New Timetable & Re-doubling follow on

[whole diary]

[IndustryInsider]

Regarding bikes, I had wondered what regulars might think.  Realistically there's only three solutions; 1) you either have an arrangement to allow bikes in the vestibules, 2) You invest in more/better cycle racks at the stations, or 3) as commuters using several other routes do you force them to buy a fold-up bike if they wish to guarantee its carriage on their chosen train.

Regarding the timetable, here's a screenshot of the page concerning the down 'Halts' train (note that footnote 'A' means 'from 17th September'):

[Btline]

The Cathedral's Express is not the "express" service.

I hope these Maidenhead stops are short term.

[IndustryInsider]

I'm sure Jo for one hopes they're not!

[Btline]

If the current Turbos running on the fast lines (i.e. the Bedwyns) used 125mph stock, you could add a Maidenhead stop without impacting on journey times or capacity. Hopefully they will after the modernisation.

Bristols and Cardiffs never get pesky extra stops.

[Southern Stag]

The 1750 and 1948 have had Maidenhead stops for ages, the only new Maidenhead stop is on the new service at 1612, I'm sure a fast train to Maidenhead at that time will be quite popular.

[devon_metro]

If the current Turbos running on the fast lines (i.e. the Bedwyns) used 125mph stock, you could add a Maidenhead stop without impacting on journey times or capacity. Hopefully they will after the modernisation.

Bristols and Cardiffs never get pesky extra stops.

Slightly more important locations than Cotswolds villages perhaps?

[Btline]

If the current Turbos running on the fast lines (i.e. the Bedwyns) used 125mph stock, you could add a Maidenhead stop without impacting on journey times or capacity. Hopefully they will after the modernisation.

Bristols and Cardiffs never get pesky extra stops.

Slightly more important locations than Cotswolds villages perhaps?

Oxford?

Cambridge has a half hourly NON STOP service.

[Southern Stag]

But the London-Cambridge service doesn't pass through such a busy and important interchange as Reading, do you really suggest skipping Reading on Oxford services, as they get a lot of custom from there as well.

[Btline]

But the London-Cambridge service doesn't pass through such a busy and important interchange as Reading, do you really suggest skipping Reading on Oxford services, as they get a lot of custom from there as well.

Yawn... I've never advocated skipping Reading stops on ANY service (when others have). I've even supported Slough stops on Off Peak services.

I'm talking about pesky extra stops that could easily creep in. Before you know it, all OXF^» (Oxford - next trains) fasts stop at Maidenhead and Slough with an extra 10 minutes added on for running on the Slow lines. Why not throw in Didcot whilst you're at it.

I've got nothing against Maidenhead. It should get an hourly fast train on the Bedwyns, as should Twyford (on the Cheltenhams). But nothing else on the 3 hour journeys to the Cotswolds.

[Southern Stag]

Extra stops work better on the Oxford trains though because of when they are pathed. Bedywn and Cheltenham trains leave London at xx18 and xx48, the Oxford trains are only 2-4 minutes behind, so adding stops to those trains would delay the Oxford services anyway. The Oxford trains at xx20 and xx50 have up to 10 minutes gap behind them to the xx00 and xx30 Bristol services once beyond Airport Junction, they are the logical services to have extra fast line stops in. If the Oxford services still used Class 180s a Slough and Maidenhead stop could possibly be fitted in on the fast lines without an impact on other services. At the moment they are timed for 90mph so the gap is only 4 minutes to the Bristol services by Reading, but that is with a Slough stop.

[IndustryInsider]

Crikey, let's not incur any further wrath by suggesting the Oxford/Cotswolds should stop at both Slough and Maidenhead.    Btline's point about the Bedwyn's stopping at Maidenhead is a valid one as it stands train path wise (it would be stopped at Maidenhead, whilst the following Oxford is stopped at Slough), but where is the 125mph stock coming from, and with the pattern of departures (and number of train paths) set to change radically in a few short years, would it not be best to wait and try to specify all these improvements then?

[Btline]

Indeed, and my comparison to Cambridge returns.

Oxford is an important enough destination to have a decent fast service.

Replacing stock with 125 mph stock should be used as an excuse to shorten the journey time to 50 minutes, NOT introduce more stops.

TBH^▸ (to be honest), I'm not sure how the fast lines are going to cope, what with 4tph to Bristol*, 2tph to Wales*, 2tph Oxford, 1tph Cheltenham*, 1tph Newbury (new), 1tph Plymouth* and presumable 1tph semi fast B&H^▸ (Berks and Hants - railway line from Reading to Taunton via Westbury)*.

Those * currently don't stop at all. The slow lines will be taken over for Crossrail. So how will trains stop without other backing up? Will a flyover be needed at Maidenhead so trains can cross over to the slow lines without impacting?

[Richard Fairhurst]

Regarding bikes, I had wondered what regulars might think.  Realistically there's only three solutions; 1) you either have an arrangement to allow bikes in the vestibules, 2) You invest in more/better cycle racks at the stations, or 3) as commuters using several other routes do you force them to buy a fold-up bike if they wish to guarantee its carriage on their chosen train.

It's a difficult one. 1 makes the most sense for cycle-toting Hanborough passengers (with Combe and Finstock in the front compartment, and Charlbury in the rear), but I'd be (pleasantly) surprised if it was permitted.

2 - absolutely, and this should happen anyway... except that it effectively requires many people to buy two bikes, one for each end of the journey (until Oxford, Reading et al get Boris Bike-like schemes). And you're then leaving a bike on the Oxford (or wherever) cycle racks overnight and at weekends... and hoping it's still in one piece when you return.

3 isn't quite as easy as it sounds: Combe is in the middle of nowhere, Hanborough is at the end of a long cycle path from Witney, and Finstock is on a steep hill with fairly heavy traffic - none of them particularly suitable for little folding bikes. It's fine for people commuting from within Charlbury, but again, there are quite a few people who commute by bike from Enstone to Charlbury station, and again that's not a bunch of fun on a folder.

I wish I knew what the answer was.

[johoare]

I'm sure Jo for one hopes they're not!

I think we should be allowed the odd one or two HST^▸ (High Speed Train) stops at Maidenhead in each peak period.. that is only fair surely?

[Btline]

I think we should be allowed the odd one or two HST^▸ (High Speed Train) stops at Maidenhead in each peak period.. that is only fair surely?

Which long distance services have room and which services deserve to get slowed down by 10+ mins (due to the transfer to the slow lines).