Great Western Coffee Shop

Before I post and perhaps be accused of potentially getting this driver into trouble, he sought permission and had no problem me writing to FGW!


So last night I caught the 23:01 from Reading where I planned to get off at Newbury. Alas I sadly fell asleep around Aldermaston and woke up at Bedwyn! This is where the service terminates and sadly whilst the set runs empty back to Reading, it is not a passenger service.

Faced with the prospect of waking up my wife around midnight to ask her to drive the 40 odd mile roundtrip, I asked the driver (bear in mind I was not drunk or incoherent) if he could "Drop me off" at Newbury to which he politely declined (worth a chance I thought!). Seeing that the taxi company quoted me ^45 for the trip, I sat down on the station bench and plucked up the courage to phone the wife.

Just before I was about to do so, the same set heading back to Reading slowed into the platform with the driver waving at me. Firstly, I have to apologise as I thought he was being a bit cruel. However I then realised he was stopping the train. So I ran towards the cab where the door opened. He asked "you just going to Newbury mate?" to which I said yes. He said "Ok, I'll see what I can do". So he radioed 'control', explained the situation, said he was just running back to Reading and it would be no issue to drop me off at Newbury and to my absolute amazement they said OK! So he smiled, turned on the carriage lights and let me back onto the train where we ran non-stop back to Newbury!

When we arrived at Newbury I walked over to the cab and thanked him for his kindness and willingness to ask on my behalf. Knowing the sensitivities behind driver procedures, I asked whether he would mind me writing to FGW to say thank you as I didn't want him to get into any difficulties. However he said that wouldn't be an issue at all.

So thank you Mr Driver! Also thank you to the person at 'control' who authorised the untimetabled service and stop for me. It is quite something to be able to say I've had my own train put in service just for me!

I also wanted to publicise it on here as we often read negative stories about railway staff unwilling to go the extra mile or of other criticisms of FGW. However I felt it only fair to publicise a good news story!