December 2019 timetable recast

[whole diary]

[Sixty3Closure]

Quick timetable question.

I was about to book my regular Twyford to Carmarthen ticket for December 19th and it looks like the direct train from Paddington/Reading has gone? Is that the case or just a glitch?

It saves me some money but is a much less comfortable journey for the last bit of the trip.

Edit: Doing a search London to Carmarthen shows a direct train at 18.16 but it doesn't appear if I search Twyford to Carmarthen. All options telling me I have to change at Swansea. Now need to work out how to buy a ticket for the journey I want to make with a seat reservation.

Edit 2: Answered my own question. Its non stop to Bristol. 

[johoare]

I wonder how many of those 800 sit in front of a screen all day? could they do that in say, Pewsey instead?

A fundamental question - "why are we commuting [so much]". 

My answer to this is "My current Manager" who seems to think it's more important for us to be in the office (however long it takes to get there) than the work we do.. I imagine there are a few more like him around.. We have a lot of offshore resource in India and I can chat to them as easily from home as I can from London.. I just need to convince him of that (though my efforts so far haven't worked). Having said that we are under a major review so it will all change in the next 6 months (fingers crossed).

[Phantom]

Interesting listening to a conversation between two drivers this morning, how they were discussing how GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) are already aware there are not enough drivers available for the additional services into London from the timetable changes

[Timmer]

Interesting listening to a conversation between two drivers this morning, how they were discussing how GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) are already aware there are not enough drivers available for the additional services into London from the timetable changes

Look forward to Mark Hopwood's response to that when we do Meet the Managing Director on the 5th of November.

[johnneyw]

I know someone who is incredibly keen to become a railway driver to the extent that he has chatted to GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) staff at stations, including drivers, to see what he needs to prep up on to successfully apply. I don't know how easy the transition is from Petrol Tanker HGV to railway driver but I would imagine both share a need for consistent presence of mind.

[IndustryInsider]

Many dozens of trainees currently going through the training course.

[TaplowGreen]

Many dozens of trainees currently going through the training course.

I guess they've got about 6 weeks to get them ready!

[bobm]

I am told paper timetables will be at stations imminently and pdf versions will be on the website over the weekend.

[PhilWakely]

I am told paper timetables will be at stations imminently and pdf versions will be on the website over the weekend.

Indeed, paper timetables are available now.

[Timmer]

I am told paper timetables will be at stations imminently and pdf versions will be on the website over the weekend.

That’s good news. Bit perplexed that if printed timetables are now available at stations why pdfs couldn’t have been placed online sooner, especially as this is such a major timetable change. However a month out is better than it has been of late. Gone are the days when FGW^▸ (First Great Western)/GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) used to be one of the first TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) to publish timetables well in advance of a timetable change.

[bobm]

Apparently when people see them online they then try to pick up a paper copy at their local station.  All stations should have them by Monday so hence putting them on line over the weekend makes sense.

In recent years the paper copies have been much later appearing.  There is a danger with the earlier release in that people pick up a copy and think it applies from now but personally I think that’s a risk worth running.  The cover does have the date on it!

[Timmer]

Apparently when people see them online they then try to pick up a paper copy at their local station.  All stations should have them by Monday so hence putting them on line over the weekend makes sense.

In recent years the paper copies have been much later appearing.  There is a danger with the earlier release in that people pick up a copy and think it applies from now but personally I think that’s a risk worth running.  The cover does have the date on it!

Yes I can sort of see the reasons why. I’ve seen other TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) put them in racks more then a month out with a label denoting that this is the new forthcoming timetable. I think most people understand that.

At least when they do appear online and at stations the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)  social media team won’t have to keep answering why aren’t they available to view online. GWR have done a great job spreading the word about the new timetable without actually publishing the one thing people want to see...the new timetable!

[SandTEngineer]

Hmm.  No sign of the paper copies at Plymouth station just one hour ago.......

[Zoe]

Timetables now online on the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) website.

[Bmblbzzz]

Reducing commute distances or even working from home a lot of the time are, yet again, more carbon friendly and should make for a better quality of life (social interaction permitting - "the loneliness of the home worker").

Having said that I'm currently working in rural Wales all week and while there's many positives I'm definitely suffering from the 'loneliness of the home worker'. It also makes my job so much harder as while I can VOIP, Zoom and email its still not the same as just going finding someone and having a chat or gathering a couple of people together.

Good points. And the obverse to the loneliness (and organisational difficulties) of the how worker is the loneliness of the long distance commuter, who spends more time away from home and family than they would like. Somewhere between these two, there is a happy balance – but a lot of us aren't finding it.