Great Western Coffee Shop

Arrived at Paddington last night, later than usual to get the 20:00 train back to Swindon to find the board showing "Delayed" for all trains.  This has been a bad week for train journeys to and from Paddington!

There was a problem with some signalling equipment near to Paddington.  I have to say that the updates on Twitter and JourneyCheck did make things much less frustrating as I felt like we were kept up to date as things were discovered.  The Live Departures Board was useless as it didn't show any of the delayed trains and removed trains from the list once their departure time was gone.

I watched the delayed 20:15 to Swansea leave from Starbucks at 20:35 or so - it looked packed and I didn't feel like standing all the way home again and got on the 20:45 to Bristol which was ready to leave at 21:00 except that someone had pulled the emergency stop handle in one of the toilets in Coach B when the train arrived and it took the engineer(?) about 10 minutes to locate and reset.

Then more delays just outside Paddington and trying to get into Reading station.
 

Hi, tkimber. I agree, it's not been a particularly good week for rail services into and out of London Paddington. Indeed, across the whole FGW network. Here's hoping from today things improve. The eyes of the world are going to be on the UK these next few weeks what with that little sporty gathering in the East End.

In the meantime, may I extend a very warm welcome to The Coffee Shop forum.  ;)

Yep.. indeed.. another day another delay in FGW land... Is it just FGW who are so very bad currently?

Three times in the last month I've had to pay for a taxi the rest of the way from Slough to Maidenhead including on Wednesday.. Last night I had to decide whether to get the delayed 19.22 and change at Slough or wait for the 19.48 (but risk it being cancelled if it got too late)..I decided to wait for the 19.48 as I just knew FGW would abandon me at Slough again if I got the 19.22..

I took a picture of the board full of delays... I wasn't the only person who did that..

I am looking forward to the discount when I renew my monthly season ticket.. It won't compensate me for the taxi fares mind...

The front station car park at Maidenhead is currently closed so that they can use it as a transport hub/bus station to get people to and from the olympic rowing.. They are being rather optimistic that the trains will actually get people as far as Maidenhead in the first place  ::) ;D

Johoare I think Maidenhead is intended for people from Reading Slough is London so it won't matter if people are abandoned there at Slough there will be coaches to Windsor Raecourse.

We'ev lost the South Exit to Taplow station for apolice (private vehicle carpark) Several guys in camoflage wandering around. So you have to walk under the narrow bridge instead of crossing the station footbridge. Got to remember to put the residents parking ticket on the car tommorrow.

Aah that makes more sense.. It still requires FGW being able to get them as far as Slough mind  ::) At least there is the Windsor and Eton Riverside option too.. SWT do appear to be a lot more reliable currently (and their air con works).. ;D

Next week in the early morning from 07:30 to around 09:30 Maidenhead station area, the Braywick Road (A308) should be avoided especially if you are in a car, in addition to spectators arriving by train there are 2 park and rides (Stafferton Way and at the Toby Carvery) all traffic from the M4 will have to the Stafferton Way round-about to get back to the Toby Carvery car park.

I am catching the 06 OMG is that the time off the branch in an attempt to beat the crowds, I have after all a lot of work dealing with the chaos planned for this Christmas on a key route through London (a First TOC but not FGW)

Thanks for that information.. Fortunately I am able to walk to the station.. I sincerely hope they will make all the traffic go up to the Stafferton way roundabout to turn around rather than the turning point half way up (which I think is north of the Carvery car park so would be an option but would be a bit chaotic I think)..

Which reminds me.. I do need to check out what road restrictions there are generally in the next couple of weeks. Driving down to Windsor the other day there were lots of signs saying "Controls not in use yet" or something to that effect but there was no sign of any controls or indication what the controls might be... I will no doubt avoid the area anyway just to be safe..

The rowing is in the forenoon something to do with air density once the sun get  ::) :P going, so the peak traffic will be early morning arrival and midday departure evenings should be ok although parking restrictions and any traffic light re-phasing still apply, I am not sure about next weekend Saturday and Sunday if there is anything on will be a mare

Was there something going on in Dorney?
Must admit I escaped off almost as far west as you can go, to Tenby for the whole week.
Had a wander round Tenby station, a service every 3 hours!.
Lots of atmosphere there though, still had rails in the station loading dock, must have been last used 50 years ago.

Just some folk messing about in boats  ;D