TRIVIA: How many 'crack expresses' are there?

[700007]

As it says on the tin, how many crack expresses are there on the UK Rail network?

A crack express if I am correct, is an informal term used to describe a train, usually a long distance or mainline service that even despite stopping at very few stations already on a regular service, drops even more station calls on the crack express.

Here is a few examples below:

LNER
The regular Anglo-Scottish intercity service calls at Edinburgh, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Newcastle, Darlington, York and London King's Cross.

However the Flying Scotsman, the 0540 from Edinburgh, calls at Newcastle and London King's Cross only.

South Western Railway
Services in the SWML from Weymouth and Bournemouth tend to be a mixture of stopping and semi fast services between Southampton Central and Weymouth and fast between London and Southampton with give or take all trains either calling at Clapham Junction, Woking or Basingstoke then Winchester, Southampton Airport and Southampton Central.

However, in the new timetable on a Sunday there is a 1818 Poole to London Waterloo calling only at Bournemouth, Southampton Central and London Waterloo.

Greater Anglia
The Norwich intercity service calls at London Liverpool Street, (Stratford), (Chelmsford), Colchester, Manningtree, Ipswich, (Stowmarket), Diss and Norwich.

However as of the latest timetable, there are a number of new trains that aim to do Norwich in 90 minutes, calling only at Ipswich and Norwich. These are the:

• 0900 Norwich to London Liverpool Street
• 1100 London Liverpool Street to Norwich
• 1700 Norwich to London Liverpool Street
• 1900 London Liverpool Street to Norwich

How many more across the network can you find?

 

[TRAX]

Oh boy I thought the term had a completely different meaning and was starting to think of a few suburban lines in several cities !

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Oh boy I thought the term had a completely different meaning and was starting to think of a few suburban lines in several cities !

I too was half expecting the Chessington branch to feature... or anything routed via Castle Bar Park!

 

[700007]

Oh boy I thought the term had a completely different meaning and was starting to think of a few suburban lines in several cities !

The entire Southeastern metro network?

 

[cslusarc]

What the OP is describing is a crack train. This is a regional and possibly dated American term. Crack refers to best, first-rate.

 

[Ianno87]

Virgin West Coast

0700 Manchester-Euston (fast from Stockport)
0700 Liverpool-Euston (fast from Runcorn)
0730 New St-Euston (Non-stop)
Etc.

 

[yorksrob]

The daily limited stop between Leeds and Carlisle might count (albeit not that fast by IC standards).

 

[DarloRich]

It is an arbitrary and meaningless term used to great delight in books about trains.

Is a non stop train from milton Keynes to london a "crack express". How us that any different to non stop from york to london?

 

[yorksrob]

It is an arbitrary and meaningless term used to great delight in books about trains.

Is a non stop train from milton Keynes to london a "crack express". How us that any different to non stop from york to london?

The non-stop run from York to London always felt like a crack express, when I was in the habit of chasing GC HST's. Especially in comparison to the various stopping patterns from West Yorkshire.

 

[DarloRich]

The non-stop run from York to London always felt like a crack express, when I was in the habit of chasing GC HST's. Especially in comparison to the various stopping patterns from West Yorkshire.

Should I feel that my run from mk to euston non stop was "crack". Honestly, it felt similar to the hour journey on the all stations train but at least I have a chance of a seat on the latter!

 

[yorksrob]

Should I feel that my run from mk to euston non stop was "crack". Honestly, it felt similar to the hour journey on the all stations train but at least I have a chance of a seat on the latter!

I suppose it's the same psychology that makes TOC's miss out stops sometimes, even though there isn't much of a time difference. A journey 'feels' longer to most people if you're stopping and starting all the time.

 

[pdeaves]

I suppose GWR's Capitals United could fit the spirit of the question. Non-stop Swindon to London (except the signal check a few moments ago!)

 

[Mag_seven]

Virgin West Coast

0700 Manchester-Euston (fast from Stockport)
0700 Liverpool-Euston (fast from Runcorn)
0730 New St-Euston (Non-stop)
Etc.

And up until relatively recently, the 16.30 Euston-Glasgow, with just one stop at Preston.

 

[dk1]

Greater Anglia
The Norwich intercity service calls at London Liverpool Street, (Stratford), (Chelmsford), Colchester, Manningtree, Ipswich, (Stowmarket), Diss and Norwich.

However as of the latest timetable, there are a number of new trains that aim to do Norwich in 90 minutes, calling only at Ipswich and Norwich. These are the:

• 0900 Norwich to London Liverpool Street
• 1100 London Liverpool Street to Norwich
• 1700 Norwich to London Liverpool Street
• 1900 London Liverpool Street to Norwich

How many more across the network can you find?

You failed to mention the long standing 'East Anglian' 07:40up 17:00dn both SX which have run for many years calling Diss & Ipswich only. The Diss stop was only added much later.

 

[telstarbox]

On Southeastern there are about five trains which run fast from High Brooms to London Bridge in the morning peak, and vice versa in the evening peak. I think these are the only trains which run non-stop through Tonbridge.

 

[David Turner]

London North Eastern Railway

6.30 Bradford Forster Square to London Kings Cross. (Fast from Wakefield).

 

[Kite159]

Would something like the (Saturdays Only) 04:30 Liverpool Street - Southend Airport service count, calls at Stratford to pick up then non-stop to Southend Airport? [or those first couple Stansted Airport services which are non-stop to Stansted Airport]

The Sunday SWR services which run mostly non-stop (normally end up catching up with a Weymouth train at Basingstoke) from Clapham Junction to Andover (previously one ran non-stop to Salisbury)

 

[geoffk]

Sadly none now from Bristol or Cardiff. With no airline competition, speed is less of a selling point while Swindon and Reading are now too important to miss out.

 

[swt_passenger]

Nothing whatsoever on SWR meets the traditional meaning.

 

[Esker-pades]

Nothing whatsoever on SWR meets the traditional meaning.

What about that PM Hampton Court service which runs fast to Surbiton?

EDIT: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/W33611/2019/07/17/advanced

 

[700007]

Would something like the (Saturdays Only) 04:30 Liverpool Street - Southend Airport service count, calls at Stratford to pick up then non-stop to Southend Airport? [or those first couple Stansted Airport services which are non-stop to Stansted Airport]

The Sunday SWR services which run mostly non-stop (normally end up catching up with a Weymouth train at Basingstoke) from Clapham Junction to Andover (previously one ran non-stop to Salisbury)

Also on the same GA line there's two Greater Anglia services that are operated by 379s that are nearly express to Cambridge:

• 0803 London Liverpool Street to Cambridge calling at Tottenham Hale and Cambridge
• 0833 London Liverpool Street to Cambridge calling at Tottenham Hale, Audley End and Cambridge

Always loved these trains for how empty they are! More coaches than passengers usually.

 

[swt_passenger]

What about that PM Hampton Court service which runs fast to Surbiton?

EDIT: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/W33611/2019/07/17/advanced

Brilliant... easy to overlook that one...

 

[pdeaves]

Sadly none now from Bristol or Cardiff. With no airline competition, speed is less of a selling point while Swindon and Reading are now too important to miss out.

Come the new timetable there will be regular trains non stop Bristol to London.

 

[Kite159]

Also on the same GA line there's two Greater Anglia services that are operated by 379s that are nearly express to Cambridge:

• 0803 London Liverpool Street to Cambridge calling at Tottenham Hale and Cambridge
• 0833 London Liverpool Street to Cambridge calling at Tottenham Hale, Audley End and Cambridge

Always loved these trains for how empty they are! More coaches than passengers usually.

19:07 Liverpool Street to Kings Lynn, calling at Tottenham Hale, then fast to Audley End. Formed of a 317

 

[bramling]

I suppose it's the same psychology that makes TOC's miss out stops sometimes, even though there isn't much of a time difference. A journey 'feels' longer to most people if you're stopping and starting all the time.

I suspect there’s another reason as well, namely that a non-stop service by definition doesn’t get the bother of passenger churnover at intermediate stations. So to the average punter this means that once the train is moving there’s no longer any chance of having someone arrive and sit next to you, a screaming kid get on, train get invaded by a load of football hooligans, or whatever. From a psychological point of view for many people I suspect this has the potential to make a journey less stressful and more relaxing.

 

[Ianno87]

Also on the same GA line there's two Greater Anglia services that are operated by 379s that are nearly express to Cambridge:

• 0803 London Liverpool Street to Cambridge calling at Tottenham Hale and Cambridge
• 0833 London Liverpool Street to Cambridge calling at Tottenham Hale, Audley End and Cambridge

Always loved these trains for how empty they are! More coaches than passengers usually.

And the evening equivalent 1636 Cambridge-Liverpool Street to get back for the evening peak.

19:07 Liverpool Street to Kings Lynn, calling at Tottenham Hale, then fast to Audley End. Formed of a 317

That's the normal xx07/37 'fast' service just skipping Bishop's Stortford. I suspect the reason is because it only runs as a 4-car, so Stortfordians instead catch the 1909 Stansted, which has an 'off pattern' call at Stortford instead.

 

[telstarbox]

What about that PM Hampton Court service which runs fast to Surbiton?

EDIT: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/W33611/2019/07/17/advanced

And some in the evening are first stop Winchester.

 

[Esker-pades]

And some in the evening are first stop Winchester.

Happens quite a few times a day in both directions. They also stop at a lot of stations after Winchester.
Something that stops at Holton Heath isn't a crack express in my book.

 

[Mag_seven]

If we are allowed London Underground then we have the "fast" Metropolitan Line services.

 

[Esker-pades]

If we are allowed London Underground then we have the "fast" Metropolitan Line services.

Again, I don't think that they count as "crack" expresses.