Spot the line, compare the service to today's

[whole diary]

[Kempis]

I wondered whether 7 could be Wolverhampton and Birkenhead Woodside, but I'm not sure the timings fit.

[stuving]

I reckon 7 is Oxford and Bletchley.

[Lee]

Working on the premise that stuving is never wrong, and thus 7 is now solved, that just leaves 2 which I notice everyone is being very quiet on...

I am not much further forward, I must admit. I did think that I might (at a push) have made the Bewdley to Kidderminster and Hartlebury timings work, but even then, where oh where are the intermediate stations?...

[grahame]

Working on the premise that stuving is never wrong, and thus 7 is now solved, that just leaves 2 which I notice everyone is being very quiet on...

You're not wrong - he's right ... it's Oxford to Bicester and Bletchley, with ongoing connections (or through services) shown to Bedford and Cambridge. I could dearly have done with that line remaining open in recent years - far too many journeys from Melksham to Cambridge via Paddington, the tube or 205 but, and out from King's Cross.  Mind you, that did give me the chance to buy one of those lovely take-away curries sold at King's Cross to eat on the onward train.

No-one has come particularly close to No. 2 yet.

[Lee]

No-one has come particularly close to No. 2 yet.

That's probably because i am the only one who has offered any answers for 2, and I know I am way out 

The only other shot I have left in my armoury is Cardiff Queen Street to Cardiff Central and Cardiff Bute Road (now Cardiff Bay) but the journey times are too long so I suspect that is wrong as well.

If so, I think I will have to "do a RichardB" and consult ny own copy of that timetable to put myself out of my misery!

[eightonedee]

A shot in the dark for no 2 - Slough to Windsor?

The reasons - not many branches left with no intermediate stations by then apart from this, and if the western leg of the triangular junction was still in place by then, did a few services start at Maidenhead (without stopping at Taplow and Burnham?)

[grahame]

A shot in the dark for no 2 - Slough to Windsor?

The reasons - not many branches left with no intermediate stations by then apart from this, and if the western leg of the triangular junction was still in place by then, did a few services start at Maidenhead (without stopping at Taplow and Burnham?)

Nope, sorry!

[RichardB]

2 is really good.  I've found that too in the 67-68 timetable and I certainly wouldn't have guessed it.  Let's see if anyone does......

[Kempis]

Could 2 be Cheltenham to Gloucester (Central or Eastgate), with the occasional train from Stratford-upon-Avon?

[grahame]

Could 2 be Cheltenham to Gloucester (Central or Eastgate), with the occasional train from Stratford-upon-Avon?

Yes - it is.  Quite an amazing timetable from Stratford-on-Avon on what I think was the old GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) mainline from Birmingham to the South West - just one train a day to each of Gloucester Eastgate and Central ... passing through Cheltenham Spa without stopping because the station on that line had been closed.

[grahame]

So the completed quiz as follows:

1. Reading to Westbury (Lee)
2. Stratford on Avon and Cheltenham Spa to Gloucester (Kempis)
3. Kingswear (Stuving)
4. Taunton to Minehead (Kempis)
5. Looe branch (RichardB)
6. Reading to Redhill (Lee)
7. Oxford to Bletchley (and connections to Cambridge) (Stuving)

To 'confirm' my earlier comment. In National Rail terms:
1. Massive increase
2. Partly closed; massive increase on parts still open
3. Partly closed; massive increase on parts still open
4. Closed thoughout
5. Massive increase
6. Massive increase
7. Partly closed; massive increase on parts still open

[TonyN]

Any chance you can show us a picture of the whole page on that Stratford-Gloucester timetable. I would be interested to see what the origins/destinations of the trains with footnotes A B J K and L where.

[grahame]

Any chance you can show us a picture of the whole page on that Stratford-Gloucester timetable. I would be interested to see what the origins/destinations of the trains with footnotes A B J K and L where.

Two for the price of one ... both ways.   Sadly, only a very few of the footnotes give any origin or destination - much more work than I have time for today to look 'em all up.

[TonyN]

Thanks. It was really the Leamington trains I was Interested in. Don't waste a lot of time looking at table 51 trains most of the footnotes will be summer only seaside trains.

[Ralph Ayres]

I'm intrigued by the last train of the day from Taunton to Minehead being so much quicker on Fridays despite calling at all stations. Does footnote B mean "Class 8 shunter haulage" by any chance?