Great Western Coffee Shop

This train is a fairly new addition to the timetable and is non-stop from Maidenhead to Paddington.

When it first appeared there were signs on the ticket machines at Maidenhead to say you needed a peak/anytime ticket for this train (even though the stopping train before it is an off-peak one - the 9.19 departure).

Those signs have now gone. However on the nationalrail site it is still saying you need an anytime ticket to get this train yet the station announcer at Maidenhead yesterday was telling everyone it's a off-peak service.. Does anyone know which is correct please?

I can answer your question with another question.

Basically the restriction code P7 is relevant here. The off-peak ticket is not valid on trains timed to arrive in London Terminals before 10.00 (Mondays to Fridays). If this new train arrives after 10.00 then the off-peak ticket is valid IMO.

I'm wondering whether an easement has (or should) be made, given that it's a HST which has only called at Reading and will have plenty of seats, unlike the first off-peak stopping trains which are often full to bursting by West Drayton.  Perhaps Ollie can help?

The 09.19 arrives at 10.04 and the 09.27 arrives at 09.52.

So an off-peak ticket is fine for the 09.27, but an anytime is required for the 09.19 (in the absence of further info as IndustryInsider has suggested that Ollie may be able to check).

(I am just considering singles here - further considerations would be required for a return).

Wrong way round surely Fourbee. Arrival time before 1000 determines Peak validity for Maidenhead-Paddington.

0919 is Off Peak as it arrives 1004
0927 is Peak as it arrives 0952

Locally advertised easements notwithstanding. No easements listed against the restriction code P7 (http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/P7).

Yes BNM's post is correct. I got them the wrong way round. I could find no easements/caveats either.

No easements for this train that I'm aware of sorry, so it would be counted as peak.

Next question is why was Maidenhead station announcer saying the 0927 was Off Peak?

I've let the fares team know that aspect so they can look into it further and take any action they feel is appropriate.

Possibly an exception on the day to a short formed, delayed or cancelled local service?


If you ask me, if it's not going to just be a short-term addition to the timetable it would be eminently sensible to put an easement at both Reading and Maidenhead to relieve other longer distance already full trains.

Thanks, as ever, for your very useful input here on the Coffee Shop forum, Ollie!  ;)

This example just demonstrates how fiendishly complex the fares system is. The aim of different ticket flavours is clear, to use price as a tool to spread demand to where the capacity is; the implementation and training (of staff and customers) has been demonstrated to have several holes.

I generally think passengers understand advance fares now. The focus needs to be on:

- Training staff to a higher level - they should be the authority; no more situations like BNM had on Paddington gateline.
- Finding a mechanism to explain the anytime/off-peak/super off-peak cut-overs more clearly to customers, especially with restrictions focussing on the trains' final arrival times.
- A reasonable way to deal with disputes, including defined timescales for resolution, which is independent of the TOCs; a passenger should not miss a train on a technical point, it should be followed up later.

Despite being 3 years' old, this makes interesting (horrifying?) reading and hopefully emphasises why the third point is important:
http://www.transportfocus.org.uk/research/publications/ticket-to-ride-full-report-may-2012

Bit of an update on this one...

Off peak IS valid on this train (not from Reading though).

An easement was put in place in September. For some reason it's not in systems but was briefed locally, the fares team are working to try and get it so that the info is consistent at a stations and online journey planning level, but I don't have a date for when that will be corrected.

The positive of course is that you're most welcome to use an off peak ticket on that train :)

Left hand. Meet the right hand.  ::)

Yes indeed, though credit to GWR for allowing that easement which is a most sensible decision which will not just affect Maidenhead passengers.

Yes it's unfortunate not all staff knew, I include myself in this. The easement wasn't part of a fares round, so not always simple to get an easement added into systems from what I gather, but I don't claim to be an expert on the implementation side of things.

I agree with II that it's positive that it's been allowed, as it takes a lot of pressure off of the first off peak stopper which is shortly before this 09:27.

Slight edit in attempt to avoid my initial comment being taken in a way that was not intended.

So I paid too much to travel on that train earlier in the week.. shame... On the plus side I've been on that train a few times since it appeared on the timetable and no ticket check on the train as yet.. So all a bit of a hypothetical question really anyway  ::) ::) ???

How busy would you say it's been on average, Jo?

A rather flippant remark in light of the subsequent post. I doubt johoare is this only one who has been paying too much because GWR can't get the implementation of a fare change right.

A station announcement isn't much use if you've already bought an Anytime ticket online or from a TVM.

I'd be asking GWR for a refund of the difference.

I was referring to some staff not knowing, such as myself, but I suspect you probably knew that.

Happy for you to send me photo of ticket or a receipt and I'll sort the difference for you.

Did you intentionally post about the 9:27 at 9:27  ;D

Come on the railway uses the 24 hour clock so he was posting about the 09:27 at 21:27 not 09:27!

Total coincidence. Well spotted!  ;D

Thanks Ollie but the ticket machine ate it on my return to Maidenhead.. I may still have the receipt but will check.. I think it's worth me buying a ticket at the ticket office for that train going forward rather than the ticket machine/online