[TRIVIA] What are the longest routes between two close places for each of the TOCs, using only their trains/routes

[norbitonflyer]

Does Northern run any trains between York and Darlington. If not then its a long long way round via Leeds, Lancaster, Barrow, Carlisle, Newcastle and the Durham coast.

This route forms part of the longer Scarborough- Whitby route offered by the OP

It's difficult with the current reduced timetables but in theory, with services restored, TP Express could do:-
Grimsby - Sheffield - Man Picc - WCML - Edinburgh - York - Garforth - Hull.

Back-of-an-envelope mileage for this trip is around 611 miles or 978 km.
If you inserted a diversion through Liverpool I'm guessing you'd be over 1,000 km.
(i.e. adding: Man Picc - Man Vic / Man Vic - Chat Moss - Lime St / Lime St - WCML - Edinburgh. Doubling back between Huyton & Lime St, but without station stops in that section)

Link to TPE Route Map

I don't tyhink the OP was looking for the longest possible journey between two points, but for long end to end journeys using one operator for which no shorther alternative is possible. Hull to Grimsby (or Cleethorpes) using only TPE requires a route via Doncaster, but it is not necesary to go via Manchester, let alone Liverpool

 

[Watershed]

Hull to Grimsby (or Cleethorpes) using only TPE requires a route via Doncaster, but it is not necesary to go via Manchester, let alone Liverpool

Err... how are you going to get across from Doncaster to Hull on TPE services? Smuggle yourself onto the ECS from Doncaster IEP?

 

[AM9]

How about Harwich Town to Felixstowe on GA, about 36 miles by rail by more like five as the crow flies.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

How about Harwich Town to Felixstowe on GA, about 36 miles by rail by more like five as the crow flies.

Think you'd need to use the Harwich ferry to do that, unless you have the use of John Darwin's canoe.

 

[Parallel]

There'll be another GWR one soon - Axminster to Dorchester West. Around 29 miles by car but by GWR, you'd need to travel via Exeter, Taunton and Castle Cary... Although I don't think it's possible to make the journey from Axminster to Dorchester as there looks to be no GWR train in passenger service running towards Exeter.

You could travel in the Dorchester West - Axminster direction though.

 

[AM9]

Think you'd need to use the Harwich ferry to do that, unless you have the use of John Darwin's canoe.

Get the tides right and a good swimmer would be OK.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Get the tides right and a good swimmer would be OK.

Need to be able to dodge the container ships, though!

 

[AM9]

Need to be able to dodge the container ships, though!

Only the Parkestone Quay ones though!
Seriously though (as much as one can take a thread like this seriously), the pedestrian route is 4.5 miles including 1.7 miles on the Ha'penny Pier - Landguard Fort ferry taking 1hr 25mins according to Google maps. The rail route via Manningtree and Ipswich is 1hr 27mins, the quickest route being walk, ferry and route 77 bus (on the Felixstowe side) - 53mins is suggested and that's on a Sunday.

 

[david1212]

For West Midlands Railway until Wolverhampton - Walsall is restored maybe Stratford-upon-Avon >* Birmingham Moor Street > Kidderminster > Droitwich > Longbridge > Birmingham New Street > Coventry > Leamington Spa.

* Slightly longer via Solihull

If still Central Trains with Nuneaton <> Leamington Spa running then a much longer route Birmingham New Street > Liverpool > Sheffield > Peterborough > Nuneaton > Coventry

 

[JustPassingBy]

Tulloch to Dalwhinnie - 17 miles as the crow flies. Requires about 8 hours by train.
These two stations (west highland line and highland main line) are surprisingly close in geographical terms, but are easily thought of as being much far further apart given the railway network.

 

[londonteacher]

St Pancras to Victoria on only Southeastern would be a 65 miles via Rochester for 2½ miles as the crow flies

Would it not be shorter via this route? St Pancras to Gravesend, Gravesend to Dartford, Dartford to Victoria?

 

[ValleyLines142]

Surely Aberystwyth to Fishguard?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Surely Aberystwyth to Fishguard?

Are they that "close"?

57 miles by road. Admittedly a lot, lot further by rail.

 

[Chiltern006]

Tonbridge to Ashford
Tonbridge>Redhill>Gatwick>Eastbourne>Ashford

 

[cornishjohn]

Surely Aberystwyth to Fishguard?

Carmarthen seems to be closer to Aber than Fishguard; still a fair way to go though.

 

[4F89]

Criccieth to Bangor is 25 miles in the car..... just a touch further by TFW

 

[Fireless]

Blaenau Ffestiniog to one of the nearby stations on the Cambrian coast line (Llandecwyn, Penrhyndeudraeth, Minffordd) should be good candidates for TfW.

 

[xotGD]

As Caledonian Sleeper occasionally depart from King's Cross...

Euston to King's Cross via Edinburgh Waverley.

 

[yoyothehobo]

Just to clarify.

It is for the longest shortest route using only one TOC.

And only regularly scheduled services. If there is one scheduled service a week in the timetable that can take passengers (ie not an ECS for route learning purposes or diversionary use knowledge) then that counts as being useable

 

[MP393]

Definitely not the winner here, but just to add a contribution, Ormskirk & Rainford stations are just 6 miles apart, yet to do Northern services you’d have to go via Preston and Wigan (cross the road to Wallgate).

 

[gg1]

Uckfield to Lewes for Southern?

7-8 miles direct but 75 miles by train via East Croydon and Brighton

 

[nw12398]

Pilning and Severn Beach are less than 3km apart. But travelling between the two involves going via Bristol Temple Meads, and if going from Severn Beach to Pilning, requires going over the Severn and back.

 

[voyagerdude220]

Clitheroe to Hellifield (ignoring the occasional service on Sundays)

 

[D6975]

Pilning and Severn Beach are less than 3km apart. But travelling between the two involves going via Bristol Temple Meads, and if going from Severn Beach to Pilning, requires going over the Severn and back.

over??? under surely.
Although the second Severn bridge should have been built as a double deck road/rail bridge as is common abroad.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Just to clarify.

It is for the longest shortest route using only one TOC.

And only regularly scheduled services. If there is one scheduled service a week in the timetable that can take passengers (ie not an ECS for route learning purposes or diversionary use knowledge) then that counts as being useable

Clitheroe to Hellifield (ignoring the occasional service on Sundays)

Think the OP has specifically disallowed that exemption.

 

[Watershed]

Think the OP has specifically disallowed that exemption.

Indeed it does have a year-round twice daily service on Sundays. Covid excepted.

 

[gg1]

Great Central - Doncaster to York - 30 miles as the crow flies vs 343 miles via Kings Cross

 

[MargaretNoodle]

Netherfield to Carlton on EMR. About 0.3 miles between them direct but more like 6.5 on the railways having to double back at Nottingham. That about 22x the distance.

 

[plugwash]

Err... how are you going to get across from Doncaster to Hull on TPE services? Smuggle yourself onto the ECS from Doncaster IEP?

There are some late night services between Manchester and Sheffield via Huddersfield but I think the call at Huddersfield is normally a staffing call only not a passenger call.

 

[yoyothehobo]

Great Central - Doncaster to York - 30 miles as the crow flies vs 343 miles via Kings Cross

I like that!