Great Western Coffee Shop

Awaiting confirmation - 4 extra trains from Swindon to Paddington (one starts back from Bristol) and 6 extras Paddington to Swindon (on carries on to Weston) on Saturdays from December to "crowd bust". A number of stops removed on other trains, and some outbound services become pickup only at Reading.  Extra Swindon trains largely 387s.

Eight extra each way, Swindon to Paddington on Sundays, all 8 car 387s.

I cannot see that working in practice. All Friday afternoon trains from Paddington to the South West are supposedly 'pick up only' at Reading - even to the extent of leaving the Reading stop off the Paddington departure boards, yet invariably there is a large exodus of pax from these services at Reading.

The action was described as being an encouragement and not an enforcement to persuade people for Reading to catch the crowd-buster alternative services.

It is never, ever enforced.

Good news about the extra services though.

As Graham says it will ‘work’ in that it will put off a decent percentage, probably the majority, who might otherwise be on board, and therefore can be described as successful.

Out of interest how do "pick up only" services actually work?
Surely if the train stops at a station people will use the service to get off?

Or is it simply down to restrictions on tickets? EG. Not available to disembark at Reading

Not shown on departure boards and perhaps ticket gates not letting [Reading] tickets onto the train.  Yes, people will get off ...

There have been instances where Paddington - Reading (p.u.) - Taunton trains have left London so full that the decision has been taken not to call at Reading, with Reading passengers picked up by the train 30 minutes behind.  This tends to infuriate passengers wanting to get off at Reading who find themselves with an evening trip (it's been Friday evening) to Taunton and an expensive rail fare back from Zummerzet.

Not a lot of sympathy for people who take the chance of the train stopping at Reading, provided it was clear to them (e.g. by on-train announcements before departure) that tickets were not valid for travel to Reading (such an announcement could even say that the train might not stop at Reading).