Great Western Coffee Shop

0500 Paddington
0526 Reading
0540 Didcot PW
0558 Swindon
0612 Chippenham
0625 Bath
0642 Bristol TM
0712 Taunton
0725 Tiverton
0740 Exeter SD
0800 Newton A
0812 Totnes
0827 Ivybridge
0845 Plymouth
0908 Liskeard
0921 Bodmin PW
0931 Par
0937 St Austell
0955 Truro
1009 Redruth
1016 Camborne
1026 St Erth
1038 Penzance

1110 Penzance
1118 St Erth
1128 Camborne
1134 Redruth
1146 Truro
1202 St Austell
1209 Par
1220 Bodmin PW
1232 Liskeard
1249 Saltash
1305 Plymouth
1320 Ivybridge
1334 Totnes
1346 Newton Abbot
1406 Exeter SD
1428 Taunton
1500 Bristol TM

1515 Bristol TM
1545 Taunton
1606 Exeter SD
1626 Newton A
1639 Totnes
1653 Ivybridge
1708 Plymouth
1711 Devonport
1713 Dockyard
1715 Keyham
1717 St B F Rd
1722 Saltash
1729 St Germans
1737 Menheniot
1743 Liskeard
1756 Bodmin PW
1806 Par
1812 St Austell
1830 Truro

1846 Truro
1902 St Austell
1909 Par
1920 Bodmin PW
1932 Liskeard
1949 Saltash
2000 Plymouth
2027 Totnes
2040 Newton Abbot
2100 Exeter SD
2114 Tiverton PW
2128 Taunton
2246 Reading
2315 London Paddington

Thoughts?

I think it is a very good idea. As Adelantes high better acceleration than HST's it would be much better as HST's also lose time when the doors are left open by passengers at unmanned stations or manned stations that cause delays. But does the Adelante have SDO as I am not sure if some stations are long enough for an Adelante.

I rather like it, as it fills some gaps quite nicely. I have a couple of questions as to how it would fit into the December 2008 timetable, if that's ok :

Your timings look very close to the 0634 XC service between Bristol and Plymouth. Is your service envisaged as a replacement? It also leaves Bristol 4 minutes after the 0638 FGW service, does it pass just after Bristol?

Where does your 1346 departure from Newton Abbot pass the 1313 FGW Paignton-Exmouth service, and where does the same service pass the 1407 Taunton-Cardiff Central service?

And what happens when it breaks down miles from home?

Travelled back from Oxford to Moreton on one last night (104?) and thought it was about to pack up at any moment. We lost 10 minutes on the journey. No explanation was offered - thought it might be leaves on the line initially, but it didn't feel like we were slipping at any point, just going far below normal speed the whole way.

willc, A LOT of trains yesterday were running slower speeds, especially on approach and departure.

Many LM services at Worcester were delayed by about 10 mins, and the one I was on slowed down ages before each station.

Plus an extra 5 mins delay as the staff were still in the staff room!

It was pretty much the entire journey. And if it was the weather/leaves, why on earth didn't the crew say something on the PA? This is exactly the kind of lack of simple information that infuriates people and that too often FGW still don't seem to get right. Once you know what's going on, you're more likely to accept it.

And if it was the weather, how was it that the working in the opposite direction from Worcester was only a couple of minutes adrift nearing Oxford, suggesting that the 17.21 from London was near enough on time out of the single line as well. But, as I say, we will never know, because we weren't told anything!

If the service is stopping at Saltash, I think the service should also stop at Lostwithiel, as this station has some very large gaps, and could be a lot busier with a regular service.

As an alternative, how about two Adelante to help tackle the ridiculous passenger overcrowding morning and evening on the Intercity Route. Whilst I am lucky to get a seat most mornings from BPW to Reading, every week I usually stand from Reading to BPW on Thursday and Friday.

Paddington
Reading
Didcott
Swindon
Bristol PW
Bristol TM
Bath
Chippenham
Swindon
Reading
Paddington

and

Bristol TM
Bristol PW
Swindon
Didcott
Reading
Paddington
Reading
Swindon
Chippenham
Bath
Bristol TM

All very interesting, but back in the real world there is a queue of people waiting to take these units, the only dependency being who gets what in the great East Coast carve up. So the chances of FGW keeping any seems remote.

Mind you, it appears Virgin have decided now not to take their two which they only recently leased, so anything can happen.   

I've based it loosely on the current May 08 Timetable

Would seem a fair Idea, but not much spare time at Turn Rounds so Late Runnning minutes would build.

Also where does it get water tanks topped up?

Are Adelantes cleared to run west of Plymouth?

Does it matter?  No other trains seem to have theirs done.

If they were, they currently would have to be staffed by Exeter crews as Plymouth/Penzance crews never ran them in the old days.

This may be purely academic.   TOCs in the frozen north are fighting tooth and nail for 180s.  The remaining FGW sets are set to leave by June 2009, if you can believe the current edition of 'Modern Railways', who add the rider.."assuming the Northern deal goes ahead".

Interesting where we were fifteen years ago.  But these days would we be looking at a 5 car IET or (dare  I ask) a Castle. Great way to bring people into Paddington when it's quiet late at night and in the early morning, with a set swap at Plymouth one of the times it calls there.

It was never quiet at Paddington when an Adelante was screeching and rumbling away!  ;)