Remembering the Good Old Days

[whole diary]

[John R]

Is anyone else nostalgic for the days when services ran from Paddington to Bristol TM^▸ (Train Manager, or possibly Ticket Machine, depending on context) with only one stop? (And non stop to Parkway in 65 minutes.) Well, soon you'll have a chance to recreate that authentic 70s experience (no Valentas sadly though). From 29th March on Saturdays several services will run calling only at Reading, including a sprint from Reading to TM in 57 minutes.

Mind you, 57 mins for 82 miles is no great shakes when you consider that in 1978 several services a day did Bristol TM to Reading in 58 minues including a call at Bath Spa. And I presume the 2008 services will run via Parkway which is a faster route.

And before Graham comments, yes I'm aware that in the "good old days" Chippenham only had a train every two hours. It's a shame though that a service pattern hasn't been devised to permit some fast services.  I'm sure an adelante could be filled (but not over-filled) running Bristol, Bath, Paddington off peak in addition to the existing service.         

[Timmer]

Is anyone else nostalgic for the days when services ran from Paddington to Bristol TM^▸ (Train Manager, or possibly Ticket Machine, depending on context) with only one stop? (And non stop to Parkway in 65 minutes.) Well, soon you'll have a chance to recreate that authentic 70s experience (no Valentas sadly though). From 29th March on Saturdays several services will run calling only at Reading, including a sprint from Reading to TM in 57 minutes.

Mind you, 57 mins for 82 miles is no great shakes when you consider that in 1978 several services a day did Bristol TM to Reading in 58 minues including a call at Bath Spa. And I presume the 2008 services will run via Parkway which is a faster route.

This will be diverted Devon/Cornwall HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) whilst engineering work is carried out on the Berks and Hants line. Some services will run fast calling at Bath Spa, others Bristol TM before their next scheduled stop at Taunton and vice versa so as you say gives you an opportunity to travel on a non-stop service. Beware though that as these trains are for Devon and Cornwall that they are likely to be pretty busy.

I agree that its a shame that there are no longer express services running between London-Bath/Bristol but demand is no so high nowadays that they have to stop at the mainline stations in between.

[Conner]

Some Devon/Cornwall services don't call anywhere between Reading and Taunton when there diverted.

[Timmer]

Some Devon/Cornwall services don't call anywhere between Reading and Taunton when there diverted.

That is true, mainly on services to Penzance.

[devon_metro]

Some went from Reading - Exeter non stop 

[smokey]

Oh for the days when some Cornwall bound express trains were first stop PLYMOUTH after leaving London.

[XPT]

Bringing back an old topic(which I've just found).

I so wish I'd have known about these services back in Spring '08 as I would have booked a ride on them!   Back in this period though I did manage to catch a Sunday evening service(departing 2024) from Bristol TM^▸ (Train Manager, or possibly Ticket Machine, depending on context)-London Padd.   The service originated from Plymouth(or maybe Penzance) and diverted via and calling at Bristol TM.   And running non-stop to Reading.  It was great fun and quite a novelty to be whizzing past Bath, Chippenham, and Swindon without stopping!  A one hour non-stop journey instead of the usual stopping every 10-15 minutes, made it feel much more like a true express service.  I spotted this novelty of a service when looking at booking a journey, and thought wow I have to book this one!

I hope there is planned engineering work on the Berks and Hants route in the near future, so that these interesting services will be possible once again.  I will have to keep a close eye on the timetables

[Phil]

I agree that its a shame that there are no longer express services running between London-Bath/Bristol but demand is no so high nowadays that they have to stop at the mainline stations in between.

That can change. I can remember them stopping at Slough, where there is presumably still fairly high demand. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Chippenham start to be phased out of the timetable, especially once a passing line's in place.

[eightf48544]

Mind you, 57 mins for 82 miles is no great shakes when you consider that in 1978 several services a day did Bristol TM^▸ (Train Manager, or possibly Ticket Machine, depending on context) to Reading in 58 minues including a call at Bath Spa. And I presume the 2008 services will run via Parkway which is a faster route.

       

I remember coming back on an HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) from Bath after an OU summer School which did Bath Reading in 40 minutes presumably the 58 minutes from Bristol TM.

Very exhilarating an average of 105.

[XPT]

I agree that its a shame that there are no longer express services running between London-Bath/Bristol but demand is no so high nowadays that they have to stop at the mainline stations in between.

That can change. I can remember them stopping at Slough, where there is presumably still fairly high demand. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Chippenham start to be phased out of the timetable, especially once a passing line's in place.

Chippenham phased out of the timetable?  Are you kidding?!  I can't see that happening!   What's this though about a new passing line you mention, when is this to be built?  If this is true, this does open up the possibility of additional fast services running once again.

[Tim]

hopefully electrification will allow a return to the old timings without the need to remove stops (thereby giving the best of both worlds).  We need to make sure that NR^» (Network Rail - home page)/FGW^▸ (First Great Western) don't just use the timing benefits of electrification as a performance buffer. 

Chippenham is a busy station (lots of people from places like Trowbridge/Bradford, drive to Chippenham rather than chnage train at Bath), missing it out would seem a mistake (although I can see the arguement fo not including it if extra Bristol-london services were added which would give the option of doing BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains)-Paddington non-stop routed via parkway)

[Phil]

What's this though about a new passing line you mention, when is this to be built?  If this is true, this does open up the possibility of additional fast services running once again.

It's inferred here, under plans to reopen Platform 1, thereby providing an extra line through the station.

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=4100.0

[XPT]

Cheers Phil.  Though the discussion in that thread seems to be more about the extra platform being used as a terminating platform for the Trans Wilst services, rather than about the possibility of fast express London-Bristol(or beyond) services running non-stop through Chippenham.  How long will this re-instated line be?  If it's just a very short line basically not that much longer than the platform length, a "normal" London-Bristol service would have to wait around 5 minutes for a scheduled express service to Bristol to pass.  This would then make the normal service 5 or so minutes slower, to accommodate an express service.

I notice in the document though posted in that thread, it mentions the possibility of extending the four track section between Didcot and Swindon.  I didn't realise there was much of a 4-track section between Didcot and Swindon.   But if indeed there is going to be 4 tracks all the way from Didcot to Swindon, this really does open up the possibility of true express services running once again between London and Bristol.   Either via Chippenham and Bath, or via Bristol Parkway.  Giving some very impressive high-speed journey times.  The Bath to Bristol bottleneck may be a bit of a problem/challenge though.  But interestingly there is also talk of re-instating the 4 track section between Filton Abbey Wood and Dr Days Junction.  This too would be very useful in scheduling fast express services once again.  However, it appears these improvments to these lines won't be happening till at least 2016 according to the document.  So bit of a long wait yet!   But I personally will be a littlle dissapointed if after these mentioned track improvements, and we then don't get any express services running from London-Bristol.  Not saying all services should be limited/non-stoppers, but at least some i.e. a "true" express service every two hours or just some in the morning and evening peak times.

Some people may say that the current London-Bristol services are express services.  I don't! 
But I do understand however, the need for them to stop at Reading, Swindon,Chippenham, and Bath Spa enroute.    But for people travelling between Swindon or Reading and London Paddington, there are between four to six "fast" services per hour for them to travel on.    Unlike Chippenham and Bath who get just two trains per hour to/from London.   So there could be argument for at least just some selected services for example to run London Paddington>Chippenham>Bath Spa>Bristol Temple Meads.

Just a few years ago(2006) there was an 1815 London-Swansea service, which ran non-stop to Swindon in 50 minutes.  But now Reading is a station stop on that service.  I know though that currently there is an 0640 Bristol TM^▸ (Train Manager, or possibly Ticket Machine, depending on context)-London which runs non-stop from Swindon.

In the meantime for us wanting those fast Bristol-London services, I think the best we can hope for is some engineering works on the Berks and Hants line again, causing the London Paddington-Devon/Cornwall services to be diverted via Bristol Temple Meads.  Some of which will actually stop at Bristol TM and running limited stop/non-stop from London.  I for one am keeping a close eye on the engineering work summaries and the weekend timetables.  As soon as I spot any of these limited/non-stoppers I'll be booking my tickets like a shot!   Does anyone in the know here know of any upcoming engineering works on the Berks and Hants line?

[Timmer]

Does anyone in the know here know of any upcoming engineering works on the Berks and Hants line?

Time was that finding out upcoming engineering work on FGW^▸ (First Great Western) was easy as it was published in their guide to services and on the website for the period of the timetable which was very handy. Sadly that is not the case anymore.

You can find it on Network Rail's site where they publish their plan for the coming year's engineering work but it's very detailed and very time consuming to read as its not aimed at passengers. Its either called rules of the route, rules of the plan? Sorry I don't have any links to it. I'm sure some of our more 'in the know posters' who post to this forum may be able to help.

[Mookiemoo]

I remember when the Cathedrals Express was first stop oxford in the evening (Cant remember if it stopped on the up as I was usually asleep)

And my memory only goes back to March 15th, 2004