Great Western Coffee Shop

Almost without fail many Sundays (including tonight) the 17.45 (ex Plymouth) due into Newbury at 20.23 arrives around 20.12 causing confusion and then sits there for 10 mins until departure time.

I presume this is recovery time not needed - could someone in the know explain why it happens so regularly ???

Most probably engineering allowance. What sort of confusion does it cause? Am interested to hear.

Confusion usually of two kinds :-

1) those getting off mentally prepare themselves to get off at 20.23 and suddenly it arrives at 20.12 and there is a rush to find luggage and get off (but of course they have ten minutes to do so but don't realise it).

2) Those who are getting on wondering if this is the 20.23 or another earlier train. You see a few people running down the station approach thinking they are late.

Its made worse by the fact that on a Sunday evening there are no staff to ask so the TM gets all the enquiries. Last night the the TM was really on the ball and announced we were early by 10 mins, gave people enough time to get up and get off and made sure people knew we were waiting there for 10 mins.

The capacity of many otherwise intelligent human beings to descend into a state of dithering panic whenever they get near a train or railway station never ceases to confound me! How hard can it be...?

For those on the train the TM will most likely have announced that they're approaching Newbury, if they've ever made the journey before they will probably have some idea of what the approach to the station looks like, and it's not as if the train is going to leave ten minutes early with them still on-board.

For those on the platform there will be an information screen saying exactly what the train is, and although I don't know Newbury I'm assuming there is an automated PA of some sort. And the train will probably (but not always) have labels in the windows.

Sometimes it amazes me that some of these folk managed to tie their own shoes (maybe they didn't) or worse, drive to the station...

Me too! I wouldn't ask the orgional question but I am getting quite used (and amused) by the ensuing confusion and panic most Sunday Evenings. People look at me as if I am quite mad when i get up as we approach Newbury at 20.10ish. People sprint down the approach road thinking they are late.

To be fair I haven't noticed station announcements but I am off the train and out the station. Last nights TM was brill he really made sure everyone knew what was going on sometimes we are on the platform before anyone realises. 

I just find it interesting as its the only train I know that seems to regularly wait for that length of time arriving early. I think the only other time I have waiting similarly has been on XC at BTM.

if this was facebook i would be clicking the like button now!

Oh - come on. It's just that most of us here are used to the quirks of the system!  ;)

* A ticket bought in advance is not necessarily an advanced ticket
* Off Peak tickets seem to be valid on the busiest Sunday trains
* There are no trains on Boxing day which is one of the busiest days of the year for travel
* Airlines leave early if everyone's on board, so why shouldn't trains?
* Ryde has 3 stations each with 2 trains an hour each way. Same size Melksham has 1 station with 2 trains a DAY each way.
* Late night trains always seem to leave from the platform furthest from the concourse
* Some trains are timed to arrive at their destination after they're timed to set off on their return
* A train may be on time even if it's ten minutes late
* The first train to be cancelled is always the one with the longest wait for the next service - getting much better - thank you, FGW!
* Barry Links and Barry Island are nowhere near each other
* You have to pay more to stand in some corridors than others
* Tickets say "any permitted route" but don't tell you what's permitted.
* You can sometimes save over half your fare by buying your ticket in two halves.

That's true. Although my original comments were only intended to be about people figuring out how to get on the correct train, I had neglected the possibility that they may have been left in a befuddled tailspin by their trip to the booking office...

I guess there is a real element of truth here.

I would classify myself as a fairly savy frequent traveller. I know the journey well enough (even in the dark - 10 mins after Hungerford) that I know when we will be arriving in Newbury early or late. I know what sort of train I am looking for (for example I wouldn't expect to board a Turbo for Plymouth), I know the position of the display boards if I need info and I will probably have checked the train time via my mobile (and got the platform number and mins late or early).

I can see why the  average travelling punter does get confused when anything is slightly out of expectation.

Interesting journey tonight - Engineering works from Taunton to Westbury so train went Taunton - BTM - Bath Spa - Westbury before reversing and continuing to Newbury getting in at 21.09pm.

More confused passengers (both getting on and getting off) but this time because it was running later than scheduled.

Moral - you can look at a paper timetable but it really does pay to check online.