Great Western Coffee Shop

In the morning peak, Marlow's hourly service goes half hourly for a bit, with the first train at 06:06 and then 06:36.

From the May timetable change, this goes to 6:16 and 7:06 before the half hour timetable kicks in, which seems a bit harsh.

Mark

Folks need to complain to their Local MP,

Yep.

Marlow to Maidenhead. Not familiar with it, having touched it only two or three times, ever - once to drop someone at Bourne End -  and that actually was for one of those early trains (and a day when we were praying that we'd be surveyed as to what travel modes had been used for a journey to work).

Looking at Realtimetrains, the half hourly pattern seems to be operated by two trains, on an out-and-back pattern from Bourne End and using just one platform there, once the service goes off-peak this drops back to one and the other takes itself off somewhere else. A bit odd, as this must tie up two extra carriages in the peak for no increase in capacity. (Or, more likely, I've misunderstood this completely)

Mark

It does utilise 2 units at the peak, even if the line was linear (ie no need for a reverse at Bourne End) to achieve 2 tph its likely 2 units would still be required.

The removal of the 06:36 means branch line passengers will miss out on the use of 2 fast services from Maidenhead to Paddington, 07:02 and 07:07 Padd arrive 07:21, 07:24 to in the new time table of a Padd arrival of 07:52

I suspect there is a high risk of the of the first service on the branch being capped when there are problems as it will be easier for GWR and NR to run the 2 units from Reading train care together and split them at Maidenhead.

This change is a serious down grading of the service on the branch

Thanks for this background, it's helpful.

Mark