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Is anyone else nostalgic for the days when services ran from Paddington to Bristol TM with only one stop? (And non stop to Parkway in 65 minutes.) Well, soon you'll have a chance to recreate that authentic 70s experience (no Valentas sadly though). From 29th March on Saturdays several services will run calling only at Reading, including a sprint from Reading to TM in 57 minutes.

Mind you, 57 mins for 82 miles is no great shakes when you consider that in 1978 several services a day did Bristol TM to Reading in 58 minues including a call at Bath Spa. And I presume the 2008 services will run via Parkway which is a faster route.

And before Graham comments, yes I'm aware that in the "good old days" Chippenham only had a train every two hours. It's a shame though that a service pattern hasn't been devised to permit some fast services.  I'm sure an adelante could be filled (but not over-filled) running Bristol, Bath, Paddington off peak in addition to the existing service.         

This will be diverted Devon/Cornwall HSTs whilst engineering work is carried out on the Berks and Hants line. Some services will run fast calling at Bath Spa, others Bristol TM before their next scheduled stop at Taunton and vice versa so as you say gives you an opportunity to travel on a non-stop service. Beware though that as these trains are for Devon and Cornwall that they are likely to be pretty busy.

I agree that its a shame that there are no longer express services running between London-Bath/Bristol but demand is no so high nowadays that they have to stop at the mainline stations in between.

Some Devon/Cornwall services don't call anywhere between Reading and Taunton when there diverted.

That is true, mainly on services to Penzance.

Some went from Reading - Exeter non stop  :D

Oh for the days when some Cornwall bound express trains were first stop PLYMOUTH after leaving London.

Bringing back an old topic(which I've just found).

I so wish I'd have known about these services back in Spring '08 as I would have booked a ride on them!   Back in this period though I did manage to catch a Sunday evening service(departing 2024) from Bristol TM-London Padd.   The service originated from Plymouth(or maybe Penzance) and diverted via and calling at Bristol TM.   And running non-stop to Reading.  It was great fun and quite a novelty to be whizzing past Bath, Chippenham, and Swindon without stopping!  A one hour non-stop journey instead of the usual stopping every 10-15 minutes, made it feel much more like a true express service.  I spotted this novelty of a service when looking at booking a journey, and thought wow I have to book this one!

I hope there is planned engineering work on the Berks and Hants route in the near future, so that these interesting services will be possible once again.  I will have to keep a close eye on the timetables

That can change. I can remember them stopping at Slough, where there is presumably still fairly high demand. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Chippenham start to be phased out of the timetable, especially once a passing line's in place.

I remember coming back on an HST from Bath after an OU summer School which did Bath Reading in 40 minutes presumably the 58 minutes from Bristol TM.

Very exhilarating an average of 105.

Chippenham phased out of the timetable?  Are you kidding?!  I can't see that happening!   What's this though about a new passing line you mention, when is this to be built?  If this is true, this does open up the possibility of additional fast services running once again.

hopefully electrification will allow a return to the old timings without the need to remove stops (thereby giving the best of both worlds).  We need to make sure that NR/FGW don't just use the timing benefits of electrification as a performance buffer. 

Chippenham is a busy station (lots of people from places like Trowbridge/Bradford, drive to Chippenham rather than chnage train at Bath), missing it out would seem a mistake (although I can see the arguement fo not including it if extra Bristol-london services were added which would give the option of doing BRI-Paddington non-stop routed via parkway)

It's inferred here, under plans to reopen Platform 1, thereby providing an extra line through the station.

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=4100.0

Cheers Phil.  Though the discussion in that thread seems to be more about the extra platform being used as a terminating platform for the Trans Wilst services, rather than about the possibility of fast express London-Bristol(or beyond) services running non-stop through Chippenham.  How long will this re-instated line be?  If it's just a very short line basically not that much longer than the platform length, a "normal" London-Bristol service would have to wait around 5 minutes for a scheduled express service to Bristol to pass.  This would then make the normal service 5 or so minutes slower, to accommodate an express service.

I notice in the document though posted in that thread, it mentions the possibility of extending the four track section between Didcot and Swindon.  I didn't realise there was much of a 4-track section between Didcot and Swindon.   But if indeed there is going to be 4 tracks all the way from Didcot to Swindon, this really does open up the possibility of true express services running once again between London and Bristol.   Either via Chippenham and Bath, or via Bristol Parkway.  Giving some very impressive high-speed journey times.  The Bath to Bristol bottleneck may be a bit of a problem/challenge though.  But interestingly there is also talk of re-instating the 4 track section between Filton Abbey Wood and Dr Days Junction.  This too would be very useful in scheduling fast express services once again.  However, it appears these improvments to these lines won't be happening till at least 2016 according to the document.  So bit of a long wait yet!   But I personally will be a littlle dissapointed if after these mentioned track improvements, and we then don't get any express services running from London-Bristol.  Not saying all services should be limited/non-stoppers, but at least some i.e. a "true" express service every two hours or just some in the morning and evening peak times.

Some people may say that the current London-Bristol services are express services.  I don't!  :D
But I do understand however, the need for them to stop at Reading, Swindon,Chippenham, and Bath Spa enroute.    But for people travelling between Swindon or Reading and London Paddington, there are between four to six "fast" services per hour for them to travel on.    Unlike Chippenham and Bath who get just two trains per hour to/from London.   So there could be argument for at least just some selected services for example to run London Paddington>Chippenham>Bath Spa>Bristol Temple Meads.

Just a few years ago(2006) there was an 1815 London-Swansea service, which ran non-stop to Swindon in 50 minutes.  But now Reading is a station stop on that service.  I know though that currently there is an 0640 Bristol TM-London which runs non-stop from Swindon.

In the meantime for us wanting those fast Bristol-London services, I think the best we can hope for is some engineering works on the Berks and Hants line again, causing the London Paddington-Devon/Cornwall services to be diverted via Bristol Temple Meads.  Some of which will actually stop at Bristol TM and running limited stop/non-stop from London.  I for one am keeping a close eye on the engineering work summaries and the weekend timetables.  As soon as I spot any of these limited/non-stoppers I'll be booking my tickets like a shot!   Does anyone in the know here know of any upcoming engineering works on the Berks and Hants line?

Time was that finding out upcoming engineering work on FGW was easy as it was published in their guide to services and on the website for the period of the timetable which was very handy. Sadly that is not the case anymore.

You can find it on Network Rail's site where they publish their plan for the coming year's engineering work but it's very detailed and very time consuming to read as its not aimed at passengers. Its either called rules of the route, rules of the plan? Sorry I don't have any links to it. I'm sure some of our more 'in the know posters' who post to this forum may be able to help.

I remember when the Cathedrals Express was first stop oxford in the evening (Cant remember if it stopped on the up as I was usually asleep)

And my memory only goes back to March 15th, 2004

To be honest, all trains should call at Reading. It is now a major destination, as well as a major interchange.

But a limited stop service could be followed by a train with the normal stopping pattern - similar to Chiltern's evening peak 1600 to B'ham, first stop Banbury, closely followed by 1603 to Banbury, calling at the normal stops. (repeated at 1700, 1800 etc.) And the Virgin morning peak Birmingham to Euston service. The other main benefit is to reduce overcrowding for ALL passengers, whether they are going to High Wycombe or Warwick Parkway.

Obviously, the problem is track capacity! (or lack of it)

I'm not one for 'rose-tinted spectacles' when it comes to the past being better. The rail network we have today is, in many ways far superior to the days of British Rail. Yes, there have been some dark days. Post Hatfield comes to mind. We have far more trains running today on many routes (deepest dark Wiltshire excluded ;D). The stopping patterns and journey times may be different, but this is, I think, a reflection of the expectations of today's travelling public.
The amount of passengers using the network today is surely a reflection that things have improved. Yes, there are still more improvements that can be made; that's the way society progresses. But I think that headline grabbing express timings are anathema to the needs of the majority of the travelling public. On the network we have at present what most passengers want is a train that gets them to their destination in a reasonable time frame compared to alternative modes. A frequent service that gives them flexibility and a service that is inclusive for all stratas of society. So shaving 10-15 minutes off the timing for a BRI-PAD HST may benefit a few, but the losers at Bath, Chippenham etc will outhweigh the benefit felt by Bristolians.
I concede that as individuals we all want a service that benefits our particular needs and desires, but we have to make concessions to society as a whole. We could of course convert all railways to roads and subsidise car purchases instead.
Speed isn't everything. Slow down folks and enjoy the view :D

Actually it opens the possibility of increasing capacity by running more trains to cope with the growing numbers of people likely to be commuting from Swindon - projected to grow massively in the next 20 years under government plans, taking the population from about 185,000 now to 250,000 by 2030 - Didcot - where thousands of new homes are due to go in over the next seven or so years, lifting the population to 35,000 by 2016 from 15,000 in 1981 - and enhances the possibility of reopening Wantage Road station to serve Grove and Wantage, both slated to get thousands more homes, 2,500 on the old Grove airfield alone, and ease the pressure on Didcot Parkway.

As I keep saying, the world has changed and is changing - and the railways have to change to keep up, which means fliers with empty seats whizzing past Swindon in the peak just isn't on any more.

The existing quad-track section is mainly there to keep the coal trains to Didcot power station from Avonmouth docks out of the way of HSTs.

Well people like myself and John R(the thread OP) will just have to wait for the return of the Berks and Hants engineering work and the diverted Devon/Cornwall services via Bristol to be able to travel the train services we crave/wish for.    Or rail tours.   Or some late running services missing out stops/running non-stop to make up time, but this very rarely happens on London-Bristol TM services.  From looking at the FGW live updates though it does happen quite often on services to/from South Wales.  Non-stop to/from Bristol Parkway or Cardiff Central.

There are frequent engineering works between Chippenham and Didcot which results in Bristol services diverted via the Berks and Hants line and a non-stop run between Reading and Bath.  A good hour and a quarter journey time non-stop.   Not quite the same as non-stop via the normal route.  But it makes for a pleasant change, and it does feel much more like you're on a long distance express service(even though the overal journey time is actually longer).

On Saturday October 10th, a more interesting/change from the norm journey can be experienced if travelling between London and Bristol Parkway or South Wales.    Due to engineering works on the Swindon-Bristol Parkway direct line, services are diverted via Chippenham, Bath, St. Annes, and the Rhubarb Loop up to Patchway(instead of Parkway).  Running non-stop from Swindon-Patchway. And the unusual experience of not stopping at Chippenham and Bath!  Not half as good as a proper limited/non-stopped from London, but a change from the same old nevertheless. I think I might book a journey on this one myself.

Hopefully the next Berks and Hants engineering works is not too far away now!

Having 4 tracks between Didcot and Swindon would not allow faster Bristol/Cardiff service because there are no stops to miss out in this section!

It would, as Willc says, allow new stations to be opened along the stretch without having HSTs stopping/slowing down.

Perhaps the Oxford slows could be run as 2 units splitting at Dicot for a service to Swindon and Oxford/Banbury.

Or as an extension of Crossrail...

Train I was on the other day followed another HST between Moreton - Swindon, four tracks all 125mph might have made the journey less slow.

Oh yes, the Cathedrals Express was non-stop Oxford to Paddington both ways and didn't stop at a lot of the stations between Oxford and Worcester so Herefordshire people got a decent service (OK I hear the brickbats coming now). And of course, the Cheltenham Flyer ran non-stop Swindon to Paddington and the Cornish Riviera.......

Still waiting for the return of these rare Bristol-London express services to return.  Bit of a long wait!  It looks like there is very very rarely any engineering works on the Berks and Hants line.

I worked 1 of these and it was done well inside the 57 minutes stated. Non stop Reading and the first restrictive signal on Filton Bank. Passed Bristol around 11 early!

Good eh?

Looks as though the express services at long last returns on Sundays 15th and 22nd August.   Due to engineering work on the Reading-Westbury line.   The services not scheduled to call at Westbury will run non-stop between Reading and Taunton via Bristol Temple Meads.   

The bad news for people living in Bristol however is that none of these express workings are scheduled to call at Bristol in either direction. (Unlike the period back in Spring 2008 when a limited number of the services called at Bristol TM enroute).   So you'd have to travel to or from Taunton to experience a journey on them.