GWR rail replacement

[56 1/2]

Why did the Slough > Metropolitan not use Uxbridge? HIllingdon's simple platforms and short dwell times could be overpowering to luggage carting strangers

 

[JonathanH]

Why did the Slough > Metropolitan not use Uxbridge? HIllingdon's simple platforms and short dwell times could be overpowering to luggage carting strangers

Road layout - plenty of room for buses to stand - when they leave straight onto the A40 at Hillingdon and then the A412 - no messing about with town centre traffic and the rather tight amount of space at Uxbridge station.

I think you may be overestimating the number of people travelling and where they were travelling from - only North Cotswold trains and locals were running to Slough - anyone for London from the North Cotswolds is likely to have changed at Oxford - people travelling from the west will have gone on the Waterloo line from Reading - Maidenhead and Marlow had direct buses to High Wycombe.

 

[56 1/2]

Convenience for the buses tops journey quality, this must be the 21st century. The Met would be my diversion of choice, most of North West London is easy plus Euston, KingsX St P. and Thameslink. Slow service to Waterloo then get back north of the river, not an ideal offering, Great that GWR bothered to provide the link.

 

[weastebusdepot]

Convenience for the buses tops journey quality, this must be the 21st century.

I'd actually suggest having adequate parking for buses so it isn't bringing the local road network to a standstill and being able to load/unload safely a train's worth of passengers without having them wandering into busy traffic is what tops journey quality. Some stations are better set up to deal with these situations than others.

 

[56 1/2]

I'd actually suggest having adequate parking for buses so it isn't bringing the local road network to a standstill and being able to load/unload safely a train's worth of passengers without having them wandering into busy traffic is what tops journey quality. Some stations are better set up to deal with these situations than others.

My initial point, Uxbridge has a bus station adjacent, traffic in general and bus would be low on blockade days so it should be easy to bring the substitutes straight in to the bus station

 

[hassaanhc]

My initial point, Uxbridge has a bus station adjacent, traffic in general and bus would be low on blockade days so it should be easy to bring the substitutes straight in to the bus station

Uxbridge Bus Station (Bakers Road) can't cope with the existing number of services that use it. Buses get stuck on the turning circle while another is picking up passengers at the stops next to it. Then Metroline's bus garage is too small, so they park their buses all along the road and make it worse for vehicles using it (delivery lorries, cars dropping off at the station and the Travelodge hotel). And Uxbridge Town Centre in general would be full of traffic with cars queuing for the car parks, and would decimate the entire replacement bus service