Chiltern consultation on September 2015 timetable

[67018]

Chiltern have published their proposed timetable to start in a year's time, with the opening of Oxford Parkway.

In September 2015, Chiltern Railways will open the first new rail link between a major British city and London in over 100 years between Oxford Parkway and London Marylebone.
At this point we will introduce a new timetable across the route designed to be ready for a seamless transition when the route fully opens to Oxford station in March 2016. The timetable seeks to:


- Offer attractive journey times
- Offer a memorable pattern of service
- Increase the number of seats available in the busiest peak hours
- Draw upon the successful December 2012 timetable structure, which has delivered excellent performance results as well as a familiar pattern of service
- Significantly improve our weekend service offering

We welcome your views and comments on the draft timetable. The consultation will run until Friday 7 November 2014 and gives you the chance to review the changes and let us know what you think. If you wish to make a comment, please email timetableconsultation@chilternrailways.co.uk

Announcement and link to timetables is at http://www.chilternrailways.co.uk/news/september-2015-timetable-consultation and some general promotional blurb at http://www.chilternrailways.co.uk/news/one-year-go-until-new-oxford-london-line-opens-0

Apologies if there is already a thread for this - couldn't find one...

 

[MidnightFlyer]

For anyone only wanting a brief look or cannot view the pdf, this is for the Main Line between 1200-1300 on a weekday from Marylebone:

1205 - Haddenham, Bicester Town and OXFORD PARKWAY
1210 - High Wycombe, Banbury, Leamington Spa, Warwick Parkway, Solihull and BIRMINGHAM MOOR ST
1213 - Gerrards Cross and all stations to AYLESBURY
1216 - Wembley Stadium, South Ruislip, Gerrards Cross, Beaconsfield and HIGH WYCOMBE
1235 - High Wycombe, Bicester Town and OXFORD PARKWAY
1240 - Bicester North, Banbury, Leamington Spa, Warwick, Warwick Parkway, Dorridge, Solihull, Birmingham Moor St and BIRMINGHAM SNOW HILL
1243 - Gerrards Cross, Beaconsfield, High Wycombe, Princes Risborough, Haddenham, Bicester North, Kings Sutton and BANBURY
1246 - All stations except Sudbury & Harrow Rd and South Ruislip to GERRARDS CROSS

(There is also a 1232 from Leamington Spa-Stratford calling at all stations except Warwick Parkway.)

Calls at Little Kimble and Kings Sutton look to be on alternate hours for each respective service, and the ex-Leamington service alternates between Stratford and Moor St.

 

[greatkingrat]

Looks like Princes Risborough is the loser here with a slower journey time to London, plus no direct Birmingham trains.

 

[tom1649]

Islip doesn't seem to have much of an improved service!

 

[cm39275]

Islip doesn't seem to have much of an improved service!

both Islip and Bicester town lose out on early train into oxford for commuters that arrive in oxford before 0700. when the is currently a bus replacement that leaves Bicester at o600 stopping at Islip before arriving at oxford approx. 06:40. I know a few commuters use this service into oxford as it arrives before the first stagecoach s5 bus form Bicester gets into the city, so with the first train from Bicester town towards Oxford at 0707, I can see a lot of people from Bicester being pushed towards using that first s5 bus which gets in to Oxford at 0700, but Islip not getting an earlier service before 0800 is just as bad as there is few commuter's that use the early rail replacement bus at the moment that commute on toward the various science parks beyond Oxford.

 

[30907]

No reason one couldn't be provided, but it would have to work ECS to Bicester, so would it be justified in terms of demand?

Given that the present service is constrained by the single line, how many of the existing users would be at least as happy with the train as proposed 20 min later?

 

[Class 170101]

Looks like Stratford loses out with no through trains to London except in the peaks in the peak direction.

Terminating at Leamington Spa seems strange as well, at least go through to Banbury where connections can be made to other services.

 

[The Planner]

I dont think Chiltern really want Stratford, terminating it at Banbury would be difficult and is probably unit busting. Not sure Banbury offers anything else that Leamington doesnt in terms of connections either.

 

[HarleyDavidson]

A bit of a naff timetable as the fast Birmingham service is under this timetable, no more than a semi fast one, so wont be quite as an attractive proposition to VT as they currently are.

 

[The Planner]

Bear in mind thats an off peak hour, the fast peak services are still there which are the Virgin competing ones.

 

[barbette165]

both Islip and Bicester town lose out on early train into oxford for commuters that arrive in oxford before 0700. when the is currently a bus replacement that leaves Bicester at o600 stopping at Islip before arriving at oxford approx. 06:40. I know a few commuters use this service into oxford as it arrives before the first stagecoach s5 bus form Bicester gets into the city, so with the first train from Bicester town towards Oxford at 0707, I can see a lot of people from Bicester being pushed towards using that first s5 bus which gets in to Oxford at 0700, but Islip not getting an earlier service before 0800 is just as bad as there is few commuter's that use the early rail replacement bus at the moment that commute on toward the various science parks beyond Oxford.

Remember, that this is only the interim service as far as Oxford Parkway, which will present limited opportunities as a destination in its own right. The bus replacement service is likely to be running until Summer 2016 when the route opens through to Oxford proper. If the 2016 timetable is still showing poor service into Oxford, then that would be time to raise concerns.

 

[greatkingrat]

Remember, that this is only the interim service as far as Oxford Parkway, which will present limited opportunities as a destination in its own right. The bus replacement service is likely to be running until Summer 2016 when the route opens through to Oxford proper. If the 2016 timetable is still showing poor service into Oxford, then that would be time to raise concerns.

They say they intend a "seamless transition" in March when the trains start running through to Oxford, so I doubt they are going to rewrite the timetable again after a few months.

 

[Class 170101]

I dont think Chiltern really want Stratford, terminating it at Banbury would be difficult and is probably unit busting. Not sure Banbury offers anything else that Leamington doesnt in terms of connections either.

Don't FGW run services terminating at Banbury from the south?

Also I thought the traincrew facility was at Banbury and not Leamington?

 

[davetheguard]

Islip doesn't seem to have much of an improved service!

Apart from the fact that it has through trains to London Marylebone for the first time ever! I wonder if anything ever ran through to London Euston in the past?

But, yes, I agree the proposed service frequency at Islip is a bit disappointing; I think it deserves something slightly better. But it also has to be remembered that a lot of peak time users from Islip to Oxford have driven over from Kidlington; those passengers will obviously find the new station at Oxford Parkway much closer and more convenient than Islip, once the line is open through to Oxford itself.

 

[ctrh136]

A bit of a naff timetable as the fast Birmingham service is under this timetable, no more than a semi fast one, so wont be quite as an attractive proposition to VT as they currently are.

It's only adding 1 stop to that service (at High Wycombe) on Mondays to Fridays and then changing the stop at Bicester North to a stop at High Wycombe during the weekend. Bearing in mind that there is a speed restriction at High Wycombe anyway it shouldn't make much of a difference.

The current Stratford-upon-Avon service is quite slow between Marylebone and Leamington; so services there from London may well end up being slightly faster, even if they are indirect.

 

[The Planner]

Don't FGW run services terminating at Banbury from the south?

Also I thought the traincrew facility was at Banbury and not Leamington?

Yes, but they are two hourly so not really a turn up at Banbury and change. You are better off swapping to an XC at Leamington. Still doesn't help in trying to terminate from the North though at Banbury, though the re-signalling helps in that respect.

 

[67018]

Interesting comment about Princes Risborough losing out - I seem to remember complaints from that direction at the last timetable change. Don't suppose it helps that it's a relatively small catchment area compared to the likes of Haddenham and High Wycombe, and mainly geared to the commuter market.

It looks like the two Bicester stations have been treated as a single unit for the new timetable, as there are now some gaps at North that are filled by services to Town, Wonder how the locals will react to that, as there is a substantial population that lives close to one station but is a mile or more fom the other. Also doesn't help is you've parked at one then return to the other.

 

[jimm]

Remember, that this is only the interim service as far as Oxford Parkway, which will present limited opportunities as a destination in its own right. The bus replacement service is likely to be running until Summer 2016 when the route opens through to Oxford proper. If the 2016 timetable is still showing poor service into Oxford, then that would be time to raise concerns.

This is THE Oxford timetable, indeed the current Chiltern timetable pattern was designed to allow adaptation with the minimum of fuss once the Oxford route opened.

The cuts at Islip, compared with the pre-closure train timetable, are nothing new. Chiltern were quite open about them when they came up with a draft timetable a couple of years ago and despite complaints from the line user group they still haven't backed down, so you get idiocies like four-hour gaps in the service.

You will never make a million quid calling there, but some sort of understandable standard pattern through the day and some more peak calls would make sense but, as I say, Chiltern are digging their heels in over this, same as they did over calls at Risborough, in particular, when the Mainline timetable came in, which made northbound journeys from Buckinghamshire much harder. Were it not for Bicester Village being there, I suspect journeys between Bicester North and the West Midlands would have got the same treatment.

The proposals for Stratford will probably bring about a complete breakdown in an already badly-strained relationship between Chiltern and the town. A through London service that in NSE days was developed to attract tourists and ran via that other tourist magnet Oxford has basically been dismantled bit by bit by Chiltern since it took over.

FGW is on record as wanting to serve Stratford again, and the idea of the GW franchisee serving Stratford was mentioned explicitly in the invitation to tender for the aborted franchise bid. FGW also put in some of the money for the Grip 2 study of reopening Long Marston to Stratford.

Whether the idea of running to Stratford via Oxford once IEP is available figures in the discussions of an extension to the current FGW deal remains to be seen but I suspect it would be welcomed with open arms in Shakespeare country.

You wouldn't need lots of services, just a few across the day targeted at key travel times, which you can bet FGW would market heavily to the tourist trade. The Chiltern through services to London are allowed two hours (timed for a 165 by the look of it), which an IEP could match via Oxford, if not better, despite the extra miles.

 

[Class 170101]

The biggest constraint is going to be between Hatton West Jn and Bearley Jn where the line is single track.

It currently has an LM service hourly in each direction occupying the line between 10 and 34 minutes past the hour.

Any path is therefore going to need to operate between 37 and 07 minutes past the hour (assuming Chiltern either withdraw for FGW or recast into said slot). It seems possible to operate an additional hourly service in each direction other this stretch however it leaves very little room for error particuarly when things go wrong due to the single line stretch.

Additionally would IEP be permitted to do Sprinter speeds or is it more likely going to be limited to loco hauled speeds? This would increase journey times and reduce margin for error still further. Are platforms long enough at Stratford to accommodate five car Bi-mode IEP?

 

[adrock1976]

I should imagine that the platforms at Stratford will be long enough to take an IEP set. After all, it very easily accommodates a Class 90 + Mark III coaches on the Norwich services.

In peace

Adam

EDIT:

Apologies for the above reply.

It was when Stratford was mentioned that I automatically thought of the one in London, and not Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire/West Midlands.

Furthermore, it never dawned on me until afterwards that it was S-u-A that was being referred to. As I'm originally from the Midlands, I can understand the locals simply refer to it as just Stratford. As this is a UK wide forum, could people be more careful to differentiate between the two? For example, it's similar to somebody saying they are visiting Richmond - which one would it be? The one in Yorkshire or the one in Surrey/Greater London (which is called Richmond-upon-Thames)?

In peace

Adam

 

[jimm]

The biggest constraint is going to be between Hatton West Jn and Bearley Jn where the line is single track.

It currently has an LM service hourly in each direction occupying the line between 10 and 34 minutes past the hour.

Any path is therefore going to need to operate between 37 and 07 minutes past the hour (assuming Chiltern either withdraw for FGW or recast into said slot). It seems possible to operate an additional hourly service in each direction other this stretch however it leaves very little room for error particuarly when things go wrong due to the single line stretch.

Additionally would IEP be permitted to do Sprinter speeds or is it more likely going to be limited to loco hauled speeds? This would increase journey times and reduce margin for error still further. Are platforms long enough at Stratford to accommodate five car Bi-mode IEP?

But does Chiltern give a damn about Stratford anyway? Their current timetables don't even mention that you can get to Stratford and are headed Kidderminster and Birmingham.

This gem from the Stratford Herald a couple of years ago gives a good idea of their attitudes:

CHILTERN Railways have apologised for advertising Warwick Parkway station as the route down to London for Stratford-upon-Avon residents.

Paul Boness, of the Shakespeare Line Promotion Group, complained to the company after a district councillor who booked tickets from Stratford down to London was given an advertisement leaflet which read: “Mr X, London’s closer than you think. Did you know that the fastest way to London from Stratford-upon-Avon is now via Warwick Parkway.”

Mr Boness e-mailed Chiltern: “We appreciate that you want to promote your mainline services, but it seems odd to do so to the possible detriment of services from Stratford, even if they are not as fast or frequent.

“We are obviously keen to promote the use of Stratford station rather than encouraging people to go to Warwick Parkway as a first option: hence this message.”

In reply, John Horsman, liaison manager at Chiltern Railways, apologised for the mixed message and said that the Stratford CV37 postcode would be omitted from similar promotions in the future.

The switch from FGW was a bit of SRA-inspired 'tidying-up', not something Chiltern wanted to do, unlike running lots of trains to Birmingham...

If offered a get-out, I don't think Chiltern would be too upset and they could still provide cross-platform connections in and out of the LM service at Solihull (which is already recommended as the place to change if there isn't a through Marylebone-Stratford train or a Leamington shuttle).

I'm sure FGW could draw up something that would work, probably a train every couple of hours would do the job. BR/Thames Trains managed to run via Oxford perfectly well for more than a decade and which London station do passengers from Heathrow airport arrive at? It's not Marylebone.

All three platforms at Stratford will comfortably accommodate a five-car IEP and I can't see there being any major clearance issues on a former GWR route.

I should imagine that the platforms at Stratford will be long enough to take an IEP set. After all, it very easily accommodates a Class 90 + Mark III coaches on the Norwich services.

In peace

Adam

EDIT:

Apologies for the above reply.

It was when Stratford was mentioned that I automatically thought of the one in London, and not Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire/West Midlands.

Furthermore, it never dawned on me until afterwards that it was S-u-A that was being referred to. As I'm originally from the Midlands, I can understand the locals simply refer to it as just Stratford. As this is a UK wide forum, could people be more careful to differentiate between the two? For example, it's similar to somebody saying they are visiting Richmond - which one would it be? The one in Yorkshire or the one in Surrey/Greater London (which is called Richmond-upon-Thames)?

In peace

Adam

My apologies, but since when has Chiltern Railways ever run a service to Stratford, London? The thread title is surely enough of a clue?

Are we going to have to write out Newcastle-upon-Tyne as well? Richmond, Yorkshire, and Newcastle-under-Lyme don't have stations anyway and the scope for confusion between the two Stratfords is frankly pretty limited.

 

[berneyarms]

Looks like Stratford loses out with no through trains to London except in the peaks in the peak direction.

Terminating at Leamington Spa seems strange as well, at least go through to Banbury where connections can be made to other services.

I dont think Chiltern really want Stratford, terminating it at Banbury would be difficult and is probably unit busting. Not sure Banbury offers anything else that Leamington doesnt in terms of connections either.

I'm not sure that's completely fair comment.

While Stratford is losing out on direct off-peak services to/from London, it is gaining an extra train between Leamington Spa and Stratford and v.v. (with connection to/from London) each day.

So instead of a service every 3 hours during the day, there's now a connection every 2 hours instead.

 

[jimm]

I'm not sure that's completely fair comment.

While Stratford is losing out on direct off-peak services to/from London, it is gaining an extra train between Leamington Spa and Stratford and v.v. (with connection to/from London) each day.

So instead of a service every 3 hours during the day, there's now a connection every 2 hours instead.

The whole point of the London-Stratford direct service, as conceived by NSE back in the early 1990s, was to provide a good link for tourists, with a spread of through trains - which tourists tend to prefer - across the day, with journey opportunities in both directions - and taking in Oxford as well.

Chiltern's proposals for September 2015 reduce it to a handful of trains, mainly targeted at people going from Stratford to London for the day (assuming they want to set off early, as the only morning train will be at 07.33), ie locals doing business in the capital, not tourists visiting London who want a day trip to Stratford (or people from South Warwickshire who want a day out in London), including the option of attending a matinee performance at the RSC, or on their way back after a stay in Stratford, for whom the current 09.14 direct train is a more attractive proposition.

I'm afraid it's a familiar Chiltern tale. If you're lucky enough to live in the West Midlands on their main line, (and Banbury and Bicester to an extent or Oxford, where they also see lots of money to be made) they like you. If you are off the main route, like Stratford, or at an intermediate station in Bucks and want to do something other than get into Marylebone, they're not that fussed about you.

 

[berneyarms]

The whole point of the London-Stratford direct service, as conceived by NSE back in the early 1990s, was to provide a good link for tourists, with a spread of through trains - which tourists tend to prefer - across the day, with journey opportunities in both directions - and taking in Oxford as well.

Chiltern's proposals for September 2015 reduce it to a handful of trains, mainly targeted at people going from Stratford to London for the day (assuming they want to set off early, as the only morning train will be at 07.33), ie locals doing business in the capital, not tourists visiting London who want a day trip to Stratford (or people from South Warwickshire who want a day out in London), including the option of attending a matinee performance at the RSC, or on their way back after a stay in Stratford, for whom the current 09.14 direct train is a more attractive proposition.

I'm afraid it's a familiar Chiltern tale. If you're lucky enough to live in the West Midlands on their main line, (and Banbury and Bicester to an extent or Oxford, where they also see lots of money to be made) they like you. If you are off the main route, like Stratford, or at an intermediate station in Bucks and want to do something other than get into Marylebone, they're not that fussed about you.

While I'd agree that the loss of direct trains is unfortunate, I hardly think this is quite the disaster you paint it out to be.

Most people are quite capable of making a connection between two trains and it is hardly going to stop them making the trip.

Looking at it in more detail, the times to Stratford during the day are:

Current:
Ex Marylebone 09:10 Arrive Stratford 11:11 (direct)
Ex Marylebone 12:18 Arrive Stratford 14:13 (direct)
Ex Marylebone 15:18 Arrive Stratford 17:30 (direct)

Proposed:
Ex Marylebone 08:15 Arrive Stratford 10:22 (21 minute connection at Leamington)
Ex Marylebone 10:10 Arrive Stratford 12:07 (7 minute connection at Leamington)
Ex Marylebone 12:10 Arrive Stratford 14:11 (7 minute connection at Leamington)
Ex Marylebone 14:10 Arrive Stratford 16:09 (7 minute connection at Leamington)

From Stratford the altered trains are:

Current:
Ex Stratford 09:14 Arrive Marylebone 11:29 (direct)
Ex Stratford 11:35 Arrive Marylebone 13:28 (direct)
Ex Stratford 14:35 Arrive Marylebone 16:29 (direct)

Proposed:
Ex Stratford 09:00 Arrive Marylebone 11:08 (7 minute connection at Leamington)
Ex Stratford 10:44 Arrive Marylebone 12:37 (6 minute connection at Leamington)
Ex Stratford 12:46 Arrive Marylebone 14:37 (6 minute connection at Leamington)
Ex Stratford 14:43 Arrive Marylebone 16:37 (6 minute connection at Leamington)

Most of those trains have faster overall journey times, despite having a change en route, plus there is an extra trip.

The only real negative that I see is the connection out of the 08:15 service - it's too long.

Surely the 10:10 train will still be in plenty of time to facilitate a visit to the RSC?

I'm struggling to follow your logic here - people manage to change trains all across the world, and there is an extra connection in this timetable which surely has to be a good thing?

 

[bussnapperwm]

Couldn't London Midland Take the franchise commitment to run from Leamington to Stratford and merge it with the stratford service via whitlocks end?

Also take on the stoppers from Birmingham to Leamington? (Merge with a DOrridge service?)

 

[Taunton]

In September 2015, Chiltern Railways will open the first new rail link between a major British city and London in over 100 years between Oxford Parkway and London Marylebone.

If they are going to count Parkway stations as part of a link from major cities, what about Bristol Parkway in 1971?

Regarding connections in place of direct trains

I'm struggling to follow your logic here - people manage to change trains all across the world

However, the rest of the world doesn't have a PPM besotted with how many trains have run to time, as a result of which connections in the UK are now really just a chance, because general TOC policy is to send every train off on time, regardless of whether it's incoming supposed connection, a few minutes late, is just running in across the platform.

 

[cle]

It's slightly grandiose for building a little curve to a temporary terminus...

 

[Class 170101]

While I'd agree that the loss of direct trains is unfortunate, I hardly think this is quite the disaster you paint it out to be.

Most people are quite capable of making a connection between two trains and it is hardly going to stop them making the trip.

Looking at it in more detail, the times to Stratford during the day are:

Current:
Ex Marylebone 09:10 Arrive Stratford 11:11 (direct)
Ex Marylebone 12:18 Arrive Stratford 14:13 (direct)
Ex Marylebone 15:18 Arrive Stratford 17:30 (direct)

Proposed:
Ex Marylebone 08:15 Arrive Stratford 10:22 (21 minute connection at Leamington)
Ex Marylebone 10:10 Arrive Stratford 12:07 (7 minute connection at Leamington)
Ex Marylebone 12:10 Arrive Stratford 14:11 (7 minute connection at Leamington)
Ex Marylebone 14:10 Arrive Stratford 16:09 (7 minute connection at Leamington)

From Stratford the altered trains are:

Current:
Ex Stratford 09:14 Arrive Marylebone 11:29 (direct)
Ex Stratford 11:35 Arrive Marylebone 13:28 (direct)
Ex Stratford 14:35 Arrive Marylebone 16:29 (direct)

Proposed:
Ex Stratford 09:00 Arrive Marylebone 11:08 (7 minute connection at Leamington)
Ex Stratford 10:44 Arrive Marylebone 12:37 (6 minute connection at Leamington)
Ex Stratford 12:46 Arrive Marylebone 14:37 (6 minute connection at Leamington)
Ex Stratford 14:43 Arrive Marylebone 16:37 (6 minute connection at Leamington)

Most of those trains have faster overall journey times, despite having a change en route, plus there is an extra trip.

The only real negative that I see is the connection out of the 08:15 service - it's too long.

Surely the 10:10 train will still be in plenty of time to facilitate a visit to the RSC?

I'm struggling to follow your logic here - people manage to change trains all across the world, and there is an extra connection in this timetable which surely has to be a good thing?

The other negative is the fact its a connection rather than a through service. I bet the mainline connection won't wait if the branch is late. It might also cost Chiltern a small fortune in taxi fares to Stratford as well as that service is only two hourly.

 

[jimm]

While I'd agree that the loss of direct trains is unfortunate, I hardly think this is quite the disaster you paint it out to be.

Most people are quite capable of making a connection between two trains and it is hardly going to stop them making the trip.

Looking at it in more detail, the times to Stratford during the day are:

Current:
Ex Marylebone 09:10 Arrive Stratford 11:11 (direct)
Ex Marylebone 12:18 Arrive Stratford 14:13 (direct)
Ex Marylebone 15:18 Arrive Stratford 17:30 (direct)

Proposed:
Ex Marylebone 08:15 Arrive Stratford 10:22 (21 minute connection at Leamington)
Ex Marylebone 10:10 Arrive Stratford 12:07 (7 minute connection at Leamington)
Ex Marylebone 12:10 Arrive Stratford 14:11 (7 minute connection at Leamington)
Ex Marylebone 14:10 Arrive Stratford 16:09 (7 minute connection at Leamington)

From Stratford the altered trains are:

Current:
Ex Stratford 09:14 Arrive Marylebone 11:29 (direct)
Ex Stratford 11:35 Arrive Marylebone 13:28 (direct)
Ex Stratford 14:35 Arrive Marylebone 16:29 (direct)

Proposed:
Ex Stratford 09:00 Arrive Marylebone 11:08 (7 minute connection at Leamington)
Ex Stratford 10:44 Arrive Marylebone 12:37 (6 minute connection at Leamington)
Ex Stratford 12:46 Arrive Marylebone 14:37 (6 minute connection at Leamington)
Ex Stratford 14:43 Arrive Marylebone 16:37 (6 minute connection at Leamington)

Most of those trains have faster overall journey times, despite having a change en route, plus there is an extra trip.

The only real negative that I see is the connection out of the 08:15 service - it's too long.

Surely the 10:10 train will still be in plenty of time to facilitate a visit to the RSC?

I'm struggling to follow your logic here - people manage to change trains all across the world, and there is an extra connection in this timetable which surely has to be a good thing?

I'm struggling to follow your inability to understand what I'm saying.

The London-Stratford service (via Oxford for the first dozen years of its existence) was conceived as something directed at tourists, who, in a strange country, much prefer to get direct trains, not make connections along the way - and I mean your average tourist, not rail enthusiasts. Not all foreign visitors are fluent in English, something that Chiltern and FGW have recognised by having signs in Chinese at Bicester North (with Town to follow shortly) and Japanese at Moreton-in-Marsh respectively.

The changes Chiltern are proposing utterly destroy any pretence of the handful of remaining through services they propose post-September next year offering anything to the tourist market. They don't even offer much to the locals, who, as I have noted a couple of times already, had precious little faith that Chiltern give a monkey's about serving their town anyway, long before this timetable plan emerged.

If connections are just fine and dandy, as you seem to imply, why did NSE make direct London trains the key plank of their service plan for Stratford 20-plus years ago, something which Thames Trains then maintained throughout its tenure and Chiltern has up to now, before the crock of gold of Oxford commuters beckoned?

FGW's interest in Stratford is not in running a connecting Turbo service north of Oxford or Banbury, it's in direct trains (presumably bi-mode IEPs) linking London, Oxford and Stratford, targeting the tourist market. Why would they think that's such a great idea if connections are all that's needed? It might be something to do with the 5 million or so tourists who visit the Stratford district each year, many on day trips out of London... and FGW's md knows a lot about this subject, as one of Mark Hopwood's first railway jobs was apparently helping to set up the Stratford direct service in the first place.

 

[cle]

How long would a (Slough) - Reading - Oxford - Banbury - Leamington Spa - Stratford service take?