How unusual is it for a train on a route to skip all intermediate stations?

[RailWonderer]

The GWR Thames Valley services routinely run non stop Maidenhead or Slough to Paddington during disruption since the turnarounds are 10-15 mins long, sometimes even less in the peaks.

 

[pompeyfan]

A bit like when control rips out calls at Clapham Junction on London bound services from further afield, but don't tell the signallers who will route the train via the platform 7 loop with the resulting time penalty compared to the faster platform 8 route.

Interesting that it’s “controls” fault, and not someone in Wimbledon ASC. I’ve got no idea how control works but I’d imagine there is a chain / process for disseminating alterations.

 

[IanXC]

Not if it does the same on the return, which in the case of such late running during the day would happen. In this particular example though it goes ecs to Eastleigh to stable overnight, so running round the loop at EH depot could reverse the set again, putting it the right way around for its morning turn.

Do CrossCountry Voyagers even have a 'right way round'?

 

[Dibbo4025]

Interesting that it’s “controls” fault, and not someone in Wimbledon ASC. I’ve got no idea how control works but I’d imagine there is a chain / process for disseminating alterations.

Control tells TRC tells the box. The big issue there is that one of the few signals at Wimbledon with ARS is W132, which is the junction for UFL and UPL at Clapham, so it's very easy for the signaller to be focussed on something else off a few seconds and find the non-stop train already routed through the loop by the ARS - running a non-stop up the slows though often doesn't go down well with control when it happens

 

[pompeyfan]

Control tells TRC tells the box. The big issue there is that one of the few signals at Wimbledon with ARS is W132, which is the junction for UFL and UPL at Clapham, so it's very easy for the signaller to be focussed on something else off a few seconds and find the non-stop train already routed through the loop by the ARS - running a non-stop up the slows though often doesn't go down well with control when it happens

What or who is a TRC? the rest of your post is very informative. Thank you.

 

[Dibbo4025]

What or who is a TRC? the rest of your post is very informative. Thank you.

Train running controller, NR position who among other things is the interface between operating company controls and signal boxes

 

[mangyiscute]

Getting the Reading West Curve in is pretty rare, and messes us the direction the unit(s) is/are in.

There was a train recently where it could no longer be driven from one end as it got into Southampton. Therefore, they had to set off in the other direction to usual from Southampton, go up to Salisbury (although not actually through the station) and then through Andover to Basingstoke, skip Reading since it couldn't reverse and then continue as normal.

I have also been on a fast Liz line (back when it was TfL Rail) which I think just called at Maidenhead and Ealing Broadway from Reading to Paddington. However, the daft thing was that there was also one leaving at a similar time calling at all stations, which was allowed to leave first. Therefore, we got diverted onto the main lines between Reading and Twyford to overtake this train that easily could've just departed behind us - I'm sure we must have delayed some GWR fast trains in doing this manoeuvre. It's cool to say that I've done a 345 on the main line though.

 

[RailWonderer]

My train has just ran non stop from Lincoln to Nottingham to provide connections to London since all the LNER is cancelled. The reason was because the train was already filled with London bound passengers and they didn’t want to delay us and miss onward connections. Nice of them though a few locals lose out at the same time, and the EMR regional stations don’t get a regular service - a few upset passengers at Lincoln. For once it isn’t EMRs problem through, a power line issue at Biggleswade.

Realtime Trains | 1641 Grimsby Town to Leicester | 26/07/2022

Real-time train running information for 1641 departure from Grimsby Town to Leicester on 26/07/2022. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Also it didn’t call at Newark Castle despite saying so on RTT.

 

[Kite159]

My train has just ran non stop from Lincoln to Nottingham to provide connections to London since all the LNER is cancelled. The reason was because the train was already filled with London bound passengers and they didn’t want to delay us and miss onward connections. Nice of them though a few locals lose out at the same time, and the EMR regional stations don’t get a regular service - a few upset passengers at Lincoln. For once it isn’t EMRs problem through, a power line issue at Biggleswade.

Realtime Trains | 1641 Grimsby Town to Leicester | 26/07/2022

Real-time train running information for 1641 departure from Grimsby Town to Leicester on 26/07/2022. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Also it didn’t call at Newark Castle despite saying so on RTT.

All that skipping stations to annoy the regular passengers to save all of 1 minute as it seems to have bee held outside Nottingham station for a few minutes...

Railways putting passengers first, hope they at least put on a replacement bus for the stations it did skip, especially as the 18:37 Lincoln - Leicester was a semi-fast service.

 

[Madge Wildfire]

When I was commuting betweem Cardiff and Bristol Parkway, this happened regularly if the service included a reversal at Parkway and was running late. Passengers were told to get off at Patchway and walk, and the train continued towards Abbey Wood (the Filton version) making up some time.

 

[Seejwalker]

You only have to sneeze and they’ll cancel the Shepperton service.

 

[norbitonflyer]

My train has just ran non stop from Lincoln to Nottingham to provide connections to London since all the LNER is cancelled. The reason was because the train was already filled with London bound passengers and they didn’t want to delay us and miss onward connections. Nice of them though a few locals lose out at the same time, and the EMR regional stations don’t get a regular service - a few upset passengers at Lincoln. For once it isn’t EMRs problem through, a power line issue at Biggleswade.

Realtime Trains | 1641 Grimsby Town to Leicester | 26/07/2022

Real-time train running information for 1641 departure from Grimsby Town to Leicester on 26/07/2022. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Also it didn’t call at Newark Castle despite saying so on RTT.

I had a similar situation where EMT (as it was then) did its best only to be foiled by East Coast not co-operating. A Nottingham all-stations service had failed so the next Northgate shuttle was given the extra stops between Lincoln and Newark. With a delayed start while everyone crossed over, plus people on the overloaded 153 squeezing past each other to get off at Hykeham, Swinderby and Collingham (albeit there weren't very many of them), this was just enough delay to let the train open its doors at Northgate just as the London connection on the opposite platform, which the majority oif the passnegers on board wanted, closed its doors in our faces. Thus a delay of five minutes became sixty, thanks to EC's disregard for honouring connections - or indeed providing a service to Lincoln at all. (The EC train actually arrived at Kings Cross five minutes early, so could have afforded to wait)

 

[Falcon1200]

Do CrossCountry Voyagers even have a 'right way round'?

Not in my experience, it is a lottery which way round any set, or pair of sets, can be (but not really an issue if stations advise passengers of the formation !)

 

[wilbers]

Just over 3 weeks later and I was back at Newcastle today. Monday rather than Saturday this time, but similar time of day coming back and delayed Newcastle to Hexham train ran non-stop, with a Carlisle all (or at least almost all) station stopper scheduled to run shortly afterwards. Seems they were in 2 minds about running it or not, because it was announced cancelled, then changed from a stopping to non-stopping service. This time I was on the Hexham rather than Carlisle train as I did two half-days out in one - my first visit to the Museum of Science Fiction in the unlikely location of Allendale. Kind of reinforces many of the previous answers in this thread.

 

[ag1816]

It seems like skipping stops from Northampton is par for the course on LNWR—a few weeks ago I was trying to travel from Coventry to Euston, and ended up (due to disruption) on one of the ridiculous two and a half hour all stations stoppers (including a stop at Harrow and Wealdstone ). Train gets to Northampton 15 late for a crew change, but stays there for 35-40 mins more while we see other trains on other platforms moving. Passengers are confused, but then it is announced we are running fast to Euston after MKC (either the next scheduled stop or Wolverton was cancelled), and we arrive in just under 30—someone in the control room must have got a raise that day, especially with nearly no one leaving after the revised stopping pattern was announced.

 

[BluePenguin]

I was on a HS1 service not long BC (Before Covid) that left St Pancras late skipping Stratford, Ebbsfleet, Folkestone West and Folkestone Central.

If only they all did that

Wow long did that take?

 

[Cletus]

Can’t remember now, but any time saved was lost by the fannying around at Ashford for about 15 minutes deciding whether to cancel the train there or continue around the coast.

 

[Dren Ahmeti]

I did the Gerald recently, and because a train in front of us failed, we very nearly did Chester-Holyhead non-stop!

Sadly control won the argument, and terminated us at Chester

 

[Kite159]

I did the Gerald recently, and because a train in front of us failed, we very nearly did Chester-Holyhead non-stop!

Sadly control won the argument, and terminated us at Chester

Although I suspect even if it did run non-stop to Holyhead it will still use the platform loop at Rhyl (like the Cardiff - Holyhead morning loco hauled set which runs nonstop from Chester to Llandudno Junction)

 

[Western 52]

Although I suspect even if it did run non-stop to Holyhead it will still use the platform loop at Rhyl (like the Cardiff - Holyhead morning loco hauled set which runs nonstop from Chester to Llandudno Junction)

I'm on the Gerald at the moment, running 15 late so far. Not skipping stops yet....


Now 22 late and skipping Church Stretton, Craven Arms and Ludlow!

 

[Birmingham]

1P03 06:43 Hereford to London Paddington skipped Reading today having left Hereford 52L and Oxford still 52L. It ran fast from Oxford to London Paddington and arrived 55L.

 

[Western 52]

1V97 1434 Holyhead to Cardiff today was 31 late at Hereford then ran non stop to Newport. Passengers for Abergavenny and Cwmbran changed at Hereford onto 1V50 which was following us. 1V97 was 150256 + 150270 today, with 270 being one of the on loan Northern units with 3×2 seating. Unsuitable for such a long journey!