FGW diversion aug 2-3 - where does it go?

[Kristofferson]

I'm currently on a FGW HST (1B25 PAD - Swansea) which is one of many being diverted due to engineering works around Didcot Parkway.

I'm curious to know which lines it visits on its diversion from the GWML?

 

[bolli]

I'm currently on a FGW HST (1B25 PAD - Swansea) which is one of many being diverted due to engineering works around Didcot Parkway.

I'm curious to know which lines it visits on its diversion from the GWML?

Melksham.

 

[Kristofferson]

Thanks this route certainly isnt built for an HST!

 

[louis97]

After Reading you'll diverge to the Westbury lines and you'll travel through Newbury then up to Heywood Road Junction near Westbury then around the curve to avoid Westbury (only used once a day on weekdays) to Hawkridge junction then through Trowbridge up to Bradford Junction then off via Melksham to Thingley junction then through Chippenham to Swindon. Then after a reversal back to normal route. All of the route has regular HSTs all day apart from Heywood Road Junction to Thingley Junction.

 

[cambsy]

There is no reversal if doing Taunton-Westbury-Trowbridge-Melksham-Swindon-Reading, did this route non stop when the Dawlish route was shut.

 

[Kristofferson]

Thanks for the in depth answer wasn't sure whether to change seats when we started going backwards! Still not sure now to be honest!

 

[fgwrich]

Ah, thanks for this. That would explain why Colas Rails 56113 & 094 came hammering through Theale earlier with a set of steel wagons earlier.