Rail - Bus connections to Harwell Campus from Didcot

[whole diary]

[grahame]

This morning, I headed for the bus at Arnos Court to take me to BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains). I was almost at the bottom of Bloomfield Road, by the Lloyds bank, when I saw a number 1 bus pass on the Bath Road. Blast, thought I, but I'll get the next one. I crossed four sets of traffic lights, and caught it. Not only that, I wasn't the last. And I didn't run.

I was reminded of this today - catching the x32 from Didcot Station to Harwell Labs in the morning, and back in the evening. The bus from the railway station left on time ... and arrived at Harwell Campus on time too.  But it's only six miles, through the countryside much of the way, and took 25 minutes.   We spent a significant amount of time at stops, we did a tour of Didcot (which I happen to know from times of old) because the direct road has been pedestrianised, we waited at lights, we slowed down for sleeping policemen, and we got stuck behind a cyclist through Harwell village - when we eventually overtook him, we thoughtfully picked someone up at a bus stop and he got in front again.

The return bus was at the labs in good time, and a long queue stood patiently waiting while the driver argued with the first passenger joining about his ticket.    The a group of around 10 visitors, clearly from overseas, got on - counted on by the driver on the return half of their tickets.  Then the next people boarded - quite a crowd.   Another bus came in, picked up passengers, and left in the direction of Wantage.   The one of the group of 10 came to ask the driver something, and he took a further look at their tickets, and decided they were on the wrong bus - they should have caught the Wantage bus that had just pulled out.  So - anyway - all 10 got back off.  Never mind - there was another Wantage bus due in half an hour.   And the rest of all this was that although the bus was in good time when it arrived at the labs, it was about 6 minutes late when it left.   A number of pickups along the way, cash fares collected, etc ... again around 27 minutes to Didcot station.

Had I intended to catch the x32 today?   No - I had been send a .pdf of something called the "Catapault" providing a fast rush hour link from Didcot Station to the Labs, but when I rushed out of the station in the morning to catch it, it was no-where to be seen.  Foolishly, I let an x32 "Wantage" go, not realising that the service on the ground was different to the service advertised.   When I got to the labs, a display on the front desk showed different times for the Catapault, but not having seen any other sign of it, I suspect it's been withdrawn.

I learn so much about public transport by using it - the good and bad examples. 

[didcotdean]

The 'fast' bus service from DID^» (Didcot Parkway - next trains) to Harwell Campus is actually called the Space Shuttle and is primarily for the staff of the Satellite Applications Catapult and the STFC but anyone can use it. Only runs as a commuter route (ie to the Campus for start of work and away in the late afternoon) I think though they cut it back to only 2 journeys when the revised commercial bus timetable started in July. This now runs on a 4 times an hour frequency and is branded 'The Connector' - 3 of the services are numbered X32 and the other one X1. Two an hour continue to Wantage, the other turns round at the Campus, which might explain why even the bus driver was a bit confused about the desitinations.

I wouldn't be surprised if you just missed it that you could pick it up on Broadway (*) if you did a brisk uphill walk along Hayden Road. It does a loop round the Orchard Centre and then Broadway to cover all the town centre.

(*) Yes this street got its name in 1932 after the street in New York, for anyone wondering.

[grahame]

The 'fast' bus service from DID^» (Didcot Parkway - next trains) to Harwell Campus is actually called the Space Shuttle and is primarily for the staff of the Satellite Applications Catapult and the STFC but anyone can use it. Only runs as a commuter route (ie to the Campus for start of work and away in the late afternoon) I think though they cut it back to only 2 journeys when the revised commercial bus timetable started in July.

Ah - that explains its absence - I had the old timetable (4 runs on the hour and half hour) rather that just 2 (at quarter to / successive hours)

This now runs on a 4 times an hour frequency and is branded 'The Connector' - 3 of the services are numbered X32 and the other one X1. Two an hour continue to Wantage, the other turns round at the Campus, which might explain why even the bus driver was a bit confused about the desitinations.

I wouldn't be surprised if you just missed it that you could pick it up on Broadway if you did a brisk uphill walk along Hayden Road. It does a loop round the Orchard Centre and then Broadway to cover all the town centre.

That's the one I'm catching - all around the town and lots of stops - 11 minutes and 20 seconds not moving on a 26 minute journey this morning; I just get too "time and motion" critical with these things.  And I suppose if we're headed for "total transport" then I may expect that it will be inefficient for some as it caters for the total.

[grahame]

Thread split from http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=16331.0 as I've pulled it off the subject of First bus fares in Bristol!

[grahame]

<rant>  (you have been warned!  )

Finishing a little earlier today, I catch the bus that leaves the Campus 32 minutes before the train (should be enough on a 26 minute journey).  But alas, the bus is a few minutes late and picks up what feels like more delay on its way into Didcot but I'm going to be able to make it until ...

Driver turns off the engine in the centre of Didcot ... it's shift change time.   Fair enough, but the drivers chat and so does the supervisor for a good few minutes; the new driver even comments "oh, I should have left by now" during the conversation.  And - of course - by the time I get to Parkway I see the train pulling out as I get onto the platform.

If you see the driver, please tell him that his "little chat" rather than getting away when he could have done (I see no operational reason for the chat) cost one customer 75 minutes due to missed connections ... and there were others running as well.</rant>

[Chris from Nailsea]

Try http://www.thames-travel.co.uk/contact-us/ with details of your rant. 

[bobm]

I'd second that.

Nothing frustrates me more than drivers leaving a timing point late for no apparent reason.  I took Stagecoach to task over their 66 service to Oxford leaving Swindon Bus station six minutes late while the driver got a coffee.  Coupled with the roadworks around Oxford railway station and the relocation of bus stops, I missed a planned connection heading north.  (And I couldn't travel earlier - it was the first service of the day!)

[Tim]

I'd second that.

Nothing frustrates me more than drivers leaving a timing point late for no apparent reason.  I took Stagecoach to task over their 66 service to Oxford leaving Swindon Bus station six minutes late while the driver got a coffee.  Coupled with the roadworks around Oxford railway station and the relocation of bus stops, I missed a planned connection heading north.  (And I couldn't travel earlier - it was the first service of the day!)

I'll third that.  This on one of those things that the railway almost always (at least tries) to get right.  There is always an intention to leave on time on the railway.

At a bus station that normal routine is for the driver to open the doors at about the departure time, adjust his/her chair, fiddle with the ticket machine, deal with the passengers and then only close the door and put the bus into reverse gear 2 to 3 minutes after the scheduled departure time.

It happens every day and is one of those things that leads the public to view trains as superior to buses.  Personally, I think First needs to redeploy a few of their railway staff to the bus stations.

[grahame]

You make excellent points, gentlemen.   I probably won't be complaining - I have other things to do with my time, and it's outside my area / detailed knowledge.  And whilst I could complain at the loss of an hour and a quarter thanks to the social life of the bus staff, in reality I was catching up on paperwork in the waiting rooms at Didcot and Swindon stations rather than at home, and I got a seat on the 18:52 "TransWilts" from Swindon whereas I would have probably been standing or at least wedged on the 17:36.

What I do find a bit provocative at times when there's a circumstance like this are the signs telling customers not to br rude / disrespectful to staff when the staff are clearly (and admitting in the particular case I mentioned) not respecting the requirements of passengers to travel at the advertised time (or at least as close to it as is operationally practical) in order to make appointments and connections.

[IndustryInsider]

Just as bad is a bus leaving early.  My local bus departs from a stop listed in the timetables, and has a couple of minutes slack en-route especially during quieter times on the road.  I have lost count of the number of times it has left two or minutes early.  I missed it once when it left four minutes early, so now have to get there in very good time 'just in case'.  With a frequency of often only every hour I can't afford to miss it.

Contrast that with the railways when (allowing for the advertised 'doors locked 40 seconds before' protocol) trains hardly ever depart early, even at the rural stops.

[ChrisB]

This is the reason a lot of drivers give for leaving originating points late - to eat up this slack and so prevent either leaving early from intermediate timing points or sitting at bus stops until right time & obstructing the road in many cases where these timing points are in urban areas.

[IndustryInsider]

Yes indeed, I've been told that by drivers before.  Though in my case the bus has it's own stop and would not be obstructing anything, it certainly can be the case in other locations.  Basically it's a game of experience and chance for the driver!