Retford High Level to Low Level - Pointless Journeys

Hello! New series! Today I take an utterly pointless journey from Retford High Level to Retford Low Level!
In case you're wondering, the journey took 2 hours 15 minutes and cost £17!
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Daniel Geographic, David Bainbridge, Dylan Davies, Hugh Hillier, JenOnTheMove, Manic, Rob Rudwick Carter, South Coast Dave, Stuart S
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[@sterlinghartley2165]

I now wonder what is the most northern Tube map now 'cause that is quiet far from London. Great video as always.

[@zawtowers]

Good fun this - just for the sheer hell of seeing how you can actually do the journey (if you wanted to). Some others to recommend: Tamworth (high level to low level) Smethwick Galton Bridge (high level to low level) Catford to Catford Bridge (stations are next to each other) Upper Warlingham to Whyteleafe (stations within 100 yards)

[@loftyD]

Could do Shotton too

[@davidkimmins8781]

Nice one. I thought at first you were going to do it via Doncaster and Sheffield.

[@tommarshall1660]

I am a late comer to your vlogs, so catching up with your past pointless journeys in the wee small hours when I can,t sleep. Keep up the good work.

[@jlrosiefan9848]

I once did this journey in the very early hours of the morning. I caught the rarely served Northern train from Retford High Level Platform 2 and took it one stop to Worksop, then waited for the Lincoln train to take me back into Retford, stopping this time on Lower Level Platform 3.

[@NickBadley]

Oh! That's pretty cool! Didn't know that Northern could serve platform 2!

[@jlrosiefan9848]

It does. But you have to be up really early or stay up really late to get it. Its one of those weird anomalies where you can catch a train from Worksop to Retford High Level via the loop usually reserved for good trains and stock moves.

[@jordyboy62]

Early being 6:30ish in the morning. I used to catch it most days for work.

[@sarahbennett3946]

That was a good idea, I also have a suggestion to go from *Smethwick Galton Bridge* high levels to low levels

[@sambarton5963]

Great series concept! If you're looking for journey suggestions might I recommend: Altrincham rail station to Altrincham metrolink London Waterloo to Waterloo East

[@Karlinski73]

WOODHOUSE! 😃 This is a great idea for a series. Looking forward to seeing more.

[@NickBadley]

Got plenty more ideas of routes to try! They will be coming in due course

[@simonc7947]

I live near Woodhouse. It isn't very exciting - just a suburban station in Sheffield.

[@MikeWillSee]

This is a really fun idea for a series. I look forward to seeing what other journeys you come up with!

[@RichardFelstead1949]

Geoff Marshall has done a few of these type of trips on The Tube.

[@tommy-mu2gf]

@@RichardFelstead1949has he?

[@Andrewjg_89]

Love to go to Retford as I never been there but went passed it on LNER up to Edinburgh Waverley & York.

[@Thornaby37]

Burscough Bridge to Burscough Junction would be an interesting one to try

[@ADAMEDWARDS17]

That was fun! A south of England pointless journey for you: St Albans City to St Albans Abbey, which is about a 30 min walk (or a short cycle along the Alban Way - I can bring the tandem over if you want a fun way to do that). Now if you stick to an absolute no walking between stations or using the tube you'll have to do some fun use of the Overground to get from Euston to St Pancras (Willesden - Highbury - Finsbury Park might be fun!) or go north and use the Bletcheley to Bedford line, if the trains are running! There's also a north wales spectacular on if you try to do Minffordd low to high, high being on the Festiniog Railway. That should take you all day!

[@norbitonflyer5625]

Intersting, and as a former resident of Lincoln all three stations are very familar to me. There used to be flat crossings at all those places, but those at Retford and Lincoln were eliminated in the 1960s and 1980s respectively. Retford by way of the diveunder (which also created the low level station) built so that coal trains serving the new power stations at West Burton and Cottam would not interrupt the ECML services, and Lincoln when services from the Newark direction were diverted into Central station. The LNER service to Lincoln is qiute new (2019, too late to be of any use to me). Prior to that there had been one train a night, arriving in the city late evening long after everything had closed, and returning at crack of dawn the next morning.

[@kapuchinoification]

Try St Budeaux Ferry Rd to St Budeaux Victoria Square. The stations are literally 5 yards apart, but you can get from one to the other by train.

[@johndavidbaldwin3075]

I remember going to Retfrord when East-West passenger trains called at the East Coast station and goods traffic mostly coal, crossed on the level through diamond crossings.

[@MinegateTransport]

Excellent video Nick! You should do Catford to Catford Bridge or Edenbridge to Edenbridge town

[@emmah6418]

Brilliant! I'm trying to work out how long it'd take to do this from Dorking to Dorking deepdene 😂

[@shamilton2556]

This is quite brilliant. There's a couple of stations in Edenbridge with your name on.

[@lewis72]

You could try Oulton Broad North to Oulton Broad South. They're not on the same line and the Oulton Broad South route runs right behind Oulton Broad North station !

[@NickBadley]

For this, it's either two stations very close by but aren't connected or a similar high/low level situation. So that idea works great!

[@lewis72]

@@NickBadley To get the train from Oulton Broad North to Oulton Broad South you have to go to Lowestoft & back. On the return journey the train goes _behind_ Oulton North station. If the platform had been extended 30m or so, it could have served both lines. A very strange set up IMO.

[@TravelJackJourneys158]

Fantastic Pointless Journey

[@ianhosier4042]

Nice to see you having fun in Retford and Newark!

[@LemoncloudGT]

I got a good one for pointless journeys: Catford to catford bridge in London (they are about 30seconds walk apart from each other

[@ManicXD]

Love this new series! Any more in the planned or in the works yet?

[@NickBadley]

A couple I have in mind!

[@dazzlingdaz187]

This reminds me of Geoff's Catford to Catford Bridge video. Completely pointless but i loved it

[@Ron_TTE]

@@NickBadley try tamworth high level to low level

[@Les_MeilleursMCFC]

@@NickBadley wembley park to wembley stadium

[@DonaldTrumpIsGreat]

​@@NickBadleyThe 180 Means You'll Be Going Nowhere 😂

[@LWR1]

This series is amazing! I suggest Birmingham New Street to Moor Street, No trams allowed ;) !

[@NickBadley]

Of course! Ideas are welcome!

[@T_Dubbs]

Good video! You should try Canterbury East to Canterbury West or Blackpool North to Blackpool South 😅

[@MichaelSebastianTodd]

i really enjoyed this one brilliant video

[@rogerhill138]

I used to train spot in Retford in the 1950s watching the A4s thunder through.

[@wisteela]

Brilliant. I love it. Subscribed. I've been to Retford station a number of times, and it really is unusual.

[@CameronLandels]

Thank you Nick for the video! I enjoyed it! I'm looking forward to seeing more of these journeys! 🙂

[@Finley_Stuff]

Love the bit where you said "This map has a tube station" 😆

[@AllAroundTransport]

What a great video! Your going to be the new Geoff Marshall :)

[@Nooticus]

love these silly fun jouneys!

[@bobbythomas200420032]

Hi Nick that was an awesome video and i really enjoyed the train journey between the two stations.

[@daveworrall7853]

Just seen this video and think this is a wonderful idea. Have you done a pointless journey between the 2 Newark Stations in Nottinghamshire? I bet that could be fun to do

[@redpanda9330]

this is deffo something i would do to avoid stairs

[@lewis72]

I'm sure you already knew but some years ago there would have been no reason to do this as the two stations were one at the same level.

[@TravelingEurope1]

I love this series ❤❤

[@CJT80]

4:36 Love the ‘Woodhouse’ announcement what’s all that about!!

[@StavTech]

Good idea. Worcestershire Parkway and Tamworth are two I can think of that you can do this at too.

[@adamstrainvideos]

I'm liking this new series! I have a suggestion for another video, Wigan Wallgate to Wigan North Western (Via Bolton and Preston)

[@BassandoForte]

Tamworth Low - Tamworth High... I bet that's miles... 🤣

[@paulreeves8204]

Nice work, you can also catch the low level train to worksop and on the return from worksop sometimes it will stop on the high level platform 2.

[@terrymoore9388]

Great idea Nick. Hope you can come up with some more pointless journeys

[@ReubenAshwell]

I enjoyed this video and I look forward to seeing more like these. I have been through Retford High Level (thankfully havent been caught in any disruption that oocurs from there lol) and I haven't really noticed Retford Low Level from High Level but I've always known Low Level exists just from seeing it on maps lol.

[@TheYorkshireTrainspotter]

Love it! Glad I've stumbled across your channel as you are a version of me and my channel lol . What a brilliant idea though!

[@NickBadley]

Welcome to the channel!

[@robbiemorrison7085]

Dorking to Dorking Deepdeene would be a good one

[@jamesrobert994]

I’ve always wondered about getting between Catford and Catford Bridge, pointless journey perhaps.

[@theBusManiac]

Love this series. Great idea. You know the anagram of Newark?

[@onlineamiga]

Sorry the lift is out of order - No problem!

[@MichaelTavares]

I enjoyed this video. I was sure to like, and to subscribe. I also left a comment.

[@dazzlingdaz187]

St Budeaux Ferry Road to St Budeaux Victoria Road.

[@montystelevision3238]

This is a cool series. I have a challenge for you........ Dorchester South to Dorchester West.

[@FullCircleplaysgames]

The way he lip syncs to WOODHOUSE makes me laugh so much

[@DuckieBubbles]

In fairness, this might be quicker than the colossal walk between the two levels!

[@josephpickard3108]

I love living close to Retford station, I can leave the house and be in central London in 1 hr 30.

[@trainsonthebrain]

Super editing, presenting, presentation and animation. The map with your head going between the different destinations is both funny and brilliantly done! When you have the extended sequences between your presenter bits, be great to know more about the history of the routes connected with the journey or the main destination, for instance why are there high and low level platforms. Also you mentioned the LNER ticket costing you 1.50 - any further information on how you got that would be brilliant. Not criticisms at all by the way, your stuff is brilliant, just suggestions. Have subscribed/liked etc. A see a young Geoff Marshall in the making! Cheers, Nick (another Nick! What are the chances?)

[@NickBadley]

Thanks, other Nick! Glad you enjoyed!

[@mistertom2385]

I spent a lot of time waiting to change trains at this station on my first few visits home when I started at Lincoln Uni. I soon learned to avoid it at all costs and change at Newark or Doncaster instead, even changing at Peterborough was better!

[@norbitonflyer5625]

Indeed. They charge you more for the dubious prividlege of going via Retford

[@willmill82]

There is something spooky about the algorithm here. I'm currently on a train, which, in a few hours time, will call at Retford, then Newark Northgate, where I am ironically changing for Lincoln. How did they know???

[@NickBadley]

😳 Rather spooky..

[@joshuachapman4136]

Wondered whether you might go the other way and go RET - DON, DON-SHF, SHF-RET. Retford's a great station though - use it to get to work in York a few days a week.

[@Jacobhouse609]

Great video editing is awesome

[@harrierjames7727]

Which route would be more pointless though? Via Newark and Lincoln? Or Doncaster/Sheffield?

[@chrisoddy8744]

Newark Northgate to Newark Castle should take a short while as well (especially if a "no reversing at Lincoln" rule was implemented...!)

[@NickBadley]

Would have to not do this on a Sunday! Since on those days, trains call at Newark Northgate, reverse, then go to Newark Castle. Rather strange that they only do it on Sundays but oh well!

[@chrisoddy8744]

@@NickBadley Huh, weird. Are these the small EMR trains from Lincoln, just adding an extra stop or...? (Would be hilarious if a 9-car Azuma just decided, nah, let's terminate it at Newark Castle instead, why not)

[@NickBadley]

@@chrisoddy8744 You know, this comment made me search it up and it seems now that this has stopped happening! In Lincoln recently I saw trains that would terminate at Newark Castle via Newark Northgate. Instead all those services now terminate at Nottingham and skip Northgate! I have a strong inclination that this was due to engineering works. I completely didn't realise! I stand corrected!

[@chrisoddy8744]

@@NickBadley I mean, I never knew they went to Northgate in the first place, so the more you know!

[@simonc7947]

How about Bradford Interchange to Bradford Forster Square without going through Leeds?

[@joshuanewton3980]

Great videos mate. Would you consider doing shotton high to shotton low level

[@mistertom2385]

High Level to Low Level 2 at Lichfield Trent Valley

[@SB-km6fp]

Retford High Level to Low Level. IIRC there is actually a direct train once a day.

[@iybjs5308]

My guy must really hate stairs

[@mudchute4dlr]

‘This map has got a tube station’ well duh its a london rail and tube services map

[@bensguitarcovers2849]

This map has a tube station Indeed it does Many of them in fact 😅 (I make that mistake all the time)

[@oldtechnobodycaresabout]

Next do Canterbury east to Canterbury west and catford to catford bridge

[@alidavis1538]

Not all train but how about Glasgow Queen Street High level-low level via Inverness, Kyle of Lochalsh, Isle of skye, ferry to Mallaig then train to Dalmuir and into the low level

[@dannywilliams4440]

Such a good video!

[@nigelkthomas9501]

Not what I was expecting. I thought you might’ve gone to Doncaster then Sheffield and Worksop.

[@connorwilliams8415]

You should do Smethwick Galton bridge Low level to Smethwick Galton bridge high level

[@thejmtransporttravel]

Have you ever done the pointless journey from Shotton High Level to Shotton Low Level in Fintshire ??

[@Tube-Shots]

Great videos buddy I liked and Subscribed for more and I have binged your whole channel

[@DWeston]

Worcestershire parkway and Tamworth could be next?

[@edwardjohnson7059]

The amount of bone idle people you see moaning on twitter about the 100mtr walk and single flight of steps (or lift) it takes to get from the upper to the lower platform I would imagine they would actually us this service rather than exert themselves 🤣

[@SigmaGamer6942]

Easier way: Retford High Level to Wakefield Westgate, CrossCountry to Sheffield and Northern to Low Level.

[@jacobporrett]

What type of tickets do you buy for these kinds of journeys?

[@TravelingEurope1]

Do Waterloo to waterloo east 😂😂

[@313rail]

Brighton - London road Brighton

[@313rail]

You can walk it in 3 mins lool

[@richeyrich234]

If you get a chance to get south I got a pointless journey for you. Ash vale to North Camp.

[@nobbynobbynoob]

The Blackwater area is an absolute treasure trove of criss-crossing lines and awkward connections. Other than the boring walk-a-kilometre-along-Lysons-Avenue option, defeating the whole point of these videos, one route is Ascot-Wokingham-North Camp. Or there's Aldershot-Ash-North Camp, or Woking-Guildford-North Camp. Another odd fact is that North Camp station, though named after the Farnborough suburb, is actually located in Ash Vale as it's on the east side of the river.

[@osliverpool]

Haha, love it!

[@a.rentertainment2232]

4:33 demonstrates how depressing announcers can sound like

[@villageorganist]

Shotton next?

[@markjosephbudgieridgard]

Haha 😂 great stuff kiddo why walk from one level to the other when you can do it in comfort by train eh?... Let the train take the strain 😂😂😂😂

[@Blubatt]

Earlestown platform 1 to platform 5

[@tramcrazy]

This looks so fun! I love pointless journeys. Just out of interest, what are you studying at uni?

[@NickBadley]

Chemistry!

[@tramcrazy]

@@NickBadley cool

[@nowapproachingyt]

But what if people want an expensive taxi ride from both stations?

[@davejolaurencharlie]

Tamworth next?

[@NickBadley]

It's an idea!

[@beds139]

I suppose I am not the first to enquire if you are Geoff Marshall’s little brother?😃

[@matzk0840]

another potential pointless journey: Canterbury East to Canterbury West :D

[@roo16810]

Great video. It would be great if you also mention origin and destination of the trains you are taking for those who are not very familiar with service patterns of these routes. Like was the 1st LNER train that you took from Leeds to KGX or from somewhere else? Also was the Northern one from Lincoln to Leeds or it started from somewhere else?

[@simonc7947]

Lincoln to Sheffield, although it might carry on to Leeds.

[@norbitonflyer5625]

@@simonc7947 The displays said it was going to Leeds

[@michaeltarrant5781]

Tamworth?

[@Gigidag77]

*WOODHOUSE*

[@Sim0nTrains]

Nice little journey, defiantly wasn't pointless

[@mastertrams]

Gillingham (Kent) > Gillingham (Dorset)

[@Roblilley999]

Stupid question, what ticket did you buy?

[@NickBadley]

I bought three individual advance singles for the journeys I did!

[@davebinsweden]

How many High Level/Low level stations are there these days? Not many i guess! Kill them all with pointless journeys

[@NickBadley]

Death by pointless journey!