Great Western Coffee Shop

Of interest to those of you who like me, yearn for more interesting Bristol-London services than just the same old bog standard ones. I have spotted some interesting scheduled additonal FGW services which will be running during Saturdays and Bank Holiday Mondays from Saturday 23rd April till Monday May 2nd.  These are as a result of engineering work taking place Taunton and Castle Cary effecting West Of England services.

Saturday 23rd April
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0820 Bristol Temple Meads-London Paddington.  Calling Westbury, Pewsey, Reading, and London Paddington. Arrive London 1032.

1217 Bristol Temple Meads-London Paddington.  Calling Reading and London Paddington ONLY! Arrive London 1345. I'm guessing this will probably run via the Bath and Chippenham line.

2018 London Paddington-Bristol Temple Meads.  Calling Reading, Newbury, Pewsury, Westbury, and Bristol Temple Meads.  Arrive Bristol 2233.


Sunday 24th April
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0952 Bristol Temple Meads-London Paddington.  Departing just 4 minutes after the 0948 service to London. Calling Westbury, Pewsey, Newbury, Reading, and London Paddington.  Arrive London 1212.

1052 Bristol Temple Meads-London Paddington. Calling Reading and London Paddington only. Arrive London 1229. Unsure whether running via Bath and Chippenham or via Bristol Parkway.

1252 Bristol Temple Meads-London Paddington. Calling pattern as per the 0952 service. Arrive London 1503.

1403 Bristol Temple Meads-London Paddington.  Calling Reading and London Paddington only. Arrive London 1544. Not so sure if this will run via Bath and Chippenham or via Bristol Parkway.

1511 Bristol Temple Meads-London Paddington. Calling Reading and London Paddington only. Arrive London 1644.  Running via Bristol Parkway and Badmington.

1550 Bristol Temple Meads-London Paddington.  Calling Westbury, Pewsey, Newbury, Reading and London Paddington. Arrive London 1807.

1708 Bristol Temple Meads-London Paddington. Calling Reading and London Paddington only. Arrive London 1902. Not so sure if this will run via Bath and Chippenham or via Bristol Parkway.

1753 Bristol Temple Meads-London Paddington. Calling Westbury, Pewsey, Newbury, Reading and London Paddington. Arrive London 2014.

1856 Bristol Temple Meads-London Paddington. Calling Reading and London Paddington only. Arrive London 2029. Again not so sure the route this will take - either via Bristol Parkway or Bath and Chippenham.

2023 Bristol Temple Meads-London Paddington. Calling Reading and London Paddington only. Arrive London 2208.  Running via Bath and Chippenham.

2135 Bristol Temple Meads-London Paddington. Calling Westbury, Pewsey, Newbury, and London Paddington. Arrive London 2359.

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0934 London Paddington-Bristol Temple Meads. Calling Reading, Pewsey, Westbury, and Bristol Temple Meads. Arrive Bristol 1148.

1107 London Paddington-Bristol Temple Meads.  Calling Reading, Newbury, Pewsey, Westbury, and Bristol Temple Meads. Arrive Bristol 1315.

1330 London Paddington-Bristol Temple Meads. Calling points as per the 1107 service. Arrive Bristol 1549.

1532 London Paddington-Bristol Temple Meads.  Calling points as per the 1107 service. Arrive Bristol 1749.

1957 London Paddington-Bristol Temple Meads. Calling points as per the 1107 service. Arrive Bristol 2208.


That's just Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th April. I will add the services running on the Bank Holidays and the other weekend(unless they're exactly the same as 23rd and 24th April).

So definitely some opportunity to ride aboard some not so run of the mill Bristol-London(or vice versa) services during this period, including the VERY rare opportunity of a non-stop Bristol-Reading run.

1217 Bristol - Paddington will almost certainly be via B&H, since it certainly doesn't take 2h28 to do Bristol - London via Swindon

My mistake sorry.  The 1217 service on Saturday 23rd April has a journey time of just 1 hour 28 minutes, not 2 hours 28 minutes as I posted. So probably running via Bath and Chippenham, if not via Bristol Parkway.

I'm having problems editing my postings or posting replies or topics on here tonight, I keep getting a time out message.

Cheers Fatcontroller for your further info on the routes the express services will be taking.  I guess these are subject to possible change of route though if the services get delayed enroute to Bristol from the South West.  Even a possible chance(albeit fairly low-ish) of a Bristol-London nonstop run.  Either way whether the trains run on time or not, it will make for some interesting journeys.

Shame there aren't any express runs FROM London though.  But all in all, this is great stuff.  I've booked two return trips to London over both weekends especially to take advantage of this rare opportunity. Express runs outward, then the slower services via Newbury for the homeward journey.  Looking forward to it. And hope there are more such services again in the not too distant future.

The cheapest advance tickets for these servicess are selling like hot cakes. So book soon to avoid dissapointment!

On further check there is. On the Sundays,  the 0828 and 1759(just FOUR minutes before the 1803 to Bristol!) services from London.  Non-stop from Reading-Bristol Temple Meads, though with a journey time of about 1 hour 15 mins between the two cities.  Allthough it is listed that both these service call at Bristol TM(if you do a seach for London-Taunton services), it appears no tickets can be purchased from London-Bristol on these services for some reason.  Must mean it is a pick-up only point. 

A great journey yesterday on the 1052 service from Bristol-London Paddington.  Soon after departure the PA announcement said "This train will be calling Reading and London Paddington." then the standard stuff about no smoking, quiet zones, etc.  Followed by "Our next station stop is Reading in approximately one hour.".  Enjoyed a lovely non-stop fast run to Reading then onto London Paddington. With just a few slow-downs in the Didcot Parkway and Southall area where the train would have caught up with the earlier 1030 service from Bristol.   Arrived London Paddington a few minutes earlier than scheduled at 1225.   All in all, a very pleasant journey.  It makes for a much more relaxing journey with that non-stop run to Reading.  None of this stopping every 10-15 minutes at Bath, Chippenham, and Swindon malarky.  And none of those annoying PA announcements every several minutes droning on about the same old thing(i.e. "Ladies and gentlemen we are now approaching Chippenham, when leaving the train please ensure that you have all your personal belongings.....".).  No people getting on and off the train every 10-15 mins.  A much more relaxing journey. This felt much more like a proper express train.  I even overheard some other passengers(who were probably not rail enthusiasts) commening that it was nice that the train was running straight through to Reading rather than the usual stopping at Bath, Chippenham, and Swindon.

Brilliant stuff.  They really ought to have services like this every day(at certain times of the day at least).  Not just very occasionally due to engineering works elsewhere on the FGW network.  

The journey back on the 1957 service from Paddington was great too.   Via Newbury, Pewsey, and Westbury.  A nice non-stop run from Westbury-Bristol in just 27 minutes finished the journey off.  Great stuff. And again a pleasant change from the "same old same old" normal journeys. Interestingly when I disembarked at Temple Meads at 2215, as far as I could see there was only ONE other passenger who disembarked!

I look forward to doing it all over again next Saturday with the 1217 Bristol Temple Meads-London Paddington and the 2013 London Paddington-Bristol Temple Meads services.  And after that, I hope there's some more similar services like these later in the year.

I quite enjoy different routes and Express working, Not many true Express trains on FGW these days.

Remember some years back on a Birmingham-Plymouth Train, reckon it was Loco & Coaches set, we sat at Bristol TM for about 15 minutes, then headed out East, great I throught, a trip to Westbury & an extra hour on Journey as well.

Was very surprised as we turn off at North Somerset Junction, passed St Philips Marsh and came out at Bristol West Junction then headed home on the usual route.

Any forthcoming chance of a repeat run past St Philips Marsh?

And another great return journey to London again yesterday.

Started with the 1217 service.  It was running a little late due to an earlier train fault. Great to see on the display screen "Calling Reading, LONDON PADDINGTON" instead of the usual "Calling Bath Spa, Chippenham, Swindon......".  Some people on the platform were confused that it was not stopping at Bath!  As nowadays people are so used to all services from Bristol Temple Meads-London stopping at Bath.   Anyway, departed at 1331.  The actual scheduled 1230 Bristol-London service got held slightly to allow our train to get in front, which makes perfect sense rather than delay our service further by getting stuck behind a Bristol-London stopping service!  Was enjoying the non-stop to Reading run.  However about 25 minutes into the journey in the Wootton Bassett area the train slowed down and stopped at a signal.  After 5 minutes or so the conductor announced on the PA that a car had struck an overhead bridge.  We were stuck at that signal for about 25 minutes, before we departed again and a fast uninterrupted non-stop run through to Reading.  Arrived Reading at 1353, and London Paddington 40 minutes late at 1425.   A shame about that earlier delay causing our train to be stopped at Wootton Basset for 25 minutes, as the journey could have been very fast otherwise, potentially under 1 hour 20 minutes Bristol TM-London.   But overall, another fantastic rare EXPRESS(limited stop) Bristol-London journey.   And again a hell of a lot more relaxing without all that faffing about stopping at Bath,Chippenham, Swindon every 10-15 minutes!

Just have to wait now untill the Bristol-London express services return again.   Hopefully later this year with a bit of luck.  Though before this current batch of rare express services, the last ones were back in March 2008!

And returning from London on the 2013 service to Bristol Temple Meads.  The 2006 service to Plymouth via Bristol Temple Meads looked as though it was very busy when I went past it on the adjacent platform 4.  In contrast the 2013 wasn't very busy atall from what I could see.  Probably no more than about 200 people onboard, the majority of whom were travelling to Reading, Newbury, Pewsey or Westbury.   The non-stop journey from Westbury-Bristol was nice, just a few slow downs and short signal waits in the Bath and St. Annes area where we would have been running just behind the 2030 London-Bristol service.  When the train terminated at Bristol Temple Meads at 2219, I could only see about a dozen other people who disembarked the train!    Most London-Bristol passengers at that time would have got the 2006 or 2030 services from London with the shorter journey times but with the usual stopping pattern.  But for me, I specifically booked to travel on this service as it was a pleasant change from the "same old same old" London-Bristol journey.   Again, BRILLIANT stuff!

I note that as from 23rd May there's a daily Bristol to London (Paddington) train that runs through Bath non-stop

The 0447 from Bristol TM that goes via Parkway. Doesn't run through Bath or Chippenham. As now.

Nope - not that one - not that early - nonstop through Bath ...  ;D
(or have I been caught by a timetable misprunt?)

Can't see one skipping Bath on the .pdf timetable from FGW's website. Or on journey planners.  :-\

Yes the 0447 doesn't stop at Bath.  And runs via Parkway.

The one Grahame is referring to is the 0520 Bristol Temple Meads-London Paddington. Starting from Monday 23rd May. Running non-stop to Bradford On Avon, then numerous stops via Westbury and Newbury.

Aha. Of course!

Totally forgot about the 'new' services to/from BRI via the B&H. Not shown on the main BRI-PAD timetable or on journey planners unless a 'via' option is specified.

Its done that for at least 9 months - since I moved down in fact!

That 0447 service via Parkway has been running for ages.  At least over a year. Not really that interesting a service anyway. Stopping at Parkway, Swindon, Didcot, Reading, and London.

Is anyone else having difficulty accessing table 135 in the Forthcoming Timetable section of the National Rail electronic table? I get a 'page not found' message, altho all other tables open correctly. Have sent an email query which was acknowledged, but no explanation as to whether it is a general or specific to me glitch.

Page 1 (of 4059!) of the forthcoming eNRT has the following message:

Am looking out every week for any upcoming services like these again.  So far still none on the horizon(up untill early June).  A shame that such services are so rare due to the rarity of major engineering works on the Taunton-Castle Cary line.  Last time was last year(2011), before that it was 2008.  So it looks like it won't be till 2014 till the next ones.  Only another 2 years wait!

Bring back the Bristol-London express services!

Well it's been a loooong time since we had these express services.  As mentioned they only appear to happen every THREE years!  Not sure yet if they'll be happening this year.  But hopefully within the next 3-4 weeks when booking during April is opened up, we'll find out if they're happening again this year.  Hope so!

Your consistent optimism is commendable, XPT!  ;) :D ;D

6th-10th October and 13th-17th October are currently the next dates penciled in for a Castle Cary to Cogload Junction blockade for major track renewals. So potentially more fast services from Bristol.

Thank you Louis94.  Won't be April this year then, but October. Still another 9 months wait yet!  I shall keep those dates free in my diary for a return trip(or two) to London during those weekends.  Not gauranteed though any of these diverted services will include Bristol Temple Meads as scheduled station stops.  But we'll see come mid-late July when these journeys are bookable.  If not, I'll have to make a journey down to Taunton(from Bristol) first to be able to board these services!

Yes Chris from Nailsea, I am VERY keen about travelling on these special rare services!

Well the engineering work is taking place in October 2014.  However bad news for anyone hoping to do some non-stop journeys between Bristol and Reading.  Unlike back in 2008 and 2011 they're doing it a little differently this year.  Engineering works takes place on Weekdays only and not weekends.  With services to Devon and Cornwall running non-stop between Reading and Exeter St. Davids.  They won't be stopping at Bristol Temple Meads unfortunately. 

A 2 hour non-stop journey from Reading-Exeter via Bristol would be a pretty nice journey though.  But for those of us in Bristol you'll have to go out of your way a bit to do that, especially if you want to do the journey in both directions.  Doubt I'll be doing it though on a weekday.  A weekend would have been better.  Oh well so much for that!  Bit of a dissapointment after a 3 and a half year wait!