Don't get caught out

[whole diary]

[Btline]

For VT^▸ (Virgin Trains - former franchises): Miltion Keynes (peak) and Watford Junction (all day).

For SN: Wembley Central (all day) Southbound only

For SWT^▸ (South West Trains): Clapham Junction and Woking

[Mookiemoo]

Ah yes - but VT^▸ (Virgin Trains - former franchises) operate a long distance IC^▸ (Inter City) service - FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are trying to be all things to all men

[Zoe]

The Cornish Riviera used to be non-stop Paddingon to Exeter.  The up Golden Hind used to be non-stop Taunton to Paddington.

[devon_metro]

There wouldn't be any point now, as it would only catch up the 1000 Paddington - Paignton at Reading!

[Mookiemoo]

I actually think the merger of wessex and thames trains with FGW^▸ (First Great Western) was a mistake. 

As one company - if there are problems with one area of the franchise, there is incentive to patch it from a different area.  They are three different modes of operation - and FGW are becoming a jack of all trades and master of none.

1. The local commuter services are over crowded and the stopping patters are some what bizarre - e.g. Maidenhead gets fast PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) services in the peak but slough doesnt?

2. The long distance services are running at a detriment due to supporting the commuter and local services

3. The local services are timed more to fit into the overall network than serving local needs.

Yes they run to time - but then the 1922 to hereford has 12 minutes make up time at great malvern - because they cant guarantee it running to time.

[thetrout]

Some SWT^▸ (South West Trains) services are Pick Up Only or Set Down Only at Clapham Junction...! I boarded a service to go from London Waterloo - Salisbury where exactly that happened. I must admit, when your not expecting it to happen... It does confuse you

[Boppy]

Does this rule apply for the 17:06 train as well?

Reason I ask is that sometimes I buy the odd Off-Peak ticket between Reading and Paddington and last Friday I caught this train with my friends from Paddington to Reading specifically for two reasons:

• The "Which train from Paddington" boards near the gates that say what Off-Peak services back show that this is one of the few semi-fast (stops at Twyford) trains that you can get back to Reading Off-Peak
• I checked with a member of staff at the station and they stated we should catch this train back to Reading

I guess maybe after what has been stated here I shouldn't get this train anymore to Reading  - if that's the case does someone need to update those Off-Peak notice boards near the gates?

[devon_metro]

1706 is valid as Penzance trains go at 03 during the peak.

[Tim]

Not a bad idea.  I think a few people on this board are getting bogged down in arguments about the policability and enforceability of  punative fares.  Regardless of that issue, it will not be advertised (at Paddington or online) as stopping at Reading, so fewer people will board it and more seats will be available for longer distance passengers.

I can't get too excited if a few people make illegal journeys on the train and fail to get caught (it is not as if they are getting away without buying a ticket), and I suspect FGW^▸ (First Great Western) isn't too woried about this point either. 

Ask yourself, even if there was no issue about ticket validity (imagine you had an all line rover in your pocket), would you feel happy about getting on a train to Reading when the platform indicators did not include "Reading" as a destination and where the train only a few minutes behind did show "Reading"? I suspect that more people will be scared off boarding by the peceived possibility that the train will not stop at Reading at all and they will have a long detour than they will about a penalty fare issue (which most people will not understand). 

but so long as it only applies to journeys where there is genuine overcrowding, it is a pretty good idea.

[IndustryInsider]

I quite agree, Tim. Though I would add that it should only apply on trains where there is severe overcrowding and there's plenty of capacity on neighbouring services that depart at very similar times. The Penzance services are probably unique in that respect as departures on a summer Friday are busy all day.

[devon_metro]

Just had another look, and it appears its only on Fridays that they are pick up only at Reading or Bank Holidays.

[cereal_basher]

Are they, my full timetable suggest pick up only all the time.

[vacman]

Easy solution, don't stop at Reading at all! Whats the point on the 1206 as it's usually full at Padd, same goes for the 1000 Pnz-Padd, it may as well go fast from Plymouth to Padd as it's usually full by Camborne, if you can't fit anyone else on then why stop???

[Btline]

To let people off? Reading is a large connection station.

Many people will have seat reservations.

Despite my clear views on having faster InterCity trains, I believe all trains should stop at Reading.

[Tim]

To let people off? Reading is a large connection station.

Reading is large enough to merit a stop.  I follow vacman's logic but taken to its obvious extreme, no trains would stop anywhere and there would then always be plenty of spare seats.

making it "pick up only" is fine. It removes a service from London-Reading commuters, but they already have a great service so the change has minimum impact.  Removing the Reading call completely would be a mistake because you are seriously damaging the customer servcie and undermining the connectivity of the Network.  Folk from Reading have just as much right to a direct fast Cornish service as Londoners.