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Journey by Journey => London to Reading => Topic started by: sanfrandragon on August 22, 2018, 11:32:55



Title: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: sanfrandragon on August 22, 2018, 11:32:55
What is going on with this service?  Usually 6 cars, but only 3 today, the number of cars has been up and down all summer, varying between 6, 4 and 3 as i recall with no apparent pattern.  The initial explanation was 'due to engineering works at Didcot'  I can kind of understand how engineering works might prevent a full service, but why the daily variation?

Is it really due to staff shortages/stock unexpectedly out of service/lack of maintenance that I have read about elsewhere for other trains?  The cynic in me also assumes that because the service is running to time it gets a tick in the box even though capacity has been cut by half?

It's going to be carnage putting 6 cars worth of passengers into 3 when everyone returns from their summer hols.  Indeed, the other day, it was noticeably dangerous and the driver had to sound his horn as passengers moved along the platform on the wrong side of the yellow line as they realised the train was short-formed just as it was approaching.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: CJB666 on August 23, 2018, 06:06:43
At least he sounded a warning horn. Such over-crowding is a recipe for someone trying to board at doors where pax are jammed, the doors then closing, and the train moving off dragging the poor s%d along the platform. But this would never happen on our modern and professionally operated railways would it? Hmm - thinks back to Hounslow, Hayes & Harlington, and other stations.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on August 23, 2018, 08:43:19
I catch the same train at Twyford so agree with you that 3 cars is nowhere near enough. I'm guessing the variance in size is due to 3 cars being needed elsewhere while the new trains  bed in/drivers are trained etc.

As GWR have redeployed a lot of their DMUs there's probably a very small pool of DMU rolling stock to call on now.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: sanfrandragon on September 11, 2018, 10:32:14
Wow, finally some customer service, we thought this am when the 7.01 was reported to be full & standing; customers advised to change platform for a later train for a more comfortable journey.  How we laughed as we watched from a different platform as the 7.01 pulled in with empty seats and no sign of anyone standing.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on September 11, 2018, 13:22:22
The slightly earlier non stop Twyford to London train was cancelled this morning so I'm guessing they thought it would be crowded. It was pretty packed on the platform at Twyford but there were more seats available than I expected.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on March 13, 2019, 12:56:02
It's been a good run but only 3 coaches today which made it all a bit unpleasant. It's also been 5 coaches a lot more frequently. Hopefully this isn't related to the Turbos cascade and challenges around maintenance or spares.

It did manage to be its regular 4-5 mins late though.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: NickB on March 14, 2019, 11:11:37
I wondered why the 7.06 was a little busier today.
I’m surprised that the 7.01 is still a turbo. Any idea when it is due to be upgraded?


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: didcotdean on March 14, 2019, 11:48:45
As it starts from Oxford and calls at all stations to Maidenhead (yes even all three between Oxford and Didcot, being their only through morning service to London) it isn't clear what could be a suitable direct replacement.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on March 14, 2019, 13:08:43
It could possibly be a candidate for an 8-car Class 769 when they arrive, along with the 17:18 equivalent Turbo return working from Paddington.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: grahame on March 14, 2019, 13:50:09
It could possibly be a candidate for an 8-car Class 769 when they arrive, along with the 17:18 equivalent Turbo return working from Paddington.

I followed today's diagram and it headed out for Great Malvern once arrived in Paddington.  I had wondered if it headed for Bedwyn, but apparently not!   I would expect diagrams to change in December ... but will the 769s be as wide ranging as Paddington and Great Malvern, or is this slated as one of the diagrams for 80x units once they're all in service?


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on March 14, 2019, 15:30:11
They won’t go beyond Oxford, and might not even go beyond Didcot or even Reading regularly.  As you say, the diagrams, and times of trains, will alter significantly come the end of the year.

I don’t believe there will be any Cotswold Line services formed by Turbos from then, except the morning ‘Halts’ train.  That was the original plan anyway.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on March 15, 2019, 14:35:05
Does the 'halt' service include the 06.53/07.01 we're discussing? I think its going to struggle in its current format. Based on the totally unscientific basis of a couple of people I work with more people on the Oxford to Reading part of the journey are using it rather than change at Reading. For them its a much more comfortable journey and they get a seat. It also seems to be getting much busier at Twyford since I've been using it.

You could move the Henley connection back a few minutes so they get the next fast train although I can see that being unpopular as its slightly slower and 10 minutes later.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: grahame on March 15, 2019, 15:55:10
Does the 'halt' service include the 06.53/07.01 we're discussing?

The "halts" train is later ... (e.g.) 07:53 at Finstock, 08:10 Oxford, 08:28 Didcot from where you can catch the stopper at 08:35 to London at 10:02, or the express at 08:55 into London at 09:36

On return, it's the 16:22 from London, 17:25 at Oxford, 17:46 into Finstock.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: sanfrandragon on May 21, 2019, 08:09:21
Now an IET, and definitely not an upgrade!

Assuming 5 carriages is the normal length for this service, seating capacity is down significantly from the previous old-fashioned diesel, when most people getting on at Maidenhead could get a seat, now most of them can't.

In addition the single door entry makes it much slower to get on and off.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: didcotdean on May 21, 2019, 09:06:40
On Monday it passed Radley, Culham and Appleford because of a SDO issue - up to a 50 minute wait for the next one. On capacity it needs to be a 9 car ... although more door issues then :D


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: lordgoata on May 21, 2019, 09:17:29
Is this the same train that runs in the evening to Oxford, arriving at Maidenhead at 1740?

I happened to be at Maidenhead earlier last night, and the 1740 was delayed and I noticed it was an IET instead of the old turbo. I did check RTT but it still had it down as a 165/166, so I wasn't sure - but seeing this today made me wonder if the turbo had been swapped for the IET permanently (or at least for this time table change).


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on May 21, 2019, 09:43:39
That Oxford bound one is now booked for a 9-car IET.  It ran about 8 minutes late from Maidenhead onwards yesterday evening, because of problems not related to the train.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: lordgoata on May 21, 2019, 10:42:08
Thank you II (as always!) - might try it out tonight  :)


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on May 21, 2019, 21:25:23
Thank you II (as always!) - might try it out tonight  :)

Did you?  It arrived Maidenhead 4 minutes early tonight, start to stop in 18 minutes.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: lordgoata on May 22, 2019, 08:03:54
Did you?  It arrived Maidenhead 4 minutes early tonight, start to stop in 18 minutes.

I did indeed - my first time on an IET - and I see what everyone says about the seats - I thought the 387's were bad! Was not to badly loaded when it left Maidenhead (which surprised me given the earlier delays and cancellations), I was in coach H, but it was rammed solid at Reading. Might try further along the train next time I catch it. Given me a nice option for summers though - I couldn't stand the Turbo heat anymore!


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on May 28, 2019, 08:21:49
Been away so a bit of a surprise to see a 5 car IET pull in at Twyford.

I use to take the view that billions of pounds of investment had made no difference to my commute. Now I think its safe to say billions of pounds later it is far, far worse.

Absolutely packed and from some of the shouting I could hear not even sure everyone got on a Maidenhead. Talking to some of my fellow travellers many had already written to GWR to complain and been told it represented an increase in seats compared to the Turbo. And the train companies wonder why nobody likes them.

Seriously how can they think this is a sensible idea? As sanfrandragon says the layout makes it far worse with long delays on boarding/disembarking. I also noticed that many of the people standing had nothing to hold onto other than the tops of seats as presumably the IET weren't designed with the aim of everyone standing.

And this is only the Tuesday after a bank holiday with some schools away...



Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: TaplowGreen on May 28, 2019, 08:47:38
Quite a few cancellations between Reading - Paddington this morning due to overhead wire problems, perhaps that made the 0701 busier than usual?


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on May 28, 2019, 09:00:39
I think it’ll be a more consistent 12-car 387 service for fasts from Twyford/Maidenhead from December, (along with the TfL Rail stoppers) but until then a 5-car IET seems to be the best they can provide.  Some 387s are in for Heathrow mods and less Turbos are about.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on May 28, 2019, 09:01:28
Most of the fast trains still seemed to be running but could be a factor although I'd probably see that off set by more people than usual being away.

Talking to a few people though they said it had been the same all last week.

If you lost or declassified the 1 and half carriages of first class then the IET would probably be fine.



Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on May 28, 2019, 11:02:42
If you lost or declassified the 1 and half carriages of first class then the IET would probably be fine.

That’s only another 30 something seats, even if none of them are occupied by first class passengers.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on May 28, 2019, 11:43:52
If you lost or declassified the 1 and half carriages of first class then the IET would probably be fine.

That’s only another 30 something seats, even if none of them are occupied by first class passengers.

Is that all? I assumed it would be more but I think then there's going to be a lot of unhappy passengers at Maidenhead/Twyford.

Be interesting to see if people start reserving seats (which I'm guessing you can do now as its an IET?) as I think that will only make things worse.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Timmer on May 28, 2019, 11:46:42
Is that all? I assumed it would be more but I think then there's going to be a lot of unhappy passengers at Maidenhead/Twyford.
The '1' coach of first class you are referring to also contains the kitchen, Train Manager's office, space for 2 wheelchairs and a accessible toilet so there actually only a few First class seats in this coach.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: NickB on May 28, 2019, 19:41:26
The new 7.01 formation has pushed even more passengers on to the 7.08 which was spacious for a while following its conversion from HST to 9 car IET.

I am in full agreement that the 7.01 is grossly overcrowded and that the situation has worsened since the retirement of the Turbo.  It needs to be a 9 car urgently.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on May 31, 2019, 06:31:26
A warning that the 07:08 is also a 5-car this morning.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on May 31, 2019, 06:42:24
Update:  it’s terminated at Oxford anyway due to problems at Hayes.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: BBM on June 12, 2019, 08:43:45
I took this service from TWY this morning for the first time since it was converted to IET and it was a 9-car set so hopefully this is regular now. FC was at the front so I went towards the rear. Cars A & B and the rear door of C were off the end of platform 4 so I boarded through the front of C and walked down to A where there was plenty of empty seats, even after calling at MAI.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: TaplowGreen on June 12, 2019, 09:04:34
That's good news. I was at Ealing Broadway for the 1707 last night (cancelled, train fault)) and the 1720 was shortformed as a 3 car Turbo (another train fault). Managed to wedge myself on but it was packed beyond description and left many behind on the platform.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on June 12, 2019, 09:06:25
Interestingly it’s booked a 9-car for today only this week.  Rest of the week it’s a 5-car.  Perhaps a special event, or VIP, is being catered for later in the diagram?  Either way, don’t expect a 9-car next time sadly!


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on June 12, 2019, 09:59:00
Ah well that answers my question about where to stand next week...


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: NickB on June 12, 2019, 13:41:31
Ah well that answers my question about where to stand next week...

On the roof?


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on June 12, 2019, 18:14:00
Beginning to feel like that isn't it?


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: NickB on July 02, 2019, 07:14:42
Out of interest what is the relative seated capacity for Standard Class only of a 6 car turbo vs a 5 car IET ?


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on July 02, 2019, 08:25:59
According to Wikipedia a 5 Car Set IET had 45 First Class, 270 Standard.

The Turbos don't appear to have seating capacity listed but according to Angel Trains (so there may be regional variations) a 165 has 264 std, 24 1st class seats per 3-car unit and 170 Std, 16 1st class seats per 2-car unit.

So quite a big reduction although chatting to some  passengers at Maidenhead who complained to GWR they were told the IET was an improvement.

Twyford is starting to resemble Maidenhead now with a lot more jockeying for position and bad behaviour.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: broadgage on July 02, 2019, 08:32:43
I think that the figure for first class IET seating is out of date.
45 First class seats was the original plan, but the GWR units were downgraded to 36 first class seats.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: stuving on July 02, 2019, 08:41:59
I think that the figure for first class IET seating is out of date.
45 First class seats was the original plan, but the GWR units were downgraded to 36 first class seats.

I'm not sure how that's a "downgrade". Squeezing three more first-class eats into the DPTF1 might be, though. If your unmet need is for a seat, especially a standard class one, both would be upgrades.

The current seating diagrams show 290+36.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on July 02, 2019, 09:35:08
I'm not sure how that's a "downgrade". Squeezing three more first-class eats into the DPTF1 might be, though. If your unmet need is for a seat, especially a standard class one, both would be upgrades.

The current seating diagrams show 290+36.

Broadgage always tries to shoehorn the words 'downgrade', 'DMU' and 'half-length' into every post.   Much like ASLEF usually manage to include 'bulldoze' at least once in their press releases.  ;)

Totals I believe are:

5-Car IET 290+36, total 324
9-Car IET 576+71, total 647

6-Car Turbo has a total of 477-528 depending on which layout it is formed of.

4-car 387 is 224
8-car 387 is 448
12-car 387 is 672

In the case of IETs and 387s all seats are spacious whereas the three abreast Turbo ones aren't, even if you're slim.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: didcotdean on July 02, 2019, 12:00:29
There certainly are 'less than the best' classes of train covering some specific services in the Thames Valley at the moment: 5-carriage IETs on commuter stopping services from Oxford as here; 3-carriage turbos on Oxford fasts and the same running entirely under the wires to Reading etc. I don't doubt this is the best fit to the diagrams and what is available and capable of running, but is no consolation to those who have to bear the consequences. Maybe the jam will come tomorrow.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Celestial on July 02, 2019, 17:53:23
Broadgage always tries to shoehorn the words 'downgrade', 'DMU' and 'half-length' into every post.   Much like ASLEF usually manage to include 'bulldoze' at least once in their press releases.  ;)


Broadgage bingo, a game everyone can play. Who can be first to shout "IET" after getting all the above, plus short-form and buffet.  A bottle of port is first prize, and runner up gets a £5 voucher to spend on the IET trolley, assuming it ever gets to you of course.  Playing at least once daily, for the next 37 years.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: jamestheredengine on July 02, 2019, 20:46:58
In the case of IETs and 387s all seats are spacious

Except the ones with a door recess instead of a window. The wall seat on those seems very rarely to get taken, and for good reason.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Western Pathfinder on July 03, 2019, 23:38:24
A little light relief,or main line fun from GWR .
That nice young man with his beard,Mr Tim Dunn has been looking at the Maidenhead Bridge and its history On behalf Of GWR, do watch it to the end .

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=338647363723880&id=345127331805&refsrc=http%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FMllir4GATV&_rdr.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on July 11, 2019, 08:35:05
Absolutely rammed again although kudos to the driver (or train manager?) who declassified first class. I think this one of the first times I've seen this done outside of an incident or delays on a regular service. I think they did it yesterday as well but I had my headphones on by then.

If it becomes a regular thing I might go stand further up the platform but I'm guessing its dependent on the crew.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on July 11, 2019, 11:57:24
There’s a train manager on it as it makes calls at unstaffed stations en-route so they would make that decision.  It regularly loads to around 450 people, with 150-200 of those joining at Maidenhead, so one of the busiest GWR trains that are booked for a 5-car.

The planned 12-car 387 from December will be warmly welcomed!


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: sanfrandragon on July 12, 2019, 14:03:31
De-classified 1st class yesterday, but refused to today.

Instead the train manager shooed everyone out, after announcing there were seats towards the front, quickly ammended to there being standing room at the front.  Well thanks very much for providing standing room!

It's also a lottery if 1st class is at the back or front of the train.

And this is during the relatively quiet summer.  It's going to be carnage once everyone gets back from their hols and I predict lost tempers all round.  What GWR were thinking with the change of train or how this is providing an acceptable service is beyond me.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Oxonhutch on July 12, 2019, 14:18:40
I have successfully argued with the TM on two occasions that this train is automatically declassified as it it advertised in the Public Timetables as a standard class-only train. There is no mention of First Class on any of the journey feeds, nor on the platform information screens.   I did this in first class with a first class season ticket but being accompanied on both occasions by an offspring travelling with me to London with a standard plus 16-25 rail card.

If the service is not advertised as carrying first class it effectively doesn't carry it. That is why I don't use this train except in the company of my adult children as it carries no services and the pseudo-first class is full by Twyford and rammed by Maidenhead. By rights the 'First Class' seats should all be occupied after Goring and Streatley!


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on July 12, 2019, 16:44:12
There's no seat reservations either although I haven't looked at Trainline to see if I can reserve them on a standard ticket as opposed to my season ticket. Not sure I fancy my chances of getting people to move though if I did have a reservation.

Even with first class available its still pretty cosy and options at that time are limited as the train before it from Twyford is also an 5 car IET and just as packed as its the only non stop train to Paddington.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on August 07, 2019, 19:48:30
With details now much clearer, though still not 100% confirmed I thought I'd see what Maidenhead to London commuters can look forward to in the morning peak from December, against today.

Times covered are 06:30-08:45 departures which involve no more than two stops en-route, and journey times of no more than 35 minutes.

A train by train breakdown is listed below, but the headline estimated figure is an increase in carriages of 21 from 97, to 118.  Crucially in terms of the current crowding on the 07:01 5-car IET, the equivalent at 07:02 now becomes a 12-car 387, and the 07:08 equivalent at 07:07 remains a 9-car IET.  Six trains are formed of 12-car 387s against two currently.

As and when unconfirmed train lengths become certain I will update the list.

Today: (total of 97 carriages)
1P01 - 06:32 dep/06:54 arr - 8 car 387
1P02 - 06:42 dep/07:06 arr - 5 car IET
1P03 - 07:01 dep/07:24 arr - 5 car IET
1P04 - 07:08 dep/07:29 arr - 9 car IET
1P05 - 07:10 dep/07:36 arr - 8 car 387
1P06 - 07:18 dep/07:38 arr - 8 car 387
1P08 - 07:33 dep/07:55 arr - 12 car 387
1P09 - 07:44 dep/08:16 arr - 6 car Turbo
1P11 - 08:02 dep/08:24 arr - 12 car 387
1P81 - 08:06 dep/08:30 arr - 8 car 387
1K07 - 08:11 dep/08:41 arr - 5 car IET
1P15 - 08:32 dep/08:54 arr - 8 car 387

December: (total of 118 carriages)
1P92 - 06:33 dep/06:52 arr - 12 car 387
1P10 - 06:45 dep/07:05 arr - IET (assume 5-car as from Oxford)
1P75 - 07:02 dep/07:22 arr - 12 car 387
1P11 - 07:07 dep/07:24 arr - IET (assume 9-car as from Worcester)
1P76 - 07:15 dep/07:40 arr - 8 car 387 (length not confirmed)
1P77 - 07:32 dep/07:52 arr - 12 car 387
1K05 - 07:35 dep/07:54 arr - 8 car 387 (length not confirmed)
1P78 - 07:44 dep/08:19 arr - 8 car 387 (length not confirmed)
1P79 - 08:02 dep/08:22 arr - 12 car 387
1P80 - 08:14 dep/08:49 arr - 12 car 387 (hoped to be a 12-car - powers that be are working on it still)
1P81 - 08:31 dep/08:53 arr - 12 car 387
1P82 - 08:44 dep/09:09 arr - 8 car 387 (length not confirmed)


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Gordon the Blue Engine on August 08, 2019, 09:18:32
We will see an improvement at Pangbourne (and thus at Cholsey, Goring and Tilehurst also).  There are more and longer peak hour trains from December.  I agree with II that RTT info is changing frequently: when timings first went up last week some of our “semi-fasts” – ie non-stop from Maidenhead – were showing as running RL to Padd. These are now all showing ML.

I’m a bit surprised that there are no significant accelerations: journey times Pangbourne – Padd on a semi fast will be very similar to the timings now.

Finally, as has been said, it looks like some trains aren’t in RTT yet – eg I assume there will be a 1649 Padd – Didcot semi-fast.



Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: janes on August 08, 2019, 14:12:21
No it's not, it's a complete disaster! (for me anyway, as I commute from Tilehurst to Ealing Broadway) - NO local stopping services at all whatsoever in either the morning or evening peak apart from Crossrail trains (and to make it even worse that what I had expected, I can't even see their promised semifasts only calling at Reading/Twyford/Maidenhead/Slough/WD/EB/Pad, they all look like slower stoppers!)

So basically I'll either have to change at Reading or Maidenhead and endure a long, uncomfortable journey in a rattling cattle truck with no toilets or tables, or have go via Paddington in both the morning AND the evening, which is even worse than now, when I just have to do it in the evening. That option also will be much worse when the new Crossrail platforms come in as it will make changing at Paddington a lot more complicated on top of everything else.

Just don't understand why they are doing something that will unnecessarily INCREASE the number of people who need to change at Paddington, when the whole point of Crossrail was to do the opposite.... Grrrrr!!!


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Gordon the Blue Engine on August 13, 2019, 10:53:04
Finally, as has been said, it looks like some trains aren’t in RTT yet – eg I assume there will be a 1649 Padd – Didcot semi-fast.

I think I assumed wrong.  Looks like this train isn't going to run from December: its path Padd-Rdg has got a better offer, and its path Rdg - Didcot is being filled by a new stopper from Padd leaving Rdg at the same time as the 1649 ex Padd does now ie 1725. I don't know what time Janes finishes but this train calls at Ealing Broadway at 1634.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on August 13, 2019, 11:01:17
12-car evening services are planned to be the 17:20, 17:50, 18:20 and 18:49 Paddington to Didcot services (17:20 and 18:20 detach a portion at Reading).


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: janes on August 14, 2019, 13:40:42
"I don't know what time Janes finishes but this train calls at Ealing Broadway at 1634"

That would be an incredibly early finish for me - I tend to leave the office between 17:00 and 18:30 depending on the day of the week - and it's then a 10-15 minute walk to EB station (I can get so much more work done in that last hour or so once everyone else has gone home! :)) However to look on the marginally brighter side, it is still half an hour later than the last stopping service now, so may find myself using it on the odd occasion.

Still doesn't explain what has happened to the semifasts though...

And to bring the topic back to the actual thread (mods, I think some of these posts actually belong on the new timetable thread - but I was just replying to one that was there already, your honour!) - the situation is likely to result in the fast Twy-Mai-Pad trains being even more full of those of us from the local stations between Didcot and Reading who are turning back at Paddington to EB than they are now, because we are losing our two stopping options that we have now in the mornings which a lot of us use.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: TaplowGreen on August 16, 2019, 05:51:21
There's no seat reservations either although I haven't looked at Trainline to see if I can reserve them on a standard ticket as opposed to my season ticket. Not sure I fancy my chances of getting people to move though if I did have a reservation.

Even with first class available its still pretty cosy and options at that time are limited as the train before it from Twyford is also an 5 car IET and just as packed as its the only non stop train to Paddington.

No seats at all today.....

05:50 Oxford to London Paddington due 07:24
05:50 Oxford to London Paddington due 07:24 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on August 16, 2019, 08:33:42
I did think this is one way of dealing with over crowding as I stood waiting on the platform.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on September 02, 2019, 08:22:43
Late this morning as there appeared to be a new train scheduled before it. There was a 06.51 to Twyford - Henley waiting on the London platform this morning for several minutes which caused the London trains to be delayed. Bit of a surprise if anyone can shed any light on it?


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: stuving on September 02, 2019, 09:57:17
Late this morning as there appeared to be a new train scheduled before it. There was a 06.51 to Twyford - Henley waiting on the London platform this morning for several minutes which caused the London trains to be delayed. Bit of a surprise if anyone can shed any light on it?

That confused me - you mean at Twyford.  The 6:51 isn't new, but it usually runs from P5. The Henley train should arrive from Reading at 5:45 and reverse in P4 for its first run on the branch. Today it was meant to come from Slough, for some reason, but the first Henley rotation was cancelled due to (guess what) "overrunning engineering works (I5)." So it arrived an hour later, when even a couple of minutes in P4 delays at least two trains.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on September 02, 2019, 10:39:02

ah - that makes sense. Glad its not going to be a regular occurrence as as you say it has quite a big knock on effect to other services.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: stuving on September 02, 2019, 10:46:54

ah - that makes sense. Glad its not going to be a regular occurrence as as you say it has quite a big knock on effect to other services.

Big? Two trains were five minutes or less late at Twyford and Maidenhead; both were back on time into Paddington. Was there anything else?


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on September 02, 2019, 12:48:32
Well you yourself said even a couple of minutes delay impacts at least two trains. It also doesn't seem to take much to knock the whole timetable off kilter but I was mainly looking at the 06.53 which is regularly slightly late in Paddington. Even a couple of minutes each day starts to get tedious on a regular commute especially on a train that is so crowded.

Still it was a one off so crisis averted.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: NickB on September 19, 2019, 18:58:51
The announcers at Maidenhead have, this week, taken a new approach to managing the 7.01 - ‘Project Fear’ 😁

The arrival of the 7.01 is now preceded by a del station that it is ‘extremely busy and full and standing and formed of only 5 coaches’. Instead of boarding customers should move to platform 2 for the 7.08 ‘which has 9 coaches’.

This has had the effect of making the 7.08 ‘full and standing’ so no gain there. Maybe I’ll start a thread about the 7.08...

They also managed to balls this up on Tuesday when the 7.08 was shortformed resulting in the 7.01 leaving relatively empty and the 7.08 leaving passengers on the platform. Slow hand clap.

I’m curious about how the announcer knows that it is full and standing in advance. Does the train manager call ahead or, as I suspect, the announcer is making it up as he goes?


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on September 20, 2019, 13:53:27
I expect they're just trying to help even out the number of people over the two trains as best as possible until the improvements in December?  Two very full trains is better than one incredibly full train and one full train I suppose?  Not a bad thing, unless the 07:08 is a 5-car.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on September 20, 2019, 14:06:38
I did wonder if there had been some changes at Maidenhead as the number of people waiting and then standing has seemed slightly less than usual. I assumed they'd just declassified first class and everyone was stood there.

I think its was Wednesday when the 06.43 at Twyford was cancelled/delayed/evaporated which meant the 06.53/07.01 was completely packed even before it arrived at Maidenhead.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: TaplowGreen on September 20, 2019, 17:44:41
I expect they're just trying to help even out the number of people over the two trains as best as possible until the improvements in December? 

There speaks an optimist!  :)


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: grahame on September 20, 2019, 17:59:27
I’m curious about how the announcer knows that it is full and standing in advance. Does the train manager call ahead or, as I suspect, the announcer is making it up as he goes?

Don't the IETs have systems for monitoring the relative loading in carriages - be that weight or numbers through the doors.  A bit of automatic calculation on there will suggest an answer, as well as feeding the new information systems which are starting to show which carriages are best to join.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on September 20, 2019, 18:23:05
I expect they're just trying to help even out the number of people over the two trains as best as possible until the improvements in December? 

There speaks an optimist!  :)

Quite optimistic about this one, as the 07:01 5-car IET becomes an 07:02 formed by a 12-car 387.  :P


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on September 21, 2019, 08:55:24
I’m curious about how the announcer knows that it is full and standing in advance. Does the train manager call ahead or, as I suspect, the announcer is making it up as he goes?

Don't the IETs have systems for monitoring the relative loading in carriages - be that weight or numbers through the doors.  A bit of automatic calculation on there will suggest an answer, as well as feeding the new information systems which are starting to show which carriages are best to join.

IETs do have that facility based on a counting system.  There’s also advanced plans to provide real-time data to staff (and passengers) based on mobile phone signals.  I believe this is the research scheme:

https://ts.catapult.org.uk/current-projects/railwatch/

https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=103968


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: stuving on September 21, 2019, 09:42:32
What was specified for IEP came in two parts. The counting system per se was required to count people through the doors, both on/off and between coaches, to give occupancy per coach to 5% or one person. The result of that was to be available on board in the TMS, and remotely at control.

The second part was a single sentence within the passenger information spcification: "The PIS must utilise the data from the passenger counting system to indicate to passengers within the IEP Train the status of the occupancy of each IEP Vehicle." I don't think that exists - at least I've never noticed it. In which case it's hard to tell whether tthe counting system itself is operational.

It would make sense to have something that puts loading information on line, or in stations, etc., drawing its data from whatever sources there are. Presumably a built-in counter should be better than one installed on a few platforms, and counting phones might (or might not - lots of assumptions there) be quite good as well, and in any case be cheaper to implement widely. But note - that's a "should", not a "will".


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on September 21, 2019, 09:49:54
‘Occupancy’ columns have started to appear on industry systems, though not yet populated with any data, indicating that implementation for some trains at least is imminent.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on November 05, 2019, 19:55:46
Wrong way round today again  (or opposite from how its been for the last couple of months).

Highlighted how unsuitable these trains are for this route as most of the platform all tried to board through the same two doors to avoid First Class.

Roll on December


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: sanfrandragon on November 06, 2019, 09:08:16
I’m curious about how the announcer knows that it is full and standing in advance. Does the train manager call ahead or, as I suspect, the announcer is making it up as he goes?

Don't the IETs have systems for monitoring the relative loading in carriages - be that weight or numbers through the doors.  A bit of automatic calculation on there will suggest an answer, as well as feeding the new information systems which are starting to show which carriages are best to join.

IETs do have that facility based on a counting system.  There’s also advanced plans to provide real-time data to staff (and passengers) based on mobile phone signals.  I believe this is the research scheme:

https://ts.catapult.org.uk/current-projects/railwatch/

https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=103968

I note that many people nowadays have 2 phones, presumably one for work and one for personal use.  Carriages are going to seem very overcrowded if occupancy is measured by phone signal!


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on November 06, 2019, 12:06:57
I guess there will be some kind of allowance averaged out for the likely percentage of people with no phone and those with more than one device.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on November 25, 2019, 10:59:00
3 coaches this morning.

With my season ticket due for renewal next week I can see me becoming increasing incoherent and inarticulate if this continues.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on December 10, 2019, 18:39:43
1P10, 06:45 departure confirmed as a 9-car IET, and 1P11 is a 10-car IET (after Oxford), and two unconfirmed 387 services have now been confirmed - list updated.

As and when unconfirmed train lengths become certain I will update the list.

Today: (total of 97 carriages)
1P01 - 06:32 dep/06:54 arr - 8 car 387
1P02 - 06:42 dep/07:06 arr - 5 car IET
1P03 - 07:01 dep/07:24 arr - 5 car IET
1P04 - 07:08 dep/07:29 arr - 9 car IET
1P05 - 07:10 dep/07:36 arr - 8 car 387
1P06 - 07:18 dep/07:38 arr - 8 car 387
1P08 - 07:33 dep/07:55 arr - 12 car 387
1P09 - 07:44 dep/08:16 arr - 6 car Turbo
1P11 - 08:02 dep/08:24 arr - 12 car 387
1P81 - 08:06 dep/08:30 arr - 8 car 387
1K07 - 08:11 dep/08:41 arr - 5 car IET
1P15 - 08:32 dep/08:54 arr - 8 car 387

December: (total of 119 carriages)
1P92 - 06:33 dep/06:52 arr - 12 car 387
1P10 - 06:45 dep/07:05 arr - 9 car IET
1P75 - 07:02 dep/07:22 arr - 12 car 387
1P11 - 07:07 dep/07:24 arr - 10 car IET
1P76 - 07:15 dep/07:40 arr - 8 car 387 (length not confirmed)
1P77 - 07:32 dep/07:52 arr - 12 car 387
1K05 - 07:35 dep/07:54 arr - 8 car 387
1P78 - 07:44 dep/08:19 arr - 8 car 387 (length not confirmed)
1P79 - 08:02 dep/08:22 arr - 12 car 387
1P80 - 08:14 dep/08:49 arr - 8 car 387
1P81 - 08:31 dep/08:53 arr - 12 car 387
1P82 - 08:44 dep/09:09 arr - 8 car 387 (length not confirmed)


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: NickB on December 16, 2019, 07:17:49
12-cars it may have been but it was still full and standing throughout, late, and on the wrong platform.

Today is not a good start.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Adelante_CCT on December 16, 2019, 07:39:37
This mornings issues are signal failure related rather than lack of stock, causing many problems in the Twyford/Maidenhead area.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: sanfrandragon on December 16, 2019, 08:14:29
12-cars it may have been but it was still full and standing throughout, late, and on the wrong platform.

Today is not a good start.

You beat me to it.  12 minutes late.

Not a great start ::)


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on December 16, 2019, 10:03:01
12-cars it may have been but it was still full and standing throughout, late, and on the wrong platform.

Today is not a good start.

off sick today so didn't go into London but this is so disappointing to hear.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on December 16, 2019, 10:46:57
Was it crush loaded like the old 5-car train was, or just full with a few standees?  I see it left virtually on time and the following 10-car 07:07 was expected to be between 5 and 10 minutes late so perhaps more people made a dash for it than would have otherwise? 

The previous 06:45 left at 06:53 and was the newly extended 9-car IET, so that’s 31 carriages worth leaving Maidenhead on fast trains within the space of about 25 minutes!


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: NickB on December 16, 2019, 18:26:46
Looked pretty cosy from where I was stood.  If anything it looked as though there were more passengers onboard from previous stations, and then the avalanche of maidenhead passengers that have been waiting for a full-size, earlier, service than the previous 7.08 will gravitate towards this enhanced service.  Deleting the 7.10 service from the new timetable doesn’t help space people out either.

The return trip this evening is looking pretty ropey already. The reduction in frequency of services compounded by poor platforming decisions, cancellations and late calls for boarding reduce my overall rating for today to 2/10. Those points being scored for not having to travel via Marylebone.



Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: TaplowGreen on December 17, 2019, 07:35:13
I see the 0707 missed out Maidenhead today - apparently because it was running 8 minutes late?


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: NickB on December 17, 2019, 09:40:53
Indeed it did. ‘A fault on this service’, that didn’t prevent it stopping at Oxford or Reading after that fault was declared.  Perhaps the fault discovered was an allergy to delay repay 😉

Needless to say that the 7.02 from maidenhead was full and standing throughout.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on December 17, 2019, 11:26:37
It was 12 minutes late from Oxford after being delayed on the Cotswold Line.  It has to stop there as it couples to another unit.  Expect more ‘brutal’ decisions like that though.  Nothing whatsoever to do with delay-repay, but simply because anything late holding up the mains at Maidenhead will knock on to other services for a long while after.

At least the 07:02 was 12-cars, departed from the right platform, and was early into Paddington.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: NickB on December 17, 2019, 17:44:21
We appear to be entering a glass half-empty vs glass half-full circular here so I shall state for the record that I acknowledge that teething problems with the timetable might be expected, but I am also simply stating my opinion of the service provided, and doing so as a passenger/customer/client of GWR.
 
Maidenhead has an acknowledged capacity problem (that will only get worse when another 10,000 homes are built in the next decade) and therefore curtailing a popular peak service such as the 7.07 so that it doesn't 'hold up the mains' fails to acknowledge that there were actual people expecting that train to arrive and take them to Paddington.  A delayed arrival at Paddington for the 7.07 and the 2 trains behind it that are caught in that 12min window is not, in my opinion, as important as people arriving at the station and having no service to take them at all, particularly as it still found time to stop at Reading which has a wide range of fast services.
If the 7.07 becomes a victim of frequent curtailment then what will likely happen is that myself and my fellow passengers will cease to 'expect' it to arrive and will therefore squash on to the 7.02, negating any benefit of the upgrade in formation.  It is also worth noting that Maidenhead used to have the 7.10 (slough and paddington only) that used to catch anyone who really wanted a seat or whose train had been curtailed but this has now been removed.  That means that the capacity in that super-peak window of 6.45-7.15 has shrunk from 23 carriages to 20, and this morning was only 12.
 
I was really happy with GWR services over the past year.  I really thought that they had got their act together, but the new timetable feels like a backward step, in my opinion.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on December 17, 2019, 18:12:53
I'd echo Nick's sentiments but from a Twyford viewpoint. It's very frustrating when the 'fast' Maidenhead/Twyford trains go non stop to London/Reading as that's not where the capacity issues are. Similarly we seem spoilt for choice on stopping services but they're pretty empty from Twyford and I'd imagine its the same at Maidenhead. Equally though they're packed by the time they reach London. Without changing the topic its why I'm not convinced about Crossrail for this area.

I still have high hopes for Twyford and the new timetable if only to replace the terrible 5 car IET at 06.53. This was a reasonable service (with hindsight) when a 6 car turbo so hopefully its just infrastructure issues that means the (eventual) 12 car replacement is packed. Maybe its the butterfly flaps its wings effect and a change someone else we've not clocked is causing it to be packed? Can't think what though as it was already a Didcot stopper and pretty full from the Henley connection.

The 06.44 non stop to Paddington still exists (on paper anyway). That has variously been a 9 car 125 to a 3 car turbo and always crowded. Not sure what it is currently but if that was upgraded (if it hasn't been already) then it would ease some of the pressure on Maidenhead. The previous 5 car IET though didn't make it worth the grief from a personal point of view.

It does make me worry what it will be like in a couple of years time with all the house building promised/threatened.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on December 18, 2019, 00:00:08
Maidenhead has an acknowledged capacity problem (that will only get worse when another 10,000 homes are built in the next decade) and therefore curtailing a popular peak service such as the 7.07 so that it doesn't 'hold up the mains' fails to acknowledge that there were actual people expecting that train to arrive and take them to Paddington.  A delayed arrival at Paddington for the 7.07 and the 2 trains behind it that are caught in that 12min window is not, in my opinion, as important as people arriving at the station and having no service to take them at all, particularly as it still found time to stop at Reading which has a wide range of fast services.

I can see the logic, and I can see your point about sacrificing the Reading stop rather than the Maidenhead one, but in terms of just delaying the next two trains, I'm afraid it's far from that simple.

Between Ruscombe to Taplow that train recovered five minutes this morning, so that's approximately the 'cost of the stop' in terms of time.  Doesn't sound much, does it?  But it's not just the one, two or three trains that might have caught it up running behind, it's the concertina affect that can have further back - a bit like when a motorist touches the brakes on the M25 that resulting in a log-jam a few minutes later a junction or two back. 

Then there's the feeding points to the main lines to consider, so at Maidenhead East, Slough West, Dolphin Junction and Airport Junction there are all possible conflicts with trains coming off the relief lines to the mains.  If they have to wait five minutes they can knock on trains behind them, or possibly trains heading on the relief line in the other direction when they do get to cross over.  If they get the signal ahead of the 07:07 then that can lose much more time very quickly as it catches up with them. 

Then there's the flighting of platforms at Paddington to consider - everything arrives and departs on a sequence, so an extra delay to an arrival can mean a delayed departure to other services.  Or if bad enough the next working of that train can be delayed, which can affect other arrivals and departures, even if, like that one, the train only goes to North Pole Depot after arrival.

The new timetable is tighter than ever in that regard, hence my comment about brutal decisions being more likely.  Saving five or so minutes on a critical part of the route can save knock on delays reaching the hundreds of minutes surprisingly easily.  I do get understand all that is not the passengers problem, but hopefully that explains a little more why a decision such as this morning's is taken in the wider interest?

If the 7.07 becomes a victim of frequent curtailment then what will likely happen is that myself and my fellow passengers will cease to 'expect' it to arrive and will therefore squash on to the 7.02, negating any benefit of the upgrade in formation.
 

That train is certainly more fragile than it was and is likely to be more susceptible to problems.  That's basically down to it now running as a 5-car from Worcester and getting another 5-cars attached at Oxford, rather than running as a 9-car throughout.  Previously it had five minutes booked at Oxford, and if on time usually arrived a couple of minutes early, so there was a bit of leeway should it be running a few minutes late.  That booked time at Oxford is now seven minutes, but with the coupling procedure that time is instantly eaten up - indeed this morning it lost a couple more minutes.  Expect that operation to get a little slicker over time, but this is the first time IET's have coupled at Oxford, and the first time for a lot of drivers that they have coupled up in service ever.  More time is ideally needed.  It then has two minutes less to get to Maidenhead which was slack in the old HST based schedule, but again that gave it a little more scope to make back a few minutes worth of delay.

We will see whether it becomes one of the genuine problem trains that action has to be taken over when a little more data on it is received, but like I say, I fear it will be far less reliable - initially at least - than the old incarnation of it.

It is also worth noting that Maidenhead used to have the 7.10 (slough and paddington only) that used to catch anyone who really wanted a seat or whose train had been curtailed but this has now been removed.  That means that the capacity in that super-peak window of 6.45-7.15 has shrunk from 23 carriages to 20, and this morning was only 12.

The 07:10 was principally designed to be a commuter train for the good people of Slough, rather than Maidenhead.  It hasn't been removed, it just runs 5 minutes later from Maidenhead (arriving 4 minutes later at Paddington).  It's the 07:18 that's been removed from Maidenhead which no doubt is the reason behind the extra passengers for the two earlier trains.  I wonder how the following 07:32 now loads?

The capacity in the the 'super-peak' 06:45-07:15 window you describe is now:
06:45 - 9-car IET
07:02 - 12-car 387
07:07 - 10-car IET
07:15 - 8-car 387
Total: 39 carriages, but down to 29 today.

Stretching that window slightly, it used to be:
06:42 - 5-car IET
07:01 - 5-car IET
07:08 - 8-car IET
07:10 - 8-car 387
07:18 - 8-car 387
Total: 34 carriages.

I can see how the 07:07 is a big loss, but it's nowhere near the shrinkage you describe, and is an increase when everything goes to plan.  Fingers crossed for tomorrow!


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: TaplowGreen on December 18, 2019, 05:46:36
0707 is running today (as I write this) but the 0715 & 0735 are cancelled (amongst many others this morning).


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on December 18, 2019, 06:49:04
0707 is running today (as I write this) but the 0715 & 0735 are cancelled (amongst many others this morning).

Quite a few now reinstated.  Not the 0735 though.  07:07 has left Oxford on time.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on December 18, 2019, 06:58:44
07:35 now reinstated.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: NickB on December 18, 2019, 07:12:13
Thank you for taking the time to pen such a lengthy reply. The context around knock on impact was particularly helpful.

There used to be such slack in the 7.08 service schedule that it would often arrive before 8am. Now it is apparently wound so tightly that a gnat will knock it off course. I still can’t see that as progress, but maybe it will bed down.

FWIW, I write this from sat in the luggage rack of the 7.02.  I reckon it arrived today with maybe 5 seats free per carriage and is back to ‘crush loaded’. The 7.07 may follow soon after but it takes a lot for passengers to decide not to board a train right in front of them. Again, maybe this will even out over time but having two days of problems on the 7.07 already have cast its die for my fellow commuters.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on December 18, 2019, 07:39:31
It was pretty good today, got slowed slightly on the approach waiting the 07:02 to depart in fact.  Five minutes late into Paddington due to the speed restriction at Slough. 

Perhaps take the ‘risk’ of waiting tomorrow if it’s looking good?  It would be good to know how it’s loading.  If it’s left Reading within a minute or two of it’s booked time, which you’d know by the time the 07:02 would be leaving then it’s unlikely there will be a problem. 

I can understand the reticence of doing so mind you.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: lordgoata on December 18, 2019, 07:48:45
FWIW, I write this from sat in the luggage rack of the 7.02.  I reckon it arrived today with maybe 5 seats free per carriage and is back to ‘crush loaded’. The 7.07 may follow soon after but it takes a lot for passengers to decide not to board a train right in front of them. Again, maybe this will even out over time but having two days of problems on the 7.07 already have cast its die for my fellow commuters.

I was on this from Goring at 06:32 due to the 06:45 being cancelled past Reading (why?). I was in carriage 1 and seating wise, it was 50% full when it left Reading. At Twyford, was as good as 100% full - I could only see 2 empty seats.

As it left Maidenhead, it was full and standing in all carriages, the ones towards the back which stop next to the stairs being very full as every one tried to cram on.

There were several people waiting for the following service on Platform 2, and did not even attempt to board.

Any why did they only extend the platforms to take 10 carriages, when they obviously knew they would be increasing to 12?! The front 7 already suffer extra loading due to mainly being the ones most accessable at the prior stations, and then at one of the busiest loading points, they can still not get into all carriages from the platform.

I've avoided coming in all week so far, because I just knew it would be a mess. On Monday I wanted to get a train to Pangbourne, but the one I would have gotten back was cancelled. Yesterday I tried to get a different train to Pangborne - it was cancelled. Today I tried to get what will be my usual train to Maidenhead, it was cancelled past Reading. So much for progress....



Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on December 18, 2019, 07:57:53
The 06:45 from Goring ran as usual in the end, I don’t know for sure, as I’m not at work, but I am guessing defective track was found at Slough, but a patch up was made so in the end a whole host of trains shown as cancelled were altered back to running as normal (with minimal delays slowing through Slough).

It was reinstated at 06:32 on the systems, so too late for most Thames Valley commuters who had got the earlier train, which of course is the 07:02 from Maidenhead - that may go some way to explaining why that was packed solid today?


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: lordgoata on December 18, 2019, 08:11:58
The 06:45 from Goring ran as usual in the end, I don’t know for sure, as I’m not at work, but I am guessing defective track was found at Slough, but a patch up was made so in the end a whole host of trains shown as cancelled were altered back to running as normal (with minimal delays slowing through Slough).

It was reinstated at 06:32 on the systems, so too late for most Thames Valley commuters who had got the earlier train, which of course is the 07:02 from Maidenhead - that may go some way to explaining why that was packed solid today?

Thanks for the info, as always II. Thankfully I am not coming in anymore until the New Year, so will see what its like then!


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: BBM on December 18, 2019, 08:44:09
I made one of my now very irregular work journeys into PAD from TWY this morning catching the 06:54 (07:02 from MAI). The 06:48 was cancelled which might have accounted for any extra passengers. However I boarded in coach 8, the rearmost with opening doors at TWY, and walked down to coach 11 where there was only about 3 or 4 passengers already there. After the MAI stop it got rather busier but it was still only about half full. From what others are saying it looks like the train was much busier further forward?


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on December 18, 2019, 12:49:27
Thanks for that BBM - presumably coach 12 on the 07:02 was the same as coach 11?  That’s the place to head for the best chance of a seat then?  It would be good if Nick and others can try that part of the train to see whether it is usually like that.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: sanfrandragon on December 18, 2019, 12:54:01
Thanks for that BBM - presumably coach 12 on the 07:02 was the same as coach 11?  That’s the place to head for the best chance of a seat then?  It would be good if Nick and others can try that part of the train to see whether it is usually like that.

I was towards the back this am, probably coach 11 or 10, I wasnt counting.  It was full and standing from Maidenhead.  Didn't get a seat.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: BBM on December 18, 2019, 12:57:41
Thanks for that BBM - presumably coach 12 on the 07:02 was the same as coach 11?  That’s the place to head for the best chance of a seat then?  It would be good if Nick and others can try that part of the train to see whether it is usually like that.

I was at the back this am, probably coach 11 or 10, I wasnt counting.  It was full and standing.  Didn't get a seat.

It was probably coach 10. I wish now I'd taken a photo of coach 11 as proof! At MAI i'd say that more people walked past me into coach 12 than sat down in coach 11 but I'd guess it was just as quiet - presumably if it'd been busy then those people would have returned to coach 11 to grab the empty seats.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on December 18, 2019, 13:10:08
Sanfrandragon if you could perhaps also try 11 and 12 next time you catch it?  I’m not suggesting everyone will get a seat by any means but the better spread out everyone is the better.

Many times I’ve seen trains packed at one end with plenty of seats at the other - hardly anyone moves down even when announcements are made on the train!  I guess for 20 minutes some don’t think it’s worth it?


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: sanfrandragon on December 18, 2019, 14:06:58
Thanks for that BBM - presumably coach 12 on the 07:02 was the same as coach 11?  That’s the place to head for the best chance of a seat then?  It would be good if Nick and others can try that part of the train to see whether it is usually like that.

I was at the back this am, probably coach 11 or 10, I wasnt counting.  It was full and standing.  Didn't get a seat.

It was probably coach 10. I wish now I'd taken a photo of coach 11 as proof! At MAI i'd say that more people walked past me into coach 12 than sat down in coach 11 but I'd guess it was just as quiet - presumably if it'd been busy then those people would have returned to coach 11 to grab the empty seats.

Good intel thanks, I'll try right at the back tomorrow.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: NickB on December 18, 2019, 15:22:22
I’ll give it a bash tomorrow. I reckon I was in coach 8 or 9 (standing where I used to pick up Coach G of the old IET)


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on December 18, 2019, 15:46:12
Any why did they only extend the platforms to take 10 carriages, when they obviously knew they would be increasing to 12?! The front 7 already suffer extra loading due to mainly being the ones most accessable at the prior stations, and then at one of the busiest loading points, they can still not get into all carriages from the platform.

I should imagine that will be down to who was paying for the extensions.  At Maidenhead Crossrail will have paid as they need to get their 9-car 345s to fit.  They’re roughly the same length as ten coaches worth of 387.  The number of longer formations of 387s or IETs operated by GWR is small - i.e. not an all day operation like at Slough, so I expect nobody wanted to cough up any more money.

That being said, the down relief platform at Maidenhead (and Twyford) are both good for 12-car 387s, so at least all doors open on the way home!


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: stuving on December 18, 2019, 17:47:44
Any why did they only extend the platforms to take 10 carriages, when they obviously knew they would be increasing to 12?! The front 7 already suffer extra loading due to mainly being the ones most accessable at the prior stations, and then at one of the busiest loading points, they can still not get into all carriages from the platform.

I should imagine that will be down to who was paying for the extensions.  At Maidenhead Crossrail will have paid as they need to get their 9-car 345s to fit.  They’re roughly the same length as ten coaches worth of 387.  The number of longer formations of 387s or IETs operated by GWR is small - i.e. not an all day operation like at Slough, so I expect nobody wanted to cough up any more money.

That being said, the down relief platform at Maidenhead (and Twyford) are both good for 12-car 387s, so at least all doors open on the way home!

Network Rail's project W004 "Thames Valley Electric Multiple Unit Capability Works" included platform lengthenings to take 387s throughout their operating routes, though the work at Slough and Maidenhead was noted as jointly funded with Crossrail. The list of 13 platforms required to reach 12-car length was:
  Slough – Platforms 2, 3, 4 and 5.
  Maidenhead – Platforms 1, 2 ,3, 4 and 5.
  Twyford – Platforms 1, 2 and 3.
  Didcot - Platform 3 – funded by IEP but still delivers 12 car EMU capability

In September 2018 this work was described in the plan as:
"Milestone:    EIS Infrastructure authorised (Paddington to Didcot)
Description:   Infrastructure authorised for passenger use
Date:      December 2017
Status:   Complete"



Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on December 18, 2019, 18:36:52
Well, that’s not happened at Maidenhead (except for Platform 3), or Twyford (also P3).


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on December 18, 2019, 19:57:39
I did wonder if I was reading that correctly as Twyford P3 was completed far later than December 2017.  ???

I think P1 already is 12 coaches or certainly very close so I wasn't expecting any work on that side of the station.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: stuving on December 18, 2019, 20:09:39
I did wonder if I was reading that correctly as Twyford P3 was completed far later than December 2017.  ???

I think P1 already is 12 coaches or certainly very close so I wasn't expecting any work on that side of the station.

Wrong way round - P3 was 244 m from a long time ago, while P1 and P2 were extended to 250 m in 2017/8.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on December 18, 2019, 20:29:04
P3 was extended at Twyford a very short distance, no more than 5 metres.  Correcting what I said earlier though, P1/2 are also 12-car 387 length.  P4, for obvious reasons, will remain 8-car only.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: stuving on December 18, 2019, 20:49:53
For the record, the following platform lengths (in m) are longer in the latest Western Sectional Appendix (November 2019) than they were in September 2018.

Slough
P2    208>254
P3    192>253
P4    161>253
P5    161>253

Maidenhead
P1    177>210
P2    199>211
P3    198>254
P4    205>204*
p5    205>209*

Twyford    (between June 2017 and June 2018)
P1    172>250
P2    182>250
p3    244>250
[p4    180 no change]

*These look more like remeasurings than extensions

As to why NR claimed to have finished this before they actually did, or in the case of P1 and P2 at Maidenhead didn't fully, that's baffling.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: NickB on December 18, 2019, 23:24:42
Why would platform 2 at Maidenhead be shorter than 3, given that they are the same block?


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: stuving on December 18, 2019, 23:42:05
Why would platform 2 at Maidenhead be shorter than 3, given that they are the same block?

I wondered that - and the best guess I can come up with is OLE in the way near the platform edge. But from satellite pictures (which predate the extensions) that seems to be just a true on the existing length. But just a minute - haven't you noticed that?


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on December 18, 2019, 23:43:46
Why would platform 2 at Maidenhead be shorter than 3, given that they are the same block?

If you look at platform 3 at the London end it now extends a little further.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: NickB on December 19, 2019, 08:13:49
So the good news is that carriages 10-12 on the 7.02 provided plenty of seats today. Judging by the tube school holidays have kicked in today as well which will help. I think I’ve found my new regular spot on the platform though... bye bye to my travellers from coach 8 after all these years 😁

The bad news is that the 7.07 was badly delayed and lots of cancellations followed that one (only maidenhead cancelled!), so I return to my earlier point about the timetable being wound too tightly. It looks like the linkup at Oxford did for the 7.07 today.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on December 19, 2019, 10:39:50
That’s good to hear.  As you say, numbers will now drop, especially from tomorrow so please report back in the New Year when everyone returns as to how it’s coping.

The actual coupling of the 07:07 went very smoothly this morning, the empty set from the sidings caused the problem as despite having the signal it took several minutes to move - don’t know why.  At least it retained the Maidenhead stop, and it was the following 07:15 that had a Maidenhead stop removed (along with Twyford), but kept its stop at Slough.  The 07:35 also skipped Maidenhead (a short train), but the 12-car 07:32 stopped and left 3 minutes late, arriving Paddington 8 minutes late, so there were 43 carriages worth provided from Maidenhead at 06:48, 07:02, 07:17 and 07:35.

I would say that’s probably the optimal outcome for Maidenhead if infrastructure problems are leading to delays as they were again today.  Perhaps somebody listened after the 07:07’s stop was culled earlier in the week? 

Let’s hope NR’s kit behaves itself properly in the New Year so we can determine just how resilient the new timetable is.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on December 19, 2019, 14:04:18
.. I think I’ve found my new regular spot on the platform though... bye bye to my travellers from coach 8 after all these years 😁 ...

Stand in a different spot? That sounds a bit drastic. We struggled with the idea of moving a couple of metres along the platform to align with the new doors. Fortunately that took us back to our regular spot of so many years for the DMUs so crisis averted.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on December 20, 2019, 12:05:59
Although commuting numbers were no doubt down this morning, all of the high peak Maidenhead trains ran within a couple of minutes of time and at the correct formation.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: NickB on January 02, 2020, 08:29:46
Happy new year!  The 7.07 extended its reputation as the problem child of the new timetable - cancelled today due to ‘a member of train crew being unavailable’ but it didn’t have a problem calling at every other station on it’s planned route.

Does anyone know when the new timetable is due for its first revision?!?


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: NickB on January 03, 2020, 08:05:26
7.07 cancelled again today.  Today’s given excuse was that a problem occurred when coupling units together, but that would again appear to be BS because it made every other calling point and was only 3mins late from oxford where the connection is made.

This lack of reliability tips all of the 7.07 passengers into the 7.01. An utter mess.



Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on January 03, 2020, 10:32:38
Totally with you this morning, Nick.  As it left Reading just two minutes late, and at its worst was 4 minutes late from Oxford, that was a ridiculous decision to remove the Maidenhead stop.  I note that shortly after it flew through Maidenhead (2 minutes early) it caught up with trains in front!


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: NickB on January 03, 2020, 10:43:30
Thanks II - what is your take on when the new timetable will be revised to sort out conspicuous problems such as this?


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: stuving on January 03, 2020, 11:49:03
Thanks II - what is your take on when the new timetable will be revised to sort out conspicuous problems such as this?

Isn't this what was expected, sooner or later? NR have always made clear that running more services on the Main Lines (taking advantage of the grade separation at Reading) requires the reduction in other conflicts inwards to Paddington. Those conflicts are the trains that stop at Twyford or Maidenhead on the Mains, and the (proper) semifasts that switch to or from the Reliefs. If there is less leeway to recover a train being late then skipping that stop is one way to get it back, and is more feasible than not switching to the Up Main!

Yesterday it was the stopping train that was late, but it could be a non-stop one. Today it's not clear that any train was late - the two following trains through P2 were early! I think they've just set the excuse generator to "random pick" for the time being.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on January 03, 2020, 12:19:51
Yes, I outlined the reasons why it might be the sensible thing to do if it’s at Reading getting on for ten minutes late in a post before Christmas.  No obvious such excuses today though.

It will get more slick as drivers get used to the coupling procedure at Oxford.  It’s  being done by Worcester drivers (most of whom have never coupled before in service) and are understandably taking it steady until more confident.  You could retime it a couple of minutes earlier from Worcester in the morning to allow a little more time, but that sort of change won’t be possible until May I doubt.

Until then it remains a risk, but if decisions like this morning are made then they might as well just take it out of the calling pattern totally!


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: sanfrandragon on January 06, 2020, 12:21:03
I was on the 7.02 this morning, first day back for most people I should think, but coach 8 wasn't too bad; just a couple of people left without seats.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on January 06, 2020, 12:32:22
A good morning all round this morning.  Even the 07:07 managed to stop at Maidenhead!  ;D


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on January 06, 2020, 13:12:46
In coach 4 I was surprised how crowded it was. Wasn't even sure I was going to get a seat when it pulled into Twyford.

Really struggling to understand why its so busy when you've gone from 3 and a bit IET coaches to 12 EMU (is that correct term)?

On the platform we were discussing the 'golden days' of the 5 or 6 coach DMUs where the boarding at Twyford was much more relaxed and polite than currently.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: TaplowGreen on January 07, 2020, 07:10:59
0702 not stopping at Maidenhead this morning as it's running 9 minutes late.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: NickB on January 07, 2020, 07:23:35
7.02 and 7.07 cancelled today due to a delay of moments.
7.15 via Slough formed of 8 coaches to take its normal flow plus the previous 20 carriages of passengers.
Car park full and turning cars away by 6.40 which is a new record.

Maidenhead is fast becoming a non-commuter town. I used to proudly state that from shutting my front door to standing on Paddington concourse could be done in 35 minutes. That same journey is now always over an hour and today will be an hour and twenty.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Timmer on January 07, 2020, 07:56:20
Maidenhead is trending on Twitter. Before even clicking on the page I knew exactly why.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on January 07, 2020, 08:50:13
07.02 didn't even reach Twyford until 07.06 but no information other than a continually changing display screen that was little help. At least the stopping trains are now purple so you know not to get on them if it's not clear which train has just arrived.

The irregular freight train that makes everything late turned up again as well. It must be scheduled so I'm never sure why trains have to run late because of it.

All in all another great start to the day  >:(


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: sanfrandragon on January 07, 2020, 08:52:57
7.02 and 7.07 cancelled today due to a delay of moments.
7.15 via Slough formed of 8 coaches to take its normal flow plus the previous 20 carriages of passengers.
Car park full and turning cars away by 6.40 which is a new record.

Maidenhead is fast becoming a non-commuter town. I used to proudly state that from shutting my front door to standing on Paddington concourse could be done in 35 minutes. That same journey is now always over an hour and today will be an hour and twenty.

My thoughts exactly.  If Maidenhead is going to become the sacrificial lamb for fast trains that are running late to make up time, its going to make commuting very unpleasant.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on January 07, 2020, 11:53:46
I can see why the 07:07 ran through this morning as it was 14 minutes late from Oxford (it only became 9 as a result of not making the stop), and the 07:01 was effectively running in its path being delayed by the freight train mentioned, but IMHO the 07:01 should have stopped. 

There would have been a reaction to the trains behind it as a result, but nothing too major and you should only remove 22 carriages worth of peak provision if there are major problems.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: johoare on January 07, 2020, 12:30:08
i am voting with my feet until the timetable settles down and because of the ridiculous lack of parking at Maidenhead.

My current commute:

35 minutes (traffic depending) drive from Maidenhead to Hounslow West. Lots of empty car parking spaces there at 7.30am (and I imagine it doesn't fill up all day from what I can see).
40 minutes ish from there to Victoria on the tube.

Car parking cost - £6.50 for they day
Transport costs - £9.50  (and no I don't always get a seat but for that price I really don't mind!)

NB - traffic back in the evening not so good yesterday so will see how that goes...


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: BBM on January 07, 2020, 13:39:23
i am voting with my feet until the timetable settles down and because of the ridiculous lack of parking at Maidenhead.

My current commute:

35 minutes (traffic depending) drive from Maidenhead to Hounslow West. Lots of empty car parking spaces there at 7.30am (and I imagine it doesn't fill up all day from what I can see).
40 minutes ish from there to Victoria on the tube.

Car parking cost - £6.50 for they day
Transport costs - £9.50  (and no I don't always get a seat but for that price I really don't mind!)

NB - traffic back in the evening not so good yesterday so will see how that goes...

Hounslow West is often mentioned on the Flyertalk frequent flyer forum as an alternative short term parking option for Heathrow. This post (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/31579109-post41.html) mentions it being less than half full, also on a weekday at 7.30am.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: NickB on January 07, 2020, 16:23:14
Very interesting johoare - I had wondered whether others had found alternative routes.

In related news I see that the forecourt carpark of maidenhead station is due to close imminently, with the loss of 80 further parking spaces.  No doubt this will occur prior to Silco Drive reopening.  The mind boggles!


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: johoare on January 07, 2020, 18:11:13
Hillingdon is another good tube station to use depending which part of London you are trying to get to. .That is in Zone 6 (Hounslow West is in Zone 5) so slightly more cost for travel but not much. It's not far from the A40 at all and is about 35 minutes drive  from Maidenhead too if traffic is ok. I imagine that car park does get full at some point but not that early.

Is Silco Drive definitely re-opening then finally?


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on January 07, 2020, 18:34:14
I really am going to have to learn to drive at this rate!

I know colleagues out West use Ruislip and then Central line although my driving geography is none existent to know how well that works. 


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: NickB on January 07, 2020, 18:36:59
It’s not the driving, it’s the parking that’s the problem!! 😉

Yes, I have it on good authority that Silco Drive will reopen in the not too distant future.  A bit like Crossrail...


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: nickswift99 on January 08, 2020, 06:32:30
I can also recommend Westfields at Shepherds Bush for parking (£6.50 a day if you register online) which has the benefits of easy access to the Central line (Zone 2), TFL rail and secure underground car parking.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on January 08, 2020, 08:54:45
In the interests of impartial reporting I should probably report I got a seat and arrived on time.  ;D

Bit depressing that this is the exception rather than the norm though.

Reading the Twitter posts the new timetable really doesn't seem to be working for Maidenhead. I thought it was a bit disingenuous of GWR to keep replying that services had now moved to TFL whenever people complained and they should catch a stopper.

It has added to my worry that with Crossrail proper will mean no fast trains for Twyford and Maidenhead.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: lordgoata on January 08, 2020, 09:26:33
I also note it must be so bad at Maidenhead now, there are 2 security guards on the platforms! I saw them yesterday and assumed they were catching the train (I walked past them before everyone had boarded at the door they were standing by), but they were there again today and after the train left, they wandered over to another platform.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on January 08, 2020, 09:29:54
Security guards, or just the regular TfL Rail staff?

Good to note the timetable was provided as planned this morning.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Reading General on January 08, 2020, 09:56:09


It has added to my worry that with Crossrail proper will mean no fast trains for Twyford and Maidenhead.
I think that this is what it’s always been leading to, both pairs of lines acting as separate railways, GWR on the fast lines and TFL only on the relief lines eventually. The gamble was always going to be frequency over travel time with crossrail.  Things may have been different if it finished at Heathrow or Slough. The amount of people at Maidenhead in the morning is probably only going to increase for the next couple of years and it’s a shame this change has led to some considering further car use.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: lordgoata on January 08, 2020, 10:26:26
Security guards, or just the regular TfL Rail staff?

Good to note the timetable was provided as planned this morning.

Security. I thought it was BTP at first (same type of uniform), but when they turned it had Security across their backs (white text on blue background if I recall)


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: NickB on January 08, 2020, 13:16:59
I’ve encountered these guys too. Proper overkill.
On Tuesday, when the 7.02 and 7.07 were cancelled and several hundred passengers were crammed on to Platform 4 in the cold, their role appeared to be enforcing the yellow line to prevent encroachment.

I’d love to know who pays for these guys, what their actual job is, and why maidenhead is deemed to be under such imminent threat.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: grahame on January 08, 2020, 14:15:34
I’ve encountered these guys too. Proper overkill.
On Tuesday, when the 7.02 and 7.07 were cancelled and several hundred passengers were crammed on to Platform 4 in the cold, their role appeared to be enforcing the yellow line to prevent encroachment.

I’d love to know who pays for these guys, what their actual job is, and why maidenhead is deemed to be under such imminent threat.

Probably a darned sight more to do that this security guard I came across ...

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/chathillsecurity.jpg)

To be fair, I chatted with her and learned that they were overstaffed that day and so she was taking a "reeky" to learn more about the area she and her colleagues covered ... this was a station she had never visited before.

Perhaps the guys at Maidenhead are under training for tougher assignments such as Taplow  :D


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: TaplowGreen on January 13, 2020, 05:32:02
0702, 0732, 0831 fast services all non stopping at Twyford and Maidenhead this morning according to Journeycheck.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: grahame on January 13, 2020, 06:14:49
0702, 0732, 0831 fast services all non stopping at Twyford and Maidenhead this morning according to Journeycheck.

Not running inward of Reading at all ...

Quote
06:21 Didcot Parkway to London Paddington due 07:22
06:21 Didcot Parkway to London Paddington due 07:22 will be terminated at Reading.
It will no longer call at Twyford, Maidenhead and London Paddington.
This is due to a speed restriction over defective track.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: TaplowGreen on January 13, 2020, 07:11:16
0702, 0732, 0831 fast services all non stopping at Twyford and Maidenhead this morning according to Journeycheck.

Not running inward of Reading at all ...

Quote
06:21 Didcot Parkway to London Paddington due 07:22
06:21 Didcot Parkway to London Paddington due 07:22 will be terminated at Reading.
It will no longer call at Twyford, Maidenhead and London Paddington.
This is due to a speed restriction over defective track.

0735 cancelled too.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on January 13, 2020, 08:45:47
Another great start to the day.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on January 14, 2020, 08:46:03
After the fun of getting home last night - Twyford being dropped from a couple of the services was really hoping for a smooth journey in.

Sadly not. Platform at Twyford was rammed so I'm guessing an earlier service was cancelled or ran fast to Paddington. As I couldn't get to my regular spot decided to take the drastic step of trying the rear 4 carriages. Didn't even get close. Was still queuing to get on when the TFL person told us to move back up the platform as the train was departing. Eventually ended up in carriage 9 which was standing room only.

Is this really the culmination of billions of pounds of investment in trains, track, signals and stations? A service that subjectively feels as bad as any period over the last couple of years. Talking to my fellow commuters we were all quite angry that this appears to be as good as it gets.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on January 14, 2020, 10:45:43
The previous train was indeed cancelled, well, had the Twyford stop removed as it was running 20 minutes late.  The delay was due to a freight train with braking issues.

The culmination comes ones the Elizabeth Line opens I suppose?  At least the train you did get was on time and formed of 12-carriages - I had feared it might be a victim of 'more than the usual number of trains needing repair' syndrome, but I don't think it has been shortformed yet?

I see the 07:07 called at Maidenhead despite being 6 minutes late from Reading, though it lost a further 6 minutes to Paddington.  Perhaps words have been had with those making the decisions?


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: NickB on January 14, 2020, 11:50:34
I was just about to say thanks/well done for the 7.07 being allowed to stop today at Maidenhead despite being slightly late. 

Tuesday is in my estimation ‘peak unreliability day’ and I feel the freight train that shuffles through is something to do with it.

Personally I’ve abandoned the 7.01/7.07 completely and have moved to the 6.45.  I wouldn’t choose to be getting up even earlier but that choice has been removed from me by GWR and the unreliability of the 7.xx services.  For the record the 6.45 appears quite reliable but was shortformed today so a lot of grumpy standing people at Slough.

Roll on summer timetable changes...




Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: stuving on January 14, 2020, 12:57:23
The previous train was indeed cancelled, well, had the Twyford stop removed as it was running 20 minutes late.  The delay was due to a freight train with braking issues.

The culmination comes ones the Elizabeth Line opens I suppose?  At least the train you did get was on time and formed of 12-carriages - I had feared it might be a victim of 'more than the usual number of trains needing repair' syndrome, but I don't think it has been shortformed yet?

I see the 07:07 called at Maidenhead despite being 6 minutes late from Reading, though it lost a further 6 minutes to Paddington.  Perhaps words have been had with those making the decisions?

But what about the one before that? The 06:26 (1P92) was on time, yet it too non-stopped at Twyford and then stopped at Maidenhead. Maidenhead's 06:45 doesn't have a Twyford stop to not do. So Today Maidenhead got the sweeties, and Twyford the empty packet - and probably loads of people saying "if I'd known how late I'd be I'd have got on the TfL train".


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on January 14, 2020, 13:10:50
The previous train was indeed cancelled, well, had the Twyford stop removed as it was running 20 minutes late.  The delay was due to a freight train with braking issues.

The culmination comes ones the Elizabeth Line opens I suppose?  At least the train you did get was on time and formed of 12-carriages - I had feared it might be a victim of 'more than the usual number of trains needing repair' syndrome, but I don't think it has been shortformed yet?

I see the 07:07 called at Maidenhead despite being 6 minutes late from Reading, though it lost a further 6 minutes to Paddington.  Perhaps words have been had with those making the decisions?

Thanks for the update. Hasn't been shortformed yet but I think allowing a bit more time for boarding would make a big difference but then we know the timetable is very aggressive on timings. I'm not going to try using the back 5 coaches again.

Has a review date for the new timetable been set as I think there are a few issues with Maidenhead/Twyford as well as the London centric issues mentioned by other posters?


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on January 14, 2020, 14:08:15
But what about the one before that? The 06:26 (1P92) was on time, yet it too non-stopped at Twyford and then stopped at Maidenhead. Maidenhead's 06:45 doesn't have a Twyford stop to not do.

Are you sure?  I can find no reference to any alterations to 1P92 today?

Just for clarification the freight train that was the cause of the delay to the train that definitely didn’t stop at Twyford wasn’t the one that has got in the way of trains at that time on the morning before.  This was a Whatley Quarry to Appleford service that doesn’t go east of Reading at all, but caused the delay in the Newbury area.  Though it’s not even booked to go that way as it should go via Melksham!


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: grahame on January 14, 2020, 14:18:04
Just for clarification the freight train that was the cause of the delay to the train that definitely didn’t stop at Twyford wasn’t the one that has got in the way of trains at that time on the morning before.  This was a Whatley Quarry to Appleford service that doesn’t go east of Reading at all, but caused the delay in the Newbury area.  Though it’s not even booked to go that way as it should go via Melksham!

Goodness knows what was going on this morning ... the 06:12 Frome to Paddington which serves stations via Newbury got diverted via Melksham ... 7 late from Westbury, 8 late by the time it got to Reading and probably near as darn it empty by the time it had skipped all the stops from Pewsey to Theale on its normal route.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: stuving on January 14, 2020, 14:36:24
But what about the one before that? The 06:26 (1P92) was on time, yet it too non-stopped at Twyford and then stopped at Maidenhead. Maidenhead's 06:45 doesn't have a Twyford stop to not do.

Are you sure?  I can find no reference to any alterations to 1P92 today?

Well, no, I can only go by what's reported. I based that on RTT showing the actual arrival time as "pass", the same as it does for 1K03. But looking wider, in this case RTT's in the minority - OTT shows a call and so does liverail. Mind you, they all show slightly different times, as does RTT for the departure - and not just rounding the fractions either, it's whole minutes. Maybe that's telling me something about the data feeds, though I've no idea what.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on January 14, 2020, 17:47:20
If anyone returns on the 17:37 to Maidenhead (9-car Paignton IET) it was absolutely crush loaded in the back part of the train.  Coaches B and A much quieter though - two people stood up and a handful of seats available.  I know where I’d rather position myself!


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: lordgoata on January 14, 2020, 19:12:46
"if I'd known how late I'd be I'd have got on the TfL train".

Isn't that the idea? Cancel the big bad GWRs services, so that the oh-so wonderful Crossrail to Reading can be justified...  ;)


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: stuving on January 14, 2020, 19:28:28
"if I'd known how late I'd be I'd have got on the TfL train".

Isn't that the idea? Cancel the big bad GWRs services, so that the oh-so wonderful Crossrail to Reading can be justified...  ;)

Whose idea? Not Network Rail's - they have wanted to get the semifasts off the Main Lines since long before Crossrail was was approved to go to Reading (and even long before Crossrail was approved full stop).


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on January 15, 2020, 09:19:25
All good today although again pretty much standing room only by Maidenhead in carriage 4 at least.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on January 21, 2020, 08:45:49
Seemed to be lots of cancellations today although the 06.54 from Twyford ran albeit late.

Not too crowded at Twyford as the Henley connection had broken down. I know it probably makes me a bad person but I gave a little smile as it meant I had a better chance of getting a seat.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: sanfrandragon on January 22, 2020, 07:59:03
7.07 cancelled again today.  Thats a 66% failure rate this week.  I dont know how to get the data, but wondering what is the cancellation (for whatever reason) rate of this service since the new timetable was introduced?


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: NickB on January 22, 2020, 08:15:44
I was looking at this myself.  For the 7.07 it is 5 cancellations since the new year and an average of 33% reliability. The adjacent trains are not much better.

I sent my official ‘this is not good enough what are you doing about it?’ to GWR two weeks ago. Obviously no reply as it is still 2020. Next week I’ll be contacting my MP as she ran for re-election promising improvements (not abolition) of fast commuter services.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on January 22, 2020, 09:19:30
Coupling issue at Oxford again this morning!  Eventually left 25 minutes late as a 5-car.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: ray951 on January 22, 2020, 09:58:41
I was looking at this myself.  For the 7.07 it is 5 cancellations since the new year and an average of 33% reliability. The adjacent trains are not much better.

I sent my official ‘this is not good enough what are you doing about it?’ to GWR two weeks ago. Obviously no reply as it is still 2020. Next week I’ll be contacting my MP as she ran for re-election promising improvements (not abolition) of fast commuter services.

Maybe we can have a competition to find the worst performing service since the beginning of the year ;D ;D
I give you the 0807 Didcot to Oxford at 31% RT - 5 minutes and 6% RT (which was Jan 1st).



Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: BBM on January 22, 2020, 12:25:03
I've heard reports that the performance of the 1708 PAD-BDW (first stop TWY) has been pretty bad so I've just checked the past 5 journeys on RTT and found this:

15/1: arrived BDW 27L
16/1: arrived BDW 39L
17/1: terminated 30L at NBY
20/1: terminated 33L at NBY
21/1: arrived BDW 17L

 ::) ::) ::)


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on January 22, 2020, 13:04:18
The 17.08 has also run non stop to Reading once or twice which meant it was pretty empty after all the Twyford passengers got off.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: ray951 on January 22, 2020, 14:00:10
I've heard reports that the performance of the 1708 PAD-BDW (first stop TWY) has been pretty bad so I've just checked the past 5 journeys on RTT and found this:

15/1: arrived BDW 27L
16/1: arrived BDW 39L
17/1: terminated 30L at NBY
20/1: terminated 33L at NBY
21/1: arrived BDW 17L

 ::) ::) ::)

This must be a winner, since the beginning of the year the RT-5 Minutes measure has been 0% (average late 19.5 minutes) and the 1708 is 43% (average late 7.5 minutes).


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on January 22, 2020, 15:43:56
Is that the one that splits at Newbury?  There have been numerous problems with that at Newbury.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: ray951 on January 22, 2020, 16:08:38
Is that the one that splits at Newbury?  There have been numerous problems with that at Newbury.
According to RTT the service does divide at Newbury.

I am surprised that GWR use a class 800 on a stopping service from Newbury to Bedwyn, why not Didcot - Oxford?


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on January 22, 2020, 16:52:27
Operational inconvenience mainly.  If it was a Turbo it would be limited to 90mph, not so good in terms of the peak paths on the main line out of Paddington.  If it were a 387 it would not be able to go any further than Newbury where the wires run out.  Didcot to Oxford does in fact have the odd IET on stopping trains, too, but usually a Turbo is the best option as it is a 90mph main line, so no speed benefit from an IET.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: BBM on January 22, 2020, 17:18:17
Is that the one that splits at Newbury?  There have been numerous problems with that at Newbury.

Looks like there are also problems joining it at PAD tonight, I've just seen this on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/sjm881/status/1220030275016691714 (https://twitter.com/sjm881/status/1220030275016691714)

Quote
Once agian the @GWRHelp 1707 padd to Bedwyn will be late as they try crashing two sets of carriages together. Platform staff watching and shaking their heads


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on January 22, 2020, 18:25:17
Most of the delay (34 mins late into Twyford) was caused by door problems. Announcements just said that problems closing the door meant might be a few mins delay. half an hour later we're off....


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on January 22, 2020, 19:04:40
Most of the delay (34 mins late into Twyford) was caused by door problems. Announcements just said that problems closing the door meant might be a few mins delay. half an hour later we're off....

Sounds like one unit wasn't talking properly to the other.  Hitachi still have plenty of work to do to get the couplings to work to an acceptable level.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: NickB on January 22, 2020, 20:52:48
I don’t suppose GWR fancy rolling back to the pre Christmas timetable do they?  This one is total guff, in so many ways.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on January 28, 2020, 08:10:41
Skipped Maidenhead again this morning after arriving 5 mins late at Twyford. Possibly due to that freight train that keeps sneaking onto the tracks just as the 06.54 is due.

Edit: Looks like the 07.07 also didn't stop at Maidenhead according to angry Twitter posts


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: sanfrandragon on January 28, 2020, 08:34:56
Skipped Maidenhead again this morning after arriving 5 mins late at Twyford. Possibly due to that freight train that keeps sneaking onto the tracks just as the 06.54 is due.

Edit: Looks like the 07.07 also didn't stop at Maidenhead according to angry Twitter posts

Both 7.02 and 7.07 cancelled this morning to preserve the timetable, amidst angry scenes at Maidenhead and dangerous over-crowding on the platform.  I didn't see any security guards, but not surprised they have been sighted before.  In the words of the GWR official on the platform 'Twyford, Maidenhead & Slough have been cut adrift' under the operation of the new timetable.  Just how many times do they need to practise coupling at Oxford to get that train to leave on time?  With Crossrail from Maidenhead not making sense for another 2 years until it goes through the tunnels, commuting from Maidenhead will be impractical.

All this and higher ticket prices too!


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on January 28, 2020, 08:59:31
Very poor to cancel both trains at Maidenhead.  The 07:07 ran as a 5-car as it wouldn’t couple, so would’ve had no room on board anyway.  That was known to be the case by 06:40, so control should’ve made damn sure the 07:01 stopped.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: lordgoata on January 28, 2020, 10:06:40
I didn't see any security guards, but not surprised they have been sighted before.

They were there on Platform 4 when the 0715 arrived.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: NickB on January 28, 2020, 10:34:45
Very poor to cancel both trains at Maidenhead.  The 07:07 ran as a 5-car as it wouldn’t couple, so would’ve had no room on board anyway.  That was known to be the case by 06:40, so control should’ve made damn sure the 07:01 stopped.

Totally agree.  If it helps to form a picture the message announcing the cancellation of the 7.02 came at 06.34 and the 7.07 at 06.42 so, in my opinion, there was plenty of time to make sure the 7.02 was reinstated.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: eightonedee on January 28, 2020, 19:45:12
I can't help but think of all those vacuous writers on the property pages of the press who predicted that the arrival of Crossrail at Maidenhead would result in a rush of Londoners buying homes in the town to take advantage of the wonderful new rail link to London.

I hope that not too many invested in new homes in Maidenhead in reliance on these predictions!


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on January 29, 2020, 17:44:26
I've planned my early retirement around it.

I'm not quite fully committed but the initial increases in house prices based on what people thought Crossrail gave me the impetus to set things in motion. Can't decide now whether to jump ship even earlier before people realise how poor it is or wait and hope.

Of course the grind of the daily commute may have also influenced my decision...


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on January 29, 2020, 18:08:29
Both trains called at Maidenhead with the correct number of carriages and ran to time today.  A pleasant change.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: rogerw on January 29, 2020, 18:20:56
Heavy snow likely in Maidenhead tonight? ;) :P ;)


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: TaplowGreen on January 29, 2020, 18:55:28
Heavy snow likely in Maidenhead tonight? ;) :P ;)

I believe a unicorn was sighted outside.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: johoare on January 30, 2020, 07:36:55
Just to redress the balance though the 7.35 fast departure from Maidenhead to Paddington was cancelled (ran from Newbury to Reading and no further) due to a late running freight train 


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: NickB on January 31, 2020, 16:11:36
I've used my Friday afternoon productively, writing to both Mark Hopwood's office and my MP (who ran for re-election last year promising to preserve fast and direct commuter services) about the giant backward steps that GWR have taken.

I can only encourage others who feel similarly to do the same.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on January 31, 2020, 17:11:16
Three pretty much perfect days in a row for the 07:02 and 07:09 trains.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: TaplowGreen on February 03, 2020, 07:00:23
0707 not stopping at Maidenhead this morning.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Oxonhutch on February 03, 2020, 07:35:17
Looks like a coupling problem again. The service arrived on time at Oxford (https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/Y94505/2020-02-03/detailed) but was at platform 3 for nearly half an hour eventually leaving 20 minutes late.

Is there an inherent problem with coupling at P3 Oxford? Track geometry, cant, visibility, etc.?

Edit to add: it arrived at Paddington only 5 coaches, 18 minutes late.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: NickB on February 03, 2020, 08:11:27
Three pretty much perfect days in a row for the 07:02 and 07:09 trains.

... which is an admirable improvement upon Monday and Tuesday.  Sadly even before this morning’s cancellation of the 7.07 I was going to say that GWR will need to keep that performance going for a consistent month in order to restore confidence that the service will run.  Otherwise customers, such as myself, will regard it as perpetually at-risk and find other ways to reach their destinations. And keep moaning. 😉


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: TaplowGreen on February 03, 2020, 08:46:20
Looks like a coupling problem again. The service arrived on time at Oxford (https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/Y94505/2020-02-03/detailed) but was at platform 3 for nearly half an hour eventually leaving 20 minutes late.

Is there an inherent problem with coupling at P3 Oxford? Track geometry, cant, visibility, etc.?

Edit to add: it arrived at Paddington only 5 coaches, 18 minutes late.

Richard Fairhurst on another thread;

"I do wonder if GWR's next poster should be "Five Fail To Couple To Another Five".

 :D


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on February 03, 2020, 10:45:24
And keep moaning. 😉

And you're perfectly entitled to do so as the performance of that particular train is shocking.

I'm not aware of any infrastructure issues at Oxford as the track is level and pretty much arrow straight at Platform 3.  It is a combination of staff unfamiliarity and the IET couplers still not behaving themselves, mostly the latter it seems.

It is pretty hopeless that day after day at Oxford the following trains 2V11 (06:04 BAN-RDG) and 1P01 (04:48 HDF-PAD) keep on being allowed as far as OD2378 and OD2386 and 1T03 (06:25 BIT-OXF) is allowed as far as OD2380.  All three trains are then stranded outside with nowhere to go whilst the fallout of coupling problems is dealt with.  It would be rather more sensible to hold these three trains at OD2392/2408/2490 until it is known the coupling has been successful - and then if there's problems they can be routed round it via platform 4 rather than locking up a large portion of the station and it subsequently taking far longer to catch up from the delays.

Either that or put the offending train through platform 4 anyway and put anything heading north through platform 3 if there's problems with it.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: ray951 on February 03, 2020, 11:16:09
So I assume this is why the infamous 0740 RDG - OXF was cancelled again, and the following 0834 DID to BAN also left late due to the late running 1V17 BAN - PAD, all caused by the same issue.

What a lot of delays caused by the inability to couple a two sets together.

How can it be that after 2 years of running these trains there are still basic issues with them?


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on February 04, 2020, 08:33:32
A delayed 17.08 to Bedwyn again yesterday evening which seems to be one of the equivalents to the morning trains.

And a delayed 06.54/07.01 again this morning possibly due to the irregular freight train that runs at the same time some days.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: TaplowGreen on February 04, 2020, 09:18:04


And a delayed 06.54/07.01 again this morning possibly due to the irregular freight train that runs at the same time some days.

- I believe the 0633 (non stop to Paddington) was cancelled too this morning?


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: NickB on February 04, 2020, 09:56:56


And a delayed 06.54/07.01 again this morning possibly due to the irregular freight train that runs at the same time some days.

- I believe the 0633 (non stop to Paddington) was cancelled too this morning?


Indeed it was, making the (slightly delayed) 06.45 quite busy.  I suspect that this was all due to the same freight train that came bowling through Maidenhead on the main line at about 06.35. 


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: mjones on February 04, 2020, 10:47:02
.. the late running 1V17 BAN - PAD, all caused by the same issue.

What a lot of delays caused by the inability to couple a two sets together.

How can it be that after 2 years of running these trains there are still basic issues with them?

This forms the 0820 from Didcot I think?  I caught it three times in the last two weeks,  late and missed connection at Reading each time. Waiting for it provided an opportunity to watch people going to Oxford struggling to get into the 0834, rammed because of the cancellation of the 0807. These problems are causing serious disruption to Didcot to Oxford commuters who must be late for work several days a week at the moment.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: ray951 on February 04, 2020, 12:03:32
.. the late running 1V17 BAN - PAD, all caused by the same issue.

What a lot of delays caused by the inability to couple a two sets together.

How can it be that after 2 years of running these trains there are still basic issues with them?

This forms the 0820 from Didcot I think?  I caught it three times in the last two weeks,  late and missed connection at Reading each time. Waiting for it provided an opportunity to watch people going to Oxford struggling to get into the 0834, rammed because of the cancellation of the 0807. These problems are causing serious disruption to Didcot to Oxford commuters who must be late for work several days a week at the moment.

Yes it does form the 0820.
No late to work every day and several people were left behind at Didcot and Radley yesterday as train so full.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: TaplowGreen on February 05, 2020, 07:13:51
0648 fast service from Twyford cancelled this morning which should ensure that everyone is nice & cosy when the 0702 arrives at Maidenhead......


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on February 05, 2020, 08:16:06
Yep - that's what I get for getting up earlier and trying a different train.

Bit more crowded that usual on the platform although for some reason no one got on at Maidenhead. I was in coach 4 or thereabouts and after we'd set off loads of people appeared and started moving to the front. Don't know if there was a problem with the doors or something?


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: NickB on February 05, 2020, 10:38:18
In terms of passenger numbers at Maidenhead this morning the 6.45 didn’t arrive until 6.53 and so picked up a number of 07.02 customers who were already on the platform.
That in turn left standing room only (in my carriage) at Slough.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on February 06, 2020, 10:13:33
Decided to work from home for the rest of the week to give my colleagues a break from daily updates on the new timetable so probably all worked perfectly if I wasn't there to see it.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: BBM on February 06, 2020, 10:30:51
I made one of my now very irregular TWY-PAD journeys this morning and all seemed well from my point of view, I caught the 0654 from TWY, and coach 11 where I sat was only half-full after MAI. One thing I did notice was that the 0648 (a 5-car IET from BDW which is non-stop from TWY) was full and standing on departure and if more people were prepared to wait for the 0654 (like me!) then that later train would be rather busier.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on February 06, 2020, 10:49:20
I made one of my now very irregular TWY-PAD journeys this morning and all seemed well from my point of view, I caught the 0654 from TWY, and coach 11 where I sat was only half-full after MAI. One thing I did notice was that the 0648 (a 5-car IET from BDW which is non-stop from TWY) was full and standing on departure and if more people were prepared to wait for the 0654 (like me!) then that later train would be rather busier.

All was well with the 07:02/07:07 off of Maidenhead again this morning, though it looks like the previous Class 387 semi-fast from Didcot ran fast from Reading (that's the 06:26 off of Twyford, and 06:33 off of Maidenhead) and might explain why the 06:48 off of Twyford was busy this morning?  The decision to run the 06:26/06:33 fast from Reading was due to it being delayed at Reading for 21 minutes due to unit problems.

MODS: Perhaps we should rename this thread as it now discusses other trains from Maidenhead and the commuter services into London from Twyford as well?


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on February 11, 2020, 13:21:29
07.01 didn't stop at Maidenhead this morning. It was only 2-3 minutes late leaving Twyford (freight train again) so not sure what the problem was.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: NickB on February 11, 2020, 19:00:43
07.01 didn't stop at Maidenhead this morning. It was only 2-3 minutes late leaving Twyford (freight train again) so not sure what the problem was.

As was reported to rather cold customers at Maidenhead this morning:
MAI to PAD on your route: 07:02 - cancelled - a problem currently under investigation.

The 06.37(?) and 06.45 ran with delays today. The 06.37 was held back to allow other HS services to pass it.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: TaplowGreen on February 12, 2020, 13:59:35
I hear the 0707 was cancelled at 0701 this morning.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: IndustryInsider on February 12, 2020, 15:25:50
I hear the 0707 was cancelled at 0701 this morning.

Nonsense.  The messages was sent out at 06:55, so [sarcasm mode on] plenty of notice!   ::)

It looks as though a delay of five or more minutes will trigger this alteration as per contingency plans to try and protect other trains from delay.  Of no consolation to those at Maidenhead.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: TaplowGreen on March 03, 2020, 06:52:08
0831 at Maidenhead......could be cosy!

07:52 Didcot Parkway to London Paddington due 08:52
Facilities on the 07:52 Didcot Parkway to London Paddington due 08:52.
This is due to a fault on this train.
Will be formed of 4 coaches instead of 12.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on March 03, 2020, 08:24:53
I've been working remotely so don't know what the service was like last week. This morning though there were no seats left in Coach 4 after it left Twyford so bit cosy from Maidenhead but on time.

Not sure any amount of hand washing is going to help contain anything when people are packed in so tightly though.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: TaplowGreen on March 11, 2020, 06:48:09
0633 & 0645 non stopping at Maidenhead today.....should make things cosy around 0700! 😫


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on March 16, 2020, 08:20:48
Plenty of seats this morning. I think I've found an upside to the end of the world.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: TaplowGreen on July 07, 2020, 06:46:39
0633 & 0702 cancelled this morning.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Sixty3Closure on August 21, 2020, 11:44:08
On time and very pleasant this morning.

Only downside was this was my first trip back into the office for several months and the shock of getting up at 5.30am was almost enough to make me think about putting it off. The whole routine just felt strange.

I'd forgotten just how expensive buying tickets on the day was. Just under £30 for a Twyford to Paddington return. Despite all the hectoring from the government to get back to the office its not covid that puts me off but the cost. Going in the odd day is quite expensive and i've really got use to having a couple of extra hundred pounds a month from not paying my season ticket loan.

The train was quiet although for a Friday in mid-August it didn't seem excessively so. Out of the 8 or 9 people I could see on the platform I was the only one wearing a mask which surprised me. The London Transport staff (and their private security companions) weren't challenging people.

The stopping service coming back (it was a quick trip to the office!) was fairly busy and felt about right for a mid morning train, Friday in August. Seemed to be a better percentage of people wearing masks or going through the motions anyway. Some British Transport Police got on at Southall but ignored people not wearing masks.


Title: Re: 7.01 from Maidenhead to Paddington
Post by: Marlburian on September 11, 2020, 05:50:12
Victim headbutted and punched in face in row over mask. (https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/victim-headbutted-punched-face-during-18914267)

The incident took place on August 12 between Slough and Langley but the photo was only published yesterday.



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