One-coach trains?

[rosschap]

Hi

I was speaking to my friend the other day, trying to work out where one-coach trains might run? :?

In my local area (Southeastern) the lowest coach formation per train is three.

Does anybody know any services which operate with trains formed of only one coach?

NB: Indeed, if there's another thread about this, please feel free to link it.

 

[Tomnick]

Quite a few further north, including most of Lincolnshire!

 

[91103eastcoast]

East Midlands Trains use one coach trains between Peterborough and Doncaster via Lincoln and between Derby and Crewe, and other examples I can think of include Greater Anglia, Northern, First Great Western and Arriva Trains Wales.

 

[yorksrob]

Lots up here on and off.

The Barton upon Humber branch gets one. Other than that, I can't think of any others that only get single carriage services. They tend to be interspersed with other (usually 2 carriage) units through the day.

Doesn't the South Eastern still get 2 carriage units on the Bromley North branch ? It used to get the 2 EPB's (as did the Addiscombe branch back in the day) but I'm not sure what it gets these days.

 

[RichmondCommu]

Some Nottingham - Matlock services are one coach trains.

 

[craigwilson]

Southeastern do have some 2-coach trains - the Class 466s that run on the Sheppey Line.

 

[route:oxford]

Hi

I was speaking to my friend the other day, trying to work out where one-coach trains might run? :?

In my local area (Southeastern) the lowest coach formation per train is three.

Does anybody know any services which operate with trains formed of only one coach?

NB: Indeed, if there's another thread about this, please feel free to link it.

Closest to you will be the shuttle between Princes Risborough and Aylesbury.

 

[455driver]

Quite a few in Devon and Cornwall as well, there is a single 153 on the Newton Abbot-Paignton shuttles and the 1605 Exeter to Plymouth/1745 Plymouth to Exeter. There is another one on some of the Liskeard -Looe trains

 

[rosschap]

Lots up here on and off.

The Barton upon Humber branch gets one. Other than that, I can't think of any others that only get single carriage services. They tend to be interspersed with other (usually 2 carriage) units through the day.

Doesn't the South Eastern still get 2 carriage units on the Bromley North branch ? It used to get the 2 EPB's (as did the Addiscombe branch back in the day) but I'm not sure what it gets these days.

Hi, you're correct (sorry I live in Mid-Kent not Metro areas). The class 466's run the Bromley North shuttle and these are formed of 2 coaches. As craigwilson says they also run on some rural routes... I remember a few years ago they coupled two together to make a 4-coach train and used them at Maidstone West near me - this was during the bad winter.

 

[Rich McLean]

There is a Exeter - Plymouth - Exeter which is one carriage.
A few off the Donny - Lincolns can be 1 coach (especially over the weekends
Looe and Newquay branches in the winter are both 1 coach 153s
Plenty more out there

 

[Parallel]

With Arriva Trains Wales, you'll often find a one coach train operating on the City Line (Radyr - Coryton), also, the Cardiff Bay shuttle (Cardiff Queen Street - Cardiff Bay) and the Heart Of Wales line (Swansea - Shrewsbury via. Llandovery), the Swanline (Cardiff Central - Swansea, all stations) and Shrewsbury - Crewe (all stations).

With First Great Western you'll find one coach services on the Transwilts line (Swindon - Westbury via. Melksham). I have seen one at Exeter St Davids heading towards Penzance but my knowledge of Devon and Cornwall isn't great. They also crop up on the one service a day between Bristol Parkway - Bath Spa from time to time, and occasionally a peak time morning service between Bristol and Westbury. Due to stock shortages, one 153 did turn up quite a lot on the 17:30 Bath - Westbury but since this service doesn't run anymore, usually a carriage is attached to the Warminster service a few minutes earlier.

 

[RPI]

Par-Newquay is a single 153 in winter, as is the Looe branch all year other than high summer when it's a 150.

 

[CallySleeper]

IIRC one of the EMT Crewe diagrams is a single 153. Also, some Lincolnshire services can be single 153s. Otherwise it can be a case of what's available. For example a 153 was on a 156 diagram on the Robin Hood this afternoon.

 

[Temple Meads]

Stourbridge branch is probably the only one booked for single coach trains all the time, that's if you see the 139's as 'trains' of course! :P

 

[tractakid]

London Midland Coventry-Nuneaton and Bedford-Bletchley both have one coach trains.

 

[NathanPrior]

Been on a one car Northern Rail from Preston to Blackpool before, even worse than SE for being packed in one.

 

[Tim R-T-C]

Northern seem to be very flexible with their DMU allocations and it can be hard to tell if a unit was meant to be on a service or is a late substitution. Local to me, I have seen one on a Leeds to Morecambe train. More typically they are combined with a 158 on the Carlisle services or a 150 over to Morecambe at busy times.


153363 running solo on a Morecambe to Leeds service by Tim R-T-C, on Flickr

 

[Llanigraham]

With Arriva Trains Wales, you'll often find a one coach train operating on the City Line (Radyr - Coryton), also, the Cardiff Bay shuttle (Cardiff Queen Street - Cardiff Bay) and the Heart Of Wales line (Swansea - Shrewsbury via. Llandovery), the Swanline (Cardiff Central - Swansea, all stations) and Shrewsbury - Crewe (all stations).

Don't think I've ever signalled a single car unit on that route.

 

[Parallel]

Don't think I've ever signalled a single car unit on that route.

I'm pretty sure the all stations shuttle can be a 153 - At least I think I've seen one on it before, only seen it briefly though so may have been a 150.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I have seen them once or twice whilst changing at Crewe (there's an 0820~ all shacks I believe?). Usually a 150 however.

Another couple of fairly common ones are Ormskirk-Preston (shared with 142s and 150s) and the Cumbrian Coast (all areas).

 

[RPM]

A Proper single car train

 

[david_VI]

Class 153 on Marks Tey - Sudbury on Sunday's.

 

[deltic08]

I have seen single 153s on the Cumbrian Coast line.

 

[justifier]

The Marston Vale Line (Bletchley - Bedford) is either a one carriage or 2. throughout the day.

 

[Leylandlad]

Preston-Ormskirk (Northern) is often a single 153.

Sometimes it's a Pacer (142)...whether that's better or not, bouncing along that old track, is a matter of opinion :-?

 

[dk1]

Mostly 153s on the Felixstowe route.

 

[PHILIPE]

I'm pretty sure the all stations shuttle can be a 153 - At least I think I've seen one on it before, only seen it briefly though so may have been a 150.

Booked a 153.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Hi

I was speaking to my friend the other day, trying to work out where one-coach trains might run? :?

In my local area (Southeastern) the lowest coach formation per train is three.

Does anybody know any services which operate with trains formed of only one coach?

NB: Indeed, if there's another thread about this, please feel free to link it.

Basically, the Class 153 and Chilterns 121 Bubble Car.

 

[Hardcastle]

Ive been on a 153 Crewe-Shrewsbury all stations service.

 

[Western Lord]

Well, of course, strictly speaking a one coach unit is not, by definition, a train!

 

[cjmillsnun]

Booked a 153.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


Basically, the Class 153 and Chilterns 121 Bubble Car.

And LM's PPM.