June 2024 Timetable Change

[Johnny Lewis]

One minor thing for June 2024 - GWR will be reinstating "Named trains" in its online public timetables. So these are the traditional names like "The Cornish Riviera", "The Golden Hind" etc., rather than the IET namings, which are named after significant figures from the West of England and South Wales.
Some of them are quite meaningless - for example, "The Cheltenham Spa Express" is no faster or limited stop than any other train on the route.
All six Pullman services will be "named" in this way.

 

[gabrielhj07]

One minor thing for June 2024 - GWR will be reinstating "Named trains" in its online public timetables. So these are the traditional names like "The Cornish Riviera", "The Golden Hind" etc., rather than the IET namings, which are named after significant figures from the West of England and South Wales.
Some of them are quite meaningless - for example, "The Cheltenham Spa Express" is no faster or limited stop than any other train on the route.
All six Pullman services will be "named" in this way.

That’s a nice touch.

 

[The exile]

That’s a nice touch.

Indeed. Let us hope it is extended to station announcements, PIS etc.

 

[Starmill]

Indeed. Let us hope it is extended to station announcements, PIS etc.

It definitely was in the old days when they did them. Hope it is again.

 

[whoosh]

Great Northern are now saying there is only one additional peak Peterborough service in each direction, so the “Runs as required” ones won’t be running.

What a surprise! There never seems to have been the stock for both services. Perhaps something will materialise if the 379s come over in time.

Driver's diagrams showing a change in October.

 

[nw1]

One minor thing for June 2024 - GWR will be reinstating "Named trains" in its online public timetables. So these are the traditional names like "The Cornish Riviera", "The Golden Hind" etc., rather than the IET namings, which are named after significant figures from the West of England and South Wales.
Some of them are quite meaningless - for example, "The Cheltenham Spa Express" is no faster or limited stop than any other train on the route.
All six Pullman services will be "named" in this way.

Indeed, the "Cheltenham Spa Express" was once the single daytime out-and-back HST which was introduced in around 1984 to make use of the set in between the peaks, whereas now there are (IIRC) several daytime services. Presumably they're re-introducing the name for a departure which leaves around the same time as the 80s version.

I'd presume the "Cornish Riviera" will be a bit faster than the standard services though, otherwise there's little point naming it.

 

[hexagon789]

Indeed, the "Cheltenham Spa Express" was once the single daytime out-and-back HST which was introduced in around 1984 to make use of the set in between the peaks, whereas now there are (IIRC) several daytime services. Presumably they're re-introducing the name for a departure which leaves around the same time as the 80s version.

I think that was the Cotswolds and Malverns Express and not the Cheltenham Spa Express; HSTs appeared on Cheltenham runs before 1984, instead I believe an extra off-peak run was added in that year to/from Cheltenham.

 

[Johnny Lewis]

The only properly limited stop named trains will be, summer weekdays only, The Royal Duchy, 12.03 London Paddington to Penzance, which will be first stop Exeter St David's (pick up only), Plymouth, then most stops in Cornwall.

The 16.18 Paddington to Carmarthen will be "The Red Dragon" and first stop Bristol Parkway.

On Summer Saturdays, The Cornishman will provide a relatively limited stop service from Penzance to London Paddington at 11.00, which, after Plymouth will only call at Exeter St David's and Reading.

Otherwise, the trains aren't really any more limited stop or "special" than their non-named counterparts, even those which will contain the word "Express" in them!

 

[Bald Rick]

On Summer Saturdays, The Cornishman will provide a relatively limited stop service from Penzance to London Paddington at 11.00, which, after Plymouth will only call at Exeter St David's and Reading.

Surely, in these enlightened times, it should be “The Cornishperson”.

 

[507020]

Surely, in these enlightened times, it should be “The Cornishperson”.

Or “The Cornishthem” when as a gender neutral term, “The Cornish” would suffice!

 

[dk1]

Or “The Cornishthem” when as a gender neutral term, “The Cornish” would suffice!

Doesn’t I just make you want to cry

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Surely, in these enlightened times, it should be “The Cornishperson”.

Or “The Cornishthem” when as a gender neutral term, “The Cornish” would suffice!

This is priceless After all, trains aren't the only thing getting cancelled left and right for trivial matters these days

 

[jkkne]

One minor thing for June 2024 - GWR will be reinstating "Named trains" in its online public timetables. So these are the traditional names like "The Cornish Riviera", "The Golden Hind" etc., rather than the IET namings, which are named after significant figures from the West of England and South Wales.
Some of them are quite meaningless - for example, "The Cheltenham Spa Express" is no faster or limited stop than any other train on the route.
All six Pullman services will be "named" in this way.

Seems a fairly pointless exercise that might excite enthusiasts but mean absolutely nothing to the travelling public

Priorities all over the shop…

 

[WAB]

Seems a fairly pointless exercise that might excite enthusiasts but mean absolutely nothing to the travelling public

Priorities all over the shop…

It's part of GWR's overall branding - one of nostalgia.

 

[The exile]

It's part of GWR's overall branding - one of nostalgia.

And us achievable for little effort and at little cost - certainly a figure that wouldn’t even scratch the surface of the “bigger things”

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

In case it hasn’t been clearly stated, GWR’s June 2024 timetables are now available in PDF format on their website.

 

[nw1]

I think that was the Cotswolds and Malverns Express and not the Cheltenham Spa Express; HSTs appeared on Cheltenham runs before 1984, instead I believe an extra off-peak run was added in that year to/from Cheltenham.

Both existed: both introduced in 1984 if I remember right.

The Cotswold and Malvern Express was the only through Cotswold line service during the daytime off-peak, which went to Great Malvern.

The Cheltenham Spa Express went to Cheltenham and again was the only through service off-peak. This was the extra off-peak run you mention, but it definitely carried the Cheltenham Spa Express name.

I'm not sure whether there were HSTs on either line before 1984, but I do remember a big thing being made of the introduction of these two daytime services.

I have station working books for Paddington from 1981 and 1985, from the BR Coaching Stock group on groups.io.
There appear to be no HSTs to Cheltenham in 1981, with two conventional hauled services in the evening peak at 1622 and 1727.

In 1982 (timetable on Timetable World) there was a 1743 to Cheltenham, fast to Didcot at 1816 - I'd imagine these timings meant it must have been an HST. So it looks like HSTs (well, one trip) to Cheltenham were introduced in 1982. No sign of any daytime trip of any description, though.

By 1985 the Cotswold and Malvern Express and Cheltenham Spa Express are both present, departing 1010 and 1040 respectively. The station working book mentions both names.
The evening peak HST is also still there at 1742, as well as a service operated by conventional hauled stock at 1625.

 

[hexagon789]

Both existed: both introduced in 1984 if I remember right.

The Cotswold and Malvern Express was the only through Cotswold line service during the daytime off-peak, which went to Great Malvern.

The Cheltenham Spa Express went to Cheltenham and again was the only through service off-peak. This was the extra off-peak run you mention, but it definitely carried the Cheltenham Spa Express name.

I'm not sure whether there were HSTs on either line before 1984, but I do remember a big thing being made of the introduction of these two daytime services.

I have station working books for Paddington from 1981 and 1985, from the BR Coaching Stock group on groups.io.
There appear to be no HSTs to Cheltenham in 1981, with two conventional hauled services in the evening peak at 1622 and 1727.

In 1982 (timetable on Timetable World) there was a 1743 to Cheltenham, fast to Didcot at 1816 - I'd imagine these timings meant it must have been an HST. So it looks like HSTs (well, one trip) to Cheltenham were introduced in 1982. No sign of any daytime trip of any description, though.

By 1985 the Cotswold and Malvern Express and Cheltenham Spa Express are both present, departing 1010 and 1040 respectively. The station working book mentions both names.
The evening peak HST is also still there at 1742, as well as a service operated by conventional hauled stock at 1625.

Cheltenham had two HSTs each way prior to the 1984 changes, rather like the Costwolds line through LHCS between Paddington & Hereford pattern it had a pair of morning peak Up HSTs and evening peak Down HSTs, 1984 added an off-peak return working to these.