Peterborough 700s in the evening appear to have declined in loadings since the new timetable came in, which is presumably a response to the evening 365 services making a re-appearance.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

I do think that no matter how much they try and market it, they're going to struggle to get people going for a day out to places like Horsham, Crawley or Croydon!

Interestingly the Peterborough 700s in the evening appear to have declined in loadings since the new timetable came in, which is presumably a response to the evening 365 services making a re-appearance.

Agreed - and I have been to Crawley ! (and I detest Croydon as a place to visit) - but as the Yanks say - a "one seat journey" to Blackfriars for the River and attractions / London Bridge for nicer places - Greenwich say not Abbey Wood must be worth something I guess. Or it ought to be.

 

[yorksrob]

Does Croydon still have it's Wimpey bar ? Must admit, last time I visited it, trip back to the centre was on a phase 1 CIG.

 

[philjo]

I used the 16:54 kings cross to Baldock 365 service this evening. I boarded about 10 minutes before departure. There were a few passengers towards the rear of the train (presumably mainly those alighting at Welwyn North). I was on the front coach - there was only 1 other passenger in that coach.

It Looked like about 50 passengers alighted from the 06:43 ex-kings Lynn service at Kings Cross this morning.

 

[NorthWestRover]

I might have seen your return pass under me near Gemini

No Avanti brand yet.