GWR Bristol - Oxford service

[SteelWeelApeal]

The Bristol to Oxford services seem to have run reasonably to time (within 5L at worst, looking at RTT) so that is also a good sign.

They finished before the absolute meltdown at Paddington in the evening (someone climbed on the roof). It would have been interesting to see how much they would have been affected by this.

 

[Class 170101]

RTT says they carry on until May 2025

 

[John R]

The bit of extra capacity on the Saturdays that Bath Xmas market is operating won't come amiss, even if only between Bristol and Swindon.

 

[Horizon22]

I think that there are many trains each day between Oxford and Paddington for which 5 carriages are ample (I travelled on one yesterday, anectodally! ), there's definitely no need for all those services to be longer (though of course there is for some, especially, in my experience, at weekends!) ...

Try getting on an Oxford bound train any time between 1000-1400 on a weekend and you'll see it is anything but! Slightly better they don't call at Slough now, but there's a huge (often daytripper) Oxford demand. It's not unknown for about half the train to traipse off on a Worcester-bound service at Oxford.

It's got a very specific - and hugely varied - type of off-peak demand.

 

[The exile]

So did anybody end up trying the new service? What were the loadings like?

First Eastbound looked reasonably well loaded at Bath - but obviously no idea how many were actually going to Oxford.

 

[156444]

RTT says they carry on until May 2025

This BBC article says it's a 3 month trial: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c23l3x8zd3vo.

 

[Barclay]

I rode on the 1018 BRI-OXF and the 1712 OXF-BRI. The outward was comfortably loaded, the return busy.

I heard the balancing journeys were quieter.

 

[The exile]

I rode on the 1018 BRI-OXF and the 1712 OXF-BRI. The outward was comfortably loaded, the return busy.

I heard the balancing journeys were quieter.

Which is probably in line with expectations.

 

[John R]

I guess the problem with the balancing workings is that they afford less time in the destination city to make a day out viable.

 

[Western Sunset]

The press, of course, in their usual (often ill-informed) way state that if you miss the last train from Oxford to Bristol, you'll have to wait a week for the next one. Good headline, and technically correct, but doesn't give a true picture of how to travel between Oxford and Bristol...

 

[The exile]

I guess the problem with the balancing workings is that they afford less time in the destination city to make a day out viable.

As a “day out” connection for people who don’t want to change it only works from the Bristol direction. Clearly there are other markets, but most of those were already catered for.

 

[John R]

I’ve just noticed a comment on Facebook that the first train had around 180S/20F on arrival into Oxford. No doubt some of these were enthusiasts doing it for the novelty, but still a decent number. (Comment was from the founder of the GWR Coffee Shop so a reliable source.)

 

[infobleep]

I’ve just noticed a comment on Facebook that the first train had around 180S/20F on arrival into Oxford. No doubt some of these were enthusiasts doing it for the novelty, but still a decent number. (Comment was from the founder of the GWR Coffee Shop so a reliable source.)

I assume S stands for seated but what does F stand for? Floor?

 

[Jimini]

I assume S stands for seated but what does F stand for? Floor?

Standard / first class, at a guess.

 

[infobleep]

Standard / first class, at a guess.

Thanks that makes sense now.

 

[John R]

Standard / first class, at a guess.

Indeed it is!

 

[Class 170101]

This BBC article says it's a 3 month trial: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c23l3x8zd3vo.

I'll refer you to here

Realtime Trains | Departures from Oxford between 0200 and 0159 on 21/12/2024

Train information at Oxford between 0200 and 0159 on 21/12/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Note when each schedule is opened They have an end date of 17 May 2025

 

[The Planner]

I'll refer you to here

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...21/0200-0159?stp=WVS&show=passenger&order=wtt

Note when each schedule is opened They have an end date of 17 May 2025

No one has end dated the schedule earlier, thats all.

 

[156444]

I'll refer you to here

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...21/0200-0159?stp=WVS&show=passenger&order=wtt

Note when each schedule is opened They have an end date of 17 May 2025

The GWR website also says it ends in December: https://news.gwr.com/news/great-western-railway-restores-direct-bristol-to-oxford-services.

 

[Sunil_P]

Rode the 16:00 Swindon to Oxford on Saturday. Ran smoothly. Not heavily loaded at all.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

It would not surprise me if GWR are awaiting permission to publicise the trial being extended from December until May, presumably the resources remain available until the summer season again.

 

[John R]

It was noted earlier that the first train to Oxford and the second one to Bristol were better loaded. This isn't particularly surprising, as the day trip opportunities from Oxford to Bristol are limited by the relatively short time someone will have in Bristol or Bath, unless they choose to do one leg of the journey on other services involving a change.

 

[Snow1964]

Currently on todays service, 7 minutes late from Bath (and platform was changed to 1)

Oddly Bath Station platforms showed zones whilst it was scheduled for platform 2, but after platform was changed, platform 1 indicator doesn't do zones eastbound.

As for the service, reservations not working, lots of people moaning as others in booked seat, 2 having to stand in our carriage, and auto announcements saying destination Reading with TM having to give manual correction. So 0/10 for info

EDIT announced after Chippenham that at seat catering not happening either.

EDIT 2 information is just weird, after leaving Swindon all the reservations indicators changed from blank to green. Then just north of Didcot was a welcome aboard, train is for Oxford announcement

 

[John R]

But for me the biggest takeaway is that people are having to stand, surely? That must be a positive sign.

 

[Snow1964]

But for me the biggest takeaway is that people are having to stand, surely? That must be a positive sign.

Quite a few standing in our carriage since Chippenham, so good sign for growth, bad if you are trying to offer it as a comfortable direct train with just 5cars

 

[lachlan]

That's a good sign that the service is busy, though how many people will stay on after Swindon and Didcot?

On the plus side, it's fewer people trying to squeeze in to the Bristol-London trains which tend to be busy as well at the weekend

 

[father_jack]

Currently on todays service, 7 minutes late from Bath (and platform was changed to 1)

Oddly Bath Station platforms showed zones whilst it was scheduled for platform 2, but after platform was changed, platform 1 indicator doesn't do zones eastbound.

As for the service, reservations not working, lots of people moaning as others in booked seat, 2 having to stand in our carriage, and auto announcements saying destination Reading with TM having to give manual correction. So 0/10 for info

EDIT now announced at seat catering not happening either.

Disorder on a southbound train at Trowbridge, the industry as a whole tries not to strand trains in the countryside in case of medical emergency or passenger egress so amended arrangements needed at Bath.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Oct 2024 ==

That's a good sign that the service is busy, though how many people will stay on after Swindon and Didcot?

On the plus side, it's fewer people trying to squeeze in to the Bristol-London trains which tend to be busy as well at the weekend

Train is almost fully reserved with the vast majority with destination Oxford.

 

[lachlan]

Disorder on a southbound train at Trowbridge, the industry as a whole tries not to strand trains in the countryside in case of medical emergency or passenger egress so amended arrangements needed at Bath.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Oct 2024 ==


Train is almost fully reserved with the vast majority with destination Oxford.

Good to hear.

 

[800001]

Currently on todays service, 7 minutes late from Bath (and platform was changed to 1)

Oddly Bath Station platforms showed zones whilst it was scheduled for platform 2, but after platform was changed, platform 1 indicator doesn't do zones eastbound.

As for the service, reservations not working, lots of people moaning as others in booked seat, 2 having to stand in our carriage, and auto announcements saying destination Reading with TM having to give manual correction. So 0/10 for info

EDIT announced after Chippenham that at seat catering not happening either.

EDIT 2 information is just weird, after leaving Swindon all the reservations indicators changed from blank to green. Then just north of Didcot was a welcome aboard, train is for Oxford announcement

Referring to your edit notes, sounds like the Train Manager playing with the Train Management system to record the issues.

 

[norbitonflyer]

On the 1203 from Oxford. 118 passengers, including two who won't show up on the stats as they looked to be under 5.