GWR silly Advance policy to Oxford

[Bletchleyite]

I'm currently on a fairly busy GWR Worcester service going to Oxford. Advances were available up to departure, and I went for a First Class one for a very reasonable £17. The train is 5 car and very busy (diagrammed 5, not a short form). Yet Advances are not available on the xx20 Oxford.

This really doesn't make any sense as it's pricing people onto the busier xx50.

I wonder why this is the case?

 

[Benjwri]

I'm currently on a fairly busy GWR Worcester service going to Oxford. Advances were available up to departure, and I went for a First Class one for a very reasonable £17. The train is 5 car and very busy (diagrammed 5, not a short form). Yet Advances are not available on the xx20 Oxford.

This really doesn't make any sense as it's pricing people onto the busier xx50.

I wonder why this is the case?

There isn’t a blanket ban on advances on the xx20, so not sure why this would be? Certainly advances are sold for following weekends. Can only think the quota must have been filled for part of the route?

 

[RailWonderer]

It could be that they sold out the advances on the xx20, though it is unlikely, or they only sell a limited number of advances on that service as most of the fares sold on the Oxford terminator will be walk ups. In my experience half the passenger load gets off at Oxford.

If anything though the weekend GWRs out of Paddington to Cheltenham 1tph and Cardiff (same) are way busier.

 

[Horizon22]

I'm currently on a fairly busy GWR Worcester service going to Oxford. Advances were available up to departure, and I went for a First Class one for a very reasonable £17. The train is 5 car and very busy (diagrammed 5, not a short form). Yet Advances are not available on the xx20 Oxford.

This really doesn't make any sense as it's pricing people onto the busier xx50.

I wonder why this is the case?

I imagine the xx20 was equally busy. Anything 1200-1500 is rammed to Oxford and has been since Covid.

 

[Birmingham]

Plenty get off the Worcesters at Slough, too. It'll be good to see Slough passengers displaced from the long-distance services onto the higher capacity EMU services when the Slough calls are removed from the Worcesters and the Didcot stoppers are sped up from May.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Plenty get off the Worcesters at Slough, too. It'll be good to see Slough passengers displaced from the long-distance services onto the higher capacity EMU services when the Slough calls are removed from the Worcesters and the Didcot stoppers are sped up from May.

Though the downside of this is that connectivity between Slough and Oxford is rather poorer. The wires really do need to go up to Oxford so that silly little DMU shuttle can be removed in favour of a through semifast EMU.

 

[Benjwri]

Though the downside of this is that connectivity between Slough and Oxford is rather poorer. The wires really do need to go up to Oxford so that silly little DMU shuttle can be removed in favour of a through semifast EMU.

Definitely agree the wires need to go up, would suggest the number of people this change is affecting though is far fewer than the original shortening to Didcot for people who live between Didcot and Reading, who have to wait for the shuttle. At least people from Slough can get the fast service from Reading without having to make a huge double back, and obviously they have the Elizabeth Line.

 

[mangyiscute]

Also worth noting that the changes will see Reading/Twyford to West Drayton/Hayes & Harlington/Ealing Broadway reduced to half hourly when it has been every 15 minutes for a very long time - as someone who often travels this route it is not great - they really need to extend all of the Elizabeth line services to Reading just like they are in the peaks currently (which proves the pathing definitely does work)

 

[cactustwirly]

Though the downside of this is that connectivity between Slough and Oxford is rather poorer. The wires really do need to go up to Oxford so that silly little DMU shuttle can be removed in favour of a through semifast EMU.

The semi fast EMU isn't particularly fast and would have long dwells at Didcot for pathing

No one is going to be using it to travel to Oxford from Slough

 

[Bletchleyite]

The semi fast EMU isn't particularly fast and would have long dwells at Didcot for pathing

No one is going to be using it to travel to Oxford from Slough

Well, they are, because they have no other option once the 80x are withdrawn! What else do you think they'll do, go via Paddington?

It's a fairly small market, though.

 

[Benjwri]

Well, they are, because they have no other option once the 80x are withdrawn! What else do you think they'll do, go via Paddington?

To be fair it is far quicker for them to travel to Reading and change onto an Oxford or North Cotswolds fast train, regardless of if the stopper was extended to Oxford.

 

[Bletchleyite]

To be fair it is far quicker for them to travel to Reading and change onto an Oxford or North Cotswolds fast train, regardless of if the stopper was extended to Oxford.

Even on their new EMU service which is a stopper west of Slough, isn't it?

Even so there is no excuse not to wire to Oxford. Should have been done in the first place.

 

[cactustwirly]

Well, they are, because they have no other option once the 80x are withdrawn! What else do you think they'll do, go via Paddington?

It's a fairly small market, though.

Change at Reading for faster services?

Even on their new EMU service which is a stopper west of Slough, isn't it?

Even so there is no excuse not to wire to Oxford. Should have been done in the first place.

Fast east of Slough, semi fast to Reading and then all stops to Didcot

 

[MarlowDonkey]

Also worth noting that the changes will see Reading/Twyford to West Drayton/Hayes & Harlington/Ealing Broadway reduced to half hourly when it has been every 15 minutes for a very long time - as someone who often travels this route it is not great

It looks as if it's still four per hour from Maidenhead, so it's possible to take the half hourly 387 and change at Maidenhead or Slough.

 

[infobleep]

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.

 

[Birmingham]

There used to be a fourth hourly from Reading to Oxford with XC's Reading to Newcastle service.

 

[mangyiscute]

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.

Yeah these trains do tend to be busy but besides the other cross country coming back i'm not sure much can be done - the issue with them leaving reading at a similar time would be tough to fix due to pathing around didcot and also the single track parts of the Cotswold line
It's worse on a Sunday when the 2 trains per hour leave Reading at xx:14 and xx:15
I assume the early finish is because there is engineering work done on this line, as there are bus services run from Didcot.

It looks as if it's still four per hour from Maidenhead, so it's possible to take the half hourly 387 and change at Maidenhead or Slough.

I think when I checked this change only works out in one direction, and it also obviously makes the journey longer and less convinient

 

[Doctor Fegg]

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.

The missing CrossCountry and the 387 Didcot situation have made a big dent in the service from Reading. That said, the situation is much better than it was in Thames Trains days, when even the fast services were 3-coach Turbos - occasionally doubled up. At one point I think the entire “InterCity” service from Paddington to Oxford comprised the two GW peak Cotswold HSTs per day.

Of course, from London, there’s also the Chiltern service now.

 

[infobleep]

The missing CrossCountry and the 387 Didcot situation have made a big dent in the service from Reading. That said, the situation is much better than it was in Thames Trains days, when even the fast services were 3-coach Turbos - occasionally doubled up. At one point I think the entire “InterCity” service from Paddington to Oxford comprised the two GW peak Cotswold HSTs per day.

Of course, from London, there’s also the Chiltern service now.

But not everyone is coming from London, so I am surprised at how infrequentthe services are. I imagine Portsmouth gets a better service from London than Oxford does, if we only take London. I'd not checked so I might be wrong.

 

[Parallel]

But not everyone is coming from London, so I am surprised at how infrequentthe services are. I imagine Portsmouth gets a better service from London than Oxford does, if we only take London. I'd not checked so I might be wrong.

I don’t think it’s that infrequent - three direct trains an hour plus additional options to change at Didcot. The issue seems to be train lengths, on weekends in summer the trains were arriving at Reading from Paddington as 5 coaches and packed preventing people from boarding. The loss of the XC trains towards the North East hasn’t helped though.

 

[Falcon1200]

Yeah these trains do tend to be busy but besides the other cross country coming back i'm not sure much can be done - the issue with them leaving reading at a similar time would be tough to fix due to pathing around didcot and also the single track parts of the Cotswold line

Indeed, and while it would seem logical to space out more evenly the two GW and one (hopefully to become two again) XC trains per hour between Reading and Oxford, they are of course two completely separate services which overlap for that one part of their routes.

 

[cactustwirly]

I don’t think it’s that infrequent - three direct trains an hour plus additional options to change at Didcot. The issue seems to be train lengths, on weekends in summer the trains were arriving at Reading from Paddington as 5 coaches and packed preventing people from boarding. The loss of the XC trains towards the North East hasn’t helped though.

They are packed when they leave Oxford towards Paddington.
Ideally they would join another set at Oxford to create a 10 car set.

Travelling from Reading to Paddington is a nightmare at weekends, the tickets are insanely expensive but it's difficult to get a seat.

From May personally it's better to drive to Maidenhead and get a fast 387 from there. You're more likely to get a seat and the tickets are substantially cheaper from there

 

[Benjwri]

Ideally they would join another set at Oxford to create a 10 car set.

Not possible because of platform occupancy on the join, Oxford has basically no space to allow this.

 

[infobleep]

I don’t think it’s that infrequent - three direct trains an hour plus additional options to change at Didcot. The issue seems to be train lengths, on weekends in summer the trains were arriving at Reading from Paddington as 5 coaches and packed preventing people from boarding. The loss of the XC trains towards the North East hasn’t helped though.

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

 

[mangyiscute]

They are packed when they leave Oxford towards Paddington.
Ideally they would join another set at Oxford to create a 10 car set.

Ideally the line would have been electrified so that the high capacity 387s can be used on what is a sub hour journey - they would be absolutely perfect for this

Travelling from Reading to Paddington is a nightmare at weekends, the tickets are insanely expensive but it's difficult to get a seat.

From May personally it's better to drive to Maidenhead and get a fast 387 from there. You're more likely to get a seat and the tickets are substantially cheaper from there

If you don't mind sitting next to someone, its usually fine to get a seat I find as long as you don't stand at the bottom of the escalators of 10/11a as that's where everyone always stands, especially if you know what trains to target (the ex-Newbury is usually the best bet).

 

[Birmingham]

If you don't mind sitting next to someone, its usually fine to get a seat I find as long as you don't stand at the bottom of the escalators of 10/11a as that's where everyone always stands, especially if you know what trains to target (the ex-Newbury is usually the best bet).

Yes, the problem is the people who choose to stand in the vestibule preventing others from getting past even when there are still vacant single seats in the carriage.

 

[mangyiscute]

I can't say I've ever had an issue with boarding a Reading to Paddington train and I did a lot of weekdays and weekends last summer when they were quite busy - you can always walk down the platform and find space to board

 

[miklcct]

Travelling from Reading to Paddington is a nightmare at weekends, the tickets are insanely expensive but it's difficult to get a seat.

From May personally it's better to drive to Maidenhead and get a fast 387 from there. You're more likely to get a seat and the tickets are substantially cheaper from there

Split ticketing helps you here if you travel on the stopping service.

 

[cactustwirly]

I can't say I've ever had an issue with boarding a Reading to Paddington train and I did a lot of weekdays and weekends last summer when they were quite busy - you can always walk down the platform and find space to board

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

 

[mangyiscute]

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

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