Whats the loading on Taunton to Pad like on Sundays

[whole diary]

[Mookiemoo]

Have to make my weekly excursion on sunday and after two horrendous journeys due to engineering I want to avoid bristol and south wales services

Thinking about going down to taunton and picking up service there

Would have a first advance

[JayMac]

The 1511, 1715 and 1912 from Taunton will likely be the quieter (relatively!) services from as these start at Plymouth rather than back at Penzance. However these three are around 20 minutes slower to Reading/Paddington than the 1432 or the 1631, as they have stops on the B&H^▸ (Berks and Hants - railway line from Reading to Taunton via Westbury) between Taunton and Reading.

1432 currently the cheapest 1st Advance at ^43.00

I can't speak for loadings, but at least these services are not combined like the current South Wales and Temple Meads HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)).

[devon_metro]

West of England services usually pretty rammed Sunday afternoons. Joining at Taunton probably brave.

[Mookiemoo]

So where is best?  Time is not an issue but I want a window seat in FC^▸ (First Class, or Fat Controller, or Football Club, depending on context)

All the way down to plymouth?  I'll do that

[Timmer]

If I was needing to travel to London tomorrow late afternoon from Bristol, I would travel on the 1700 as it starts from Bristol unlike all the other services tomorrow which begin in South Wales. Yes a few will board at Bath and quite a few at Reading (that will happen on any train from anywhere) but going via Taunton as D_M says wouldn't be recommended on a Sunday afternoon.

Trust me the 1700 is your best bet and this is coming from someone who doesnt like rammed trains either.

[Mookiemoo]

Sadly 1700 is too late as I'm cooking dinner

[Mookiemoo]

Hence my choices seem to be go to Cardiff and pick up there or Plymouth - and yes it has to be a window seat since I seem to be able to deal with the table better than in an aisle where I have to perch to work

[standclearplease]

Can you not get a seat reservation?

[Mookiemoo]

Yes - but imhe it doest give me a window seat on a four table but one on a two which is worse

[standclearplease]

It would seem a massive waste of time and money to go to Plymouth to catch the train back up.. just take the risk.

Saves you faffing with trains any longer than you duly need to.

[Mookiemoo]

See I don't mind the time - I study my Uni courses but I do need a. Table as I have a laptop, course book and notepad

[super tm]

There is also a 1600 starting at Bristol. Other than that all earlier trains are coming from Swansea

[amiddl]

I am a regular on the 17.15 or 19.12 from Taunton on a Sunday (though join it at Plymouth where no problem and you get your pick of seats). You are usually ok in first class until Tiverton PW^▸ (Permanent Way - the railway track) or Taunton but from there onward expect to share as certainly even in first class loadings are high and last week on the 17.15 people struggling to find a seat from Taunton in First.

[Mookiemoo]

gonna head up to cardiff, do a bit of shopping and join a service at cardiff - SC plus weekend first looks cheaper than first advance right now

That way I should at least get a decent choice of seats

[Mookiemoo]

Interesting - ended up on the 1310 from parkway as it went through looking lightly loaded as I was on way to cardiff..........

Had a set of four in first to myself all the way - standard rammed but no one wanting to upgrade

2+8 so there was more space than the recent 2+7 but even so...