Great Western Coffee Shop

Its a major data change on the signalling system and some works at Old Oak Common to link up the new Crossrail Depot to the network (although the first stage of the depot itself won't be operational until May 2017).  Some new crossovers going in at Ladbroke Grove and at Paddington.  It also includes the lengthening of Platform No.13 at Paddington due to the abolition of the existing Platform No.12 and its existing connection to Platform No.11.  Also includes operational length extension of Paddington Platforms No.1 to 5 by moving the starting signals out a bit.

Call me superstitious if you like, but wasn't the idea to use the P12 number and not P13?   A minor detail that wouldn't affect the physical work at all...
Paul

Timings (provisional) are available on the realtimetrains website.  I expect full 'passenger friendly' details will appear soon.

Don't think it stretches to New Year though, does it? Isn't it 24th - 29th December?

It is a little disappointing that information like this isn't in the public domain sooner and you learn of what's happening from a site produced by someone outside the rail industry.

True - although as you and I noted last year (http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=16271.msg183833#msg183833 (http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=16271.msg183833#msg183833)) the initial information on RealTimeTrains isn't always what comes to pass on the day.

Friday 23 December
 Minor alterations to peak services to / from London Paddington. Additional trains will operate between London Paddington and the West of England
 
Saturday 24 December
 Major engineering work is taking place between London Paddington and Ealing Broadway with all lines closed. A normal service will operate on other routes with trains finishing earlier than the normal timetable
 
Sunday 25 December
 No service
Monday 26 December
 No service
 
Tuesday 27 December
 Major engineering work is taking place between London Paddington and Ealing Broadway and also Newport and Bridgend with all lines closed. An amended weekday service will run with trains starting later than the normal timetable. Some trains in the morning and evening peak services will be cancelled or amended. Additional trains will run from the West of England to Ealing Broadway
 
Wednesday 28 December Major engineering work is taking place between London Paddington and Ealing Broadway and also Newport and Bridgend with all lines closed. An amended weekday service will run with trains starting later than the normal timetable. Some trains in the morning and evening peak services will be cancelled or amended. Additional trains will run from the West of England to Ealing Broadway
 
Thursday 29 December Major engineering work is taking place between London Paddington and Ealing Broadway. An amended weekday service will run with trains starting later than the normal timetable. Some trains in the morning and evening peak services will be cancelled or amended. Additional trains will run from the West of England to Ealing Broadway

 
Friday 30 December An amended weekday service will run with trains starting later than the normal timetable. Some morning and evening peak services to and from London Paddington will be amended or cancelled. Additional trains will run from the West of England to London Paddington
 
Saturday 31 December An amended service will run with trains finishing earlier than then normal timetable (from 22:00 on most routes). New years eve special trains will run. The 00:05, 00:30 and 01:00 London Paddington to Twyford services will extend to Reading. Additional trains will run from London Paddington to Reading between 01:55 and 05:29

 
Sunday 1 January 2016
 Major engineering work is taking place between Bridgend and Newport with all lines closed. An amended service will apply on most routes

 
Monday 2 January Major engineering work is taking place between Bridgend and Newport with all lines closed. An amended service will apply on most routes with trains starting later than the normal timetable. Some morning and evening peak services to / from London Paddington will be amended or cancelled. Additional trains will run from the West of England to London Paddington

 
Tuesday 3 January
  Originating points will differ on a few early morning services

Saturday 31 December An amended service will run with trains finishing earlier than then normal timetable (from 22:00 on most routes). New years eve special trains will run. The 00:05, 00:30 and 01:00 London Paddington to Twyford services will extend to Reading.

This quote seems curious. Normally if you are at Paddington and see Twyford on the departure boards as the destination you'll find that it actually continues to Reading anyway. Reason being is that GWR don't want Reading passengers unintentionally catching a slower stopping service when they could get a non stop service instead. At all other calling stations the train will be advertised as being for Reading.

Glad to see additional trains running between Paddington-West Country on 23/12 - let's hope there's a lot of them to at least mitigate the usual chaos!

I dimly recall that, during the resignalling of Paddington in the 1960's, Ealing Broadway was the terminus for a fairly lengthy period.  So it must have some capacity.  I am not concerned about the week between Christmas and New Year.  Am a little concerned about Saturday 24th though. 

This quote seems curious. Normally if you are at Paddington and see Twyford on the departure boards as the destination you'll find that it actually continues to Reading anyway. Reason being is that GWR don't want Reading passengers unintentionally catching a slower stopping service when they could get a non stop service instead. At all other calling stations the train will be advertised as being for Reading.

I dimly recall that, during the resignalling of Paddington in the 1960's, Ealing Broadway was the terminus for a fairly lengthy period.  So it must have some capacity.  I am not concerned about the week between Christmas and New Year.  Am a little concerned about Saturday 24th though. 

I remember that! Kensington Olympia was also used as a terminus

Hi,

Has anyone got a copy of the flyer that is on the back of the seats on the trains about the Christmas closure? - I'm sure it said that there will be NO district line from Ealing Broadway (on the page with the line diagram) during this period either.  But looking on FGW's site I can't see the same bit of info - kind of impacts how useful travelling to Ealing Broadway will be...

Boppy.

Has anyone got a copy of the flyer that is on the back of the seats on the trains about the Christmas closure?

As requested

(http://www.mbob.co.uk/rforum/christmas2016.jpg)

That's the first time I've seen that poster. Took a 165 yesterday and 2 more today. Presumably that leaflet is on the seat backs on HSTs instead.

Poor planning on either Network Rail's or TfL's part not having District line trains running whilst Ealing Broadway is the temporary GWML terminus over the Christmas period. People just don't travel at this time do they?  ::)

The District Line is open from Ealing as usual during the blockade, isn't it?

Mon 26 Dec 16 Fri 30 Dec 16... Gloucester Road to  Acton Town and Richmond, Edgware Road to Wimbledon  High Street Kensington to Kensington (Olympia) until 21:30 on 30 December Mon

Very confusing, the poster attached above says no district services 26-29 to Central London from Ealing Broadway.

TFL advanced planned closures calendar says:
Although the TFL advanced planned works calendar has nothing for the district for those days.

So perhaps a recent change in TFLs thinking?

Hmm.  You didn't happen to nick that flyer off the train, did you, bobm?  Bearing in mind their request at the bottom of the page, "Please do not remove this leaflet from the train."

 ::) :D ;D

I'm going to a meeting with GWR tomorrow at Padd on behalf of Maidenhead and Marlow Passenger Association I'll try and confirm whether District Line is closed During Padd closure.

Passengers urged to plan ahead and travel early as Paddington closes for six days
 
Plan ahead and travel early is the clear message from Great Western Railway today as the train operator reminds passengers that rail services will not operate from London Paddington after Friday 23 December.
 
No train services will be able to operate from Christmas Eve up to and including Thursday 29 December between London Paddington and Ealing Broadway. Passengers will be able to change at Ealing Broadway for London Underground services.
 
As there is no step-free access at Ealing Broadway, GWR tickets will also be valid via the following London stations:
·         Euston; To and from the Hereford area (change at Birmingham New Street)
·         Marylebone; To and from the Oxford area (change at Oxford)
·         Waterloo; To and from Bristol, South Wales, the South West and Basingstoke (change at Reading)

GWR Managing Director Mark Hopwood said: "These improvement works will ultimately increase capacity and connectivity in London and the Thames Valley, and on the wider Great Western network. New trains are already in operation on some GWR routes and more are on their way during the course of 2017 and 2018 – delivering more seats and more frequent services.
 
“We have worked closely with our colleagues at Network Rail to keep disruption to a minimum; however, we urge customers to travel early and to note that we will not be able to run trains between London Paddington and Ealing Broadway for four days from and including Christmas Eve. We strongly advise customers with luggage, children or who require assisted travel, to use either London Marylebone, Euston or Waterloo.”
 
Network Rail’s orange army will be out in force over the Christmas period to carry out upgrade work which is necessary as part of the Crossrail project. Work will take place between Old Oak Common, Stockley, Hayes, Acton and Maidenhead.
 
The upgrade means there will be no train services in or out of Paddington main line station from December 24 to 29, with a reduced timetable between December 30 and January 2. From Tuesday 27 to Wednesday 28 December and again on Sunday 1 to Monday 2 January buses will replace trains between Newport, Cardiff and Bridgend.
 
The work in London and the Thames Valley is one of up to 200 projects being delivered across the UK rail network as £103million is being invested into the railway, making it the biggest ever festive upgrade.

Managing Director for network operations at Network Rail, Phil Hufton, said: “Work takes place all year round as part of our railway upgrade plan, but we tend to carry out larger upgrades over bank holidays as this is when passenger numbers are at their lowest. This Christmas will see significant investment in our railway with thousands of Network Rail’s orange army working hard to deliver hundreds of crucial projects to improve Britain’s railways. This will mean changes to services over the festive period, so we strongly advise passengers to plan their journeys as early as possible.

“Despite our essential upgrades the vast majority of the rail network, over 95%, remains unaffected and will be open for business as usual. This vital investment will make the railway more reliable for years to come, while improving journeys for thousands of passengers. There’s never a good time to impact on journeys and I’d like to thank passengers in advance for their patience.”

Crossrail Programme Director at Network Rail, Matthew Steele, said: “Successful completion of these Christmas works is not only vital to delivering the Crossrail project, but is an integral part of our Railway Upgrade Plan as we continue to enhance the capacity and reliability of our railway, and enable the introduction of new rolling stock in 2017 that has more seats and offers quieter, more reliable journeys.”
 
For more information please visit: https://www.gwr.com/travel-updates/christmas-travel 

Interestingly, I hadn't picked up the fact that the District Line will also be closed.

I must have read the "change at Ealing Broadway to London Underground" and assumed that both the Central and the District would be operating normally.

Definitely going for Marylebone now!

Supposedly it will take you as far as Acton Town - but that's implied rather than being stated explicitly.

The lack of coordination with TfL is breathtaking, as someone who used to commute from Ealing Broadway I would advise anyone to avoid it over Christmas if at all possible - it's one of those stations that has got significantly worse overcrowding-wise in recent years (particularly in the evening peak), even without being used as a terminus with one Underground line only running as far as Acton.

Did anyone experience the Ealing Broadway alterations?  All seemed to be working pretty well on Xmas Eve, but I didn't get to see it again.  Reports on other forums seem to suggest it was busy but all went pretty smoothly despite the concerns.

Good to see Paddington reopen as planned this morning, though a 20mph speed restriction on one of the lines due to a cracked rail has caused a few delays.

Did anyone experience the Ealing Broadway alterations?  All seemed to be working pretty well on Xmas Eve, but I didn't get to see it again.  Reports on other forums seem to suggest it was busy but all went pretty smoothly despite the concerns.