Worst Railway Journeys in the UK

[Carlisle]

Certainly not pretty, however I was thinking end-end journeys rather than a section of line.

Then surely Stourbridge junction - Town is a strong contender.

 

[SteveM70]

however I was thinking end-end journeys rather than a section of line

Stourbridge Junction to Stourbridge Town

 

[thenorthern]

Stockport to Stalybridge is in with a shout, not just because of the poor service but it's a service through run down Greater Manchester and relatively deprived areas.

 

[philosopher]

I've always found Reading to London via Staines utterly, utterly drab - also doesn't help that it takes three times as long as going via Slough on GWR.

Definitely agree about that one, slow trains that stop every five minutes outside London, uninspiring scenery and uncomfortable and often crowed and dirty trains. Probably my least favourite mid distance journey that departs from a Central London terminal.

 

[bramling]

A couple of years ago I got a Spirit of Scotland rover & did some wonderful journeys, particularly over the West Highland & Highland main line. There's also the likes of the Cumbrian Coast & Vale of Rheidol & even Calder Valley which I've done recently which were lovely. However, what are the worst UK Railway journeys you can do? Think poor capacity, lackluster scenery, poor timetables etc. What are people's thoughts?

Nottingham to Skegness in the summer. Nothing wrong with the journey, just the freak show which will be on the train.

 

[duncanp]

I would imagine the last trains back from a seaside resort on a summer Saturday would be pretty grim due to overcrowding, families with tired and fractious children and people who have drunk too much alcohol.

I can think of Weymouth - Bristol, Skegness - Nottingham and Clacton/Southend/Brighton/Bournemouth - London.


EDIT

@bramling has beaten me to it.

The outward journey is probably not much better either.

 

[Whistler40145]

Salford Crescent to Wigan North Western/Wallgate via Hag Fold

 

[FlyingPotato]

Any train to Liverpool on the weekend, I've seen people just downing minis before 12

 

[weepingwillowb]

Then surely Stourbridge junction - Town is a strong contender.

My favourite French band wouldn't agree with you. They've played a show at Claptrap, Stourbridge both this year and last, and the caption to this photo was "Back on our favourite micro-train...Claptrap here we come!"

 

[lh33]

Any train to Liverpool on the weekend, I've seen people just downing minis before 12

On the subject of Merseyside, I would argue for Ormskirk to Preston. Dreadful run with dreadful stock

 

[1D54]

Nottingham - Skegness or anything else in Lincolnshire. Always like a window seat but travelling around in this area I'm never that bothered as there is nothing to see.

 

[Taunton]

Central London to Heathrow on the Piccadilly Line, in winter. Forever a long signal stop approaching Acton Town, when you think there's a breakdown ahead and you will miss your flight. Once you get past there it's painfully slow, stops again and again, great draughts of cold air come in the open doors at deserted platforms, sits at Northfields for five minutes changing crews, you are forever looking at your watch for progress, OMG is it only Hounslow East, etc ...

 

[jrail1992]

Bedford to London St Pancras through Luton.
Also Stratford to Shenfield.

Even with the 345's on the Shenfield run & the service frequency?

Stourbridge Junction to Stourbridge Town

How could anyone dislike the people movers?

Salford Crescent to Wigan North Western/Wallgate via Hag Fold

This is one of my local routes & yes I agree it's in direct need of upgrade. The saving grace is three coach 158's & some of the platform roofs at Atherton and Swinton etc. aren't too bad.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

The ECML South of Doncaster is pretty dull.
As a twist on the topic, the contrast between the rural scenery from Huddersfield to Court House Junction just outside Barnsley, and the post-industrial wasteland between there and Sheffield is quite jarring.

 

[D1537]

The last 5-10 miles of most routes into London. There's only so many backs of terraced houses and graffiti'd railway infrastructure you can look at before it becomes dull.

 

[xotGD]

The Channel Tunnel.

The view out of the window is rubbish.

 

[dk1]

The Channel Tunnel.

The view out of the window is rubbish.

Back in the 90s I’m sure some dopes thought they’d see fish. I always go to the bar in those boring 19 minutes.

 

[william.martin]

St Pancras Int to Stratford Int.

 

[randyrippley]

I don't know about now, but 30+ years ago it would have to have been the North London line
The combination of vandalised stock along with continuous urban dereliction along the whole line combined with generalised squalor and decay turned the whole trip into a third world survival exercise. It felt like you were taking your life in your hands every time you walked into one of the stations

 

[Iskra]

Carlisle - Leeds S&C is severely overrated and mind-numbing

Can't agree, I think it looks stunning and looks different on just about every journey depending on time of year or light. Bit of a drag on an all-station stopper, but certainly always a good run on a proper train.

Wolverhampton-Birmingham stretch is just pure industrial decline and very un-scenic.

Agree

Morecambe to Heysham Port.

It has some novelty about it and it's pretty much just people's back gardens, not sure it's the worst.

Middlesbrough to Redcar Central passing all the old industry… very very dismal

I quite like the industrial decline, it's very interesting. Sadly they have recently demolished some of it.

On the subject of Merseyside, I would argue for Ormskirk to Preston. Dreadful run with dreadful stock

Again, quite interesting due to the backward railway technology in use, in my opinion. It's like travelling back in time.

The ECML South of Doncaster is pretty dull.
As a twist on the topic, the contrast between the rural scenery from Huddersfield to Court House Junction just outside Barnsley, and the post-industrial wasteland between there and Sheffield is quite jarring.

Agree about the ECML, but must call you out on the post-industrial decline, which doesn't start until just before Meadowhall.

- - - -

Personally, I think:

Bradford Interchange-Leeds
Grimsby Town-Cleethorpes
The Wemyss Bay branch is a bit ropey, especially around the Port Glasgow area
Southern MML
Southern ECML
Reading-London via Staines

 

[alxndr]

Back in the 90s I’m sure some dopes thought they’d see fish. I always go to the bar in those boring 19 minutes.

I had a teacher think that around 2010!

 

[Acey]

London to Dartford via Greenwich !

 

[deltic]

Wolverhampton-Birmingham stretch is just pure industrial decline and very un-scenic.

Agreed - also some of the Welsh valleys in the 1980s

 

[PGAT]

The Epsom Downs branch feels drab imo, same with the loop line between Sutton and Wimbledon

 

[Stathern Jc]

Well if we're going to include tunnels then I nominate Dore to Grindleford as Britain's least scenic rail journey!

I did that in the 80s sitting at the back of a DMU.
Got some simple entertainment watching the tunnel mouth shrinking into the distance and then straining my eyes to see how long I could see the ever decreasing dot of light, eventually I blinked and it had gone.

Rather like when you switched the telly off in those days too.
Don't think that everyone here can honestly say that they don't know what I'm talking about.

 

[scrapy]

Middlesbrough to Redcar Central passing all the old industry… very very dismal

Thought that was an incredible route (25 years ago) the only time I've made the journey. In winter when all the steel works used to be burning, early evening it was already dark. Quite unique!!

 

[The exile]

I always quite enjoy that journey even in a Voyager. Nice large windows & only a gentle purr from the engine at speed.

That is always assuming you’re not crammed in the vestibule!

 

[basfordlad]

Bristol Temple Meads to Birmingham New St in a CrossCountry Voyager - horrific!

Why?ive done it with no issue

 

[scrapy]

Well if we're going to include tunnels then I nominate Dore to Grindleford as Britain's least scenic rail journey!

I did Totley tunnel on an East Midlands service. Was announced that the driver was to inspect the line at 5mph due to a reported obstruction and took around 40 minutes to get through the tunnel.

Salford Crescent to Wigan North Western/Wallgate via Hag Fold

No better via Bolton

 

[basfordlad]

Birmingham to wolves is indeed dire