Unadvertised stops at Reading - 27/12/24

[Rebel Viking]

Why are trains from Euston to Swansea stopping at Reading but the stops are unadvertised?

For context, a relative of mine was travelling from Burnham to Neath for a wedding this morning and all the journey planners routed her
Burnham to Reading,
Reading to Swindon,
Swindon to Neath.

Why would GWR not just route her and any other passengers travelling from the Thames Valley to South Wales directly on to the train at Reading and publicise the secret stop?

That’s what she ended up doing anyway, because her first train from Burnham was cancelled which meant the next advertised connections were an hour later and there was a high risk of her being late for the wedding if there were any further journey complications, I checked the RTT website for departures from Reading and noticed the Euston to Swansea train was stopped at Reading for “staffing reasons”, and just happened to be sat on platform 15 as her next train from Burnham arrived on platform 14. I advised her to walk across, explain the situation to a guard and ask if she could board. As it happens she just walked up to the door, pressed the button, and let herself on unchallenged.

 

[JN114]

Capacity was perceived to be very limited on the Eustons; thus the decision was made to not convey passengers to/from Reading at all on them.

Whilst RTT shows a stop at Reading for staffing purposes, and in your specific example that stop occurred, not all of those stops are actually required; and thus there’s no guarantee the train will actually stop if it isn’t required to do so.

 

[Haywain]

Why are trains from Euston to Swansea stopping at Reading but the stops are unadvertised?

They may be additional calls because of the problems up the line with a "planning error" (links to separate thread).

 

[Rebel Viking]

Capacity was perceived to be very limited on the Eustons; thus the decision was made to not convey passengers to/from Reading at all on them.

Whilst RTT shows a stop at Reading for staffing purposes, and in your specific example that stop occurred, not all of those stops are actually required; and thus there’s no guarantee the train will actually stop if it isn’t required to do so.

Thanks, that makes sense when explained like that

 

[800001]

Thanks, that makes sense when explained like that

Also, normally the stops are for either driver/guard change over, so a full door release does not always happen.
Although in your case today, it is good it did to enable the journey to continue with less delay.

 

[800301]

Also, normally the stops are for either driver/guard change over, so a full door release does not always happen.
Although in your case today, it is good it did to enable the journey to continue with less delay.

It’s changed this time, all trains must release doors and be dispatched as normal at Reading

Last time even if there was a driver/guard changeover doors should not have been released on some services, there was some logic to it but I can’t remember it now

 

[daveo]

They may be additional calls because of the problems up the line with a "planning error" (links to separate thread).

Link not working (13:50)

 

[swt_passenger]

Link not working (13:50)

I think it might have linked to an earlier thread that was later merged into this one:

Fun and games at Ealing Broadway 27 Dec

Thimngs are all over the place this morning between Reading and London. Most fast services were due to terminate at Reading with stopping trains running to Ealing Broadway becasue of Old Oak Common works. This morning the stoppers are only going as far as Southall because of a 'planning error'...

www.railforums.co.uk

The general subject of the apparent “planning error” is also mentioned in an existing thread about diversions in the fares forum.

GWR on diversion Euston (EUS) to Ealing Broadway (EAL)

I now live in London and have a Freedom Pass (Concessionary Travel) so I have free use of buses, tubes and trains within the TfL area, with the usual time restrictions. I have checked Real Time Trains and there appears to be no restriction on trains such as "stops to pick up passengers" between...

www.railforums.co.uk

A couple of hours ago I think this event was being discussed in four places…

 

[Haywain]

Link not working (13:50)

Updated with a new link now, As noted above, it appears some thread management killed my original link!