Great Western Coffee Shop

This morning I've been using the National Rail on-line travel planner to look at whether I can do some work-related trips over the next few weeks by rail.

When going into London, I often catch the 0903 ex Thatcham, which is a Turbo stopping at Theale and Reading only and gets to PAD in about 55 mins. Coming back I have often used the 1618 ex PAD, which follows a similar semi-fast pattern (it also stops at Aldermaston, IIRC) and gets me back to THA in around an hour.

It seems that after about 19th Sept, these direct semi-fast's no longer exist. In fact, it looks like the only direct trains THA to PAD are the morning and evening HST's (2 of each).

Does anyone know if this is this a permanent change?

I think this is to do with platform 7 closing to be rebuilt, with platform 8 too over the weekend of 20/23 September at least. The Newbury/Bedwyn through trains are being lost over some long weekends.

If you look at the timetable changes page of FGW's site, it has loads of week by week details. Alternatively, watch out for the differences in Journey Planner that only apply Friday or Monday.

There are some alterations to these trains on Friday 20th and Monday 23th September in connection with the Reading improvement works. The Paddington to/from Bedwyn trains appear to only operate west of Reading. http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/contents/reading-station-improvements (http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/contents/reading-station-improvements)

I have not seen anything to suggest a longer term change to this service.

Thanks chaps, I tried a few more dates further out and it does seem that these reductions are temporary, which is good news.

There was also mention that during these long weekends, the Reading-Newbury/Bedwyn trains that do run will take around 10 mins longer, and route via Tilehurst.

I guess that means they will go west to Tilehurst, reverse and then take the western (freight) loop at Reading West to get onto the B&H.

I'm sure many passengers who don't follow these things as closely as we do will wonder what on earth's going on!

Hopefully there will be on board annoucements, unlike the time I was a train from the West Country which reversed at Exeter St Davids to take the Waterloo line and someone panicked, thought they were going back to Plymouth and pulled the passenger alarm!