Sunday 0859 Oxford to Paddington unique stopping pattern

[ChewChewTrain]

This is an otherwise standard Sunday semi-fast service which additionally stops at Goring & Streatley, but no other intermediate stations between Didcot Parkway and Reading.

No other such service stops at GOR, and every other service that stops there also stops at all the other intermediate stations.

What’s the reasoning behind it?

Thing is, this is not the first time such a “one-off” Sunday morning service has appeared. Around 2000, for example, I distinctly remember an Oxford to Gatwick Airport service (itself an oddity) which also deigned to stop at GOR. (It may have started from Banbury, in fact.)

Grateful for any light shed.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

First Oxford -> London Paddington service of the day on a Sunday?

 

[Starmill]

First Oxford -> London Paddington service of the day on a Sunday?

But not the first service from Didcot Parkway or Goring & Streatley.

 

[sonic2009]

This doesn't appear to happen every week. Looking at Realtime Trains :

5th Feb 2023 0859 1P26 OXF TO PAD - doesn't call Goring and Streatley - runs fasts between Didcot and Reading
12th Feb 2023 0859 1P26 OXF TO PAD - calls Goring and Streatley - runs slows between Didcot and Reading

I think it has something to do with engineering works around Swindon area on the weekend of the 4th/5th Feb and also when 1A09 0853 SWI TO PAD doesn't run.

That's just my thoughts but maybe someone will tell us the real reason - could be a pathing issue ie does the 80x catch up with the 387?

 

[Saj8]

As the occasional driver of these services, I'd love to know the reason for the Goring stop too! None of us can work it out. Also remember once doing the same thing with a 180 a few years back.

 

[mangyiscute]

That's just my thoughts but maybe someone will tell us the real reason - could be a pathing issue ie does the 80x catch up with the 387?

I wouldn't have thought this could be an issue since the 387 arrives in Reading at 09:24 and the 80x departs Didcot at 09:15 and since there are two platforms for fast trains from Reading to London, it could always just sit on one of these platforms. My guess is that Goring is probably the busiest of the stops between Didcot and Reading (besides maybe Tilehurst but that's a lot closer to Reading so a fast service would make less difference) and there's just a decent number of passengers wanting to take day trips to London on a Sunday?
My question would be why is there no earlier train from Oxford to London - I know that there used to be a train around 07:50 which ran pre-covid and also has run at least once post-covid (as I have taken it) and is also in the scheduled may timetable - when I took it is was very busy and there is definitely enough demand from Oxford and Reading for such a train to run, so why does it not run all the time?

 

[Nora93]

Perhaps the Train Service Requirement document may give a hint - it may be to ensure compliance with the minimum number of station calls as specified

 

[class68fan]

The first fast train from Oxford or Didcot stop there for many year. Might be for a manager many year ago he probably now retire but stop still being done.

 

[Falcon1200]

Or maybe it is to placate the residents of Goring who were most upset by the 'eyesore' of the GWML electrification structures?!! Any suggestion that these might be replaced by something somehow more sympathetic to the area seems to have disappeared.