National Express raking in the customers over GWML closure

[heart-of-wessex]

Hello all,

I got this E-mail from National Express encouraging me to use the coach to London over July, fair enough I have used it from Bath before a few times when it's really cheap, but it does take a while to get there. Anyway, what got me was this part of the E-mail:

The train line between Bath and London will be closed for six weeks over the Summer (18 July – 31 August) due to the Box Tunnel closure.

So avoid the rail disruption and take the coach for a guaranteed seat, help with your luggage and a direct, frequent and hassle-free service.

I'm sorry, the line between Bath and London is closed? shouldn't that be Bath and Chippenham? As far as I know, an hourly GW service is running via Bradford Jn therefore still serving Chippenham/Swindon, and another hourly one via Bristol Parkway to Swindon non-stop. No stations are missed out, some slightly extended journey times but I still wouldn't class it as the entire line being closed!

I know they are trying to pick GW passengers up, but it sounds like they are exaggerating a bit, knowing that if they put the entire line is closed, unsuspecting commuters will panic and switch.

Unless I'm missing something and the Bath to London line is expected to be closed, then I'm happy to take it all back!

 

[Busaholic]

Hello all,

I got this E-mail from National Express encouraging me to use the coach to London over July, fair enough I have used it from Bath before a few times when it's really cheap, but it does take a while to get there. Anyway, what got me was this part of the E-mail:



I'm sorry, the line between Bath and London is closed? shouldn't that be Bath and Chippenham? As far as I know, an hourly GW service is running via Bradford Jn therefore still serving Chippenham/Swindon, and another hourly one via Bristol Parkway to Swindon non-stop. No stations are missed out, some slightly extended journey times but I still wouldn't class it as the entire line being closed!

I know they are trying to pick GW passengers up, but it sounds like they are exaggerating a bit, knowing that if they put the entire line is closed, unsuspecting commuters will panic and switch.

Unless I'm missing something and the Bath to London line is expected to be closed, then I'm happy to take it all back!

Now First would never themselves be economical with the truth, would they?

 

[notadriver]

What's the journey time comparison between the two modes like? Being on the M4 corridor I wondered if the coach wasn't too far behind the train?

 

[heart-of-wessex]

What's the journey time comparison between the two modes like? Being on the M4 corridor I wondered if the coach wasn't too far behind the train?

well doing a journey search at 7am from Bath to London on August 4th (Tuesday):

FGW dep 0706 Bath - London diverted arr 0914 - 2h 08mins

Nat Ex coach dep 0700 Bath - Victoria arr 1005 - 3h 05mins

I've done the 0700 on a weekday 3 times before, last time I done it was a couple of weeks ago, and never arrived on time. Last time we got there at 1028. Usually get's clogged up north of Chippenham at the M4 roundabout with commuter traffic, and usually get's jammed at the M4-A4 bottleneck where the lanes converge, and the London traffic has a a bit of an effect too.

*EDIT*

That is also when Sydney Gardens is closed. For when Box Tunnel is closed, journey time is between 1h 56 and 2h 01