First Great Western Diversions spring 2013

[animationmilo]

Is this still happening on weekend 5th April? As the nationalrail times seem to suggest not.

 

[jnjkerbin]

Is this still happening on weekend 5th April? As the nationalrail times seem to suggest not.

It seems that from the 5/4/13 - 8/4/13, trains from Paddington to the South west are all being diverted via Bristol (rather than Newbury) with a few taking the Melksham line and serving Westbury.

Meanwhile there seems to be 1 train per 2 hours in each direction between Reading and Westbury (via Newbury), so I'd guess there is single line working in place somewhere through there.

EDIT: Appears the above only applies on 5/4/13. The Waterloo diversions will also apply 6-8/4

 

[jimm]

Information about what is happening on the FGW website here

http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/About-Us/Rail-improvements/Reading-station-improvements

and a map of diversionary routes/buses here

http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/~/media/PDF/Diversionary Routes.ashx

 

[spark001uk]

Surely discretion should be given when the service is diverted?

This is what I've been trying to find out, but nobody official seems to know! I'm going by the assumption that a) I can still purchase both rovers, as some of the areas they cover will be operational, and b) it's not my fault that the trains won't be calling at reading?

I guess the best person to approach would be a fgw guard or two, and ask them how they would call it? (sorry, "train manager"!)

 

[anthony263]

From looking at FGW's journey planner for Friday 29th March 2012 trains to Newbury/Bedwyn will depart Reading at 05:32 then every hour til 23:32 with the trains from Reading at 06:32, 08:32 etc continuing beyond Bedwyn to Westbury arriving at 07:56, 09:54.

Return trains depart Westbury at: 06:29 then every 2 hours til 22:29 with a journey time of 90 minutes to Reading.

 

[455driver]

So they are hourly on the down and one every 2 hours on the up!

How does that work then?

 

[spark001uk]

So they are hourly on the down and one every 2 hours on the up!

How does that work then?

It's 1TPH in both directions to/from Bedwyn, with alternate services continuing to/starting from Westbury.

 

[455driver]

Ahhh, all becomes clear, cheers!

 

[142056]

Anyone know when FGW are going to release Advance fares during the disruptions? (specifically 7th of April). I note that XC and ATW have already released A-P tickets for this date. Thanks

 

[louis97]

Anyone know when FGW are going to release Advance fares during the disruptions? (specifically 7th of April). I note that XC and ATW have already released A-P tickets for this date. Thanks

Advance fares will be available and has been available for the first weekend for nearly 2 weeks now! 7th April should be out tomorrow.

 

[142056]

Advance fares will be available and has been available for the first weekend for nearly 2 weeks now! 7th April should be out tomorrow.

Whoops! Didn't realise.
Am defiantly travelling on the 7th so will make sure to check tomorrow, many thanks!

 

[louis97]

Is this still happening on weekend 5th April? As the nationalrail times seem to suggest not.

Diversions were not booked to occur on 5th April the possession restart at 2300 that day, so does not affect the days services. Diversions will be occurring on 6th April (the sunday) only.

Between 2nd April and 5th April (inc.) services between the West country are diverted via Melksham or Bristol (as previously said). Services between Westbury and Reading are being turbo operated, this is due to single line working between Reading Oxford Road Junction and Reading Platform 2, as work will still be being carried out on that side of the station, all services on the mainlines are using the new p12-15. In addition to this 2 peak services each way will be operating between Paddington and Westbury, operating via Reading West Curve with a reversal at Tilehurst.

 

[yorkie]

Does anyone know if the trains from Waterloo via Basingstoke, which have to have Short Swing Length (SSL) bogies, will be high density sets, low density sets, or a mixture? (In other words, are all the SSL sets a particular density?)

What I'd like to do is determine if particular seats are around a table or not. On a high density set, they won't be, but on a low density set, they will be.

Or will it just be down to luck on the day?

Also I note the public timetable from Waterloo to be typically xx59 but the WTT timetable has them departing after the xx05 Bournemouth services.

This leads to the odd situation of some passengers being advised to change at Basingstoke (e.g. Brighouse to Basingstoke on the morning Grand Central). Presumably the HST will still be available to board up to departure, or will people who arrive between xx00 and xx05 need to take the earlier departing SWT and change at Basingstoke?

 

[TEW]

Does anyone know if the trains from Waterloo via Basingstoke, which have to have Short Swing Length (SSL) bogies, will be high density sets, low density sets, or a mixture? (In other words, are all the SSL sets a particular density?)

The SSL carriages are a right mix. Last time a number of the Waterloo-Penzance services were high density sets and even sets with micro-buffets.

 

[fgwrich]

The SSL carriages are a right mix. Last time a number of the Waterloo-Penzance services were high density sets and even sets with micro-buffets.

There were a few of the full size buffets this way too - think we even had a few of the 4080X series aswell.

Crewing looks set to be a right mixture this year, with FL, GB, DB & DCR doing some of the work. Either way though, im looking foward to it - and at least it'll involve HSTs travelling right the way through to Waterloo this time, unlike the previous diversions via Hounslow on the up & Richmond on the down.

 

[louis97]

Also I note the public timetable from Waterloo to be typically xx59 but the WTT timetable has them departing after the xx05 Bournemouth services.

This leads to the odd situation of some passengers being advised to change at Basingstoke (e.g. Brighouse to Basingstoke on the morning Grand Central). Presumably the HST will still be available to board up to departure, or will people who arrive between xx00 and xx05 need to take the earlier departing SWT and change at Basingstoke?

As far as I am aware the services will drop off the departure boards on the concourse 2 minutes before departure, and the possibility of an early departure by WTT is always possible. I can't see there being a problem boarding onces it has dropped off the departure board, but I would not guarantee it.

 

[bb21]

Does anything go via Castle Bar this time? I must have missed something as I am struggling to find any that do.

 

[TEW]

As far as I am aware the services will drop off the departure boards on the concourse 2 minutes before departure, and the possibility of an early departure by WTT is always possible. I can't see there being a problem boarding onces it has dropped off the departure board, but I would not guarantee it.

Of course it's unlikely they'll leave early because there is an xx00 to Portsmouth Harbour and xx05 Weymouth service. The FGW services are also due to depart Basingstoke after the xx05 Weymouth services, so letting them out early will probably just causes problems there. There is the possibility of the doors being locked at xx59 perhaps, it's all rather bizarre though.

 

[swt_passenger]

Just a wild guess, but might they have built in additional time because of the specific dispatch procedures needed for an HST, what with manual slam doors?

 

[TheEdge]

Extract from train alterations over Easter due to closures at Reading

London Paddington to Exeter, Plymouth, Paignton / Newquay / Penzance: Trains are diverted to run to and from London Waterloo and will not stop at Reading, Newbury, Bedwyn or Pewsey.

Does that mean pure and simple that FGW will be running HSTs from Waterloo or is it just joint ticket acceptance by SWT as far as St Davids?

 

[NSEFAN]

Yes, trains will be running into Waterloo via the South West Mainline.

There will also be diversions via the Chilterns for trains from Wales.

 

[Mojo]

This will be similar to the diversions over the festive period in 2010. Some trains will go via Basingstoke (Amazingstoke) and into Waterloo, whereas others will go up through Oxford, reverse at Banbury then down the Chilterns and into Paddington. In the latter case, I am not sure of the exact route into Paddington; when I did it we went via Castle Bar Park but I am sure someone said when they did it the train went along the New North Main Line all the way.

 

[fgwrich]

This will be similar to the diversions over the festive period in 2010. Some trains will go via Basingstoke (Amazingstoke) and into Waterloo, whereas others will go up through Oxford, reverse at Banbury then down the Chilterns and into Paddington. In the latter case, I am not sure of the exact route into Paddington; when I did it we went via Castle Bar Park but I am sure someone said when they did it the train went along the New North Main Line all the way.

Arggggh! Where did you get that from? :-x

 

[TEW]

This will be similar to the diversions over the festive period in 2010. Some trains will go via Basingstoke (Amazingstoke) and into Waterloo, whereas others will go up through Oxford, reverse at Banbury then down the Chilterns and into Paddington. In the latter case, I am not sure of the exact route into Paddington; when I did it we went via Castle Bar Park but I am sure someone said when they did it the train went along the New North Main Line all the way.

Last time it was roughly half and half via both routes in to Paddington but this year all the services are booked along the New North Main Line all the way. Whether some services will actually run via Castle Bar Park on the day I don't know, I'm not sure if there will be the necessary crew knowledge.

 

[Zoe]

London Paddington to Exeter, Plymouth, Paignton / Newquay / Penzance: Trains are diverted to run to and from London Waterloo and will not stop at Reading, Newbury, Bedwyn or Pewsey.

As with last time, there are some trains from Paddington to Paignton via Banbury.

 

[Class 33]

Looking forward to this. Think I'll do the Bristol-Banbury-London Paddington route in both directions, rather than via Westbury-Basingstoke to London Waterloo. As the services are this time running via the direct route from Basingstoke-Waterloo I don't see it as all that interesting, and then there's inconvenience of having to change at Westbury. A nice long 3 hour journey there on one train, and a nice long 3 hour journey back on one train will be far better. Though I am dissapointed no cheap advance tickets have been made available to purchase for these journeys.

 

[fgwrich]

Just seen on wnxx that FGW have put out bulletins to staff about the diversions during the next blockade at Reading in spring 2013.



http://www.wnxxforum.com/interactive/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=26983


I would like to know however where the 3 carriage class 150's are going to come from since FGW only have the two that operate around Bristol and 150001 & 150002, perhaps during the diversions there maybe some additional class 165's available to use on the Reading - Bassingstoke route allowing 150001/150002 to work the Didcot - Cheltenham shuttle.

Class 165/166's at Westbury although its a pity they cant run them up to Bristol TM or something it would certainly have added some more variety.

However I guesing staff will have to be trained and the route between Westbury and Bath cleared for use by the Class 165/166's

As you say, 150001 & 150002 Will be doing the Didcot - Cheltenham shuttle, and will likely work alongside 150921 & 150927. As for the Turbos, they are cleared to run along the Berks & Hants - a trail was run yesterday with 166211 to Castle Cary and back to Reading, this for a combination of future services.

Night Riviera will unfortunatly be formed of a HST and will run from Waterloo.

 

[Aictos]

As you say, 150001 & 150002 Will be doing the Didcot - Cheltenham shuttle, and will likely work alongside 150921 & 150927. As for the Turbos, they are cleared to run along the Berks & Hants - a trail was run yesterday with 166211 to Castle Cary and back to Reading, this for a combination of future services.

Night Riviera will unfortunatly be formed of a HST and will run from Waterloo.

mmm, def going to try the HST Night Riveria service

 

[Zoe]

a trail was run yesterday with 166211 to Castle Cary and back to Reading, this for a combination of future services.

Unless there have been some very recent changes, they are only cleared as far as Castle Cary and so wouldn't be able to be used on any future stopping service between Reading and Taunton/Exeter without further clearance. I had read that the plan was to cascade them onto the Cardiff to Portsmouth route after electrification but could Weymouth be another possibility?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Night Riviera will unfortunatly be formed of a HST and will run from Waterloo.

Would it not be possible to run round at Banbury if the sleeper stock can't run into Waterloo for some reason?

 

[louis97]

Unless there have been some very recent changes, they are only cleared as far as Castle Cary and so wouldn't be able to be used on any future stopping service between Reading and Taunton/Exeter without further clearance. I had read that the plan was to cascade them onto the Cardiff to Portsmouth route after electrification but could Weymouth be another possibility?

I think there may be potential for them to operate to/from Castle Cary during Glastonbury

Would it not be possible to run round at Banbury if the sleeper stock can't run into Waterloo for some reason?

Only Exeter High Speed crew sign sleeper stock(?) and 57s, and as they don't sign to/from Oxford it would mean extra crew required for the the Didcot to Paddington via Oxford stretch and also for the runaround at Banbury. I can imagine this was not really an option - much easier just to run a HST to Waterloo as it can then work the first Waterloo to Penzance service.