I think one for me has to be the 03:30 Swansea to London Paddington. I used that service more times than I care to count on various spotting trips, especially handy if I'd finished work at around 1am and I was getting a lift into town anyway. Nostalgia aplenty with that service!
Yes used that a few times very useful especially if you got a compartment to yourself and could stretch out for a kip.
If non UK stuff is allowed then the recent demise of the Thello Paris-Venice sleeper seems a big loss. A useful time efficient and cost effective way for me to visit the folks in Italy.
That service still runs….
Realtime Trains - 0341 Swansea to London Paddington
Realtime Trains is an independent source of live realtime running information for the Great British railway network.www.realtimetrains.co.uk
Referring back to your previous post about 1B01/2B01 being unable to restart from Craigendoran on one occasion, I can recall numerous instances of the Down sleeper grinding to a halt on the curving, tree-lined 1 in 58 gradient towards Helensburgh Upper and then having to reverse back down to sea level at Craigendoran to have a run at the bank. What was the official rule book take on such a manoeuvre? My friends and I used to enjoy boarding that train at Helensburgh Upper at 06 42 on a Saturday morning, then heading straight for the restaurant car for a slap-up breakfast alongside the Gare Loch, Loch Long and Loch Lomond.06.00 Glasgow Queen St to Malliag, load 9 with a single class 27 including parcels van on the front, two sleepers from Kings Cross to FW, and restaurant car throughout from Glasgow to Mallaig, a great way to see the West Highland line in all seasons and connecting with the Stornoway boat via Kyle (also the Portree boat on certain days) at Mallaig.
My much-missed and much-enjoyed WCML dining experience was at the other end of the day and in the other direction! For a couple of years in 1980-82 I was living and working in Glasgow and going out with a girl who lived in North-West London. Every other Friday evening - except when away travelling - I would leave the office about five minutes early and catch the 16 10 Glasgow Central-Euston, on which I would take the second sitting of dinner after Preston. The regular London crew on that service were also the Royal Train chefs and stewards when it was running so, needless to say, the food and service were excellent. They came to recognise me after a while and it was not unknown for a free dessert, small bottle of wine or can of beer to come my way. I also met a lot of very interesting people in the restaurant car including, on one occasion, the late Jimmy Reid - former Upper Clyde Shipbuilders shop steward and leader of the 1968-69 'work-in' at Clydebank - a very astute and well-read self-educated man. I found myself sharing a table for four with him and two very Tory and self-assured London businessmen. We had a very lively conversation on the socio-economic effects of Thatcherism and Jimmy knocked them into a cocked hat with his persuasive arguments which they could not counter. I knew who he was - and he knew that I knew - but we didn't let on, because the two suits obviously didn't know. I didn't contribute much to the conversation but, every now and then, I made a short comment to lead the discussion in a certain direction. After the two suits had paid and returned to their first class carriage, he and I had a good laugh - "Ye pulled a blinder there son!" - and he bought me a whisky!The Great British Breakfast on the 07.45 Euston to Glasgow. Freshly arrived in London after an overnight Channle crossing, as soon as boarding commenced I would make my way to the dining 'FO' in the knowledge, despite my second class free pass I could enjoy the comfort of a first class seat until at least Tanworth/Lichfield probably even Stafford on occasions, whilst enjoying a hearty meal which set me up for the full day with toast and drinks already being served as departure approached. No doubt breakfast was equally great on many other trains of the era but the 07.45 was my breakfast eatery of choice several times a year.
This, especially if they were all loco-hauled!I’d love to see the return of the Portsmouth - Blackpool, Portsmouth - Plymouth/Penzance and Brighton - Paignton services.
Unless "WSM" stands for Gloucester or Cheltenham, "reversed" isn't correct, surely?The short lived midday PAD-WSM services that ran fast to Bristol Parkway, then reversed to Temple Meads. London to Bristol in under an hour and a half!
Yes indeed. Pre Eurostar I used to use the through coaches that ran to/from Boulogne and were attached/detached to the Paris Rome sleeper. A very seamless way of getting to and from Italy with the only change being to board and alight from the ferry at Folkestone and Boulogne!Yes - the Paris-Venice sleeper was really useful (both pre- and post-Eurostar). And if internationals are allowed, I miss the useful through carriages to a wide range of destinations from European ports such as Hook of Holland.
And I miss the TPOs, which I often used so as to give myself some extra typing time before needing to send off documents in the post.
That really is testing my memory. I don't recall that happening in my time with a passenger train although it did with a freight, and in that case after coming back to and stopping at the home signal (no phones in those days) a member of crew walked to the box and I then signalled the train to reverse into the loop where they reduced the load (to be collected later in the day) and then soared up the bank under signalled moves.Referring back to your previous post about 1B01/2B01 being unable to restart from Craigendoran on one occasion, I can recall numerous instances of the Down sleeper grinding to a halt on the curving, tree-lined 1 in 58 gradient towards Helensburgh Upper and then having to reverse back down to sea level at Craigendoran to have a run at the bank. What was the official rule book take on such a manoeuvre? My friends and I used to enjoy boarding that train at Helensburgh Upper at 06 42 on a Saturday morning, then heading straight for the restaurant car for a slap-up breakfast alongside the Gare Loch, Loch Long and Loch Lomond.
The short lived midday PAD-WSM services that ran fast to Bristol Parkway, then reversed to Temple Meads. London to Bristol in under an hour and a half!
Aren't there still 15 or so direct services between those two stations?Very specific but the 1626 University to Hereford. (It started at new street but didn't know what time)
Yes but that particular one would help out.Aren't there still 15 or so direct services between those two stations?
1556 not good enough?Yes but that particular one would help out.
Also the FO 1246 Portsmouth to Leeds booked a 33 to Birmingham, but few times 2x73 tried make trip to new street before boiling over, return was Sunday 1511 Leeds to Portsmouth booked 33 from new stThe 08:05 Portsmouth to Manchester or Liverpool (depending on the year; was 11.05 in 1982/83 before becoming 08.05). On-the-hour departure from Guildford (09.00, or 12.00 in 1982/83). Ran until May 1987 in some shape or form though some years ran to Poole on days other than summer Saturdays, for operational reasons. (see other threads).
Living on the Portsmouth Direct at the time, it was my first experience of an InterCity service and has a particular place in my memory.
Although I don't live on the Direct anymore, the existence of this service is why I (perhaps irrationally) would like XC to reintroduce Portsmouth services. Particularly if one departs Portsmouth Harbour at 08.05, or 11.05.
EDIT: and more recently, the Southern timetable from a few years ago, around 2013/14. The timetable seemed to be less predictable than now, more quirky and more interesting (various Reigate/Tonbridge dividers in the peak, and through Tonbridge trains) and the Horsham locals went to London Bridge, which seemed 'cleaner' to me. To my mind Thameslink should have focused on the Brighton corridor, and short self-contained branches off it (East Grinstead, Caterham, Tattenham) rather than trying to go everywhere.
Too early . I don't take the train regularly but when I do it would help.1556 not good enough?
Also the FO 1246 Portsmouth to Leeds booked a 33 to Birmingham, but few times 2x73 tried make trip to new street before boiling over, return was Sunday 1511 Leeds to Portsmouth booked 33 from new st
IIRC the 33 ran to Banbury and stabled there over the weekend. I don't know why.Presumably the 33 hung around Birmingham all weekend, or did it go south on anything (before Sunday evening) I wonder, to be replaced by another 33 coming north on something else?
That service still runs….
Realtime Trains - 0341 Swansea to London Paddington
Realtime Trains is an independent source of live realtime running information for the Great British railway network.www.realtimetrains.co.uk
Maybe the train was worked by a Banbury crew between there and Birmingham and vice-versa? If so, the light engine would be a crew-balancing move.IIRC the 33 ran to Banbury and stabled there over the weekend. I don't know why.
I used that service a few years back on an All Line Rover all nighter to avoid a hotel, with the connection from the overnight Fishguard train! I can see that part doesn’t run now, however