Could they not follow the FGW^▸ (First Great Western)/GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) model and divert - even if the running times are significantly longer?

Opinion polls appeared to suggest that passengers prefer a longer journey to multiple changes and bustitution.

I was thinking along the line of XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) coming to Banbury, turning left at Anyho Jnc and taking the Old Oak line at Northolt.  Turn right at Greenford - right again at West Ealing and then along the GW^▸ (Great Western) mainline to Reading where no reversal is now required.  Might add an hour, but everyone stays on the train.  Just a thought...

I thank you all very much for some wonderful suggestions and I am actively following up on two of those as a result. Broadgage, thanks for reminding me of the Luttrell Arms ^ I had forgotten about that one and I have stayed there for a number of days some years ago and can attest to the fine dining and superb accommodation.  Some way from the GW^▸ (Great Western) main line as you say ^ but then it is quite close to the West Somerset Railway ^ and I^m quite partial to steam!

I hadn^t realised about the midday Pullman which is a reason to travel by itself ^ mentioned this to the better half and she commented that on any occasion it would make for a fine day out - quality lunch and the Dawlish sea wall, then back in time for tea and medals ^ as Blackadder was want to say. St Ives certainly appears to be a Cornish focus ^ my kids have gone there and speak highly of it.

All the best to you, and I appreciate all of your input.

This summer, Mrs OH and I celebrate our silver wedding anniversary and I am planning a family event to highlight the occasion.  I am looking for a venue in the West Country on or about the Great Western mainline where the good lady and myself, along with our two adult children, could travel to ^ in the comfy seats of an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) ^ have an awesome family meal, overnight in special surroundings and return the following day.

I am shamelessly tapping into the collective wisdom of the Coffee Shop to see if there are personal recommendations for such a place ^ I admit to having never graced the Duchy of Cornwall ^ though that is not a definite requirement.

Thanks Grahame,

I came across the 240 days from the National Rail/GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) site but had in my mind it was 220 days.  Possibly just a Senior Moment but the difference is significant. I was really wanting to see if GWR had quietly changed the numbers over what I understood to be the case for the past five years.

Some companies talk about charging for 40 weeks. So 280 days (worst case) or 200 days (best case).

With an annual season ticket, I am trying to find the definitive answer to how many days travel are presumed to included.

For instance, on what basis are void days calculated for an annual?

I though I had the answer but then looked things up on GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) website and got a different result.

Sorry Chris, your statement confuses me. My station currently opens and closes at the times listed in the Current Opening Hours column of the tables.

New hours will apparently be implemented in February.  My station supervisor expressed surprise that I knew of the forthcoming changes and asked me how I was aware.

I don't know about the running of trains but the Christmas railway event I seem to remember as a young boy in Bamber Bridge, Lancs was the annual disruption caused by the permanent closure (for the day) of the level crossing gates across Station Road.  This was also the A6 and a main route to the north - alleviated to some extent by that date by the building of Britain's first motorway* - The Preston Bypass (M6).

Something to do with the railways asserting their statutory rights over the crossing and stopping it becoming a public right-of-way.

*Many southerners mistakenly think the first motorway was the M1 - sorry!

Silverton at the end of the preserved DRGW branch?  Too much snow to get all the way to the end last time I travelled on the railway (2008), but did the complete journey way back in 1979 but don't remember the Goose.  Train terminated in the main street of Silverton in those days - might still do today - or at least this coming summer!

Another one to be recommended.

Durango and Silverton Railroad

Any idea why Cholsey and Cookham appear in both the Major and Minor tables?

Also, the largest change (+7h00m) is in the Minor table, the maximum in the Major table being +5h30m. Confused.

16 reminds me of Alice Springs (NT, Australia) and the Ghan which I enjoyed some years ago. Highly recommended.

Some interesting numbers.  Particularly in passenger densities with little old Windsor and Eton Central with its 1,885,272 passengers spread over its single usable platform of 113m (Western SE) makes for a density of 16,684 passengers per platform metre (pppm).  Compare that to 12,990pppm for Bath Spa and 10,114pppm for Oxford.  When one realises that actual platform length used with the service of 3 car turbos (max.) is more likely 70m, that makes an actual density of 26,932pppm.

A pole route, a goods yard, a trailing crossover and a train with a proper tail lamp - memories!

Mid 70's early 80's? "Way out" looks a little too modern for the scene.

With that clue it was now just a Wiki away.  3=Llanfair P.G.  Feels like cheating

PS. Indeed I have one which reads LLANFAIRPWLLGWYNGYLLGOGERYCHWYRNDROBWLLLLANTYSILIOGOGOGOCH and is about 5 inches long. Meaning, in the local M^nian dialect {future imperative} 'Welcome to Anglesey and we hope you have a great time on our beautiful island'. This of course applies to the down platform. The sign on the up platform - pictured - translates as '... we hope you have had ...' {past imperfect}. The subtlety in spelling is usually lost on English speakers.

Remember that in the Ruritanian langauge, the word 'Information' is spelt "Departures". The lack of accents normally seen on the word is due to it being used in the passive neuter case. 

1: Swindon