GWR silly Advance policy to Oxford

[cactustwirly]

For such a short journey though it isn't too bad to stand as long as it's not packed, and if you try and claim that lots come in packed then that just is a lie

It isn't though, from my experience they are all packed.
Obviously early mornings and late evenings are different.
But from 10am to 1pm, travelling from Reading to London on a weekend is extremely busy

 

[jimm]

I was surprised last Saturday at how few fast trains there were to Oxford. It's 3 trains an hour but one departs 4 minutes in advance of the next one so it's effectively 2.

Oxford has more people living there than Guildford and is very historic so I would have expected more services. They also finish before 11 on Saturdays if heading south.

Maybe there just isn't the demand or maybe it is on the wrong line, in terms of being able to provide more services.

There is a window for the engineers from Saturday into Sunday to get on to the Oxford-Didcot line. And for the next couple of Sundays the line is shut all day, presumably in part so that they can work on the Thames bridge and its approach embankments just north of Culham.

Well when I travelled last week, no option to change at Didcot was shown. I assume because it was always overtaken.

The assumption is people are going to use the direct trains between Reading and Oxford - the timings of the Oxford-Didcot shuttles are dictated to a large degree by connections for people making journeys between Oxford and Swindon/Bristol, not the arrivals and departures of the 387s. Typically there's 10 to 15 minutes wait at Didcot if you change between a Turbo and a 387 there.

 

[Jimini]

There is a window for the engineers from Saturday into Sunday to get on to the Oxford-Didcot line. And for the next couple of Sundays the line is shut all day, presumably in part so that they can work on the Thames bridge and its approach embankments just north of Culham.

There was a sizeable team there y'day when I went past round 3:20ish, so would make sense. Quite the bump, that!

 

[infobleep]

There is a window for the engineers from Saturday into Sunday to get on to the Oxford-Didcot line. And for the next couple of Sundays the line is shut all day, presumably in part so that they can work on the Thames bridge and its approach embankments just north of Culham.


The assumption is people are going to use the direct trains between Reading and Oxford - the timings of the Oxford-Didcot shuttles are dictated to a large degree by connections for people making journeys between Oxford and Swindon/Bristol, not the arrivals and departures of the 387s. Typically there's 10 to 15 minutes wait at Didcot if you change between a Turbo and a 387 there.

Indeed and there are only 3 direct trains, of which one departs a few minutes before another. This then goes back to my point about size of town and level of service.

 

[mangyiscute]

Indeed and there are only 3 direct trains, of which one departs a few minutes before another. This then goes back to my point about size of town and level of service.

And it's literally been explained why it is like that. Until firstly the second cross country returns and then a potential Birmingham moor street to reading is introduced, there won't be much change
One thing that could be done is trying to get more London passengers onto the cross country service since these sometimes leave Oxford quite empty (especially the reading terminators)

 

[infobleep]

And it's literally been explained why it is like that. Until firstly the second cross country returns and then a potential Birmingham moor street to reading is introduced, there won't be much change
One thing that could be done is trying to get more London passengers onto the cross country service since these sometimes leave Oxford quite empty (especially the reading terminators)

I fully accept why it has been explained. I'm not disputing this. I am just pointing out that the service via Didcot is not suggested as a route.

When I went to Oxford recently I could have got the Cross Country service but I stopped off in Reading to do something so got the train that departed 5 minutes later. This being the GWR service.

Going home it was another GWR service as that is what connected to my service from Reading to Guildford.

 

[Birmingham]

Bought a £5 single from Reading to Oxford from the ticket office at Reading 20 minutes before departure today. Quite handy when only making a single journey as the singles are priced 10p less than the returns on this route at £11.30.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Bought a £5 single from Reading to Oxford from the ticket office at Reading 20 minutes before departure today.

A route "GWR only" standard class Advance ticket, presumably?

 

[Birmingham]

A route "GWR only" standard class Advance ticket, presumably?

Correct

 

[m00036]

Depends on the train, seen some 9 car 800s arrive with every seat taken throughout the train so you have to stand.

Other times there's a handful of seats but you have to fight for them

I've never claimed on it but in principle GWR does give you money back if you can't get a seat - https://www.gwr.com/your-tickets/seat-reservations.