Some complimentary first class tickets.

There isn't any discount on Oxford London season renewals at the moment. The MAA^▸ (Moving Annual Average) PPM^‡(resolve) is ahead of target, so no renewal discounts. The only area where discounts still apply is around Bristol (I think).

There is a count down clock on one of the displays at Oxford showing 38 days to the start of the blockade. The timetable leaflets were available there today.

A quick check on the National Rail website say there are three direct trains from Padd to Worcester at 17.48, 18.48 and 19.48, all with sub 3 hour journey times. From Slough, depart 17.30, change Reading, arr Worcester 20.44.

I understand that route restrictions will be eased (at least on FGW^▸ (First Great Western) services) so that Worcester - London via Stroud or BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains) will be allowed, as will Hereford - London via Newport, on ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) services.

Great idea for a thread, but would be better if suggestions are realistic. Reducing fares in the current environment is not.

So forget fares, what would improve your "journey experience"?

I understand what you are saying - there have been a few lately, but not many in LTV^▸ (London [and] Thames Valley) land. There was a spate around Hayes and Slough a year or so ago, but none recently (touch wood).

This is a really tricky one!

There are no such thing as platform tickets anymore, even if some machines will still sell them. They are incompatible with protected revenue areas - i.e. those parts of stations on the platform sides of gatelines.

So, if you say to the gateline staff, can I go on to the platform to kiss my girl/boyfriend goodbye, the answer should be no - do it on the concourse side of the gateline You would not be allowed to go airside at an airport to kiss someone goodbye, so why expect to do it at a station.

Having said that, if you say I want to help my 70 year old mother onto the train, you will probably be welcomed through. Yes, the railways provide disabled assistance (not porterage), but it would be uneconomic to insist that every customer that needed it must have assistance only from railway staff.

Between these two examples there are a range of scenarios that test the discretion of gateline staff - its the conundrum of customer service against revenue protection.

Added to this is the "enthusiasts charter". Genuine trainspotters are to be welcomed onto the platforms.

Its not surprising that gateline staff are so often criticised for apparently getting it wrong.

Don't get carried away. I understand this was a clear suicide. I won't describe exactly what happened, but forget any thoughts of infrastructure issues. I have no information as to whether or not this was related to the previous suicide at this crossing which caused the derailment.

My thoughts are with the driver.

Slough and Oxford clocks were both wrong by almost an hour - problem with the new CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) system. Was fixed at about 18.30.

I am mystified by some of the comments here. My experience is in the east of the franchise - Reading/Didcot/Oxford etc - where the standard allowance at stations is two minutes. The actual time taken depends upon the number of customers boarding/alighting, and the number of dispatchers, plus other more random factors, such as bikes and assisted travel. The concept of extended station stops and early departures is completely foreign to me. For the majority of instances, its a case of getting the train out as quickly as possible.

At Reading, the plan is to have three dispatchers on platforms 4, 5 and 8. This allows all the doors to be closed and checked fairly quickly - even in the peaks this can be done in under two minutes. Often, its a case of waiting for the signal to clear, followed by a quick dispatch.

Elsewhere, its either a single dispatcher (asisted by the TM^‡(resolve)) or, at most, two dispatchers, and even then, dispatch within two minutes is the norm.

At unmanned stations, it all comes down to the efficiency of the TM and the goodwill of customers in closing doors. HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) on the Cotswolds and on Thames Valley stoppers have longer dwell times, simply because doors have to be closed manually. Its common practice to double man some of these trains, to help get them away quickly.

I can only assume that the extended dwell times apply somewhere out west - they certainly could not apply at, for example, platform 4 at Reading.

The problem is nothing to do with the CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) of course - its just not getting any input from the signalling system, so does not know when the train has left. I understand a solution might not be a quick fix!

There have been a couple of system wide faults today.

The public consultation has been completed and Chiltern now has to prepare its case for the DFT^▸ (Department for Transport). This is part of its franchise commitment. The decision date is the 1st December, and if the DFT agrees with Chiltern's proposal, a Transport and Works Act will be submitted. That will take a year to get through, so physical work won't start until spring 2011, with opening scheduled for 2013.

The Oxford Banbury local service was dealt a blow when at the last refranchising the DFT^▸ (Department for Transport) decided to tidy up the franchise map by transferring the Stratford services from FGW^▸ (First Great Western) to Chiltern. Interestingly, I understand that there is a desire in Stratford to see Paddington services reinstated. There is a substantial tourist market between Oxford and Stratford.

Also worth noting the three trains per day each way summer Sunday service, which runs specifically to promote access to the Cherwell valley and the delights of the canalside at Heyford and Tackley.

But first, follow the appeal procedure on the penalty fare. If that doesn't work, complain to FGW^▸ (First Great Western).