Oxford to Gatwick Airport Direct service (Sat 14th Dec)

[Wilts Wanderer]

I'm not aware of anything else that uses it under normal working. There is little freight via Ascot these days and even less via Blackwater. It will periodically see test trains, track recording units etc.

 

[Deepgreen]

Iirc correctly (I've not checked) then it runs fast from reading to Guildford then ECS down the Pompey direct.

Having it terminate at reading could mean if they were short of a crew member who signs the route across via Guildford, then by having it terminate at reading wouldn't result bin a ppm cancellation.

Also, it means that as the train wouldn't stop at Guildford , then the delays caused by ensuring the train is empty of passengers could be avoided.

The Sunday lunch-time working runs ECS from Eastleigh via Reading to Guildford - a waste of possible passenger carrying opportunity between some major stations here.

 

[swt_passenger]

The Sunday lunch-time working runs ECS from Eastleigh via Reading to Guildford - a waste of possible passenger carrying opportunity between some major stations here.

Only because of various engineering work over the next few weekends. Mid January it’s back to “via Havant”, which is the WTT path 15/12/19 until 10/5/20:
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C77826/2020-01-26/detailed
But this sort of once a week service is going to be effected by engineering on a significant number of weekends anyway, making it a passenger service would be removing flexibility.

 

[Deepgreen]

Only because of various engineering work over the next few weekends. Mid January it’s back to “via Havant”, which is the WTT path 15/12/19 until 10/5/20:
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C77826/2020-01-26/detailed
But this sort of once a week service is going to be effected by engineering on a significant number of weekends anyway, making it a passenger service would be removing flexibility.

Deleted.