Trains that set down only and pick up only.

[swt class 450]

I know that many trains set down only or pick up only ususlly to prevent overcrowding and to prevent people using longer distance trains for shorter journeys but these services have always confused me.

22:04 London Bridge to Uckfield 23:23 - This train sets down only at Hever / Cowden / Ashurst stations.

23:04 London Bridge to Uckfield 00:17 - This train sets down only at Edenbridge Town / Eridge / Crowborough / Buxted stations.

23:26 London Victoria to Horsham 00:47 - This train sets down only at Holmwood / Ockley / Warnham stations.

Most of these stations are very rural stations and these are all quiet trains so i dont understand why these are set down only? Is there any reason for this? I have also boarded these trains successfully at both Ashurst and Ockley and the Guards didnt seem to care.

 

[yorkie]

If the train is cancelled any replacement buses of taxis could go direct to the destination, bypassing them, if no customer requests them.

 

[swt class 450]

If the train is cancelled any replacement buses of taxis could go direct to the destination, bypassing them, if no customer requests them.

Ah i see. So it makes it easier for the TOCs.

 

[mugam4]

It also allows these trains to run early through their last few stations.
The 0005 and 0105 SWML services usually end up 5-10 early by the end of their run. I can't find an example on RTT where they weren't bustituted recently though... which is also part of the reason as yorkie explained!

 

[Trainfan344]

Think the majority of Norwich - Liverpool Street trains are Set down only at Stratford and Pick-up only on the way out of London, to try to discourage commuters from using these trains. Might be wrong though!

 

[30907]

Ah i see. So it makes it easier for the TOCs.

One way of putting it - and for BR before them.

It means that they don't have to have an expensive contingency plan for the occasional passenger who might decide to travel from Eridge to Buxted at midnight when there's a RRB.

I think there's been a thread or two on this before...

 

[TheEdge]

Think the majority of Norwich - Liverpool Street trains are Set down only at Stratford and Pick-up only on the way out of London, to try to discourage commuters from using these trains. Might be wrong though!

All of them do.

 

[yorkie]

Think the majority of Norwich - Liverpool Street trains are Set down only at Stratford and Pick-up only on the way out of London, to try to discourage commuters from using these trains. Might be wrong though!

That's right although they do appear on the platform screens on Platform 9 at Stratford and you are allowed to board them to Liverpool St. But they do not appear on journey planners, or on other departure board screens.

 

[ValleyLines142]

I was on the 2330 Paddington to Cardiff via Bristol one day last year, and despite having extra running time between Temple Meads and Cardiff (think it gets just under an hour instead of the usual 45 minutes) we managed to get into Cardiff about twenty minutes early due to a shorter dwell time at Newport.

 

[Bletchleyite]

One of the late evening Brum-Euston services calls at MKC to set down only, this is so it can run early if necessary I believe, as it's timed for a 2-track railway but if it gets a 4-track one can be in a position to leave MKC up to half an hour early.

 

[swt_passenger]

One way of putting it - and for BR before them.

It means that they don't have to have an expensive contingency plan for the occasional passenger who might decide to travel from Eridge to Buxted at midnight when there's a RRB.

I think there's been a thread or two on this before...

Well yes, and usually the result of a reasonable question about a specific route (like in the original post) is met with a few pages offering up all the other routes in the country with restrictions, which is not really what is being asked for...

Seems to me there are two fundamental reasons for these restrictions:

1. To attempt to keep people off long distance services where there is a suitable local service.

2. To make it more easy to deal with late night bustitutions or taxis when engineering works require the rail service to shut down early.

...and that's about it.

 

[PHILIPE]

There are long distance GWR services out of Paddington in the evening which are pick up only at Reading. What happens is that long distance passengers sometimes have to stand to Reading because the local commuters know it stops there.

 

[Bletchleyite]

There are long distance GWR services out of Paddington in the evening which are pick up only at Reading. What happens is that long distance passengers sometimes have to stand to Reading because the local commuters know it stops there.

They really need to can the Reading stop on that once in a while, and giggle as they announce it isn't stopping just as it reaches the platform end. Then come around and collect the additional fares (PFs, of course) to Didcot and back.

I'm sure a suitable alternative could be provided for those wishing to board at Reading.

 

[PHILIPE]

They really need to can the Reading stop on that once in a while, and giggle as they announce it isn't stopping just as it reaches the platform end. Then come around and collect the additional fares (PFs, of course) to Didcot and back.

I'm sure a suitable alternative could be provided for those wishing to board at Reading.

One Friday night some time ago, the 1915 Paddington to Swansea was so overcrowded and not possible to pickup so Reading stop cancelled. The Reading passengers all finished up at Swindon

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Peak KX-Leeds services became set-down only at Wakefield Westgate during the morning after electrification. WYPTE complained and Intercity reneged on this. Southbound evening services were pick up only at the same time. TPE Middlesbrough services used to be set-down/pick-up only at Thornaby, not sure when this ended but I think it was when TPE became a standalone franchise.

 

[Busaholic]

That's right although they do appear on the platform screens on Platform 9 at Stratford and you are allowed to board them to Liverpool St. But they do not appear on journey planners, or on other departure board screens.

I think I understand the reasoning there - probably there are some 'in the know' who use them regularly, and of course they wouldn't impinge on the passengers already on the train. They don't appear on Liverpool Street screens, though. I think it used to be the case that some Romford trains had such an arrangement in the peaks, as I'm sure I've been on Romford Station when such a train arrived, but I'm not saying it was a Norwich train.

 

[D1009]

Ah i see. So it makes it easier for the TOCs.

It also makes for a better journey for passengers on replacement buses which don't need to hang about waiting their scheduled departure time.

 

[mugam4]

Not quite set down/pick up times, but to do with odd running at the start and end of service - can anyone explain this (in particular the GBTT/WTT disparities)?

 

[185143]

TPE are pick up only at Haymarket going towards Manchester, not sure about heading to Edinburgh?

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

 

[MidnightFlyer]

TPE are pick up only at Haymarket going towards Manchester, not sure about heading to Edinburgh?

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Set down heading towards Edinburgh, VT are open calls both ways. Once managed to get a TPE between Haymarket and Edinburgh, asked the guard before boarding (I genuinely had no idea whether it was an open call) and he was fine to let me on.

 

[Starmill]

It seems a bit odd that there are some trains from Glasgow Queen Street that are set down only at Haymarket too

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/G11945/2016/11/28

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/G11945/2016/11/28

They don't do that the other way. Presumably it's just so they can leave early.

The 1036 Edinburgh to Inverness does not set down until Markinch.

 

[Kite159]

It seems a bit odd that there are some trains from Glasgow Queen Street that are set down only at Haymarket too

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/G11945/2016/11/28

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/G11945/2016/11/28

They don't do that the other way. Presumably it's just so they can leave early.

The 1036 Edinburgh to Inverness does not set down until Markinch.

In my experience trains will leave Haymarket early, even when it is a booked call.

Similar to London Bridge/Waterloo East on Charing Cross bound services.

It would be a harsh guard to try and charge you for boarding at Haymarket on an Edinburgh terminator

 

[W230]

The last couple of Down services at Loughborough Junction are set down too. Never really been sure why!

 

[tsr]

It also allows these trains to run early through their last few stations.

To be fair, for those Uckfield services mentioned, they usually have problems keeping time anyway, and it's very rare for them to be early on arrival at Uckfield. Funnily enough, they actually run more consistently if they start from London Bridge a bit late, as then the usual pathing conflicts at Windmill Bridge Jn can be eliminated, and of course the crew want to claw back any time possible (both trains are the last workings of the evening for the conductors, and often the drivers as well; on weekdays, the "last Uckfield" is the tail end of a very long and late shift for the conductor, and the drivers don't particularly want to hang around either! The ECS back to Selhurst after the "second to last" Down Uckfield is somewhat better, as it is often generously timed).

 

[david737]

Not quite set down/pick up times, but to do with odd running at the start and end of service - can anyone explain this (in particular the GBTT/WTT disparities)?

I suspect this is to allow a diversion via Lewes during night time engineering works or bus between Brighton & Haywards Heath if Lewes route wasn't available.

 

[bradders1983]

Peak KX-Leeds services became set-down only at Wakefield Westgate during the morning after electrification. WYPTE complained and Intercity reneged on this. Southbound evening services were pick up only at the same time. TPE Middlesbrough services used to be set-down/pick-up only at Thornaby, not sure when this ended but I think it was when TPE became a standalone franchise.

Dont know if they are still are but in 2004/5 I used to have to commute between Leeds and Wakefield Westgate and the first XC train after 1700 from Leeds was marked in the timetable as pick up at Wakefield Westgate only.

Not that it used to bother me, the ticket person never used to be able to get down the crammed train in the 10-12 minute journey so regularly used to catch it home regardless.

 

[Mag_seven]

I remember the overnight seated service from Glasgow to Euston used to have a "set down only" call at Milton Keynes but regularly had early morning MK commuters boarding. The rule never seemed to be enforced.

 

[kevconnor]

Of the very last few VT services each evening from Euston to Manchester Piccadilly I know one of then takes the Style line avoiding Stockport and then another is set down own. I know it isn't the one that departs just after 9pm, having got this a few times last year over a number of months it always got a bit frustrating when sat at Stockport for sometimes up to 15 minutes.

 

[Marton]

2200 KX to Newcastle. Set down only North of York.

1818 Aberdeen-Leeds set down only at Northallerton.

 

[All Line Rover]

One Friday night some time ago, the 1915 Paddington to Swansea was so overcrowded and not possible to pickup so Reading stop cancelled. The Reading passengers all finished up at Swindon

And what a delightfully ironic excuse that is.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

In my experience trains will leave Haymarket early, even when it is a booked call.

That explains why VTWC services depart early (towards Waverley), which is the only instance of this occurring at a booked departure for VTWC.

I don't know why they don't just make Haymarket set-down / pick-up only. Revenue protection must be dreadful on an 11-car Pendolino.