| Swansea and back: 6/1/26 Posted by Mark A at 06:11, 6th January 2026 |     |
Catching 6:45 BTH to Swansea, but it's a 5 carriage set, left Paddington on time and is now running late - slowly losing time since Paddington and now 21 minutes down at Reading so I wonder if it might fizzle out at Bristol if not before. Let's see.
Mark
| Re: Swansea and back: 6/1/26 Posted by Mark A at 06:15, 6th January 2026 | |
This is day 2 of a 4 in 8 day Wales explorer ticket - checking with the ticket office person, yes, the ticket is issued in two parts - the second to manually record on which days one's travelled. However there's an issue with the ticket systems which will not print part two.
"Are you the person we wrote a letter for the other day?"
On the first day the ticket saw ticketline gates (which were happy with it). It'll do so today too. That won't apply tomorrow though... let's see.
Mark
| Re: Swansea and back: 6/1/26 Posted by Mark A at 06:17, 6th January 2026 | |
Ah: National Rail have flagged damage to the wires so Paddington to Reading's presumably no longer a 4 track railway, perhaps there's a queue.
Mark
| Re: Swansea and back: 6/1/26 Posted by Mark A at 07:37, 6th January 2026 | |
A late decision to route the train direct to Newport has reulted in a hasty exit for 80% of the passengers in this carriage. The one who missed the announcements has left the train at Filton. The automated announcements set off with a flurry of inna urate stuff, suddenly bele ing that we were still on the approach to Bristol, before falling silent and engaging in self- reflection. Its now happy again.
Mark
| Re: Swansea and back: 6/1/26 Posted by Mark A at 08:20, 6th January 2026 | |
Ah, dropping Parkway may have been down to a points failure there, but with the happy result of An on time arrival at Cardiff. There's a trolley with the occasional announcement that it's making its way through first class and then the rest of the train, but it's not been seen in this carriage yet so announcing it is a bit of a wind-up.
Mark
Update: typed that and catering appeared. Hot chocolate sort of morning at Swansea, I''m told, and gwr have nailed the quality.
| Re: Swansea and back: 6/1/26 Posted by Mark A at 18:44, 6th January 2026 | |
On the 18:23 home from Swansea at Port Talbot on a reasonably wet evening and glad not to be driving it. Wondering if my day return Bath - Newport allows travel via Bristol Parkway.
Mark
| Re: Swansea and back: 6/1/26 Posted by grahame at 19:11, 6th January 2026 | |
On the 18:23 home from Swansea at Port Talbot on a reasonably wet evening and glad not to be driving it. Wondering if my day return Bath - Newport allows travel via Bristol Parkway.
Mark
Mark
Off Peak Day Return Bath Spa to Newport does allow you to change trains at Bristol Parkway - gwr.com offers it where it's the fastest journey.
I'm glad you're not driving the 18:23 from Swansea as well - sorry, I couldn't resist reading that into your post.
| Re: Swansea and back: 6/1/26 Posted by Mark A at 19:17, 6th January 2026 | |
Thanks, appreciated. I'll check if things are running to time and if so, route via Parkway and arrive on the same train at Bath if things fall into place.
Mark
| Re: Swansea and back: 6/1/26 Posted by Mark A at 20:23, 6th January 2026 | |
Change at Parkway worked well. The direct service from Cardiff, a lovely 158, I've picked up at Bristol.
Mark
