Easter Diversions - 2013

[whole diary]

[bobm]

Rather than dilute the Reading Station Improvement topic, I thought I'd post here.

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have obviously gone to a lot of effort to provide diverted train services over Easter but I wonder how popular they will be.

At the beginning of February I booked myself advance tickets from Swindon to Paddington (via Banbury) and Waterloo to Newton Abbot on Good Friday.  Eight weeks later those tickets are still available for the same price. 

I know Thursday will be the busiest day and to be fair my journey to Paddington is at silly o'clock - but I would have thought the West of England services would have filled up a bit and prices risen.

I have also learned today of a family friend who is travelling to Newton Abbot as well on Friday and has, at almost the last minute, booked themselves on the only WoE from Paddington - the 10:00 retimed Torbay Express, which will take half an hour longer than me from Waterloo but is nearly ^10 cheaper.

I'm wondering of my trains will only be full of people wanting to travel over unusual routes!

[ChrisB]

I'll be one of those!

Catching that Torbay express out of PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) on Saturday, changing at TAU^» (Taunton - next trains) onto a PNZ 125. Dinner in PNZ, staying baxck up at Liskeard with friends.
Back to PNZ on the Sunday, and up on a WAT 125....

1st Class comp too....

[bobm]

I'm wondering if my trains will only be full of people wanting to travel over unusual routes!

Belay that - just looked at my train from Waterloo tomorrow and the one following and there are no standard class reservations available now, let alone advance tickets, for either service.  Obviously a rush of latecomers!  Still advances in First Class.   Think I might go for Weekend First upgrade!

[paul7575]

Isn't this possibly related to the glitch with searching for fares to/from Paddington rather than 'London Terminals', as discussed here:  http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=12197.0

Paul

[bobm]

Don't think so. I searched for Waterloo to Newton Abbot and it has the train. Yesterday it had seats, today it doesn't.

[IndustryInsider]

Off to a good start with the Waterloo services, but the Banbury diversions have got off to a poor start with 'an earlier broken down train between Oxford and Banbury' leading to some severe delays and cancellations at the moment!

[bobm]

One of the Reading to Westbury shuttles was also turned back at Westbury. The 09:59 Waterloo to Plymouth well loaded so probably as well the shuttle didn't make the connection in the end.

[grahame]

One of the Reading to Westbury shuttles was also turned back at Westbury.

?  Am I missing something here?   Isn't a Reading to Westbury supposed to ....

[swrural]

I  had a look at the real time performance (the Waterloo ones and the Bristol via Banbury ones) today and it was all ticketty boo with the timekeeping.  I started to ponder if the Waterloo to Exeter via Westbury might not be permanently exploited by......... 

[bobm]

No Grahame, you are paying attention. I'm losing the plot. Was having two conversations at once. I did, of course, mean it was turned back at Bedwyn!!

[Timmer]

Saw an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) parked in the stabling sidings at Clapham Junction around 10.30am this morning. Spare set?

[Southern Stag]

Yes, one will be running ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) there from Old Oak Common every day this weekend. It would be fair to say the 11:07 Waterloo-Penzance was well loaded today. I'm glad I wasn't on for long, some of the passengers were a bit disgruntled having stood for five hours!

[bobg]

I was on the 1151 from Basingstoke (Heading to Hereford via Westbury and Newport) and it was still very full when  I got off at Westbury.

[Timmer]

Yes, one will be running ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) there from Old Oak Common every day this weekend. It would be fair to say the 11:07 Waterloo-Penzance was well loaded today. I'm glad I wasn't on for long, some of the passengers were a bit disgruntled having stood for five hours!

I came into Waterloo on the train (12 mins late arriving) that formed the 11:07 and yes there was quite a crowd waiting for this service. I suspect most FGW^▸ (First Great Western) services out of Waterloo to the South West were very busy today. But I guess that would have been the same had they been operating out of Paddington; still just an hourly service.

[Southern Stag]

Yes, it is always likely to be a busy time of year, the 11:07 did seem to be particularly busy compared to the others.