Total Weekend Closure of Reading 14-15 October

[whole diary]

[didcotdean]

Another weekend of total closure around Reading. Details here: 14-15 October 2017

Rough summary on the longer distance services: trains from South Wales / Bristol to terminate at Oxford or Didcot, trains from Cotswolds / Cheltenham at Didcot, and from the South West at Theale or Newbury.

[PhilWakely]

Another weekend of total closure around Reading. Details here: 14-15 October 2017

Rough summary on the longer distance services: trains from South Wales / Bristol to terminate at Oxford or Didcot, trains from Cotswolds / Cheltenham at Didcot, and from the South West at Theale or Newbury.

Any bets on an overrun into Monday 16th morning which will then affect the first IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project. This will offer more capacity on routes, save money, give a consistent and safe service and meet customer requirements. Intended to replace HSTs.) passenger services ?

[TaplowGreen]

Another weekend of total closure around Reading. Details here: 14-15 October 2017

Rough summary on the longer distance services: trains from South Wales / Bristol to terminate at Oxford or Didcot, trains from Cotswolds / Cheltenham at Didcot, and from the South West at Theale or Newbury.

Fantastic. I'm travelling from Plymouth to Maidenhead on the afternoon Sunday 15th

[Timmer]

Another weekend of total closure around Reading. Details here: 14-15 October 2017

Rough summary on the longer distance services: trains from South Wales / Bristol to terminate at Oxford or Didcot, trains from Cotswolds / Cheltenham at Didcot, and from the South West at Theale or Newbury.

I know this has to be done in order to get the IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) operating but I feel the short notice and providing no services into London for the whole weekend outside of a holiday period is unacceptable. How many people, based on the timetable that was online that services were operating to London, have booked journeys to/from London only to find their journey will considerably longer and possibly involve a bus?

Will Chiltern be running extra/longer services to cope with the extra passengers trying to get to London? I notice GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) aren't promoting people changing at Oxford for London on the info page highlighted by didcotdean though Journey planners wil reflect this once they are updated.

I would imagine Network Rail gave Mark Hopwood an ultimatum that if he didn't allow them to have this entire weekend blockade, there would be no IETs and He needs them running now because of losing HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) heading to Scotland.

Who could ever imagined back in 09/10 when Lord Adonis announced the electrification of the GW^» (Great Western - used as an abbreviation for the area / lines under the Great Western franchise, as opposed to FGW which includes "First", the company operating them too. For tickets - about) mainline what a complete balls up it has turned out to be.

[TaplowGreen]

Another weekend of total closure around Reading. Details here: 14-15 October 2017

Rough summary on the longer distance services: trains from South Wales / Bristol to terminate at Oxford or Didcot, trains from Cotswolds / Cheltenham at Didcot, and from the South West at Theale or Newbury.

I know this has to be done in order to get the IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) operating but I feel the short notice and providing no services into London for the whole weekend outside of a holiday period is unacceptable. How many people, based on the timetable that was online that services were operating to London, have booked journeys to/from London only to find their journey will considerably longer and involve a bus?

I would imagine Network Rail gave Mark Hopwood an ultimatum that if he didn't allow them to have this entire weekend blockade, there would be no IETs and He needs them running now because of losing HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) heading to Scotland.

Who could ever imagined back in 09/10 when Lord Adonis announced the electrification of the GW^» (Great Western - used as an abbreviation for the area / lines under the Great Western franchise, as opposed to FGW which includes "First", the company operating them too. For tickets - about) mainline what a complete balls up it has turned out to be.

As people are being advised not to travel, presumably those with Advance tickets will be able to change them at no cost?

[Timmer]

As people are being advised not to travel, presumably those with Advance tickets will be able to change them at no cost?

Sort of. GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) are suggesting:

Your train may not be running, including some late on Friday night, so we recommend you travel on alternative dates if possible. If you do choose to travel, please allow longer to complete your journey.

[John R]

Another shining example of customer service from Mark Hopwood.  Never mind that we ran trains via Bicester only a couple of weekends ago, we can't be bothered to pull out the stops to do so again this time.  

I noticed at Paddington today the screens were referring to the closure with the title "emergency electrification", which raised my eyebrows somewhat.  Though it appeared to have been changed to something more appropriate by this afternoon.

[Timmer]

The additional platform opened at Theale for when work at Reading closed the station is proving to be useful again.

[Timmer]

Another shining example of customer service from Mark Hopwood.  Never mind that we ran trains via Bicester only a couple of weekends ago, we can't be bothered to pull out the stops to do so again this time.  

I can only think it would be because of obtaining pilots for the running between Oxford and Marylebone. However, I'm sure GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) will be well compensated for this late notice work so could send an SOS to drivers offering to reward them handsomely for offering to pilot that weekend.

[John R]

It's also more grist to the mill for those politicians trying to defend the cancellation of electrification schemes. It's hard to argue against the "save you all the inconvenience and disruption" argument when NR^» (Network Rail - home page) contrives to add so much at short notice.

[TaplowGreen]

As people are being advised not to travel, presumably those with Advance tickets will be able to change them at no cost?

Sort of. GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) are suggesting:

Your train may not be running, including some late on Friday night, so we recommend you travel on alternative dates if possible. If you do choose to travel, please allow longer to complete your journey.

.......would you believe it? This is from GWR Twitter.

"Hi Neil. Yes, Advance Tickets can be amended for a £10 admin fee and difference in price to the next available ticket. - Jordan"

[Timmer]

I don't think that is correct when you can get a refund:

If you have already bought your ticket and don’t wish to travel you can get your money back by visiting GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway).com/refund

Though that's not talking about changing the ticket, you could claim a refund and book a new ticket once the revised times/tickets are uploaded to the Journey planner.

[TaplowGreen]

I don't think that is correct when you can get a refund:

If you have already bought your ticket and don’t wish to travel you can get your money back by visiting GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway).com/refund

Though that's not talking about changing the ticket, you could claim a refund and book a new ticket once the revised times/tickets are uploaded to the Journey planner.

Yes, but this close to the date the price would undoubtedly be much higher, and I shouldn't be out of pocket, especially when I'm already being inconvenienced by the incompetence of the railways.

[John R]

If you still want to travel you should be able to travel on an earlier train which gets you to your destination no later than the original time.  That's what I would do and good luck to anyone who tried to tell me otherwise on board.

But really, GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) should clarify this on their website and also email anybody who has bought a ticket (and get the other train booking sites to do so).

[TaplowGreen]

If you still want to travel you should be able to travel on an earlier train which gets you to your destination no later than the original time.  That's what I would do and good luck to anyone who tried to tell me otherwise on board.

But really, GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) should clarify this on their website and also email anybody who has bought a ticket (and get the other train booking sites to do so).

Travelling earlier doesn't work for me, I've got family arrangements.  I'm simply trying to transfer my ticket to a train on the following day, in the circumstances you would have thought it's the least they could do.......(and I booked via their website but I'm not expecting an email. Remember GWR don't do customer service).