Great Western Coffee Shop

Journey by Journey => London to Swindon and Bristol => Topic started by: SandTEngineer on May 04, 2018, 10:45:57



Title: Swindon Station Expansion
Post by: SandTEngineer on May 04, 2018, 10:45:57
There are rumours elsewhere (well, on the WNXX Forum actually) that the former mail platform site at Swindon station (where the former Swindon Panel box stands) is going to be converted into an additional passenger platform.  In addition a number of 387 units are going to be stabled overnight at Swindon and they are going to be used on 'crowd buster' services in the morning and evening peaks, both to London and Cardiff.  19 GWR drivers positions are going to be created, with a new sub-depot to Reading being located at Swindon station.

Not sure yet if this is all fact or fiction..... :P


Title: Re: Swindon Station Expansion
Post by: IndustryInsider on May 04, 2018, 11:32:49
Can't speak about the platform work, but certainly a satellite drivers depot is very much on the agenda as is 387 stabling at Swindon.  There are two other satellite depots provisionally planned at Didcot and West Ealing to better match the trains and drivers up at those locations too.

With quite a few Reading and Oxford based drivers living in Didcot and Swindon, and the appeal of any London based drivers who live west of the capital only having to get to Ealing and not having to get into central London, I don't think there will be any shortage of volunteers.


Title: Re: Swindon Station Expansion
Post by: SandTEngineer on May 04, 2018, 12:03:33
Thanks for that update II.  Not all rumour then..... ;)


Title: Re: Swindon Station Expansion
Post by: paul7575 on May 04, 2018, 12:37:55
I’ve seen peak extra 12 car trains, (implying 3 x 387) from Swindon in print somewhere, probably a route study or similar.   
There’s also a bit about peak extra trains starting from Swindon in the Thames Valley section of the 2015 franchise brief; although that doesn’t mention stock, it can probably be inferred.

Paul


Title: Re: Swindon Station Expansion
Post by: bobm on May 04, 2018, 14:12:18
The up sleeper still calls at Swindon most mornings around 3.15 for staff only.  So there must be a few who currently travel to Reading.


Title: Re: Swindon Station Expansion
Post by: IndustryInsider on May 04, 2018, 14:22:51
Over both Oxford and Reading depots I would say there's a good twenty or so that live in Swindon or its surrounding villages and the same again, if not slightly more, for Didcot.



This page is printed from the "Coffee Shop" forum at http://gwr.passenger.chat which is provided by a customer of Great Western Railway. Views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that content provided contravenes our posting rules ( see http://railcustomer.info/1761 ). The forum is hosted by Well House Consultants - http://www.wellho.net