IETs to Bedwyn initially delayed - now running from May 2019

[whole diary]

[stuving]

Sorry for the five day delay II. I was referring to the directional signal beneath the main signal. My memories are they were angled to indicate the direction the train was authorised for which is not the case here.

That was a very old 1950/1960s standard.  All signals are installed at 90° to the track they apply to unless a curve is involved, in which case they will be angled so that they are focussed approximately (but not always) to the signals AWS^▸ (Automatic Warning System) (Automatic Warning System) magnet which is generally positioned 183m on the approach to the signal.

I suspect jdw.wor was referring to another angle - whether the upper light is to the left or right of the lower. I think in the past the two lights of some of these mini-signals (associated, position-light, or whatever) were thought of as miniature route indicators. But that too went out long ago, and now the direction of any points is indicted by a tiny arrow or (as in this case) be a "theatre-type" indicator. In this case its "S" is presumably for siding - there's only one so there is no need to say which side.

It's all in the current version of the official signals picture-book: RSSB^▸ (Rail Safety and Standards Board) Handbook 521 "Signals, Handsignals, Indicators
and Signs" Issue 5 (beware - several old issues are also Googlefindable).

[SandTEngineer]

Sorry for the five day delay II. I was referring to the directional signal beneath the main signal. My memories are they were angled to indicate the direction the train was authorised for which is not the case here.

That was a very old 1950/1960s standard.  All signals are installed at 90° to the track they apply to unless a curve is involved, in which case they will be angled so that they are focussed approximately (but not always) to the signals AWS^▸ (Automatic Warning System) (Automatic Warning System) magnet which is generally positioned 183m on the approach to the signal.

I suspect jdw.wor was referring to another angle - whether the upper light is to the left or right of the lower. I think in the past the two lights of some of these mini-signals (associated, position-light, or whatever) were thought of as miniature route indicators. But that too went out long ago, and now the direction of any points is indicted by a tiny arrow or (as in this case) be a "theatre-type" indicator. In this case its "S" is presumably for siding - there's only one so there is no need to say which side.

It's all in the current version of the official signals picture-book: RSSB^▸ (Rail Safety and Standards Board) Handbook 521 "Signals, Handsignals, Indicators
and Signs" Issue 5 (beware - several old issues are also Googlefindable).

Stuving, I think you need to try to explain that to me again as you have totally confused me......

[IndustryInsider]

The 09:07 Paddington to Bedwyn train is now going to call additionally at Slough for the remainder of the timetable.  Not to cater for any great demand for day trippers from Slough to Bedwyn, but to attempt to relieve the daily chronic overcrowding on the 09:21 Paddington to Worcester FS which is a very attractive train for both Windsor and Oxford day trippers from London.

Being an IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) now, the stop can easily be absorbed in the current schedule which is still based on Turbo timings.

Another sign that a more genuine focus on the customer is returning to GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway).

[Thatcham Crossing]

Might not be new news but whilst travelling between Thatcham and Paddington last Friday afternoon (17/01) I was surprised to see a trolley service come through the train shortly after I got on.

The lady providing the service told me that this has been re-introduced on the "Bedwyns" since the December timetable change, and whilst only on a few services at the moment should increase as and when more staff are recruited/become available.

Good to see as this was tried and then withdrawn when Turbos were still running the services.

[grahame]

Can I get an update - re: a question that came up today (not been easily able to find the answer above).   I know there were initial issues running Driver Only with IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) to Bedwyn - is that still the case, or did the issues get fixed??

[Thatcham Crossing]

....possibly not as TM^‡(resolve)'s still in evidence on the Bedwyn IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train)'s in my fairly recent experience.

[IndustryInsider]

Still not fixed and no immediate sign of it being fixed.  All services to/from Bedwyn have a TM^‡(resolve) on board (west of Reading only possibly) and IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) can only work DOO^▸ (Driver-Only Operation (that is, trains which operate without carrying a guard)) at staffed stations within the DOO area that have a dispatcher.  In effect that means Paddington, Slough, Maidenhead, Reading, Didcot, Oxford and Banbury.  

In theory, Newbury could be added to that list but as the DOO area ends at Bedwyn, there are no IET operated services to which that would sensibly apply.

[grahame]

Still not fixed and no immediate sign of it being fixed.

Thank you for that - would I be right in guessing this is linked to why GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) may have been short of train managers of late