8.07 Basingstoke to Reading - did it actually depart from Basingstoke today?

[infobleep]

Hi there

A friend is saying his train from Basingstoke to Reading, the 8.07, didn't show up on platform 5, so he's going to have to get the 8.37. However real-time trains and National Rail Enquiries App report it as having left on that. NRE doesn't give the platform but real train times say it was platform 5.

Is my friend mistaken at all? Surely if those report it as on time, it must have left platform 5 on time.

 

[dzug2]

There seem to be problems at Reading

Emergency services are dealing with an incident at Reading means trains cannot run through Reading There is no firm estimate yet of how long disruption will last but it is likely to continue until at least 08:30

But as you say the 0807 ran to time throughout and the 0837 is currently on time

and the latest report is trains are on the move again with up to 20 minute delays

EDIT AGAIN

Scrub most of that - the incident seems to have been late last night but recording it as cleared delayed

So either your friend was mistaken or RTT reported the wrong platform - or maybe he was late and is covering up

 

[Mike99]

Was your friend on Platform 5 or Platform 4 at BSK thinking it was actually 5, it's easily done at Basingstoke with the signage at the top of the stairs.

 

[swt_passenger]

It's almost unheard of for the Reading train to use a through platform at Basingstoke. Given the reports of a full closures at Reading this morning reported cleared by 0919, due to a gas leak, I'd be surprised if it ran at all.

 

[Andrewlong]

There's been reports of a gas leak in Reading. Makes a change from signal failures. Been a dreadful week for disruption on the route to paddington

 

[Mike99]

Real Time Trains says it operated on time, has the OP friend admitted he just missed it!!

 

[LAX54]

TRUST says RT departure P5. and RT all the way to Reading.

edit... CCF confirms P5 at 0807.

 

[David Goddard]

Fire Engine was seen arriving at Reading station just after 0830, leaving twenty minutes later

 

[fgwrich]

It's almost unheard of for the Reading train to use a through platform at Basingstoke. Given the reports of a full closures at Reading this morning reported cleared by 0919, due to a gas leak, I'd be surprised if it ran at all.

Not quite, I've had a few of each platform before. 166215 Off Platform 1 and 150002 off Platforms 2&4 recently (What was even odder that day was a 455 in platform 3). None of the regular branch shuttles are booked off any of the through platforms, but it's not an irregular sight anymore, especially with the 150s.

One thing I have noticed recently on the branch though is that some services have been retimed earlier - They almost all used to be XX:07 & XX:37, Now a fair number are XX:06/36 and some of them are XX:04.

 

[infobleep]

Well he was saying he didn't want to wait for someone else who missed the train I was on from Guildford so perhaps he was on the wrong platform.

Two ladies apparently were on the phone to NRE saying but the train didn't arrive as we are on the platform.

It suggests they were all on the wrong platform or the train departed from a different platform. How easy is it to think your on platform 5 at Basingstoke when your not?

 

[Mike99]

I think very easy, unless the sign at the top of the stairs has changed it sort of directs you back along the platform which is fair enough, so if you do that you are still on platform 4, you actually need to walk along platform 4 and then through an arch onto platform 5. If your familiar with the station its ok, if your not I think it's an easy error.

 

[infobleep]

I think very easy, unless the sign at the top of the stairs has changed it sort of directs you back along the platform which is fair enough, so if you do that you are still on platform 4, you actually need to walk along platform 4 and then through an arch onto platform 5. If your familiar with the station its ok, if your not I think it's an easy error.

Then perhaps I need to raise it with the South West Trains Twitter staff, so that they can look into providing additional signage.

 

[HowardGWR]

I think very easy, unless the sign at the top of the stairs has changed it sort of directs you back along the platform which is fair enough, so if you do that you are still on platform 4, you actually need to walk along platform 4 and then through an arch onto platform 5. If your familiar with the station its ok, if your not I think it's an easy error.

In fact it is like leaving the station. You think you have been misled by the sign and are tempted to retrace your steps. If you are observant like we enthusiasts, and have passed through the station before, you would have noticed the branch platform at the side with an FGW train waiting there. If not, it's up to pure luck whether you press on and discover platform 5. Even then it's as though you in a separate station. Wierd.

 

[infobleep]

My friend says he was told by station staff " I was told by station staff that it hadn't come due to a gas leak in Reading"

 

[2030720310]

Badgers

 

[LAX54]

My friend says he was told by station staff " I was told by station staff that it hadn't come due to a gas leak in Reading"

see post 7

 

[infobleep]

see post 7

I know exactly what your saying so. Perhaps the staff didn't see it leave and heard about the gas leak and put two and two together. I wasn't there but clearly everything points to it having left platform 5. Most likely they were on the wrong platform.

 

[DarloRich]

Why all the wibble – the train clearly ran and on time! How many sources of information do people need?

I suspect the correspondent was in the coffee bar

 

[infobleep]

Why all the wibble – the train clearly ran and on time! How many sources of information do people need?

I suspect the correspondent was in the coffee bar

No I suspect he was on the wrong platform. How much poor signage does one need before they end up on the wrong platform? Not a lot.