New Train Service 20:18 Pad to Reading and other timing changes

[whole diary]

[IndustryInsider]

Not bothered if it doesn't stop anywhere between Twyford and London! In fact as a new Twyford resident who occasionally does night shifts I'd positively welcome it. Not having to go along all the carriages turfing people out and locking the doors at Twford would reduce platform dwell time and potentially get it to London quicker!

There must be some sort of financial reason but I'll suggest it to FGW^▸ (First Great Western) once the 2018 has settled down a bit.

Yes, that's what I'd do.  Good news on the extra service.

[johoare]

This is great news!!  I'd go so far as to say the first great news that I've ever had from FGW^▸ (First Great Western).
The significance to Maidenhead commuters is huge as it means the final (pre-pub kickout) direct train is now 20:18 rather than 19:48.

I agree NickB.. What worries me is the lack of "advertising" means that it may not get used too much at the start and may well then be withdrawn due to....erm....lack of use...

[IndustryInsider]

It's an ideal chance to splash some posters up at Maidenhead and Twyford advertising the good news.  Hopefully that has/will happen!

[ChrisB]

Not bothered if it doesn't stop anywhere between Twyford and London! In fact as a new Twyford resident who occasionally does night shifts I'd positively welcome it. Not having to go along all the carriages turfing people out and locking the doors at Twford would reduce platform dwell time and potentially get it to London quicker!

There must be some sort of financial reason but I'll suggest it to FGW^▸ (First Great Western) once the 2018 has settled down a bit.

Already done - and this was the answer....

At this stage there is some doubt as to where the ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) will come from in the longer term, so at this point I intend to wait until this is clearer, rather than introduce a service that has to be amended / removed.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Already done - and this was the answer....

At this stage there is some doubt as to where the ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) will come from in the longer term, so at this point I intend to wait until this is clearer, rather than introduce a service that has to be amended / removed.

Many thanks for posting that information, ChrisB.

Are you able to tell us who made that decision, and when?

[BBM]

It's an ideal chance to splash some posters up at Maidenhead and Twyford advertising the good news.  Hopefully that has/will happen!

There's one in the ticket hall at Twyford but it's on a mobile stand next to the wall just to the right of the entrance doors from the forecourt. It's only really noticeable if you leave through the same doors.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From an e-mail press release I have just received from the First Great Western press office, sent within the last hour:

Friday 31 January

Press call: Theresa May MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) to launch additional train service
When: Monday 3 February, 19.45
Where: Paddington Station

Theresa May to launch additional train service

Rt Hon Theresa May MP for Maidenhead is to launch a new First Great Western train service from London Paddington on Monday 3 February.

The Monday to Friday 20.18 service will offer an extra 413 seats a day to customers travelling out of the capital directly to Maidenhead (20.40), Twyford (20.48) and Reading (20.59).

Welcoming Mrs May, First Great Western^s Deputy Managing Director Andy Mellors said: ^I am very pleased that we have been able to provide this additional train, our customers have told us they need more evening services. Today^s launch shows our commitment to securing further improvements, and we will continue to work with the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) to provide the additional capacity we know our customers want.^

Mrs May said: ^I am very pleased to welcome this new FGW^▸ (First Great Western) service, which is a boost for commuters in Maidenhead, Twyford and Reading. This is excellent news for all those who have felt that we needed an additional evening service out of Paddington. This is part of the work to increase capacity on the line, and I look forward to further improvements to come.^

To mark the improvement Mrs May will wave out the service, with a dispatcher^s green flag in hand, from London Paddington^s Platform 1 at 20.18. 

The direct Maidenhead, Twyford and Reading service will be formed of a five car train Monday to Thursday, an increase in capacity of 32% (between 20.00 and 21.00) and a three car train on Friday, increasing capacity by 19% (between 20.00 and 21.00). Two carriages are already committed to other strengthened Friday services.

[NickB]

I agree NickB.. What worries me is the lack of "advertising" means that it may not get used too much at the start and may well then be withdrawn due to....erm....lack of use...

Well quite, particularly as M'head commuters know they HAVE to make it to Paddington for the 19:48 so are unlikely to discover this service by accident.




Edit note: Quote marks amended, for clarity. CfN.

[grahame]

I agree NickB.. What worries me is the lack of "advertising" means that it may not get used too much at the start and may well then be withdrawn due to....erm....lack of use...

Well quite, particularly as M'head commuters know they HAVE to make it to Paddington for the 19:48 so are unlikely to discover this service by accident.

I suspect with a launch from Ms May a fair chunk of publicity will be generated.

Let me give you another idea too.   

We had a very similar issue here in deepest rural urban Wiltshire - new trains which you might only have heard about if you were at the station at the time they happened to be run.  With the problem that no-one was likely to be at the station at anytime between 07:15 and 19:15 which were the only old times.  We are well on the way to overcoming this ... with the community working with the council and First Great Western to help inform people.

Is there a service support / rail user group involved around?  If so, great - work with them.  If not, perhaps it's time you formed one. And take a positive approach and ask if you can talk to people on a train or two - perhaps on that 19:48 for a few days - and hand out flyers.  You're helping FGW^▸ (First Great Western), you're helping retain the service.  If there's an established group with a good working relationship, excellent;  if not, it does take time to build up the relationships needed, but it can be a real win-win ... and for other stages beyond, other service changes, feedback, etc ...



Edit note: I agree with everything grahame has posted here - and, as his typing was apparently affected by his passion, I've merely corrected a few of his trademark typos, purely in the interests of clarity. CfN. 

[IndustryInsider]

Is there a service support / rail user group involved around?  If so, great - work with them. 

There's the Maidenhead to Marlow Passengers' Association at http://www.mmpa.org.uk/index.html

They've noted the additional train on their website, but perhaps haven't given it quite the exposure they might.

[johoare]

I agree NickB.. What worries me is the lack of "advertising" means that it may not get used too much at the start and may well then be withdrawn due to....erm....lack of use...

Well quite, particularly as M'head commuters know they HAVE to make it to Paddington for the 19:48 so are unlikely to discover this service by accident.

I suspect with a launch from Ms May a fair chunk of publicity will be generated.

Let me give you another idea too.   

We had a very similar issue here in deepest rural urban Wiltshire - new trains which you might only have heard about if you were at the station at the time they happened to be run.  With the problem that no-one was likely to be at the station at anytime between 07:15 and 19:15 which were the only old times.  We are well on the way to overcoming this ... with the community working with the council and First Great Western to help inform people.

Is there a service support / rail user group involved around?  If so, great - work with them.  If not, perhaps it's time you formed one. And take a positive approach and ask if you can talk to people on a train or two - perhaps on that 19:48 for a few days - and hand out flyers.  You're helping FGW^▸ (First Great Western), you're helping retain the service.  If there's an established group with a good working relationship, excellent;  if not, it does take time to build up the relationships needed, but it can be a real win-win ... and for other stages beyond, other service changes, feedback, etc ...



Edit note: I agree with everything grahame has posted here - and, as his typing was apparently affected by his passion, I've merely corrected a few of his trademark typos, purely in the interests of clarity. CfN. 

Thanks for the ideas Grahame.. It could be that we don't need to after Monday.. We'll see.. There are very few current fast trains to Maidenhead however where it's possible to give out flyers etc as you can't get through (or even sometimes onto the train) due to the overcrowding..

And I agree NickB.. Had I not known from here and had turned up one day and just missed the 19.48, I'd have got on the next stopping service without even realising there was another option (I've been commuting too many years and any changes before have been advertised). It really is a step forward though so all good.. (with apologies for overquoting previous comments before I'm asked not to )

[Chris from Nailsea]

.. (with apologies for overquoting previous comments before I'm asked not to )

I wouldn't dare to do so. 

[johoare]

.. (with apologies for overquoting previous comments before I'm asked not to )

I wouldn't dare to do so. 

 

[grahame]

We'll see.. There are very few current fast trains to Maidenhead however where it's possible to give out flyers etc as you can't get through (or even sometimes onto the train) due to the overcrowding..

Yeah ... we had one or two of those in the first week in December when we were telling people on existing trains about new ones!

If it looks likes it would be a good idea a few days in ... lateral thinking, can you hand people flyers as they come off the platform ...

[autotank]

I think the service will fill up pretty quickly due to the large flows to Maidenhead and Twyford. Quite a lot of people use their phones or the internet these days to check train times which is probably the best form of advertising. Also lots of people will see the train on the boards at Paddington and make the switch from a stopper. Might be quietish for the first few weeks, but word will spread quickly!