lol, it's not that much better on the western end of the CT network! We may get 170s and occasionally a 156 (I will make sure I do everything I can to bash a 156 off HFD next time it comes here! A rare treat!), but it doesn't mean our service is very good. Indeed, we've lost a couple of CT services in the last year and had them retimed too, but still don't meet with the arrival of most ATW services...Plus we have the annoying lack of a north end turnaround, which can and does delay late-running trains on their return journey, and if they're late enough, they're turned back at Ledbury, Great Malvern or even Worcester if it's that bad! Plus the HFD - Worcester route is single line between Shelwick Junction and Malvern Wells, something that can and does cause heavy delays. If there was a late enough bus service, most people from Ledbury would probably take the bus going back to Hereford. If Colwall and Malvern had a late-ish bus route to Hereford, if at all, then I daresay they'd use it too. Only due to the lack of any buses at the times people need them, if they exist at all do we have a train service with CT. It would be all terminating at Great Malvern with peak time services from Paddington to Hereford in the evening otherwise I reckon, with a possible couple of CTs in the morning and evening to relieve pressure on FGW trains.
I've no experience of CT in Lincolnshire, the nearest I've got to there in recent years is Nottingham, with Skegness reached a few years ago. Point is, it's not all rosy in the west!