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I thought it'd be useful to provide a summary of the trains due to be formed by Class 387s coming from further afield than Hayes & Harlington from 22nd May onwards: Services towards London Paddington: 2P14, 06:56 Maidenhead to Paddington, calling Taplow (06:59), Burnham (07:02), Slough...

I see 387140 is spending much of the day doing test runs between Reading TCD and Didcot. Authority for 110mph running has now been given for that section, subject to the ruling linespeed not being lower and an additional special restriction of 30mph through the DR platform at Tilehurst.

Thanks for confirming that, Clarence Yard. I feel sorry for those who are trying to determine a plan with many interdependencies and ever shifting goalposts!

The plan as of a few days ago when I spoke to a senior GWR manager is to run 5-car IET's on three of the 180 diagrams from December when the 180s head off to Grand Central. That will mean quite extensive use to Oxford and the Cotswold Line. The plan may change, as it's changed many times...

Over the last few weeks there seems to have been a wholesale removal of anti-macassers (so named as Macasser was an oil that gents used to use in their hair, if anyone didn't know!), and leaving the internal doors isolated in the open position on the Class 166 fleet. So, in effect, there's now...

It is already available for use if required, for example it was used during the Christmas blockade between Ealing and Paddington, with arriving passengers on trains terminating on the Up Main platform directed over it and along the Up Relief platform to gain access to the Central and District lines.

I think the units that have so far been fitted out internally have the configuration as per the original DfT spec, so that's 8 tables per standard class carriage. Just about the right balance if you ask me. The carriages modified to bring the 2+7 car sets up to 2+8 cars were mostly fitted...

That's not helped by none of the trains from Marylebone having peak time restrictions, so whilst from Paddington you have a pretty restricted list of semi-fast trains you can use returning from a day in London on a Travelcard, from Marylebone you can use anything.

It's something that will no doubt build up over time. For example, people who get a job in Oxford are now more likely to consider moving to High Wycombe now the commute by train is a very realistic option. I have been slightly surprised by how few seem to have switched from GWR to Chiltern...

I guess there will always be the odd 'losers' when service patterns are amended. That might be one example, but given the number of people wanting to do the Greenford/Castle Bar Park to Hanwell commute it's not an especially significant one, in my opinion. Many more flows have or will be...

Some driver do exercise a little too much caution IMHO - not necessarily a criticism, just the way new hands are taught as he advice and instructions drivers have to adhere to get more and more stringent as the years go by, to try and reduce even further the number of operational incidents. I...

Yes indeed. I've long been of the opinion that better initial acceleration, better and more consistent brakes and most importantly shorter dwell times at stations due to power operated doors, will mean there's very little difference in the journey times these trains will be able to offer under...

I managed to get some footage of it. Here's it passing Steventon, west of Didcot on the way back earlier today. I estimate it was doing around 100mph, though the longer carriages make it more difficult to judge. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGZhApVFnvM

I see little point in pouring scorn posts or euphoric posts unless you have some kind of vested interest in seeing the project succeed or fail. For me, it remains a very interesting project (just like the 319 Flex) that could easily turn out to be a success or failure. Time will tell which...

Not unusual to have fire bells ringing, or even automatic extinguishers going off, but no actual fire. I've had both scenarios several times over the years whilst working Turbos and 180s for example. Obviously the crew have to investigate, and being a new train undergoing testing I should...

Would the new depot at Banbury have the capacity?

Yes, that would be another sensible candidate, although they closer match the existing Chiltern 172s than the LM ones what with being non-gangway.

Will Chiltern be taking on the eight LO 172/0s when they become redundant from the Gospel Oak to Barking line next year? Appreciating that is still some way off, but other than another loco hauled set I can't see any option but to shuffle the allocations.

Can't say I've noticed much impact on GWR passenger numbers yet, and from observations as Chiltern services arrive and depart Oxford they don't seem very busy at all. Off peak services have an average of 20-50 people on board I would guess, of which a reasonable number will have been Bicester...

Fair point. How about the other way round though? A train regulated on the up relief whilst something passes it on the dive under.