Should a future direct service stop at Didcot, or not?

[whole diary]

[inspector_blakey]

Whilst there are 3 car Turbos leaving Paddington at peak hours I can see no justifcation whatsoever for the Bristol - Oxford service to return. Turbos are of much lower quality than HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train), for such a long distance journey!

On at least one occasion (we're going back a long way here - I think summer 2001) I made the Bristol - Oxford direct journey on a 158 that FGW^▸ (First Great Western)/TT had on hire from Central Trains. Seemed reasonably well suited to the job apart from the obvious implications of running 90 mph stock on a 125 mph route that also affected the Turbos. I think at that time the service was running through to Bicester Town at least once or twice a day too.

[eightf48544]

IMO^▸ (in my opinion) I think it is time we looked to the DB^» (Deutsche Bahn - German State Railway - about) model of ICE/IC^▸ (Inter City) fast intercity trains and RE^▸ (Religious Education) Regioanl expresses, RB local country trains and S bahn commuter trains.

On most routes in Germany you have regular ICE/IC between major centres and RE/RB trains serving local staions and giving adevrtised connections into and outof each other at major stations. Thus one has to decide is the East West to Bristol an IC or RE, if it's IC it runs Oxford possibly Bath direct. If it's RE it runs via Didcot and then stops at any Vale of White Horse new stations Swindon Chippenham via Melksahm  all staions to Bath (have to work out where to reverse it).

However it believe reinstatement of the North curve at Bradford is now becoming vital to provide through stopping trains from the Avon Valley to Swindon, both for journey opportunities and relief of the mainline during electrification.  It would be either a RB Bristol Swindon service or the East West RE service.

In Germany many RE RB services are run by operators other than DB but the timetables are still integrated.

Of course such sensible planning cannot happen with current system especialy if there are different operators due to all the arguments over revenue sharing.

[thetrout]

Do these station need a direct service to London? Surely connexions at Swindon, etc.

They already do... I was just thinking it might be an idea to route say 4 trains a day from Bristol > London via Westbury > Pewsey or Westbury > Melksham... It makes sense as you'll always have people wanting to use the BANES & Wiltshire Corridors...

Cant imagine there is demand for an off peak service of such a nature. Perhaps a peak Taunton - London:

Taunton, Castle Cary, Frome, Westbury, Trowbridge, Melksham, Chippenham, Swindon, Didcot, Reading, London

I do like your idea that you have suggested... Although considering there are already 2 trains within 10 minutes of each other using the Taunton > Westbury line... it might not be possible.. Perhaps an overtake on the Frome Branch or ran after the 07:19 (07:25 Perhaps) which wouldn't get to Swindon till 09:00 at least

On most routes in Germany you have regular ICE/IC^▸ (Inter City) between major centres and RE^▸ (Religious Education)/RB trains serving local staions and giving adevrtised connections into and outof each other at major stations. Thus one has to decide is the East West to Bristol an IC or RE, if it's IC it runs Oxford possibly Bath direct. If it's RE it runs via Didcot and then stops at any Vale of White Horse new stations Swindon Chippenham via Melksahm  all staions to Bath (have to work out where to reverse it).

Reverse at Westbury would be ideal for that as i suggested in my post... just whether to stop at Trowbridge before Westbury and then run fast on the return towards B-o-A or run fast to Westbury and then call at Trowbridge on the way back through...??!