If the Worcester-London journey referred to is by any chance on the 08.37am from Foregate Street, then since the timetable change the guards are usually careful to announce that standard class coach D reservations have been placed in C. May be the case that by late February, this service will be 125-worked anyway, though it's starting to feel as though it may be one of the last Adelante diagrams to go.

And why no First Minute fares? If it is the 8.37, that's easy. There's no problem filling this train, as it's the first one of the day from Worcester and the Cotswolds that CDRs^▸ (Off Peak Day Return [ticket type] (formerly 'Cheap Day')), Network Railcards and Cotswold Railcards are valid on. Hence no need to offer dirt-cheap tickets. It's a bit quiet just now as it's post-Christmas, but in school holidays and the summer, Adelantes on this service can be full and standing beyond Charlbury - pity those trying to join at Oxford.

Got to say that since New Year, the 08.37 off Worcester seems to have shrugged off the cancellation curse, at least when I've been using it. The main problem now is it getting held for 10 minutes at Evesham, awaiting the 06.30 London-Worcester, which seems to struggle to run on time beyond Oxford, though fairly regular delays to the 6.52am halts train from Worcester may play a part.

And while the 15.51 cancelled then reinstated at Oxford as the 17.31 scenario may be a pain, I'd rather they run a 125 as the stopper than the solution in days past, when, without selective locks, Thames Trains and then FGW^▸ (First Great Western) kept trying to cram all the passengers off the preceding three-car Turbo (banned from Combe and Finstock's two-coach platforms), plus all the halts train passengers, into a two-car Turbo, which for some strange reason didn't have enough space for them.

Although Adelantes had more space and selective locks, while the halts train was running through from London, the shenanigans involved in emptying the preceding Adelante, moving it to the sidings, then bringing in the stopper, emptying that, then bringing back the Adelante and loading it were a tad time-consuming.

Occasional observation of FGW website during recent days suggests a drastic fall in reports of problems overall, particularly crew shortages, which with the holidays over and crews presumably taking on more overtime, perhaps indicates how much FGW has been relying on this happening to keep services running. Any thoughts from the professionals out there?

Commuters win the argument.The meeting will now run 6.15pm to 7.15pm, which will suit those using the 17.31 halts train from Oxford.

The first FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Passengers Charter performance stats since the new timetable have come out, showing that just 64 per cent of Thames Valley services were on time (within five minutes for this service group I think) over the four weeks from December 10.

See links below:
http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=265
http://www.oxfordmail.net/display.var.1963326.0.third_of_trains_running_late.php

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) is holding a Meet the Managers session at Oxford station on Tuesday, January 22, from 4pm to 8pm. Might be an interesting four hours if the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) strike goes ahead the two previous days. Won't be able to make it myself, as I'm not working that day.

Charlbury's commuters want the meeting to be held at a time when they aren't at work and are being urged to deluge 'Dave' with emails to that effect.

No, has just loaded straight away.

No need to worry about FGW^▸ (First Great Western)'s future, as. according to The Guardian website's account of today's weather problems, we have gone back to the future

Report on OxRail Action meeting this week

http://www.oxfordmail.net/news/headlines/display.var.1954153.0.commuter_strike_on_agenda.php

Just for info, the 07.51 Paddington to Great Malvern and 11.06 return has been operated most of the week by a seven-car, non-buffet HST^▸ (High Speed Train), with trolley service.

Reasonably punctual westbound, though that probably has more to do with scanty passenger numbers towards Worcester at this time of the day than any reduction in train weight.

Not normally in the habit of plugging my own work, but feel I should point out that:
a. Some journalists have qualified their reports of what might happen
b. Gave some prominence to the talks which are actually taking place today
c. That we are also keeping tabs on the separate dispute with Aslef, who also announced a ballot result yesterday, but no strikes for the time being.

http://www.oxfordmail.net/display.var.1958059.0.rail_dispute_union_sets_strike_date.php

Fair enough, just a shame that there's a certain one of those rail services that First can't seem to get right. Perhaps if it could, then the figures might be even better... and this forum wouldn't exist!

The following message was posted today on Charlbury.info by David Cameron's office:


Hmm. If you can make it indeed. May be a convenient time for 'Dave' and FGW, but not great for most of his constituents, I venture, though at least he's got them out of the bunker. The last Worcester-bound train before the start of the meeting is due CBY at 15.07, the next at 17.07, so someone up to a sprint through town might catch the tail end of it. As for anyone who has to work later, tough, it would appear. Mr Carroll, I believe, is actually Route Director East, whatever that means.

Good to see that things are going so well for First Group's rail operations, despite everything...

http://uk.biz.yahoo.com/09012008/323/firstgroup-trying-tackle-poor-performance-great-western-trading-line.html

See the link below for an analysis of last November and December's train running reports to the Charlbury Commuter Blog, which makes pretty grim reading for those of using the service and for FGW^▸ (First Great Western) as its operator.

The bulk of the trains logged are the key morning and evening peak weekday services to and from Oxford and London.

http://www.charlbury.info/cgi-bin/dview.cgi?thread=527