Shortest/Cheapest IEP Journey

[Eliottjames]

I’m in London for a couple of days and would like to try out an IEP while I’m here. What’s the cheapest and/or quickest means of doing this?
I know there’s no guarantee which services will be run with an IEP but can keep an eye out if I know what route to look for! Thanks

 

[TheAdelante]

I’m in London for a couple of days and would like to try out an IEP while I’m here. What’s the cheapest and/or quickest means of doing this?
I know there’s no guarantee which services will be run with an IEP but can keep an eye out if I know what route to look for! Thanks

Erm. If you are an adult a £6 Cherwell Day Ranger is good for my brother and I (unlimited Reading - Didcot/Oxford/Banbury) trips.) £3 for under 16s

Edit I know they don’t go to Oxford or Banbury but they do run Reading to Didcot!

 

[Temple Meads]

Cherwell Valley Day Ranger is only valid on Saturdays/Sundays/bank holidays though.

 

[TheAdelante]

Oh of course sorry

 

[Eliottjames]

Happy with standard class, from what I’ve heard, first class isn’t that much of an upgrade on a GWR IEP!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

If you're on a Travelcard then a Boundary Zone 6 off peak return to Reading with a railcard is £7.80 ( so probably £11.70 without a railcard ) and you can easily get an IET both ways.

 

[Eliottjames]

Ooh, that sounds promising! I’ve just been using contactless on the tube, can I just ge a travel card from a ticket machine?

If you're on a Travelcard then a Boundary Zone 6 off peak return to Reading with a railcard is £7.80 ( so probably £11.70 without a railcard ) and you can easily get an IET both ways.

 

[SwindonBert]

I’m in London for a couple of days and would like to try out an IEP while I’m here. What’s the cheapest and/or quickest means of doing this?
I know there’s no guarantee which services will be run with an IEP but can keep an eye out if I know what route to look for! Thanks

Just to clarify, would you need to start & end at Paddington?

 

[Eliottjames]

Just to clarify, would you need to start & end at Paddington?

Ideally yes, but I wouldn’t mind coming back on a different route/to a different station if needs be. Happy only using an IEP one way!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Ooh, that sounds promising! I’ve just been using contactless on the tube, can I just ge a travel card from a ticket machine?

I don't know because I always buy from a ticket office, but I would imagine they should sell them as long as they are a National Rail machine and not a TfL one - try the ticket office at Paddington; you'll have to go there anyway for the BZ - Reading ticket as you can't get those from machines.

Ideally yes, but I wouldn’t mind coming back on a different route/to a different station if needs be. Happy only using an IEP one way!

To answer the other point raised above, yes - a BZ - Reading return against a Travelcard would be valid for return on the Reading - Waterloo line, which would mean you could nip off at Clapham Junction and get a 707 as well ( same platform island at Clapham Junction and probably only a few minutes to wait... ).

By the way, it's IET for the trains; IET is the overall project.

 

[BestWestern]

If you like new stuff, IET Pad - Rdg and 700 Rdg - Waterloo might work. That's assuming the 700s at Reading are in service now, not just on test?

Alternatively, you could return from Reading on a 387 and bag two types of brand new GWR traction!

 

[Eliottjames]

I don't know because I always buy from a ticket office, but I would imagine they should sell them as long as they are a National Rail machine and not a TfL one - try the ticket office at Paddington; you'll have to go there anyway for the BZ - Reading ticket as you can't get those from machines.



To answer the other point raised above, yes - a BZ - Reading return against a Travelcard would be valid for return on the Reading - Waterloo line, which would mean you could nip off at Clapham Junction and get a 707 as well ( same platform island at Clapham Junction and probably only a few minutes to wait... ).

By the way, it's IET for the trains; IET is the overall project.

Lovely thanks, I’ll go to a ticket office at Paddington and ask.
Looks like I need to get my acronyms sorted out haha!

If you like new stuff, IET Pad - Rdg and 700 Rdg - Waterloo might work. That's assuming the 700s at Reading are in service now, not just on test?

Alternatively, you could return from Reading on a 387 and bag two types of brand new GWR traction!

Now that sounds like a plan to me! Thanks all for the info

 

[MatthewRead]

I take it they aren't making additional stops at Ealing Broadway because of the engineering works?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

If you like new stuff, IET Pad - Rdg and 700 Rdg - Waterloo might work. That's assuming the 700s at Reading are in service now, not just on test?

Alternatively, you could return from Reading on a 387 and bag two types of brand new GWR traction!

707s, not 700s...

Probably need to change at Clapham Junction, as i said, but there would only be a few minutes before one turned up...

 

[GW43125]

If you like new stuff, IET Pad - Rdg and 700 Rdg - Waterloo might work. That's assuming the 700s at Reading are in service now, not just on test?

Alternatively, you could return from Reading on a 387 and bag two types of brand new GWR traction!

707s don't currently do service trips to Reading- 458s do these instead. Sending them to Reading is just "running them in". You could change at Staines for a 707 from Windsor, however.

 

[TheAdelante]

707s don't currently do service trips to Reading- 458s do these instead. Sending them to Reading is just "running them in". You could change at Staines for a 707 from Windsor, however.

Hi,
They do one per day actually!

 

[GW43125]

Hi,
They do one per day actually!

They did
I came home on that turn last week and it was a 458.
With the current timetable requiring more 707s than they have, it's hit-and-miss as to whether the 19:35 is 458 or 707. I wouldn't bank on it being either.

 

[TheAdelante]

They did
I came home on that turn last week and it was a 458.
With the current timetable requiring more 707s than they have, it's hit-and-miss as to whether the 19:35 is 458 or 707. I wouldn't bank on it being either.

Hi - that still makes you wrong whether it happens all the time or not

R

 

[GW43125]

Hi - that still makes you wrong whether it happens all the time or not

R

Oi :P

My point still stands though, if you want a 707 your best bet is to get a 458 to Staines and wait for an ex Windsor.

 

[Kite159]

Thames Branches Day Ranger gets you many trips between Reading & Paddington, to sample a 800 to compare it with a HST etc.

 

[TheAdelante]

Thames Branches Day Ranger gets you many trips between Reading & Paddington, to sample a 800 to compare it with a HST etc.

Also allows you to sample 387s and compare those with 165s

 

[cactustwirly]

Oi :P

My point still stands though, if you want a 707 your best bet is to get a 458 to Staines and wait for an ex Windsor.

The Windsor has been 455s this week

 

[TheAdelante]

The Windsor has been 455s this week

I still think that’s really weird...

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

I still think that’s really weird...

455s were standard traction to Windsor for a number of years.

 

[TheAdelante]

455s were standard traction to Windsor for a number of years.

It was always mainly 450s.

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

It was always mainly 450s.

I'm talking about before Desiros were even built!

 

[TheAdelante]

Well that’s a whole sixteen years ago before I was born!

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

Having just checked my photos I can confirm 455s were still in charge as recently as August 2007.

 

[Agent_Squash]

Well that’s a whole sixteen years ago before I was born!

Umm, SWT desires were introduced in 2004...

 

[TheAdelante]

Oh. I was definitely alive then haha! I thought they were a 2001 introduced train...