Recent content by Biggus Tiggus

During next week's blockade at Banbury, the number of loco-hauled services at the London end of the route will be significantly reduced, with just eight per day, as follows: 1H06 0623 Bicester North - Marylebone (due 0726) 1Y11 0701 Oxford Parkway - Marylebone (due 0800) 1Y15 0738 Oxford...

Apologies for the delay in posting this, but here are the Chiltern LHCS, Bubble Car, 172 and 168/3 (ex-TPE 170) diagrams up to Saturday 14th May. As usual, these are base diagrams only and subject to change in case of Engineering Works, failures, etc. Chiltern Railways Class 68 Numbers...

Chiltern have effectively reintroduced their "Just £15" tickets for journeys between London and Leamington Spa, Warwick, Warwick Parkway, Hatton, Lapworth, Dorridge, Solihull, Birmingham Moor Street, Birmingham Snow Hill, Claverdon, Bearley, Wilmcote, Stratford-upon-Avon Parkway and...

Here we go with the Chiltern mega update for the Autumn (25th October - 12th December 2015) timetable, now with added Class 168/3 diagrams, given some folks will undoubtedly be interested in them! As always, these are base schedules and subject to change, especially at weekends! (Or when...

I've just checked iKB and it appears that BritRail holders can go directly to the TOC for a "simple" delay, but where they've "lost" a whole day of travel (presumably on a flexipass), they need to go back to the original point of sale.

No changes to the Chiltern LHCS or 172 diagrams in May, though the LTP schedules currently end on 3rd October due to the onset of the leaf fall season.

Some examples...Let's use a Reading - London Off-Peak Day Return, costing £17.70, as our base ticket. This currently gives a GroupSave 3 discounted price of £11.70, GroupSave 4 of £8.85 and Kids for a Quid. Group of 3 Adults - Remains the same at £35.10 Group of 4 Adults - Increases from £35.40...

The next phase of TBTC (NMA 4) is due to be commissioned over the weekend of 18th/19th January. This will extend the TBTC are to cover High Barnet/Mill Hill East/Chalk Farm - Oval via both the City and West End branches, also road 33 in High Barnet sidings, and platforms 2/3 at East Finchley...

I could've sworn this was in the list, but here are the Chiltern Class 172 diagrams. Mondays to Fridays 1H02 05:20 BAN - MYB 06:31 1H14 07:32 HWY - MYB 08:16 1H17 06:28 BMO - MYB 08:28 2H26 09:19 GER - MYB 09:52 2H29 09:44 GER - MYB 10:18 1H35 09:12 BSW - MYB 11:11 1H37 09:14 SAV - MYB 11:29...

ATOC have followed suit for their London area changes. Briefing came out this morning. New fares are currently expected to be available from 10th January.

The rot seems to have set in on Chiltern, from an operational standpoint, when Adrian Shooter left and Arriva started running the show, and you get the impression that the only thing holding it together is the goodwill of the front line staff.

Ticket Office staff have a thankless task...On the one hand, they're supposed to be selling passengers the "most appropriate" ticket for the journey they're making, but at the same time they're supposed to be making money for their employer. As an example, for a Single journey between A and B...

I suspect it's more that the most experienced clerks are generally to be found at Marylebone, and that conducting the same experiment at other Chiltern stations would have resulted in a less satisfactory outcome. (Most likely being advised to go to Marylebone!) At least one of the clerks at...

If it was me, I'd be inclined to try and get to Marylebone a little earlier than planned and double check at the Information Desk or Ticket Office. Can't see it being an issue though, as surely someone will have spotted the potential problem.

Sadly, the look of resignation on the clerk's face when it got to 2 minutes suggested they were used to it taking that long. Could it be down to the ticket machines they use, given I've never experienced delays like that at other stations?