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Travelling on the A34 Winchester & Newbury bypass section recently I wondered what might have been if a Winchester Newbury Didcot line was still in place? Huge numbers of HGVs use this route presumably many Southampton to the Midlands. Too late now to revive the old route given development but...

What an absolute mess. Having just visited the GWR coffee shop portal there is a very informative report from the Bedwyn users group of their meeting with GWR. It seems the new bi mode 800s are being relocated to a non electrified part of the network you couldn’t make it up.

Paddington to Exeter no check on train although ticket staff walked through carriage. Barrier check at Exeter.

Newbury always seemed well served by bus connections to many towns in the 70’s including route 80 Salisbury to Newbury via Andover I think that was Wilts & Dorset. I recall Newbury to Maidenhead, Basingstoke, Swindon and I think there was an Oxford. Of course it had lost the Didcot Winchester...

Well that’s jogged my memory. I remember often catching the evening Westbury train Paddington to Kintbury and thinking it was a bit of a mystery such a large train stopping at Kintbury and knew nothing about Westbury. However, often chose to wait for the following Plymouth 125 to join the bad...

Diesels took over the Waterloo Salisbury run and I remember travelling by diesel to Basingstoke in about 1986 although not sure when they were then phased out?

Person sits opposite me when many empty seats all around and scoffs a disgustingly smelly burger and chips then promptly starts a loud phone conversation on speakerphone.

Antiquated retail experiences that shouldn’t happen buffet counters being shut for “stocktaking” and shutters down way short of their destination all bad PR, loss of potential revenue and annoying to customers.

Totally agree. Retail marketing and food presentation has moved on in the 21st century. Enhanced service, imaginative products and motivated staff add value to the customer experience. Chaotic trolleys out of their limited stock within an hour of departure or no show at all frustrate and...

Quite -

I just don’t understand this desire on some fronts for a race to the bottom in terms of quality of service and customer experience on trains. A better customer experience is hugely important for any business. If you improve the experience for the customer they come back. Look at how other...

Just wondering - Given the better feedback wouldn't the 755's have been a more suitable replacement for GWR HST's than the Hitachi 800's?

Yes so for travelling to London local station would have been Highclere on the Beeching axed Winchester to Newbury line change at Newbury to Paddington

I wondered about ICE speeds now on the Hants/Berks Reading - Newbury and down to Exeter how do records compare with HST times?

Same year 1968 school trip to Davos. A few hazy memories - I remember being impressed with the height of the SNCF trains compared with the dour green Southern region commuter trains. The French trains seemed quite glamorous at the time for a 15 year old. I recall the hustle of being on Basle...

There are all sorts of situations and perfectly good reasons why people do not have the time or the inclination to traipse around shopping for food or drink prior to catching a train. It should be about quality of service and customer experience not about dumbing everything down!

As the space taken up by fixed toilets doesn’t make a profit replace them with a trolley toilet at seat service. Be warned though in coaches A, B and C the trolley toilet may not reach you and if it does it will probably have run out of paper and soap.

Brilliant!

GWR are in a customer service sector and can be distinguished from other businesses by taking their customers experience downwards. A 2 and a half hour Paddington to Exeter journey without any catering is a real low. Even on journeys where the trolley makes some progress along the train the...

Again credit to GWR there was some very quick thinking diverting the 19.04 down single track at times to get the train round to Exeter. Train manager earlier announced the Exeter Penzance driver was on the train too once we were getting behind before accident to reassure those going to Cornwall...