Cancellations Golden Valley

[whole diary]

[phile]

There were several pages of possessions early on Sunday in the EAS^» (Engineering Access Statement - about), from Paddington out past Reading. All platforms at Reading were closed until 08:10, then during the day P12-15 and the Reliefs elsewhere too. I guess one of those look-and-grease operations might have spotted something serious enough to need fixing that day (or even caused it, of course).

The announcement was published in a "suspicious" and vague manner by GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) on Friday.

[bobm]

Remember me, I met you and your partner in the Knights Templar at Temple Meads after the SPM^▸ (St Philip's Marsh (Bristol depot)) Open Day last year.

Never forgotten   

I too remember seeing a sign by the trackside whilst travelling back home for weekends or at holiday times whilst I was at College in Slough. It had  "  <-- Bristol Division | London Division -->  "  on it but cannot for the life of me remember between which stations it was because at that time all the stations between Didcot and Swindon were still open.

If it was the same place as in pre 1947 GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) days it would have been between Didcot (Parkway) and Steventon.

[martyjon]

There were several pages of possessions early on Sunday in the EAS^» (Engineering Access Statement - about), from Paddington out past Reading. All platforms at Reading were closed until 08:10, then during the day P12-15 and the Reliefs elsewhere too. I guess one of those look-and-grease operations might have spotted something serious enough to need fixing that day (or even caused it, of course).

Acronyms

What is an EAS and could moderators add to Acronyms page.

[John R]

Given the context I'll guess Engineering Access Statement.

[rogerw]

The timetables for services to/from Paddington on Sundays are based on a two track railway

[grahame]

Following up on today's significant cancellations (virtual wipe out?) of London to Cheltenham Spa through services, I'm noting that an hourly London to Cheltenham Spa service takes six train sets,  whereas an hourly Swindon to Cheltenham Spa takes only three - in both case subject to up and down trains timed such that layovers are right for such an arrangement.   When the full IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) timetable comes into play, is the intent to run a whole train all the way from London to Cheltenham Spa every hour, or to divide the train from London at Swindon and send 5 each to (say) Cardiff and Cheltenham Spa.

One other thing I have wondered - but not being a Gloucestershire person this may be silly - could the train headed up the Stroud Valley call at Gloucester just once - i.e. Stonehouse, Gloucester, Cheltenham Spa, Stonehouse one hour and Stonehouse, Cheltenham Spa, Gloucester, Stonehouse the next?  Are there enough other trains between Gloucester and Cheltenham Spa for this to work?   Is there a crossover south of Cheltenham Spa station that would allow it? 

[ellendune]

One other thing I have wondered - but not being a Gloucestershire person this may be silly - could the train headed up the Stroud Valley call at Gloucester just once - i.e. Stonehouse, Gloucester, Cheltenham Spa, Stonehouse one hour and Stonehouse, Cheltenham Spa, Gloucester, Stonehouse the next?  Are there enough other trains between Gloucester and Cheltenham Spa for this to work?  

Trains can by-pass Gloucester easily, but Gloucester is a significant traffic generator so it might not be sensible. 

Is there a crossover south of Cheltenham Spa station that would allow it? 

The crossover is just north of Cheltenham Spa station where the turnback siding is. 

[martyjon]

With todays cancellations of these services I wouldn't be surprised if passengers were put on Cross Country services from Cheltenham and on the Bristol/Gloucester/Cheltenham/Worcester services from Gloucester to Bristol Parkway for connecting London services.