Great Western Coffee Shop

It was a farce this morning. I normally catch the 0737 service, but decided to have a lay in this morning. What a mistake! Train pulled in on time at reading, we stand back allowing everyone to get off, we get on, and sit, and sit. Eventually the driver comes on the intercom and announces she is the driver, but has no guard! then about 5 mins later she announces that this service has now been cancelled. many of us sit there, fed up, figuring train due to pull out at 0837 anyway so we'll wait. then a FGW man walks down telling us we must get off as the train is going back to the depot? As he is shooing us off he gets a transmision on his walkie talkie advising they have found a guard and the train will depart.

The problem is people are relying on this service to get them to work, hopefully on time. how can they justify season ticket holders paying up front and receiving such a shoddy service.

Its just not acceptable!

 >:(

Welcome to the forum, FISHERMANFRED.

We dont have many members from your part of the world. Could you possibly tell us more about your day-to-day experiences travelling on the Reading-Basingstoke line?

Im surprized you don't have many people posting on this route. There is plenty of us. Its not too bad, you can usually get a seat, the trains could do with a bit of a clean and I think the train guards should get of their bums and check tickets more often. Im lucky if my ticket is checked twice a week on the trains. As it is becuase I get on at reading and off at Basingstoke I have to go through barriers anyway, However Im sure if i wanted to avoid this it could be done and thus people could be travelling free of charge.

Its quite nice, our little commuter community, the same people get on, sit in the same carraige, and we mostley nod or smile at each other. We wonder about someone who does not turn up and we get used to each others quirky ways. for instance there is one lady who gets on and always opens the window where she is sitting. Another gentleman gets on at Mortimer and gets quite unsettled if some one is sat in his prefered seat.

Over the time, you get to know who the readers are, who does Suduko and who just drinks coffee staring out of the window.

My husband thinks it quite sad me contributing to this, but I spend over 4 hours a day commuting to and from work, thats equivalent to half a office day, yet I do not know the names of the people I sit next too, how sad is that! I think as commuters we should have a get to know each other day, where we all take the time to say hello, whats your name, where do you work?  What do others think of this?  :D

Thanks for that.

Yes, for whatever reason, we do seem to have a "member gap" on the Reading-Basingstoke and Reading-Gatwick Airport routes. Please feel free to encourage others to join up if you do have a "get to know each other day". or indeed if you simply know others who might be interested.

In the meantime, we look forward to your further insights.