Football Specials : Unusual Routings

[Mutant Lemming]

I recall in olden days that football specials used to take all manner of circuitous routings and unusual tracks to keep them out of the way of the rest of traffic. Am not sure if the last paying passengers over the Woodhead were on a football special to Wadsley Bridge. Trains would run "direct" to places like Witton, Smethwick Rolfe Street or Wadsley Bridge keeping fans out of city centres.
Are there any such unusual routings on the handful of ''Soccer Specials" that are operated today and did anyone, either in the past or today, travel on them solely to cover track not normally used by regular passenger services and not to actually go to the match concerned ?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Unusual routing? Well, I don't think anyone saw Manchester United 1-6 Manchester City coming, or Chelsea 3-5 Arsenal Routeing on the other hand, I cannot speak for the past, but the one I used for the Worthington Cup Final in 2001 (the first train trip I can even remember) I think was routed - Blackburn-Leyland-Crewe-Hereford-Newport-Cardiff, so not much rare there. Chelsea lay them on to this day, when they played Stoke City a couple of years ago, I saw the train in Stoke-on-Trent station, it was destined for Euston (I think), via the bog-standard WCML.

For all modern football specials, a match ticket is required to travel AFAIK, so I don't think many do them solely for track anymore.

 

[Driver Bob]

I once took a loco and coaches football special in the 80's from Oxford to Ipswich via the North London Line.

Not an unusual route considering the starting point and destination, but certainly an unusual opportunity for something a little different.

Bob.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I forgot Oxford-Swindon in the back end of last year, and the reverse which will presumably happen when the teams meet again in Oxford later on this season. It took the West Curve at Didcot IIRC.

 

[Mutant Lemming]

....but would you have travelled on one for a chance to go through the Woodhead ?

 

[steamybrian]

The first football special I travelled on in 1964 was hauled by a Bullied Pacific from Norwood Junction to Southampton . Not only was it a rare steam haulage from South London suburban stations but went via Herne Hill , Factory Jn-Clapham Jn-Point Pleasant-East Putney-Wimbledon and SWT main line so also covered some rare non-passenger spurs.
Many years later I travelled over the Hull-Boothferry Park line and used the latter station open on match days only.
Also used the long closed Wembley Stadium loop.
My friend (also a Crystal Palace supporter) used Ashton Gate, The Hawthorns and Wadsley Bridge which at the time were also used on match days only

 

[eastwestdivide]

Way back in the 80s, a 3-car Reading suburban DMU went to Gillingham (Kent) for a football match. Unusual motive power for the area, and presumably routed via the West London line and Factory Junction.

 

[Moog_1984]

Hampden park internationals / cup finals produced various carnage.

'Also some foot- and rugg- exes 'frae Glesga' went via Shotts, which was a hard route to get locohauled on.