Sheffield-London train service plans revealed by FirstGroup

[whole diary]

[stuving]

Another station joining the small list that would have departures to London departing from opposite directions…Oxford, Exeter St. Davids and Edinburgh Waverley being  others (are there any more?).

I love a challenge .... Teddington, Strawberry Hill, Twickenham, Slade Green, Barnhurst

But are those going to London? They are in London, as are some other loop services e.g. Hounslow. Arguably any route with both ends in London would count! Unless being the same route both ways doesn't count in the first place.

I can, and do, go to London both ways from Wokingham. True, going via Reading involves a change, but is usually quicker. Does that not count? Or what about 17th February, when I can get RRBs^▸ (Rail Replacement Bus) both ways to get to London ...

[grahame]

But are those going to London? They are in London, as are some other loop services e.g. Hounslow. Arguably any route with both ends in London would count! Unless being the same route both ways doesn't count in the first place.

I can, and do, go to London both ways from Wokingham. True, going via Reading involves a change, but is usually quicker. Does that not count? Or what about 17th February, when I can get RRBs^▸ (Rail Replacement Bus) both ways to get to London ...

Wonderful questions, to which there are no definitive answers.

We are physically a long way from Sheffield ... looking at a wider passenger experience (and thinking "Wokingham" too), I find myself asking "what's the best way from A to B for me?" and the complex information systems and choices involved - not only in timetabling but also in knowing the best way to make the journey when services are not running to timetable, and in ticketing, price of journey, etc.

Localising, as I tend to - the multi-route journey I make from time to time ... Melksham to Bristol ... lots of options there but what a mess working out the "best" and especially on the return, see the look of panic in the customer service advisor on the gate line when you ask what's the best way (now) to get back to Melksham.  The question is a reasonable one that the person does not have the tools to practically answer ...

[Witham Bobby]

If we're doing "no longer applicable"... Charlbury, Kingham, Moreton-in-Marsh, Evesham, Worcester Shrub Hill.

(There was a 1980s Saturday service that ran Paddington-Oxford-Worcester-Birmingham-Banbury-Oxford-Paddington, and another the other way round.)

This service was a weekday regular in the mid 1970s, although I'm not sure it was advertised as such.  There was an 1150 Worcester Shrub Hill to Paddington (via Evesham) which originated as a Paddington to Worcester via Banbury and New Street service.  This passed another circular tour, which was something like 1055 from Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill, on the double track section between Moreton in Marsh and Ascott under Wychwood.  The Down train went on from Worcester to Paddington, via New Street and Banbury.