Recent content by aylesbury2

Have there been any updates from Chiltern internally regarding ticket prices or any alterations to the provisional timetable? We haven't heard anything for a while and the website is well out of date.

Article in today's 'Oxford Mail' outlining Chiltern's decision to rename the station Bicester Village: http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/11852591.Bicester_Town_station_to_be_renamed_Bicester_Village_after_Chiltern_Railways_decision/

There is an article about the potential renaming in today's Oxford Mail. It gives the perspective of a Chiltern director. Perhaps unsurprisingly, there is a vote on the page asking readers to choose either Bicester Village or Bicester Town. At the moment, it's 73:27 in favour of Bicester Town...

Ok, it might just be repairs carried out for the Shanks rubbish trains then.

Today I noticed some initial work starting on the line going over the A41 bridge just north of Aylesbury Vale Parkway. There was scaffolding up on the side of the bridge and some heavy machinery up on the line.

There was a section on the Oxford - Bicester link on BBC Oxford News tonight including an interview with the Chiltern CEO. Worth a look on iPlayer.

Drove past AVP earlier and there is a digital sign up which says "Network Rail maintenance until mid-December - expect delays". Is this due to EWR or something different?

Sorry, accidental post! Glad someone replied or I wouldn't have known. This was meant to he a thread about Chiltern mainline delays a while ago but then seems to have divulged into another topic!

Accidental post

Very well done, sounds like everything went swimmingly! Your luck certainly seems to be better than mine when it comes to tight connections. Glad you made it OK and have a good time!

There are no lifts from Underground -> Main line at Victoria, just a flight of medium-length stairs. From memory, the Gatwick Express platforms are at the opposite side of Victoria to the Underground, so you turn right out of the platforms and then follow the station all the way to the exit in...

In an ideal world, it would be faster than the train as there are obviously no connections but in terms of logic, owing to London traffic and the huge expense of taxis I wouldn't bother unless you're willing to pay. But then the Gatwick Express isn't exactly cheap if that's how you plan to do...

I'm currently on an ancient, clapped out coach heading towards Stansted - no information whatsoever - can someone explain in any further detail?

On a recent journey to Heathrow on the Heathrow Connect, I found the announcements to be particularly unbearable, particularly the ones saying "Oyster cards are not valid on this service beyond Hayes and Harlington" being repeated 3 times after every stop.

Correct - plans were afoot in the early 90s for Crossrail to run to AYS from MYB, however these were obviously shelved for some reason (could anyone enlighten us?)