The new timetable saw the withdrawal of the ladt service from RDG^▸ (Rail Delivery Group, or Reading station, depending on context) to GTW, which departed at around 2334.
I've seen that the "new" last train at 2235 from RDG to GTW this evening has been cancelled and replaced with a bus.

Passengers boarding Tfl Buses must now do so via the middle doors, with no requirement to Tap In

I feel for those passengers who turn up at unmanned stations late at night when the last train is cancelled. I suppose they can use the Help Points. I travel on the last train between Redhill and Dorking Deepdene maybe 3 or 4 times a year, and you do get 1 or 2 passengers joining at Reigate or Dorking Deepdene.

On Friday evening, the bus replacement did turn up but there was no-one joining at Reigate or Deepdene, the bus arriving at the latter station at around 10 past midnight, 25 minutes or so after the scheduled train that it was replacing

So this evening the 2318 Gtw to Rdg has been cancelled and the 2334 Rdg to Gtw has also been cancelled. I am at Redhill station where I am told a bus will be provided to take me and others to Dorking. Its unacceptable for either ir both last trains to be cancelled.

In the opening post, Richard mentioned a couple of points; the 1 hr 3 min schedule from PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) to Charlbury matching a historic best; and the departure of the Cathedrals Express from PAD at around 18:22 being unchanged for 20 years or so.

These comments made me dig out some past timetables....

Concerning the PAD to Charlbury fastest schedule, this might not be the case. In the Spring 1998 CLPG^» (Cotswold Line Promotion Group - about) newsletter (Issue 69), the proposed Summer 98 timetable was printed (subject to confirmation) and this showed the 1827 from Paddington, due into Charlbury at 1926, having stopped only at Oxford. This 1827 was scheduled to arrive Shrub Hill at 2016, Gt Malvern at 2031 and Hereford at 2110, although it probably had to wait for 10 minutes or so at Ledbury, where it was scheduled to arrive at 2043.

Concerning the regular departure of the Cathedral Express from Paddington, the Summer 2004 schedules showed the Peak Hereford trains departing PAD at 1712 and 1827 but changing to 1722 and 1822 in Summer 2005. The Winter 96 timetable showed peak departures at 1710 and 1820.

I disagree that the claims process is complicated. For me though, the issue is the low refund that you receive for a 15 minute delay (although I appreciate all journeys are different)

For instance, I pay around £270 for my monthly season ticket. If I get particularly annoyed by a 15 minute delay, I will make a claim, but I receive around £1.70 or £1.80 which isn't a great deal. If there was a minimum payout of say £5, then I would claim more often. 

Well I did catch it, and it wasn't advertised at all on the screens at Redhill

Thanks Gentlemen for the reassurances.

I am planning to catch this train; however, it's not appearing in the journey planner. The last train of the evening is still showing, so it can't not be running due to Engineering Work, and the unit which works the service TO Gatwick is running. So this is just a blip in the system?

And yesterday's 1551 from Foregate St to Paddington was started at Shrub Hill. On time as far as Charlbury, and then departed about 13 mins late waiting for the 1522 from PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) to come off the single line.

Thanks.

That is reassuring, although I am not seeing these times on the usual sites, National Rail, Open Trains etc, hence my query.

I know that some us get very impatient waiting for news of timetable changes, but has the May North Downs timetable been 100% finalised?

There seem to be one or two omissions, notably the 0634 from Reading to Gatwick and the 0728 from Redhill to Reading, as well as some late evening trains

On Easter Monday, there was one further cancellation; I think it was the 1059 from GMV^▸ (Great Malvern station) to PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains), and the previous working from PAD.

I caught the 0954 from GMV to Reading (the first thing I did when I woke up was to sadly look at my phone to see if it was operating). This was my first journey on one of the new trains. Between Oxford and Didcot, the recorded announcements had a mind of their own "We are now approaching Worcester Foregate St". And also the Seat Reservation system wasn't working, so that created some angst.

On leaving Shrub Hill, I was surprised to see 2 HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units))'s stabled in the sidings

And Totley Tunnel between Sheffield and Manchester has had to be closed.

There is a link if you look at the Derbyshire Times with a very interesting "heritage" photo to go with the article!

The disappointing aspect is that GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) has made NO attempt whatsoever to operate any trains on the North Downs Line this weekend. Dorking passengers haven't fared too well today with London bound trains being replaced by buses to either Sutton or Wimbledon due to engineering work. Many of those passengers would have travelled from Deepdene to Redhill, and then up to Victoria or London Bridge. When I visited Dorking station at lunchtime, there were 4 double deckers in the forecourt providing the Rail replacement service, although with very few users.

On a sad note, I saw that one of the shiny new ticket machines outside Deepdene station has had its touchscreen smashed.