Loadings where never that great. Operators know best how & where stock & services are best utilised.
The thames trains used to be full of tourists from oxford
This is depressing news as as recently as summer 14 I took advantage of that service
4.3.2.2 Franchise Geography
The Franchise Agreement (paragraph 2.2 of Schedule 1.6), sets out the routes over which the Franchisee is permitted to operate. This has been based on those of the current franchise plus two further routes that have been added following receipt and review of suggestions from Bidders prior to the issue of the ITT. The additional routes over which the Franchisee may also operate if they so wish are:
Southampton Central to Poole from May 2017 onwards only; and
Banbury to Stratford upon Avon.
Bidders are free to operate trains over these routes, subject to fulfilling the other requirements of the Franchise Agreement. Such services will not form part of the TSR. By accepting Bids which include plans for such services, the Department does not guarantee it will support future applications for track access on these routes. During Bid assessment the Department may risk adjust revenue or cost assumptions if it believes the Bidder has
taken an unreasonable view on any future allocation of track access rights.
The thames trains used to be full of tourists from oxford
I used to travel to Stratford to see my mother directly from Reading when FGW ran services from Paddington. With fewer Chiltern through trains, you are forced to wait at Leamington Spa for a connection which I wouldn't recommend if it's over an hour, or go for a taxi from Leamington to Stratford or possibly a bus.
Warwick Parkway has a frequent service from Marylebone but you need to get a bus/taxi to Stratford.
It's all pretty poor as train service to the home of the bard. If I was to travel to Stratford now, I would take my car.
Admittedly some trains could get busy at certain times of the day/year but they where few & far between.
When would you have to wait for "over an hour" at Leamington Spa for a connection if travelling between Reading and Stratford?
There are actually more trains now between Stratford and Leamington Spa than there were before the last timetable change?
165 units, 3+2 seating, no air conditioning and tourists with luggage would give the perception of being busy.
The Chiltern line has also improved considerably in recent years, back in the olden days a considerable number of Banbury people would take the Stratford service from Paddington. Was it the TT 17:18(?) from Reading (start Paddington) which went to Stratford - it was usually standing only to Oxford and being a TT wasn't subject to peak restrictions from Paddington.
So going back to the future and having a service from Paddington, via Oxford, aimed fair and square at the tourist market is probably the best bet for the long term. And if it can eventually go via the Cotswold Line, then to Stratford via Long Marston, so much the better.
And if the trains at tourist times could be slowed down through Adlestrop, how much better? Even better than that, if late afternoon return trains could actually stop, and the p.a. play the poem and bird song , wow!
I am for once, serious. It could be worth reconstructing the platforms and signs too.
I like "Dismissing half your train, come then to me".
http://www.rhymezone.com/r/ss.cgi?q=train&mode=kw
And if the trains at tourist times could be slowed down through Adlestrop, how much better? Even better than that, if late afternoon return trains could actually stop, and the p.a. play the poem and bird song , wow!
I am for once, serious. It could be worth reconstructing the platforms and signs too.
My experience was from 2012. I can't speak for what happens now. You can travel from Reading to Leamington every 30 minutes - I doubt there is a connecting service at Leamington to meet it so a wait is inevitable. If thee service has more become more frequent then that's great news.
It's all pretty poor as train service to the home of the bard.