Unusual through train

[whole diary]

[bobm]

From FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Website

07:59 Swansea to London Paddington due 12:02
This train will call additionally at Pewsey and Newbury.This is due to an earlier train fault.

Last Updated: 30/10/2011 09:33

Wonder when the last time there was a through train from Swansea to Pewsey?

Always like these extra stops but of course it's usually too late to take advanatge of them.  Did strike lucky once when a Penzance service made an extra call at Twyford and I was heading to St Erth so didn't need to change at Reading!

[IndustryInsider]

Yes, I travelled direct from Banbury to Tiverton Parkway several years ago when Virgin Cross Country were diverting their services that would normally run via Cheltenham through that route instead.

[Steve Bray]

Was it around a Sunday in New Year 2010 when there were a couple of London-Swansea services that ran via Hereford and the Cotswold Line?

[smokey]

I recall that last Christmas or New year that the 17.38 Penzance to Paddington which is routed via Bristol TM^‡(resolve), Bath Spa and Swindon normally was routed and called at Oxford before reverseing at Banbury.

Penzance to Oxford on a Direct train THESE days is about as Common as Rocking Horse Droppings.

[inspector_blakey]

Probably about 10-11 years ago, a Virgin XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) HST^▸ (High Speed Train) from Penzance - North East somewhere that worked direct (and non-stop) Bristol TM^‡(resolve) - Oxford, via Chipping Sodbury and the west curve at Foxhall. It was a planned, advertised diversion due to engineering, and probably the quickest journey I've ever had between the two places by some distance!