Cross country to Bournemouth

[whole diary]

[Doctor Gideon Ceefax]

Meanwhile our friends at Great Western have added such places as Maidenhead, Tilehurst, Pangbourne, Goring, Cholsey, Filton Abbey Wood, Frome, Theale, Thatcham, Ivybridge, Radley, Worle and St Germans to the Intercity network...

[Btline]

And Keysham!

[Ollie]

Meanwhile our friends at Great Western have added such places as Maidenhead, Tilehurst, Pangbourne, Goring, Cholsey, Filton Abbey Wood, Frome, Theale, Thatcham, Ivybridge, Radley, Worle and St Germans to the Intercity network...

To be honest I think Maidenhead deserves it's fast peak trains

[Steve44]

Worth noting that it's not just Brighton that has lost the service, Gatwick Airport and East Croydon (both very important stops) have also been removed from the network. Quite how all this is supposed to benefit the average passenger I don't know. I suppose the argument is that it frees up paths for the commuter services into London.

Sorry to rake up an old topic, but while at Oxford yesturday annoyed at the fact that My train was yet again being held up by a late XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) service, i remembered that it had been mentioned that the Gatwick/brighton services are to be cut.  I Assumed it would be by the May timetable, but the train that held up the 2 FGW^▸ (First Great Western) paddington bound services was going to Gatwick! And just now, i've looked on live departure boards to see if my train is on time, i notice that there is a service to B'ham new street... that originated in Brighton... I was under the impression it was axed by the May timetable.. i'm guessing i'm very wrong 

[swlines]

Brighton lose the service in December, as do East Croydon, Gatwick Airport, Kensington Olympia, Redhill.

[smokey]

Falmouth had a fridays only Padd service until 1979, I believe Barnstaple used to have a couple of Waterloo services? the "Cornish Riviera" used to go to St Ives on summer saturdays until about 1961, Newquay still gets Summer HST^▸ (High Speed Train) services 7 days per week in peak summer, Fort William still has an intercity service, the 1950 sleeper to Euston and 2115 Euston to Fort william.

Hmmm, I don't really class the sleeper as InterCity.....

Some of the above are since the days of steam.

Sleepers are well and truely intercity! what else are they, commuter trains??

Well, they are ...... um....... sleeper trains of course!

One very strange fact, during BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) Days sleeper train fares where the same as Day Trains with the Cost of a Berth on TOP.

Today FSR^▸ (First Scot Rail) Sleepers are the Cheapest London-Scotland fares, and with a sleeping Berth!!!

[Btline]

I think Guildford are keeping a XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) service.... Is this right?

But for how long?

What will happen to the axed Brighton services, will they switch them to the Bournmouth run?

Or perhaps "rediagram" and put the excess units into double formation.

[swlines]

Displaced Brighton diagram units are being racked up to 221 diagrams so a few more can go to West Coast.

[Btline]

Displaced Brighton diagram units are being racked up to 221 diagrams so a few more can go to West Coast.

That's not good for XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)), loosing 5 cars trains....

Perhaps West Coast can start double formations.

[swlines]

The plan is for double formation Voyager on every Holyhead service - and single 221 on the Birmingham to Scotland.

[r james]

I didnt think that XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) were losing any 5 car trains now?

[swlines]

They've already lost about 12 of the fleet!

See www.thejunction.org.uk for the current allocation of the class 221 fleet.