Half Hourly GWR service between Paddington - Cardiff Central

[Asif]

Does anyone know whether GWR plan to reinstate the hourly services between London Paddington and Cardiff Central therefore restoring the 2PH service?
I'm sure I read something on the forum somewhere to that effect but can't find any reference to it now.

Noticed that GWR still haven't released any further details of the planned service uplift on 14 September.

 

[Birmingham]

According to Realtime Trains, where it looks like the new timetable is uploaded, they reinstate three services from London Paddington to Cardiff Central at 16:18, 17:18, and 18:18.

 

[tiptoptaff]

Does anyone know whether GWR plan to reinstate the hourly services between London Paddington and Cardiff Central therefore restoring the 2PH service?
I'm sure I read something on the forum somewhere to that effect but can't find any reference to it now.

Noticed that GWR still haven't released any further details of the planned service uplift on 14 September.

Not as yet. The major gaps in service that are keeping it at around 90% of pre-covid capacity are the super-fast Bristol's and the Cardiff terminators. Going to be hourly in to Wales, save for the peak extras listed, for at least the rest of the year

 

[Captain Chaos]

Are they reinstating the 2330 out of Paddington at all? Used to be either a Bristol or a Cardiff if memory serves.

 

[StephenHunter]

Are they running any 387s to Cardiff yet?

 

[p.d87]

I'll jump in on this thread if i can. I will be travelling Paddington to Cardiff next Wednesday afternoon probably on the 1348. Does anyone know if the south wales services are busy(ish) or are they relatively quiet? Also are GWR running as reservation compulsory on the intercity services like avanti/LNER are doing as I dont have a seat reserved.

 

[swt_passenger]

Are they running any 387s to Cardiff yet?

The application is for the Dec 2020 Timetable period.

 

[ValleyLines142]

I'll jump in on this thread if i can. I will be travelling Paddington to Cardiff next Wednesday afternoon probably on the 1348. Does anyone know if the south wales services are busy(ish) or are they relatively quiet? Also are GWR running as reservation compulsory on the intercity services like avanti/LNER are doing as I dont have a seat reserved.

Highly doubt it'll be busy at that time. Head to Carriage A or B (i.e. furthest from the ticket barriers at Paddington) and you'll be fine. Seats reservations recommended but not compulsory.

 

[David Goddard]

Head to Carriage A or B (i.e. furthest from the ticket barriers at Paddington)

Unless the train is in reverse formation, which happens much more often with 80x than with the HSTs

 

[ValleyLines142]

Unless the train is in reverse formation, which happens much more often with 80x than with the HSTs

If it's a 9 car set usually it's okay, but if its 2 x 5 car then it's all over the place!

 

[dk1]

The application is for the Dec 2020 Timetable period.

Just for specials during sporting or other events at Millennium Stadium if I read it correctly.

 

[tiptoptaff]

Are they running any 387s to Cardiff yet?

The application is for the Dec 2020 Timetable period.

Just for specials during sporting or other events at Millennium Stadium if I read it correctly.

Unlikely to happen this year due to the restrictions on in-cab training for qualified drivers. At the moment it's only been agreed for trainees to return in bubbles with DIs and nothing yet agreed for route learning or traction training.

 

[dk1]

Unlikely to happen this year due to the restrictions on in-cab training for qualified drivers. At the moment it's only been agreed for trainees to return in bubbles with DIs and nothing yet agreed for route learning or traction training.

And that works very well. Currently in a bubble with my gorgeous trainee

 

[swt_passenger]

Just for specials during sporting or other events at Millennium Stadium if I read it correctly.

Yes, it‘s designed around route knowledge for events, but there is a late evening one way passenger service involved, Cardiff to Bristol Parkway.

As usual though we have a whole separate thread about it already:

GWR proposal to run a class 387 from Cardiff on weekday evenings from December 2020

Included in the current track access application from GWR is a plan to run a Class 387 empty from Didcot each evening to pick up a passenger working to Bristol Parkway. The unit then goes to Swindon Cocklebury sidings for overnight stabling but will run in service on event days...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Beebman]

I'll jump in on this thread if i can. I will be travelling Paddington to Cardiff next Wednesday afternoon probably on the 1348. Does anyone know if the south wales services are busy(ish) or are they relatively quiet? Also are GWR running as reservation compulsory on the intercity services like avanti/LNER are doing as I dont have a seat reserved.

I travelled RDG-CDF yesterday on the 08:13 out and 13:18 back, just a short trip to the Welsh capital (mainly to experience the Severn Tunnel under electric power!). In both cases I travelled in coach B, second from the Swansea end. On the outward journey there was one other person in the coach, he also got on at RDG and remained on board when I left at CDF. One other person come into the coach at BPW.

The return was a little busier - there were three other people in the coach at CDF and then six boarded at BPW. Even so a total of ten people in the coach is not exactly crowded!

 

[Max]

According to Realtime Trains, where it looks like the new timetable is uploaded, they reinstate three services from London Paddington to Cardiff Central at 16:18, 17:18, and 18:18.

And heading in the other direction there will be additional CDF-PAD services at 06:15, 07:12 and 18:51.

 

[p.d87]

Brilliant thanks all, I'm travelling on staff passes so hopefully be ok. If reservations are recommended, I'll book so i keep myself right

 

[Wychwood93]

Brilliant thanks all, I'm travelling on staff passes so hopefully be ok. If reservations are recommended, I'll book so i keep myself right

Yet to see any reservation lights on and, as above, in the middle of the day there is little chance of many coaches exceeding ten passengers. Ticket checks have started on the 'high speed' services. Three of the four HSS I was on last week had checks - the odd one out was in his bunker going on about the number of passengers he observed on the CCTV not wearing their masks correctly and offered the options of being asked to leave the train or be subject to £100 fine. Surely he should not be watching the CCTV?

 

[dk1]

Yet to see any reservation lights on and, as above, in the middle of the day there is little chance of many coaches exceeding ten passengers. Ticket checks have started on the 'high speed' services. Three of the four HSS I was on last week had checks - the odd one out was in his bunker going on about the number of passengers he observed on the CCTV not wearing their masks correctly and offered the options of being asked to leave the train or be subject to £100 fine. Surely he should not be watching the CCTV?

Why should he not be watching live CCTV. That what its there for.

 

[p.d87]

Great info from everyone. Thanks again. Midweek and mid afternoon i should be ok then. Suppose i can always speak to guard on the day for the best place to go

 

[dk1]

Great info from everyone. Thanks again. Midweek and mid afternoon i should be ok then. Suppose i can always speak to guard on the day for the best place to go

Sadly I've got to postpone my Paddington to Worcester trip tomorrow. Was going to go via Newport then Hereford. Being staff you would be fine & I wasnt going to bother reserving a place.

 

[p.d87]

The new timetable for GWR from 14th Sept now has the reservations compulsory on all trains. So I'll try get them just incase

 

[dk1]

The new timetable for GWR from 14th Sept now has the reservations compulsory on all trains. So I'll try get them just incase

Fair enough but im sure it would be ok. Was looking forward to an all electric run too.