Great Western Coffee Shop

Im from South Wales, but use FGW trains quite regularly including the HST service and the Cardiff to Pompey service.

Hard luck, mate!  (Not the being from South Wales bit: the using the Portsmouth train bit!)

Welcome to the forum, anyway!  ;D

Thanks Chris.  :)

I only use it occasionally between Cardiff and Bristol TM so it isnt too bad!

Welcome Jez, I'm quite familiar to the area after travelling to Cardiff Bay several times with friends and know how busy it can get on the Bristol-Newport section...and travelling through the Severn Tunnel on a class 142 train is never a good idea! I hope you enjoy your time here :)

Thanks for the welcome.  I think the only trains that now go through the severn tunnel are FGW ones (apart from the occasional Cross Country service).  I remember the days when ATW used to run services through the tunnel and down to Bristol, Taunton and as far as Penzance.  That only changed with the December 2006 timetable but im not sure why.

Yes- I remember these too! I used to catch the train up to Cheltenham spa and while changing at Bristol Temple Meads nearly always used to hear the extra long announcements for the ATW Penzance - Crewe and Milford Haven service. "Please stand clear while the train is being detatched!" repeated 3 times...

It's a shame ATW discontinued those services as I remember reading comments from the RPC about how useful the direct Crewe via Hereford train was for many from the south west. The 1 car to Milford Haven always seemed to be busy too.