Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2024

[whole diary]

[GBM]

Not sure that's the 'Thames Valley' though?

At the risk of upsetting many, as a far Western member, "Thames Valley" to me is anything between Paddington and Reading.
Just as I am annoyed when the West Country is from Bristol down!

[eightonedee]

"Thames Valley" to me is anything between Paddington and Reading.

Nope - from someone who is a native - it goes at least as far as Cholsey - I'd suggest that Didcot or Oxford might be suitable end points, as disruption anywhere there still affects a lot of services.

South west of Reading, from Theale onwards, it's the Kennet Valley.

[ChrisB]

Yep, I agree with Eightonedee. At least to Oxford, but *not* down the Berks & Hants - that is the Kennet Valley

[Chris from Nailsea]

I agree. 

Geographically, as the River Thames starts from a spring just to the north of Kemble, anything to the east of there could be called 'Thames Valley'.  But not in railway terms. 

[TaplowGreen]

This should help to dispel any geographical confusion or ambiguity......

[Marlburian]

Far from it. The map shows the catchment area in which a website-development company provides its services.

Googling led to other definitions: "the eight local authorities of Bracknell Forest Council, Buckinghamshire County Council, Oxfordshire County Council, Reading Borough Council, Slough Borough Council, The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, West Berkshire Council and Wokingham Borough Council"; "includes the 2 cities of Oxford and Reading, and a number of major towns (Slough, Maidenhead, Windsor, Henley-on-Thames, High Wycombe, Newbury, Aylesbury, Wokingham and Bracknell"; "three counties: Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire". No doubt other definitions exist.

[eightonedee]

This is a public transport, primarily railway, forum. This thread is on the "Across the West" board and deals with problems in the "Thames Valley" affecting GW^▸ (Great Western)'s network as a whole or substantial parts. It follows that it mostly relates to London-bound main line services (or those originating in London) on the GW network.

All main line trains into London pass between Reading and Paddington, along the overused and struggling section that generates most posts here. At Reading there is the first main junction, with "Hants & Berks" (Reading-Taunton direct) trains branching off. Shortly after on that line, south-west of Reading, at Southcote junction, the Basingstoke line (local trains & Cross-country) diverge from this, so this seems a logical place to divide between this thread and the London to Kennet Valley and London to the West boards.

At Didcot there's another major junction - "straight on" for Bristol, South Wales and South West via Bristol, "turn right" for Oxford, Banbury, the North Cotswolds and Cross-country. So it seems logical to include Reading to Didcot, as problems here affect most services between London and major destinations west.

After Oxford, the final major junction separates out Cotswold line services from the rest, so Oxford looks like a sensible northern end to the scope of this thread.

Does that seem sensible?

[IndustryInsider]

Does that seem sensible?

Yes.

And for neatness it roughly follows the path of the River Thames and its associated valleys.

[Hafren]

The part of me that harks back to the BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) sector era generally takes 'Thames Valley' in rail terms to refer generally to the London/suburban (also very much defined in rail terms here) part of the former Western Region, i.e. the routes that NSE^▸ (Network South East) called 'Thames Line', which would include Oxford and Newbury/Bedwyn. Thames Trains muddies the water here, of course, as I don't take it to include the Cotswold or North Downs routes! I think the name lives on as a the London & Thames Valley 'sector' of GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway).

[TaplowGreen]

Clearly a number of different opinions on the geographical question and no single "right" answer - I am sure we can all carry on posting from our own perspectives whilst respecting others which may differ, in the spirit of the Forum as a whole.

[ellendune]

I agree. 

Geographically, as the River Thames starts from a spring just to the north of Kemble, anything to the east of there could be called 'Thames Valley'.  But not in railway terms. 

Source of the Thames near Kemble - That's a wholly different dispute - or is it at Seven Springs 4 miles SSW of Cheltenham!

[Chris from Nailsea]

Touche. 

From Wikipedia, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thames_Head

CfN 

[Electric train]

With all the pedantry regards the geographical / geopolitical on how the Thames / Isis / Kennet / Loddon valleys are defined in railway terms .....................

All must be fine with the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) and Elizabeth services today

   

[ChrisB]

There's nothing here that backs up the Berks & Hants as being located in the Thames Valley though!

[bobm]

This could send us down another alley - the Berks & Hants avoids Hampshire....