How busy have your trains been?

[yorkie]

I thought it would be worth creating a thread where people can say how busy their trains have been.

If anyone wants to write a lengthy trip report, this would be best in a dedicated thread, but this thread can be used for observations.

I'll start with the 1002 York to Kings Cross this morning; I counted 133 in standard on the final stretch between Stevenage and London. On arrival at KGX, I'd estimate about 24 alighted from first class, which surprised me.

Of course this train has capacity for over 600 people, so the loading is still light. On a normal summer weekday you would expect the train to have at least four times as many passengers as I counted.

Not everyone who used this train was on for the final stretch of course; many people alighted at stations such as Doncaster.

I think it's a reasonable loading under th circumstances, but clearly there is a long way to go ( if anyone had any ideas regarding how TOCs can increase patronage please see: https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...tice-passengers-back-onto-the-railway.207153/ )

 

[hexagon789]

East Kilbride line trains mostly 4 and 6-car and on travelling last week they were quite empty, about six people per coach. Central Station was relatively busy though in comparison

 

[Ianno87]

LNER seem very well loaded - close to the maximum 50% occupancy.

Services within London pretty well loaded - probably up to 60% seats taken.

"Outer suburban" generaly very quiet.

 

[Mag_seven]

I was on the 16.00 Paddington Bristol TM the other day and I would say it was about 20% full. It was a 10 car Class 800. Even with 10 cars pre COVID I have seen it full and standing leaving Paddington.

 

[lkpridgeon]

Trains around Winchester seem to be picking up in both directions off peak with what looks to be 10%-15% loadings. Just counted 40 odd boarding the service towards Bournemouth at Winchester station (train reported busy by social distancing standards at Basingstoke) and 30 odd alighting the 09.57 to London Waterloo.

Interestingly the trains I've taken during the morning peaks are generally quieter than off peak.

 

[james60059]

[30/07/20] 172001 on 2G88 17:15 NUN - LMS wasn't that busy - about a dozen people leaving Nuneaton, most got off at Coventry and maybe 20 on at Coventry to Leamington Spa. 2G91 18:00 LMS - NUN, roughly 20 people - most piled into the rear coach - myself and 2 others in the front coach. Likewise, most alighted at Coventry and at least 15-20 boarded at Coventry to Nuneaton. (I needed 172001 for haulage hence I did the journey ).

 

[rg177]

13:29 Edinburgh to London is about half full in Coach L. Unfortunately though the enforced compulsory reservations have gone slightly askew due to passengers thinking the screens being turned off means sit wherever.

Metro services towards the coast from Newcastle were full and standing by Northumberland Park around Midday.

 

[Hadders]

I took LNER yesterday morning from Stevenage to London (due to a Thameslink cancellation). Train was a 10 car Azume and was well loaded in both parts, one of the busiest trains I've seen lately.

Victoria Line southbound from Highbury and Islington to Vauxhall at 07:30 on Wednesday morning had loading similar to a weekday early afternoon. Most seats taken and some standing.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Heaton Chapel to Salford Crescent on Wednesday at around 2pm was quiet but not dead. 6-car
Salford Crescent to Wigan Wallgate on Wednesday at around 3pm was very quiet. 3-car
Wigan Wallgate to Salford Crescent on Wednesday at around 9pm was almost dead. The same unit as Salford Crescent to Wigan Wallgate (whilst I'd been on my date it had run back to Leeds and back to Wigan)
Salford Crescent to Heaton Chapel on Wednesday around 9:30pm was surprisingly busy until the Manchester stations of Oxford Road and Piccadilly but almost dead thereafter. Mind you it is the current last train from Blackpool to points south of Manchester. 6-car.

 

[james60059]

Saturday 01/08.

1U37 13:46 EUS - CRE (8 coaches) was about 1/3 full, I sat in the rear coach and there was only 4 others, and 2 bailed at Atherstone.
1U38 16:33 CRE - EUS. Same train as before, again I sat in what was the rear coach going South, 6 people in it, but it seemed to have picked a few punters up en-route. About 15 got off at Nuneaton, and looking through each coach out of curiosity as I walked towards the footbridge, the train was easily half full if not more.

 

[greyman42]

I regularly take the 1358 York to London(non stop). It is still lightly loaded but the days of having a coach to yourself are gone. The non stops from York to London are a lot quieter than the semi fasts.

 

[route101]

East Kilbride line trains mostly 4 and 6-car and on travelling last week they were quite empty, about six people per coach. Central Station was relatively busy though in comparison

I took the 1126 from East Kilbride today, busiest ive seen a service on the branch so far. 4 car 156. Seems more 4 cars are on the line.

 

[birchesgreen]

Train from Hereford to B'ham on Saturday was at least half-full (5 car DMU). Numbers are picking up though slowly.

 

[hexagon789]

I took the 1126 from East Kilbride today, busiest ive seen a service on the branch so far. 4 car 156. Seems more 4 cars are on the line.

Perhaps because it was a Sunday?

 

[Mag_seven]

Practically every GWR service that I saw heading into London this morning at Reading station was deserted and that was at peak time. I am currently on a Cross Country service which is picking up about a dozen passengers at each stop. It is clear to me that we appear to be running a "middle of the day leisure travel railway" at the moment.

 

[hexagon789]

Four coaches instead of six like two weeks ago, but still quite empty. Central station actually felt quieter than last time as well despite it being the same time of day.

 

[route101]

Perhaps because it was a Sunday?

They were running 6 cars usually during lockdown and during the week.

I asssume the sunday service is back up to half hourly. And the later evening services are back.

 

[route101]

Perhaps because it was a Sunday?

They were running 6 cars usually during lockdown and during the week.

I asssume the sunday service is back up to half hourly. And the later evening services are back.

 

[hexagon789]

They were running 6 cars usually during lockdown and during the week.

I asssume the sunday service is back up to half hourly. And the later evening services are back.

I think that's right, I'm sure ScotRail quoted a 90/95% normal timetable was now being operated. Interestingly today all the EK trains were only two-car but one Barrhead diagram was a 4-car which I caught.

 

[route101]

I think that's right, I'm sure ScotRail quoted a 90/95% normal timetable was now being operated. Interestingly today all the EK trains were only two-car but one Barrhead diagram was a 4-car which I caught.

Had a look at the timetable , hourly till 2247 then 2218 from Glasgow to East Kilbride. Strangely Sunday is full timetable with better evening service.

 

[PY33]

I was in Devon & Cornwall last week for a few days (having driven down) and took a return trip from Gunnislake to Plymouth - my first time on a train since before the world went mad. Maybe a dozen people on a Class 150. Plymouth station was deserted.

 

[cactustwirly]

Sunday, Twyford to Paddington, whole carriage to myself. On the return there were about 4 people in the carriage

 

[Belperpete]

I have made two trips on the Cambrian. Mostly very lightly loaded, even on the Birmingham - Shrewsbury leg which is full and standing normally. Perhaps the busiest stretch was between Barmouth and Towyn with the "bucket and spade" brigade, with over 50% of seats taken. Traffic seemed to have increased noticeably on my latest trip, compared to the first a fortnight ago. People are now regularly having to sit in the "keep free" seats as all the "uncrossed" seats are taken (there are very few "uncrossed" seats on Cambrian services).

 

[telstarbox]

Three trips on Southeastern in 'rush hour' this week. On two of them each person had a pair of seats, with a couple choosing to stand by the doors. The other one was slightly busier with people sitting next to each other but still not crowded. At least 90% of people had masks on.

 

[CW2]

I did the 18:33 Kings Cross - Bradford Forster Square on Tuesday, First Class. There was one other passenger in my carriage, as far as Leeds. At Bradford I was one of only 3 people to alight from the train, the other two having joined at Shipley!

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Mixed journey today - GTR SAC to Blackfriars on a service off peak virtually at "normal" levels - District line to Barons Court nicely busy , an empty Piccadily line to Osterley (only every other train to Heathrow) - fairly busy Piccadilly back to Hammersmith - (but there was a service gap) , nicely busy Hammersmith + City to Kings Cross and a fairly well loaded GTR fast to SAC.

No train had empty coaches / cars. Slow growth back.

 

[PTR 444]

Travelled from Pokesdown to Poole yesterday afternoon which involved changing trains in Bournemouth. The station was actually the busiest I have ever seen it, with queues for the ticket barriers on the south side and BTP officers patrolling. Heaven knows what it will be like tomorrow with people flocking to the seaside in the scorching weather!

As for the trains, they were relatively busy (about 60% full), but it was still easy to get a double seat all to yourself.

 

[yorkie]

Today's 1903 XC HST from Birmingham (ex-Plymouth) to Leeds had approx 80 in standard (probably no-one in 1st but I didn't walk through to check); ~12 of these alighted at Burton (I don't think anyone boarded there) so fewer than 70 into Derby. Many alighted at Derby and few boarded, so Derby to Sheffield would have seen very low numbers, though I didn't walk through to count.

I had previously posted about this train being "sold out" between Burton & Derby (see https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/travelling-on-crosscountry.206867/#post-4687591 )

I later counted 47 on board the same train between Wakefield and Leeds; the vast majority of these were definitely not on board from Birmingham, having boarded at Sheffield or Wakefield.

Long distance XC traffic has been almost completely decimated, and the trains are almost exclusively only used for local journeys, with few exceptions.

My last train was the 2114 Leeds to York (ex-Manchester Airport). I counted 30 on board 3 minutes prior to departure.

 

[rg177]

I'm on the 0840 XC from Newcastle as far as Sheffield (0701 Edinburgh-Plymouth).

Most passengers seemed to be commuters from Berwick/Alnmouth/Morpeth getting off at Newcastle. Only myself and one other passenger in Coach D today and the platform at Newcastle had maybe a dozen people waiting for the eight carriage service.

Despite this, my advance ticket for this service was more expensive than usual and apparently there was only one ticket left in the tier.

Long distance travel on XC, like yorkie says, is pretty much dead and buried for the moment.

 

[Alan Glaum]

18:02 oxford to Paddington today. Busier than 3 weeks ago and a queue at the barriers out at Paddington. But still easy to distance and less than 10% use