How busy have your trains been?

[infobleep]

For long distance leisure travel on Fridays / Weekends, yes.

The 0730 from Birmingham to Euston this morning would have been a different matter.

Perhaps they need to change the peak period and make mornings off-peak. Haha. I jest.

On more serious matters. I got the 17:40 Guildford to Gatwick Airport today and whilst it wasn't packed it wasn't empty either.

I sat in a single seat beside the loo. More space for my rucksack.

At Gatwick Airport platform 7 was busy. Two trains had been cancelled and one following them (17:26] was running 12 minutes late due to a train fault

So I wandered down towards the London of the platform. Just so happens I was in the right coach to exit at Haywards Heath station.

I got on the late running 17:32.

The carriage was busy but not as bad as I had expected, with ai many on the platform. I got a seat to myself

At Haywards Heath 7 of us alighted from my coach alone, along with some others from other carriages. Maybe it was the time of the evening when people return from London.

I noticed quite a few trains were cancelled thus evening due to staff shortages.

 

[JonathanH]

1635 London Kings Cross to Leeds somewhat busy on departure from Kings Cross (9-car 801) with many standing passengers but the Sunday timetable today is set up such that it is the first departure to Leeds for 92 minutes with a planned cancellation of the 1605 departure.

 

[cambsy]

Did a Southern day save ticket, on Sat 25th sept, started out on 09.05 Victoria-Portsmouth Harbour, which was along with all other trains travelled on, were pretty much all busy, on various parts of their journeys, there were lots of young adults about, looking like going out on the towns for the night or shopping etc, I’m definitely getting the feel that leisure travel will take over from the peaks, as on last few days out on Saturdays, the trains have been busy.

 

[rg177]

1903 Kings Cross to Leeds- every seat taken with a few standing on departure this evening (10 coach Azuma)

London itself has been extremely variable this weekend, though notably SWR services today to Portsmouth and Weymouth have varied from well loaded to crush loaded.

 

[Kite159]

1903 Kings Cross to Leeds- every seat taken with a few standing on departure this evening (10 coach Azuma)

London itself has been extremely variable this weekend, though notably SWR services today to Portsmouth and Weymouth have varied from well loaded to crush loaded.

Not helped with those Portsmouth/Weymouth services carrying passengers for Basingstoke/Andover due to the works at both Woking & Basingstoke.

------

Crewe - London LNR, busy from Stafford and got very busy along the way. Not helped by it being a pair of 2s which meant people were standing in vestibules instead of moving down the aisles

 

[davews]

SWR seemed to have a problem with train stock today and there were many short formations. Guard suggested there was an issue at the Clapham yard but nothing on the SWR site. My 0902 Martins Heron to Richmond was a single 5 coach 458 instead of the usual 10 coach. When I boarded it was already pretty full, by the time we got past Egham it was very cosy, every seat taken and plenty standing. Busiest I have ever seen it. Journey back (1436 from Richmond) was much quieter, and a 10 coach.

 

[DannyMich2018]

Busy Saturday again-11.22 Kettering to Leicester. Again standing room only to Leicester from Kettering. Lot got off at Leicester but still busy leaving Leicester (non stop to Nottingham). 11.50 Leicester to Birmingham NS (ex Stansted). 3 cat 170. Standing room only! Busiest 3 car 170 service I've observed for a long time possibly busier because Birmingham City playing at home.

 

[Iskra]

Meadowhall-Leeds train full and standing all the way, however it was a 150 rather than 158/195.

Leeds station and city are both heaving

 

[yorksrob]

The 6 carriage 185 from Sheffield to Manchester was showing its worth today. Passengers even discovered the last three carriages.

Manchester - Glasgow ram packed.

 

[Killingworth]

The 6 carriage 185 from Sheffield to Manchester was showing its worth today. Passengers even discovered the last three carriages!

Like that! Must have realised the next EMR was dearer and likely to have only 2 carriages instead of 4.

 

[yorksrob]

Like that! Must have realised the next EMR was dearer and likely to have only 2 carriages instead of 4.

One would have hoped so !

Also the guard desperately on the tannoy reminding passengers that there were three extra carriages !

 

[Bayum]

0957 York to Kings Cross was rather full. No reservations able to be made since earlier this week.

 

[infobleep]

I got the 14:03 Guildford to Havant. A class 444.

A lot of people got off at Guildford. I got into carriage 6, which seemed fairly busy.

However, carriage 5, half of which was first class, only had 2 people in it, one of those was me.

I aas hoping to make an unofficial connection at Havant to Brighton. Alas signalling issues at Petersfield. 13 late unto Havant.

My official connection to Brighton was cancelled due to staff shortages. Ok, delay repay due. Trains are half-hourly.

So I decided to get on a stopping train to Littlehampton as there would be less waiting around at the station.

This wasn't a packed 3 car metro-style train but at least it wasn't totally quiet.

Once I got out at Chichester I found out the next train to Brighton was cancelled owing to staff shortages. Even greater delay repay rate due.

I decided to visit some shops in Chichester rather than wait at the station.

I returned to the station just as a 4 carriage train came in. It was busy. Not every seat was taken but a reasonable number standing.

For the first time since March 2020, I sat next to a stranger. I walked between two carriages a few times and decided I'd standing near others so I might as well sit next to someone.

I assume that didn't have any staff available to make this an 8 carriage train, given precious 2 cancelled.

 

[Bikeman78]

I spent a few days around Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds last week. Most trains were well loaded. The six cars on the Merseyrail Southport line were often around 75% full with some standing as well. The Pennines are wedged again, especially at weekends. Full of shoppers, football fans and stag/hen parties. They had to open the barriers at Leeds as there were too many people waiting to get out. Wearing of masks is far less common up north than around London, Bristol etc.

 

[317 forever]

Last Saturday, September 25th, even the front carriage of the 18.29 from Liverpool Lime Street to Wilmslow was almost full upon departure. I was hoping for a 323 but was relieved it was a 319 for how busy it was.

 

[infobleep]

I got on the 19:51 Haywards Heath to Gatwick Airport service. Owing to engineering works it was starting at Haywards Heath and was fairly quiet.

There was one other person in the declassified first class part of the class 700 train.

I then picked up a 20:15 Gataick Airport to Guildford service. That didn't seem too busy either but I think that was partly due to the section I was sat in, which at this stage was the back of the train. There was 3 people in my immediate section

It was a rare treat as the rolling stock was one of the ones containing a former first class area converted to standard class. In my opinion this is more comfortable than declassified first class on a class 700 train and thus more comfortable than when those run as first class!

 

[Killingworth]

Lots of anecdotal stories but every week figures are produced by the government showing a daily count of rail journeys compared with pre-Covid. Currently they're showing around the low 60% mark. That covers trains on all routes at all hours, nationwide. One line, station or train may have a commuting flow at 35% of pre-Covid but is offset by another already back up to 100% with leisure users.

My local station is now up to about 45% on commuter numbers across the platform and that's supported by a similar percentage for cars in the car park at 8.30. I'd say leisure users could be nearer 80% of pre-Covid. Northern's tickets for £1 offer may be distorting any comparisons at present; it seems to be going very well.

There's overcrowding on some services and masses of space on others. Trouble with leisure is it's very much more difficult to predict, dependent on seasons, events and the weather.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Exactly. Is commuting even at half of pre-COVID?

 

[The Ham]

Exactly. Is commuting even at half of pre-COVID?

Pre Covid commuting/business travel was circa 70% of all rail travel, so the 35% fall (current rail use circa 65%) would imply that if leisure use is broadly the same then a 50% fall would be broadly right.

Unless leisure travel has increased a lot then it's unlikely that commuting will have fallen by much more than 50%.

 

[Wolfie]

It was quite cheering to see hoards of people sweeping off of trains from all directions at Carlisle Citadel yesterday.

Completely off topic, but that is a great station name!

 

[Killingworth]

Pre Covid commuting/business travel was circa 70% of all rail travel, so the 35% fall (current rail use circa 65%) would imply that if leisure use is broadly the same then a 50% fall would be broadly right.

Unless leisure travel has increased a lot then it's unlikely that commuting will have fallen by much more than 50%.

It certainly did fall by a lot more than 50% where I live. Even now it's only just creeping up to 45% of pre-Covid loads after falling to less than 10% at the worst point. Pre-Covid 10% pa growth was being achieved.

 

[The Ham]

It certainly did fall by a lot more than 50% where I live. Even now it's only just creeping up to 45% of pre-Covid loads after falling to less than 10% at the worst point. Pre-Covid 10% pa growth was being achieved.

Indeed, I was commenting on the current picture.

 

[infobleep]

On the slightly delayed 19:12 Haywards Heath to Gatwick Airport.

Despite only being 4 carriages the one I was in only had 11 people including myself. I reckon I was second carriage from the front.

I then boarded the softly late running 19:29 Gatwick Airport to Guildford service. This had 10 people in the third carriage, 2 of while were in first class. Another 6 got into the carriage I was in at Redhill. Well roughly that number.

I didn't pay much attention as to how busy the trains were this morning at 10:42 from Guildford to Gataick Airport and then slightly late running 11:26 Gatwick Airport to Haywards Heath but I certainly had seats to myself and the train to Hauwards Heath had either 8 or 12 carriages. So plenty of space.

 

[Bald Rick]

Exactly. Is commuting even at half of pre-COVID?

Varied picture, but across the network as a whole - no.

 

[dk1]

Varied picture, but across the network as a whole - no.

Business as a whole already back to 69% at GA.

 

[Bald Rick]

Business as a whole already back to 69% at GA.

Passenger numbers presumably, but not revenue. There’s a lot of relatively empty trains on the GEML in the peak, and not many lucrative StanEx tickets being sold.

 

[Killingworth]

Business as a whole already back to 69% at GA.

As a whole includes leisure up by a higher percentage than commuting on most routes but there are bound to be exceptions.

 

[dk1]

As a whole includes leisure up by a higher percentage than commuting on most routes but there are bound to be exceptions.

Oh most definitely. The regional routes have been booming this year. The business & commuter market is slowly picking itself up with some crowding good to see in the rush hours.

 

[dk1]

Passenger numbers presumably, but not revenue. There’s a lot of relatively empty trains on the GEML in the peak, and not many lucrative StanEx tickets being sold.

GEML looking far more healthy but need the Covid grip on flights to do one. No plans to up the StanEx frequency before next May.

 

[Bald Rick]

GEML looking far more healthy

Agreed, but there’s lots of short trains running about in the peak with more seats than passengers. (People still standing though to avoid sitting next to someone!)