Maidenhead station - services, facilities, car parking and incidents (merged posts)

[whole diary]

[stuving]

"if I'd known how late I'd be I'd have got on the TfL^» (Transport for London - about) train".

Isn't that the idea? Cancel the big bad GWRs^▸ (Great Western Railway) services, so that the oh-so wonderful Crossrail to Reading can be justified... 

Whose idea? Not Network Rail's - they have wanted to get the semifasts off the Main Lines since long before Crossrail was was approved to go to Reading (and even long before Crossrail was approved full stop).

[Sixty3Closure]

All good today although again pretty much standing room only by Maidenhead in carriage 4 at least.

[Sixty3Closure]

Seemed to be lots of cancellations today although the 06.54 from Twyford ran albeit late.

Not too crowded at Twyford as the Henley connection had broken down. I know it probably makes me a bad person but I gave a little smile as it meant I had a better chance of getting a seat.

[sanfrandragon]

7.07 cancelled again today.  Thats a 66% failure rate this week.  I dont know how to get the data, but wondering what is the cancellation (for whatever reason) rate of this service since the new timetable was introduced?

[NickB]

I was looking at this myself.  For the 7.07 it is 5 cancellations since the new year and an average of 33% reliability. The adjacent trains are not much better.

I sent my official ‘this is not good enough what are you doing about it?’ to GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) two weeks ago. Obviously no reply as it is still 2020. Next week I’ll be contacting my MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) as she ran for re-election promising improvements (not abolition) of fast commuter services.

[IndustryInsider]

Coupling issue at Oxford again this morning!  Eventually left 25 minutes late as a 5-car.

[ray951]

I was looking at this myself.  For the 7.07 it is 5 cancellations since the new year and an average of 33% reliability. The adjacent trains are not much better.

I sent my official ‘this is not good enough what are you doing about it?’ to GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) two weeks ago. Obviously no reply as it is still 2020. Next week I’ll be contacting my MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) as she ran for re-election promising improvements (not abolition) of fast commuter services.

Maybe we can have a competition to find the worst performing service since the beginning of the year
I give you the 0807 Didcot to Oxford at 31% RT - 5 minutes and 6% RT (which was Jan 1st).

[BBM]

I've heard reports that the performance of the 1708 PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)-BDW (first stop TWY^▸ (Twyford station)) has been pretty bad so I've just checked the past 5 journeys on RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) and found this:

15/1: arrived BDW 27L
16/1: arrived BDW 39L
17/1: terminated 30L at NBY^» (Newbury - next trains)
20/1: terminated 33L at NBY
21/1: arrived BDW 17L

 

[Sixty3Closure]

The 17.08 has also run non stop to Reading once or twice which meant it was pretty empty after all the Twyford passengers got off.

[ray951]

I've heard reports that the performance of the 1708 PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)-BDW (first stop TWY^▸ (Twyford station)) has been pretty bad so I've just checked the past 5 journeys on RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) and found this:

15/1: arrived BDW 27L
16/1: arrived BDW 39L
17/1: terminated 30L at NBY^» (Newbury - next trains)
20/1: terminated 33L at NBY
21/1: arrived BDW 17L

 

This must be a winner, since the beginning of the year the RT-5 Minutes measure has been 0% (average late 19.5 minutes) and the 1708 is 43% (average late 7.5 minutes).

[IndustryInsider]

Is that the one that splits at Newbury?  There have been numerous problems with that at Newbury.

[ray951]

Is that the one that splits at Newbury?  There have been numerous problems with that at Newbury.

According to RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) the service does divide at Newbury.

I am surprised that GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) use a class 800 on a stopping service from Newbury to Bedwyn, why not Didcot - Oxford?

[IndustryInsider]

Operational inconvenience mainly.  If it was a Turbo it would be limited to 90mph, not so good in terms of the peak paths on the main line out of Paddington.  If it were a 387 it would not be able to go any further than Newbury where the wires run out.  Didcot to Oxford does in fact have the odd IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) on stopping trains, too, but usually a Turbo is the best option as it is a 90mph main line, so no speed benefit from an IET.

[BBM]

Is that the one that splits at Newbury?  There have been numerous problems with that at Newbury.

Looks like there are also problems joining it at PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) tonight, I've just seen this on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/sjm881/status/1220030275016691714

Once agian the @GWRHelp 1707 padd to Bedwyn will be late as they try crashing two sets of carriages together. Platform staff watching and shaking their heads

[Sixty3Closure]

Most of the delay (34 mins late into Twyford) was caused by door problems. Announcements just said that problems closing the door meant might be a few mins delay. half an hour later we're off....