The One A Day CrossCountry Service From Guildford
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- Опубликовано: 2 окт 2024
- Did you know that you can catch a CrossCountry service ... to Guildford! Just once a day there is an early departure in the morning, and then once a day in the evening a serive that arrives and terminates there.
I caught up with my friend Jono on a rainy Sunday and travelled one stop to Reading and discussed why this service runs.
Manument Bonk t-shirt: stores.clothes2...
Intercity Trains Through Guildford Website: www.1s76.com/
This is the train Guildford station staff deny the existence of! I went to meet my son on a Sunday, coming in at 22:45 and was categorically told there were no Cross Country services to or from Guildford anymore. The look on their faces when it rolled in was priceless!!
Note how the Dot Matrix display on the platform said "Next train doesn't stop here" and thus didn't show it properly ...
Huw Price - if your son hadn't been On the train - also Price-less. 😉
Ann Other. Ah haha, indeed!
Much the same used to happen at Bromley South with the Ramsgate train (hauled by a Deltic in 1998/9). I remember arriving there on the up train and the platform wallahs all shouting “Not this train! Not this train!” at passengers boarding. Don’t know what they thought it was.
Huw Price were they SWR if so then they are brain dead
Geoff's T-shirt! 🤣🤣 Loving that this channel now has proper running jokes.
Manument Bonk. Is Geoff trying to tell us something?!
If people hadn't seen the video with this mistake uttered in it, they might think it was an Officer Crabtree thing - Good Moaning!
@@annother3350 monument bank he need to make
Back in the 80s there were several inter-regionals through Guildford. My favourite was the 0805 from Portsmouth to Liverpool. There were also services to York, Manchester and Nottingham. Happy days.
Awesome video again. I was the gateline staff at Norwood Jn on Sunday morning. Nice seeing you and keep doing the stuff you do for all of us.
Petar Ninov that was you, hello! Ha I couldn’t stop as i was on my way to Guildford! 😜
I'd love to see a video for budget travellers, exposing the absolute dirt-cheap routes that may encourage people to go and explore a bit further afield in the UK!
What a great idea!
There aren't many, really. Pricing on the UK rail network strongly discourages spontaneous exploration. It's crap, I'd love for there to be an affordable weekend ticket that somehow let you travel on all the trains up and down the UK - you might get people leaving their cars at home if it's cheaper!
@@classicmacintosh Try Euston to Lichfield - about £8. Just checked (23.00) and tickets available tomorrow. Seems to be a fairly regular price, and a reasonable journey when I took it recently.
Too many Senior Managers and etc from the TOCs to have any fun here; explore EU using an Interrail card for less
It won't be on this service. Guildford to Newcastle weekday £163 with no advanced fare I find see for the next month. There are cheap=-ish fares but most of them are specials, usually travel in an area for either one day, or a set number of days in a period. They usually aren't advertised; can be complicated (especially with a rail card) and difficult to buy.
Even if you're not a big train person, it's nice to see train liveries that don't belong at certain stations.
A few days ago I saw what looked like an ex-GWR sprinter in Sheffield station - no branding, but still the distinctive dark green - probably halted there as it was transferring operators or something.
Also, I want a Manument Bonk Shirt.
153381... and 153380. Northern Rail's trains now, ex GWR as you mentioned.
150109 with Northern Rail, normally everywhere. Ex-(A London company) (not sure about 150108)
Ex-GWR old livery 1501XX sometimes makes an appearance at Sheffield.
One of those ex-GWR 153s runs from Huddersfield to Castleford regularly
Jake is in denial about his love of trains
@@annother3350 you're absolutely correct in that.
There’s quite a few GWR HSTs up by Glasgow Central parked in the sidings
‘I could smell the voyager’
Sounds about right
Fun fact: cross country is the only train operator that runs to both Cambridge and Oxford. (sad varsity line noises and angry yelling about beeching)
Grrrr...Beeching....
More like Bitching
Maybe again one day, a direct link between the two...Bedford to Sandy would be the tricky bit...
The education express
I believe east west rail is on the way. So Oxford and Cambridge may be linked again
Hi Geoff. Just a note to say I would love to see more these ‘unusual services’ videos! An idea for a new series perhaps? Thanks
See also my "Super Sprinters on Sunday" series and my recent trip on the once-a-day train from Holytown to Wishaw.
There’s a similar train at Bath Spa where the first Bristol-Glasgow train of the day starts at Bath instead. Could be interesting if you don’t mind getting up early
Have always wanted to catch this train. Before the end of 2008/7 they used to run to Brighton via Gatwick as well.
Which was more useful !!
High Path I vaguely remember when I was younger an XC HST went passed Betchworth at speed.
I saw a CrossCountry train go under the main lines at Reading about 10 years ago. This video finally answered my question, why.
Geoff, I don't live in the UK, or ride trains, but man something about your presenting keeps my eyes glued. Thanks for the entertainment!
Very nerdy but also very good. Thanks for the video - I've caught that early morning train so many times in the past and it is an absolute godsend if you're heading anywhere up north - you can sleep the whole way!
Mention of the Pines Express reminds me of my first university interview in Southampton - in the days when such things happened. The first thing my form mistress said was 'You can get the Pines Express'. I misheard her, and thought she said Pinta Express. Assumed it was the milk train (something else they still had). Having consulted Google, I guess I would have caught it at Crewe. As it was, I stayed with relatives in London overnight. It was probably that trip where I was served coffee by a BR steward who poured from 2 pots (coffee and milk), and in 2nd class. First time I'd ever seen that, let alone on a rattling train. For those who only know a trolley pushed through the carriage serving instant coffee in paper cups! Happy days - thanks for the memories ☕🛤️
I hope we see more unusual services videos. Like all trains to from Sheffield to Cleethorpes are ran by Transpennine Express except for Saturdays. On Saturday’s 3 trains a day are ran by Northern and goes via The Brigg Line.
As in 'All the Stations - Have an Adventure' 😁
We love the Brigg Line ♥️
5:02 XC trains to edinburgh use the ECML rather than the WCML.
diamarker 100 they used to
@@s125ish Really? I didn't know that.
@@diamarker1004 yep , Aberdeen , Glasgow and Edinburgh to Plymouth and Bournemouth
@@diamarker1004 Aberdeen to Bournemouth via Manchester and Scotland to Plymouth via Crewe.
Jack Shiels yes via Leeds , not Many via Doncaster.
Caught one of the handful of XC Brighton trains many years ago to get from Reading to East Croydon. It was running 40 minutes late but it was so much more relaxing than having to schlep across London between Paddington and Victoria.
You should’ve went all the way to Newcastle 😂
😂
Then done the Tyne Valley line diverts
@@OlanKenny not necessarily the guildford but ok
@@alfieontransport wat
it would’ve taken hours due to the train queue into Birmingham New Street taking twice the length of the scheduled journey!!!
I actually get this from Banbury to reading really frequently and didn't realise how rare it was, so this has actually really impressed me 😂😂
I think it was 1980 when they started Inter City services on the Guildford to Reading. There was Portsmouth to Manchester and Portsmouth to Wolverhampton, which would be 47/3 hauled, and a Fridays only Portsmouth to York which would be Class 33 hauled. I remember watching the trains pass through Crowthorne, my home station.
Love the "MANUMENT BONK" shirt Geoff XD
This is closer to home, I go through this platform every day!
Used to catch those trains when first moved to Banbury - 1988 - to go to exhibitions at Olympia and/or Earl’s Court, never did find out what happened to them when they stopped, now I know, thanks Geoff.
9:28 "We're so nerdy... I love it". Yes, yes you are! Never change 😊
Congleton also has a cross country early in the morning to Manchester Picc then an evening service to Bournemouth
If you are doing a new series on CrossCountry one offs I can recommend the only Turbostar out of Bristol the 06:13 to Stansted.
There's also Nottingham to Bournemouth.
@@adamstripreports9538 Is there one the other way?
It did only start running in service in May 2019 so is quite new.
The CrossCountry app shows you can get that one direct arriving at 11:41 or change at Bristol Parkway, Paddington, Liverpool Street to arrive at 09:47 for the same price.
I can't believe anyone has ever done that journey end to end.
@@craigthurston7731 And schlepp heavy suitcases through three changes, when you could be sitting watching the world go by for the same price? Not bloody likely.
Regardless of what know all Mr 'Caps Lock' has written, you are correct.
As you say, 6.13 departure to Stansted Airport.
It departed at on time from platform 3 and is due in at Stansted Airport at platform 2 at 11.40. It is currently at Stansted East Jct.
1S76 was the Sussex Scot service from Brighton to Edinburgh and ran through Clapham Junction and round that way to Reading stopping at Kensington Olympia.
There was the 1M18 that ran from Brighton to Manchester via Redhill and Guildford as well as loads of trains to Gatwick and Portsmouth, all via Guildford...
Ah, took the train that starts at Newcastle. I would leave from Sheffield and arrive home in Guildford! Very convenient :)
We took it once when the trains down to Kings Cross were all rammed. There was this Voyager just sitting there in the adjacent platform, virtually empty. Checked with the guard and they said, yes, you can use your ticket on this one. Visited a load of stations I had never seen before that day.
Love your videos Geoff! So informative and entertaining! Who else clicked so fast?
👇
Oh god that map he drew hurts my eyes... Edinburgh XC trains via Manchester?
I remember intercity trains going the Reading route from Birmingham bound for Portsmouth, I think that may have been the last incarnation of Cross Country beyond Guildford. Would love to see them run to Gatwick though
Another rare livery at Guildford is Southern, they operate 4 services a day from Guildford to London Bridge (as oppose to the usual SouthWestern services to Waterloo). 2 services in the morning, 2 in the evening.
In the early 2000s there was around 5 or 6 a day from Guildford. In the 1980s I remember there were services coming up from Portsmouth to places like Liverpool or York. Even nerdier, I recall Thameslink services coming down to Guildford too in the days of Network Southeast...
Can’t believe I’ve been planning to do this trip and been outdone by Geoff!! Fair play
As others have probably already stated, the reason this train exists is to retain driver and train manager route knowledge from Eastleigh to Reading via Guildford for when the direct route via Basingstoke is closed, the only alternatives would be expensive ECS trains or the dreaded rail replacement buses.
Love the quote that Arriva wound down the services, sounds familiar
They were wound down long before Arriva took over the Cross Country franchise.
I rode the weekday 1335 Newcastle to Guildford last week, from Derby to Birmingham. Had no idea it was unique.
1:28 Ah yes, the delightful aroma of the Sewager.
Geoff very kindly referred to the biting pungency as a "smell of chemicals". Euphemism of the Year.
The legendary tiolet
Likely find it’s for route knowledge as when they close the mainline between Southampton to Reading on weekends, the trains will often go via Guildford instead.
"Are we at Reading yet?"
"No."
"Are we at Reading yet?"
"No."
"Are we at Reading yet?"
"No. Oh wait - now we are."
"Woo-hoo!"
Geoff, have you been on one of the services from Wimbledon to Clapham Junction that goes up the District Line to East Putney before branching off onto the Putney-Clapham line? I got on one unwittingly just a few minutes after midnight.
It's on my list! (it's a loooong list)
I've been on one of those when they were doing engineering works one weekend. The people on the tube platforms looked a bit surprised :)
@@Albatross-365 Done it in the Wim-Clapham Junction Direction when there was line trouble just north of Wimbledon. Takes longer and of course you loose earlsfield but gain Wandsworth Town (doesnt stop at East Putney though does it on the scheduled? )
@@geofftech2 I work for SWR (at Guildford station funnily enough). If you'd like to get in touch when you finally get round to doing the Wimbledon-Clapham train I'm sure something fun could be arranged.
I've been that way one Sunday afternoon, when trains were on diversion. I had no idea it was going to happen, until I looked up and noticed that we were whizzing through Southfields, etc!
Hope you haven't got a cold now Jonno! 😉
I’ve ridden CrossCountry a few times and I actually almost took this particular route last time I was in England.
I caught a CrossCountry yesterday between Motherwell and Edinburgh and was surprised to see Swindon and Bath Spa on the display on its way to Plymouth. I asked the guard, and he said it was because of Engineering Works. He also said it had played havoc with the seat reservations system, which were all jumbled. He tried to reset it as we came into Haymarket, and all of a sudden the display announced we were heading for Aberdeen.
Also, CrossCountry Only fares from Motherwell and Glasgow to Edinburgh are far cheaper than the ScotRail (or Any Permitted) equivalent, you don’t even need to book in advance.
NB, XC don’t serve the WCML between Carstairs and Stafford. Trains from Glasgow to Bristol go via Edinburgh, York and Leeds. Not exactly a quick way to go.
As a guildford resident I cannot believe our poor excuse for a train station is somehow featuring at #29 on RUclips's trending page!
Don't worry, the building for the refurbishment starts next week!
@@lompstem It's a miracle
@@lompstem For 4-5 years of roadworks buildingworks ETC xD
There is at 0610 in the morning on a weekday a service which starts at Bath Spa which goes to Glasgow Central during the week, but Bath Spa has no CrossCountry services on a weekend and that is ONLY ONE train northbound a day, there is also a once a day service at 7am which starts at Cardiff Central and goes to Manchester Piccadilly with one departing Manchester Piccadilly at 1705 and goes to to Cardiff Central and that runs on a Saturday but not on a Sunday, but when there major engineering work for example last year Derby blockade, they switch diagrams and the Aberdeen to Penzance ends up doing an Aberdeen to Guildford but that service only happens when there is major engineering work.
I remember the voyagers coming in on the Crosscountry (then Virgin) routes while I was regularly heading between Devon and York when I was at university - if I wanted a direct train on a Sunday it went from Bristol -Birmingham via Reading and Oxford, always used to be amused by the look of panic on people's faces when we reversed at Reading...
One Stop to Reading is the name of my indie rock band
I can smell the voyager in my mind. 🤮
DigitalDiabloUK don’t you can smell it whenever you get down to the platforms in Birmingham New street 🤢🤢🤢
How do they smell the Class 222s smell MAGNIFICENTLY... Are they the same.
I always see the return service to Guildford in Sheffield while i'm waiting for my train back to Nottingham. It usually arrives just before it on platform 6 lol
oh my gosh! GUILDFORD IS THE NEXT STOP FROM ME!!
You’ve forgot about the virgin XC services that ran to Portsmouth harbour down the PDL which were predominantly HSTs for motive power :)
Intercity and later Virgin Cross Country used to run regular trains through Guildford on services between Scotland/The Northwest and Portsmouth Harbour
'Platform... Over There'
What a weird platform name!
Have done 1, once a day service in my time each way, but you need to travel to match it, Geoff, was Seattle to Chicago and return. Have another US one I want to do, when cleared to fly again after cancer treatments. I jokingly call it the Jean Harlow route (Wiki, Geoff) from Kansas City to Los Angeles. Good fun, and informative video, Geoff
From about 1895 to 1965 (with gaps), there was a daily Birkenhead-Margate via Reading and Redhill (and return). They were mad for it even then.
I think that gets the award for the strangest. The idea of a late 19th century Scouser wanting to go to Margate is completely beyond my comprehension 😀
I remember the Cross Country services going through Orpington. A Guard at the time claimed there were going to be more services but I saw them rarely. A shame as I was a child and my Grandma lived in Newcastle. I wished I could have done them via Birmingham New Street and then on to Newcastle from there, rather than the standard ECML...
No Cross-Country trains go north of Manchester. The Glasgow/Edinburgh services all go via Birmingham-Derby-Sheffield-Doncaster/Leeds-York. They alternate between going via Leeds and via York.
Seemed them trains in the Bournemouth to Manchester line when i go upto waterloo and they always seem mega packed and always wonder why they don't have more than 4 carriages.
Lol 😂 I was on a cross county train to Guildford yesterday
As someone who takes the Cardiff to Nottingham direct train regularly, I’m from Notts, live in Cardiff for uni, I’ll tell you it doesn’t *feel* like a small service Geoff
wow! i have seen the train before and was confused of thaat it was, as all other trains are red soutwest ones, and of course goes to waterloo. This is so cool, unusual but so convenient to be aware of (as not to have to go to london to come out of it again).
Most SWT trains at Guildford are blue (class 450s continuing beyond Guildford to Portsmouth). There are also a few of the white ones. And of course the hourly GWR Reading-Gatwick trains (green).
I used to catch this train back from Birmingham to Reading. Would always completely empty out at Reading, hardly anyone went on to Guildford
Yes, I remember the through trains from Brighton, direct trains to Oxford then, direct trains to Cambridge now..!!
So you've actually got some "Manument Bonk" t-shirts printed!! 😁 How large was the batch, and can we buy one?
There were a few unused services on southern where the train comes from portsmouth or southampton and goes to barnham turns round and goes to bognor.
I grew up in Wokingham and I had no idea that there were ever any Intercity/CrossCountry services using the line into Reading, despite having gone to school right next to it (I guess they were all too early/late for me to have noticed). The shots of the junction with the line to Waterloo and of Wokingham’s shiny new(ish) station have left me feeling a tad homesick, the ongoing global unpleasantness has kept me from visiting for well over a year which is the longest I have ever been away.
How about 3 unsuall services and there are 2 at kings x and 1 at st Pancras but the 2 at kings x are the harrogate and Lincoln central there in the evening also from st Pancras Is the Maidstone west
", and then once a day in the evening a serive that arrives and terminates there.
"
Do you know about the once a day (each way) Brighton-Great Malvern GWR service? Via Southampton, Warminster, Bath. 5 1/2 hrs! Dep BTN 08.59, other direction Dep GMV 10.48
The service that terminates at Guildford in the evenings during the week ends up at Eastleigh for the night before returning I believe. It's a shame it doesn't run that far because that would be a useful service!
Lovely ending shot - I almost expected the "all the stations" theme to play as the train pulled out!
I've just had a look at the fares for Guildford - Reading. There are XC Only advance fares, these start at the bargain rate of £1.20. There are no GWR advance fares, just the walks ups. Doing this on a Sunday, out Cross Country, back GWR, the cheapest way would have been an any permitted cheap day return at £10.10, just 10p more than the any permitted single.
I'm pleased there are still cross country services from Guildford. I can remember going on the Birkenhead Express from Guildford to North Wales in the late 1950s. It was a Folkestone to Birkenhead service.
Ooh, I might have to find this train sometime (or other ones I can easily get to from Reading)
Ah the old what we used to call "straight through" train from Brighton to Manchester! We used to get that in the mid nineties when going back up to manchester to visit my dad. Long journey time though at around 6 hours or more compared to 4 hours changing in London. Boring as hell when you're only 8 or 9 without mobile phones or tablets.
I remember the One Stop Travel shop agents used to dispute that a straight through train even existed and you had to convince them to search for it!
I once took it from Birmingham to Brighton as I was curious about the route and didn't want to make any changes. Alas the crew change at Olympia didn't take place and we were shunted into a siding for an outrageously long time before being shunted back and told to get off as they were cancelling it. One train became five, four and a half hours became seven. Didn't take it again!
@@TheSm0wman oh god that sounds terrible. I remember once when i was about 13 (1998 ish) and my sister was 14 or 15, she came up to my dads a few days after me travelling on her own. There was some problem and the 6 hour journey ended up being 11 hours! My dad left to meet her at the station at 7 and they didnt get back until gone midnight. She said that they were giving out free alcohol to people but because she was too young all she got was a couple of bottles of coke. I dont think she even got a refund. She didn't have a mobile and my dad didn't have a landline so i had no clue what was going on. Not sure if my dad did either but he sat there for 5 hours poor bastard.
@@TheSm0wman also yeah i remember it was frequently at least 45 minutes late.
Michael - after 5 hours or so the sardine sandwiches get pretty ripe
@@annother3350 is that a euphemism? 😉
@ 5:50 Does anybody notice the young lady looking over to see what Geoff is doing???
As a Brighton-London commuter in the late 90s and early 00s the Cross Country train service saved my bacon many a time. Whenever "electric supply problems" grounded everything else at Brighton station in the morning peak the tannoy usually never bothered to advertise the fact that the 9.20 Cross-Country to Edinburgh/Manchester was a diesel therefore unaffected by the electricity issue. I was often one of the handful of commuters who twigged and actually got to leave Brighton on a train on mornings like that. #smugtwatface #sorrynotsorry
Hey Geoff, XC does come all the way down here to Penzance not just Plymouth!
Cross Country was better when we had a Class 47 and 7 Mk2 carriages
Back in 2005,There wasn’t any XC trains from Guildford.But then I saw a 43 on platform 6 and I realised it was diverted via Guildford from Basingstoke!Fascinating
Platform 1 used to take me to Clandon and Leatherhead..also Christs Hospital before b** Beeching removed the largest village in England, Cranleigh, of its service..
east croydon had this once a virgin train service from manchester piccadilly started at brighton called at east croydon Olympia and then certain stops to manchester piccadilly
I noticed the Cambridge-Stansted route is part of this system. Cambridge is the only station I have ever noticed airport departure boards. Is this unique?
I believe they have them in reading as well, but I stand corrected
There are airport departure boards at Liverpool South Parkway.
On the odd trains out of Guildford their are 4 southern trains on a weekday 2 each way to Victoria one to and 2 from bridge and one 2 Sutton
From what I understand (US railfan, here), it is very difficult to cancel services in the UK; I cant help but feel that such a sparsely scheduled train would have been cancelled after 40 years! Is this the same kind of reason why stations such as Redcar British Steel still exist?
Interesting Vid. again Geoff 👍. Are Jonno and Mr Tumble brothers by any chance? ☺
Many thanks for the name check and plug Geoff, enjoyable video.
Andrew, hello!! Ah, someone said that they'd passed the link onto you, hello! I stumbled across your site a while back and loved it - fond memories of Guildford and that service on Sunday that i saw once, so i knew one day i would have to go and ride the XC. thanks for your great site! cheers, Geoff.
@@geofftech2 not manument bonk
I lived in Guildford for many years until I got a new job at Reading. For a couple of months I was doing the daily commute between the two towns (until I moved) and would occasionally catch the CrossCountry back to Guildford. I remember the first time I saw that 18:22 service to Guildford on the Trainline app and it did make me go "What is a a CrossCountry train doing, terminating at Guildford?!".
It's actually really nice taking that train back, as all the slightly earlier ones are either stopping services or trains to Gatwick, and therefore packed with people.
As you have a quite a knowledge of a lot of the anomalies on train services like unusual train timetables, services and ticketing etc. I wondered if you can explain a strange ticketing pricing I have stumbled across on my local service London northwestern railways. Or come across anything similar. Where a advanced single from Wolverhampton to Crewe costs £20 yet a ticket to liverpool on the exact same train that stops at crewe on it's way to liverpool costs less than half the price at £9.50
The map drawn.. Glasgow and edinburgh go through newcastle, york on ne line, then across to Birmingham via doncaster or leeds
A Cross Country report either this year or last year has plans to remove the Reading-Guildford trains (in both directions throughout) because of their relatively light usage - hopefully they won't though.
Not a Parliamentary Train, but a bonafide bypass route around London; from the ex-LSWR main to the ex-GWR main to the ex-LNWR main and the ex-NBR main. Not it just needs better promotion and one or two more trains a day.
When I first clicked this video there were 69 likes and 670 views. If only 4 less people saw this video before me
Geoff
If you had complete control of everything train related across the entire UK, what would you do? I can only imagine how amazing your manifesto and how extensive your planning would be.
0:21 I like that horn
There's a simular service to Nottingham. Although Nottingham is served by CrossCountry Class 170s there's one Voyager a day to Nottingham!
It was Crosscounty before, nice ninja edit Geoff
Used it a few times after work in reading to get back to Guildford. No way could you drive it in the same time.
I work at York over the holidays and this service always looks odd on my screens lol
Shirts no longer available so sad