Great Western Coffee Shop

Day one of the new timetable and the only issue on the 07:02 from Maidenhead was a platform alternation (which was well announced and appeared on the departure screens).  So, a good start for the 07:02.

Don't know how the 07:04 fared - last I saw, the screens said it was expected to be 19 minutes late.

I guess it'll take a few days for the new schedule to settle down, so it's grin and bare it time.

Anyway, I hope that the schedule quickly settles down and I wish the staff well!

I got that train this morning, it pulled into Twyford at 07:10 (due 06:55) just as I arrived at the station. It was a very empty refurbished HST! As we arrived at platform 4 at Maidenhead at 07:20 what I presume to be the 07:19 was just leaving from platform 2 and we were held there for 4 minutes until we could get onto the fast line. Arrival at Paddington was at 07:45 (18 late). The train I'd planned to get from Twyford, the 07:23, was shown as running 7 minutes late on the arrivals board at Paddington.

This is my first post here, I've been lurking for a few months, greetings to all fellow regular Thames Valley FGW passengers!

Fine for me, 06:22 from Reading, arrived Paddington On Time :)

9.03 Maidenhead to Paddington.. Arrived 6 minute late at Paddington (although it's already 15 minutes later than my old train that they removed from the timetable), so I arrived at work very late, as I will do every day from now on (thanks FGW for not listening to me).  Also this train is non-stop from Maidenhead to Paddington, yet we stopped at Slough to let a couple of people off, but no one on.. What's all that about then?

Not bad this morning...I expect it will all settle down in time.

This evening looked like it was getting interesting but I got away earlier - did I miss the fun?

I would however be fascinated to know why the 7.25 Twyford - Paddington on the old timetable (always arrived almost empty from Oxford, only stopped at Maidenhead and was 6 carriages which seemed about right)...

...is now replaced by the 7.23 which now comes from Henley half full, still only one more stop at Maidenhead but is only 5 carriages.

It arrived on time - so that's OK then

The timetable wasn't bad, but the service was!

0657 BPW to London, scheduled to arrive at Reading at 0800, but arrived at 0845 due to Engineering overrun and signal problems near Hullavington. FGW describes this a minor problem I call it 45 minute delay with no clear information provided.

1641 Reading to Swansea train delayed for 8 minutes at Wotton Basset due to a failure of automatic points. NR engineers had to operate them manually.

It's amazing that so many things do go wrong after Engineering work!

Today I was on the 0621 Westbury to Paddington. Now an HST instead of Adelante and is scheduled to take about 10 minutes longer than the 0639 in the previous timetable.

The conductor seemed to manage well with the doors and selective locking at the smaller stations (Bedwyn, Kintbury etc) and tickets were checked. I noticed that there were staff on normally unstaffed platforms, so perhaps FGW are deploying extra resources during the transition. Slightly delayed between Reading and Paddington, but otherwise a promising start.

Not quite sure what happened this morning at Maidenhead but I think that the 07:02 left from Platform 2 and the 07:04 went from Platform 4 at about the same time.  All I know is that I ended up with a seat on a nice HST and arrived at Paddington only a few minutes later than expected.

I was on the 1706 Paddington - Westbury on Monday. Formed of HST - SDO worked well with the Train Manager making clear announcements as to which coach to alight from at Theale, Thatcham, Kintbury, Hungerford, Bedwyn and Pewsey. Train ran on time throughout.

Thats because out of paddington the train is in the right formation for SDO

Its on the way in that the problem occurs

This morning was 'entertaining'.....

The 07:04 arrived at Platform 4 at Maidenhead at 07:12.  The announcement, which'll probably now haunt the person who made it,  was "this train is running 11 minutes late due to it being a High Speed Train operating  on a slow (or stopping?) service".  I guess that, as the 07:04 is scheduled to be operated by a HST, that we should expect this service to run late as a matter of course.

The 07:02 meanwhile was also delayed.  I think the sign said that it was due into Maidenhead at 07:20.  Presumably, as this is operated by a slow train on a high speed line, we should normally expect it to run ahead of time ?

As to why the HST is being operated with three of the seven carriages in First Class configuration astounds me.  The grot class carriages were standing room only whilst the 1st class ones were half empty.  With the changes to ticket prices due in the New Year perhaps it is time to encourage FGW to operate the entire route as a single class ?  At least there would then be a fighting chance for the commuters to have a seat.

When I got to Twyford this morning at 07:10 the 06:52 to Henley (which on its return forms the 07:23 departure from Twyford to Paddington) was only just leaving! However the 07:04 trundled in at 07:16 and I caught that, arriving at Paddington some 15 minutes late at 07:59. The 07:23 was shown as running 12 minutes late on the arrival board at Paddington.

I'm really pleased about the new timetable - there are now 4 trains an hour between West Drayton and Slough/Maidenhead/Reading instead of 2. However, they have been putting on fewer carriages, so some services have been really crowded. The new 8:21 from WD has been late every day so far (between 5-10 mins), but no cancellations yet and it would only be a 15 minute wait for the next one anyway so a big improvement.

Why are there NO semi-fast trains from Reading to Ealing Broadway in the morning peak?

If I miss the 07:22 from Tilehurst, not only do I now have to change at Reading (when previously there were plenty of subsequent through trains) but the train stops at practically every stop, meaning my journey would be nearly 1/2-hour longer than it used to be. Guess i'll just have to get used to getting up earlier (ugh!)

In the evening it is fine (apart from the 17:33 from Ealing Broadway which STILL has only 3 carriages - why?????) - why oh why can't they replicate the Ealing-Hayes-Slough-Maidenhead-Twyford-Reading pattern in the morning?

Nightmare this morning though, the 07:22 was 1/2-hour late on a freezing cold morning.

It can only get better.....

Welcome to the forum , jane s and WDcommuter.

A belated welcome to BBM as well.

The HSTs aren't brilliant yet as they all have a buffet which decreased acceleration.

Bear in mind these HSTs are also booked to work all over FGW and simple cannot become standard class for a few commuters, afterall, they are intercity trains!

Surely these HSTs are FAR superior to a 180 though?

Credit where credit is due...At Maidenhead this morning I saw the 07:02 pull out on time and had the pleasure of a nice seat on the HST 07:04....which was also on time. :)

Yesterday morning was very unpleasant. Half hour wait at Maidenhead for the very late 9.03 departure in the freezing cold.. 

Well done though to the station announcers at Maidenhead for keeping us totally up to date on exactly where our trains were.. It didn't make me any warmer, but knowing that my train had just left Reading and then Twyford gave me some hope that I would be warm again.

Thumbs down to FGW's timetable though - there are so few trains at that time, that I had no choice other than to wait half hour for the very late train in sub zero temperatures.

You could always come and join us for the 07:02 and 07:04 ;D

I'd just love to do that, honestly. Unfortunately I have to take my three children to school first..
Up until last week the 8.51 fast train to Paddington, on the rare occasion it ran on time, would have me at my desk for 9.30.. Sadly that very well used train is no more. So now I am struggling even harder to do my hours thanks to FGW..

Another 07:10 arrival at Twyford today for the 07:04 but thanks to a clear run on the relief line it was only 1 minute late at Paddington. On the other hand the 07:23 was shown on the arrivals board there as being 14 minutes late...

Today's 07:02 from Maidenhead departed on time but looked like there was standing room only.  So, I held off for the 07:04 (which was pretty crowded too).  According to the announcement on the train we were just five minutes late into Paddington....which was a bit odd because I'm sure the clock said 07:36 when we disembarked and yet its due in at 07:27.   Maybe 'arrival' is counted as when it passes Royal Oak or something!

Today's 07:02 arrived at Maidenhead a few minutes late and then zapped off to London while the 07:04 held on platform 4.  Presumably this enabled it to arrive at Paddington on time.  07:04 arrived about 7 minutes late Paddington...so not a bad start to the day really.....unless you were a Maidenhead passenger on platform 2 waiting for the earlier 06:43, which I overheard somebody say just went straight through without stopping.  I noticed the screen mentioned something about a train being cancelled, so maybe that was it.

It was cancelled throughout from Reading - Paddington

9.03 departure from Maidenhead arrived 12 minutes late at Paddington today.. It did arrive only about 3 minutes late yesterday though, so fingers crossed for the rest of the week..

With both the 07:02 and the 07:04 showing on the board as on time at Maidenhead this morning I opted to hang back on platform 4 for the more comfortable 07:04 HST.  Watched the 07:02 arrive and thought should I, shouldn't I?  Decided not to sprint over to platform 2, at which point the monitor updated to say the 07:04 was delayed until 07:07....when it was now too late to switch platforms.  Ho hum!  07:04 arrived slightly late, as full as ever, and arrived at Paddington just a few minutes late.  Not perfect but good enough!

What stock is the 0702 formed of?

Sorry, I don't "do" trains - I only know Adelantes and HST's and it's neither of those.

Must be a turbo then!

Delays this morning - ended up getting on the 8.06 at 8.23 (wasn't too bad for me as I'd planned to catch the 8.21, but that was expected at 8.35).

Edit: Just checked FGW website - signalling problems between Southall and Slough to blame.

Indeed, most trains arriving into Paddington 20-30 late.