Woking Rail Air Link to Heathrow

[Titfield]

Is this service likely to return to operation anytime soon?

I couldnt find anything on the SWR website (or National Express the operator) to indicate it is.

TIA.

 

[Surreyman]

Is this service likely to return to operation anytime soon?

I couldnt find anything on the SWR website (or NExp the operator) to indicate it is.

TIA.

Seems very unlikely, the First service has effectively replaced it.
I haven't checked in a long time (haven't used public transport since Covid) but SWR(owned by First) used to have Ads for the Firstbus Guildford-Woking-Heathrow Coach service.

 

[railwaytrack]

Is this service likely to return to operation anytime soon?

I couldnt find anything on the SWR website (or National Express the operator) to indicate it is.

TIA.

No it will not return as the National Express (Reading Buses) 925 has been permanently withdrawn. Although as Surreyman mentions the new First Bus (Guildford to Woking to Heathrow) RA2 has replaced it and operates on the same frequency and has the same journey time. So in reality it still runs but it is just a different operator and route number.

 

[Flange Squeal]

Two of the three 19-plate Reading Buses Levantes had gained purple Heathrow branding on them as per some other routes that received funding from the airport (Carlone 442, Carousel 102). With Heathrow having now withdrawn funding for bus services, and assuming they had also been contributing to the 925 hence their purple branding being applied to the new vehicles, withdrawal of funding from the airport may also have been a factor in National Express deciding not to reintroduce the service - particularly as First diverted the RA2 away from Wisley to serve Woking en route instead and the RA2 running at times when the 925 was still suspended. Reading Buses now have diagrams on other National Express routes, I believe operated by their Newbury & District subsidiary.

 

[fgwrich]

As well as the above, could National Express’s reduction in outside contractors also play a part in the axing of the 925? NX now owns and operates a large chunk of coaching companies across the south (Kings Ferry, Morton’s, Solent, Lucketts, Coliseum and Worthing) so could have been about to return it in house, before the rerouting and rise of the First RailAir service?

(Apologies if it that doesn’t make sense, it’s been a long day!)

 

[Titfield]

Two of the three 19-plate Reading Buses Levantes had gained purple Heathrow branding on them as per some other routes that received funding from the airport (Carlone 442, Carousel 102). With Heathrow having now withdrawn funding for bus services, and assuming they had also been contributing to the 925 hence their purple branding being applied to the new vehicles, withdrawal of funding from the airport may also have been a factor in National Express deciding not to reintroduce the service - particularly as First diverted the RA2 away from Wisley to serve Woking en route instead and the RA2 running at times when the 925 was still suspended. Reading Buses now have diagrams on other National Express routes, I believe operated by their Newbury & District subsidiary.

Thanks to @Flange Squeal @Surreyman @railwaytrack @fgwrich for this helpful information.

It is somewhat disappointing that SWR do not provide this information to the benefit of all concerned.

 

[DelW]

I hadn't realised that RA2 is now running via Woking, rather than via A3 and M25. I'm not surprised that the 925 has gone, though, it didn't seem likely that there was enough business for two competing routes even pre-Covid - I've used the 925 on quite a few occasions and rarely seen more than about a dozen on board.

I do rather wonder why the RA2 is still running the Guildford to Woking leg though. The road route between the two is pretty slow even before factoring in town-centre congestion at each end, and the train service between them is bound to be quicker. I suppose it saves an extra change for passengers off the North Downs or the New Line (or from Guildford itself), but at quite a time penalty.

At least adding in passengers from Woking should help with numbers - when it was first introduced I used to see the buses in Guildford or on the A3 and they looked very empty.

 

[railwaytrack]

I hadn't realised that RA2 is now running via Woking, rather than via A3 and M25. I'm not surprised that the 925 has gone, though, it didn't seem likely that there was enough business for two competing routes even pre-Covid - I've used the 925 on quite a few occasions and rarely seen more than about a dozen on board.

I do rather wonder why the RA2 is still running the Guildford to Woking leg though. The road route between the two is pretty slow even before factoring in town-centre congestion at each end, and the train service between them is bound to be quicker. I suppose it saves an extra change for passengers off the North Downs or the New Line (or from Guildford itself), but at quite a time penalty.

At least adding in passengers from Woking should help with numbers - when it was first introduced I used to see the buses in Guildford or on the A3 and they looked very empty.

Maybe they are hoping that they will also get some passengers between Guildford and Woking to compete with other operators (Falcon Buses 28, Stagecoach 33/34/35/91, White Bus Services 462/463). They charge £5.00 Single or £7.00 Return for that journey on the RA2 which is more expensive than Stagecoach or White Bus Services but is cheaper than what Falcon Buses charge. So maybe they make a bit of extra money from local passengers on the Guildford to Woking section.

 

[DelW]

Maybe they are hoping that they will also get some passengers between Guildford and Woking to compete with other operators (Falcon Buses 28, Stagecoach 33/34/35/91, White Bus Services 462/463). They charge £5.00 Single or £7.00 Return for that journey on the RA2 which is more expensive than Stagecoach or White Bus Services but is cheaper than what Falcon Buses charge. So maybe they make a bit of extra money from local passengers on the Guildford to Woking section.

I suppose that's possible, but how many people would even know they can be used for the local leg only? It wouldn't have occurred to me. Plus in Guildford they leave from in front of the railway station rather than from the bus station in the town centre.
I imagine with Covid issues still affecting Heathrow passenger numbers, it'll be while before First really know what the long-term prospects are.

 

[Surreyman]

I suppose that's possible, but how many people would even know they can be used for the local leg only? It wouldn't have occurred to me. Plus in Guildford they leave from in front of the railway station rather than from the bus station in the town centre.
I imagine with Covid issues still affecting Heathrow passenger numbers, it'll be while before First really know what the long-term prospects are.

The RA2 runs via the front of Surrey University, presumably so that foreign students will use it, I used to laugh every time I saw it as a good passenger load would be @ 3 people. maybe it does makes money?
I suspect that because First operate SWR they wanted to market & operate a Rail link to Heathrow from Guildford, when N.e first reduced frequency and then finally dropped the 925, they re-routed via Woking.
Why would you use the RA2 to travel Guildford - Woking? The train only takes 10 mins, I don't think price is much of an issue in this part of the world, I know plenty of people who would book a taxi direct to Heathrow rather than use public transport.
Last time I checked, nat' express own a coach company in Reading - Stewarts, who have a new depot in Theale.
A couple of days ago First put one of their Volvo/hybrid buses on the RA2, presumably to cover a breakdown?
There has been much talk/speculation/hype in the last few years about SWR running a Guildford - Woking - Virginia Water - Staines - Feltham service with a rail link direct into Heathrow, (been covered in Modern railways) I suspect Covid has killed that idea for the foreseeable future, also supposed issues with level crossing times at Egham & elsewhere.