Paddington to Swansea via the Cotswold Line!

[whole diary]

[Steve Bray]

I've just noticed that there is a 1442 Paddington to Swansea service operating via the Costwold Line this afternoon, making all the usual stops between Oxford and Hereford; is that the first time that has happened?

[devon_metro]

Presumably a relief service, it is 1Z28 which would indicate this. Probably due to the extremely sparse number of services between London and Cardiff/S Wales.

It is indeed the only service today to run direct from London to South Wales.

[gwr2006]

Presumably a relief service, it is 1Z28 which would indicate this. Probably due to the extremely sparse number of services between London and Cardiff/S Wales.

It is indeed the only service today to run direct from London to South Wales.

This is connection with track and signalling improvement works between Bristol Parkway and Newport which mean that trains are being diverted as the line is closed between 2215 on 24 December 2009 and 0440 on 4 January 2010. Buses are operating between Newport and Bristol Parkway.

The 14:42 Paddington to Hereford train is extended to Swansea and arrives at 20:56.  The 18:30 Hereford to Paddington train also started back at Swansea (dep 16:08).

Next week (3rd Jan) the 09:35 Paddington to Hereford is extended to Swansea (arr. 15:51) and the 18:30 starts back at Swansea at 16:08 as it does this week.

Between Monday 28th and Thursday 31st, the two morning HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) from Hereford (05:35 and 06:43) start back from Swansea (at 03:31 and 03:58 respectively) .

[ChrisB]

0331!! Is it worth going to bed!

Further the South Wales & Bristol services will be routed via the Chiltern Line (via Greenford branch) to either a reverse at Banbury or Aynho Junction turn-back siding - yet to be built) and south via Didcot West Junction during the blockades for the Reading Station redevelopment.....

[IndustryInsider]

The 18:30 Hereford to Paddington train also started back at Swansea (dep 16:08).

In fact it started even further back at Carmarthen. Plenty of padding as it was 30 late from Cardiff and on time again by Great Malvern.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Don't tell Btline! 

[Worcester_Passenger]

According to the timetable that I'm looking at, it was allowed 20 min stand time at Newport. That's not strictly padding - it probably has to lose some time somewhere so as to pick up the right path between Hereford and Oxford.

On Sunday Jan 3, the 09:35 from Paddington is allowed 14 at Hereford, 37 at Newport (!) and another 15 at Cardiff.

[IndustryInsider]

Yup, sorry, that probably was indeed a pathing allowance.

There's three differing types of allowance in the schedules called; 'pathing', 'engineering', and finally Btline and FA's favourite; 'paddin' 'performance'!

[matt473]

The odds are that this may be for stock positioning to enable hst's to move from Landore depot to other areas

[eightf48544]

Question:

Would you rather sit in a through train for 61/2 hiours or catch a bus from Bristol to Newport.

I'm not sure I know the answer I suppose it would depend on type of train, how much lugggage I had, whether there was catering  and how crowded.

Re Reading Blockade must really go on one of those trains still need Didcot West Curve and Greenford West Curve in daylight.

Does anyone know if there are any diversions via Yeovil schduled soon?

[Mookiemoo]

Question:

Would you rather sit in a through train for 61/2 hiours or catch a bus from Bristol to Newport.

6.5 hours on a train!  I throw up as a passenger in road vehicles

[John R]

Even on a 30 minute motorway journey?

I suspect for most people, the time saved v inconvenience of transfer means that they would rather stay on rail if the journey time is up to 30 mins longer than the road alternative. Given that the road transfer option is likely to be 30 mins to 1 hr longer than the usual service, that means that a diversionary route that adds around  90 minutes to the usual timetabled service is likely to be the threshold of most people's tolerance.

That's most definitely a personal opinion, and the amount of luggage etc, will influence people's personal judgements on the subject.

[grahame]

Question:

Would you rather sit in a through train for 6 1/2 hiours or catch a bus from Bristol to Newport.

We've taken a careful look at the way loadings change(d) when the TransWilts line was "bustituted" and found that between 85% and 90% of the traffic that would have been on the train was NOT on the bus.  So a train that would have had between 30 and 40 people on it turned into a bus with somewhere between 3 and 6.  That's hardly a vote to say that a bus is an adequate alternative.

Where did these people 'go'.  Some simply didn't travel. Others who were through passengers "doglegged" via Bath.  Others drove themselves or got lifts / picked up / even took a taxi from / to home.

With the choice of 6.5 hours on a train, or just over five hours train / bus / train, I would go for the "Train only" option. Settling in, and make a good journey of it, and I suspect most people would.  But there's a third option ... National Express run a coach service direct from Swansea to London, no changes, that takes as little as four hours and 20 minutes.  Fares quoted "from 9 pounds" on their web site.  Me thinks this is a very attractive option for the next few days, and National Express is almost always a good way from "these parts" to Heathrow.

[Mookiemoo]

Even on a 30 minute motorway journey?

I cant go more than about 2 miles before I feel ill - 3 miles and Its all over

[grahame]

... 3 miles and Its all over ...