Great Western Coffee Shop

Used this route last evening for the first time in years and was very impressed with the service. It always helps, of course, when the train runs to time throughout. The Guard/Conductor/TM* was very good, making a bee-line for all passengers who joined en-route to ensure that ticketless travel was kept to a minimum. The internal displays which updated the calling points list as the journey progressed were appreciated -  I assume these are supposed to be a standard feature of the 165/166 fleet. Bit surprised that the service terminated in P8, and therefore had to cross the 'fast' lines, given that the HSS timetable was already quite badly out of kilter but I guess that was down to either the rebuilding or that the unit was destined for the depot.

(*delete as necessary)   

Whilst I was waiting yesterday at reading to go into London,  an announcement was made the gatwick service was leaving from platform 3, which I found odd, as that is a bay platform heading off in the opposite direction

I think that the Gatwick services are worked by Senior Conductors - they certainly used to be, but that may have changed. You can't go wrong with 'guard' though, since that's what they're all called in the rule book.

My understanding was that the ex 18.03 GAT to RDG went into 4a/b to form the
19:34 back to Gatwick.

I was not referring to the 1803, i was referring to a service whilst i was at Reading and a PA announcent advised it would be leaving from platform 3, this was mid morning on saturday

I was replying to the original post Richard, not yours!  ;D

Which is precisely what I was expecting so being routed into Platform 8 was something of a surprise.

Absolutely true.  I am an HSS TM, but when working units, I always refer to myself as the 'guard'.  In my mind, it seems a little OTT, to announce oneself as Train Manager on a 153 with 12 pax. :D