I went there with my son, his partner and their dog earlier this year. It is definitely dog friendly but they do ask for well behaved dogs only. My son's dog had a lovely time

All very interesting but shouldn't have affected Mai to Pad at that time.. or the (in)ability to provide proper information to passengers so they could make informed decisions rather than playing the platform shuffle game for an hour for no apparent reason.

So it appears to be the usual amazing lack of information and cover up when things went wrong.

I've now seen him and apparently at Maidenhead, as mentioned before, no mention of an issue, all trains showing on the board as going all the way to Paddington

He got a train to Paddington to change at Slough to a faster one. As at Maidenhead, no sign of any issues at Slough, his next train showing as on time (all the way to Paddington), then eventually delayed, then cancelled. After this lots of announcements about "the next train to Paddington will be from platform 3/5" and as only people who travel from stations with two lines heading in the same direction can vouch for, the announcers kept the waiting passengers amused by moving them from platform 3 to 5 and back (repeat as many times as possible) promising them a train which never arrived on each occasion.

Eventually having shuffled everyone back to platform 3 a train came and went from platform 5

Then eventually another train but this was too full for anyone at Slough to get on.
Eventually a train appeared he was able to get on hence arriving at Ealing Broadway at 13.50 (10 minutes before a booked activity in Vauxhall).

Not once was overrunning engineering works mentioned.

Customer Service lesson learnt? Or lack of information to the poor station staff lesson learned?

That doesn't totally explain him not getting to Ealing Broadway until 1.50pm then.

As a non commuter now (and my son isn't either) it's obvious how much information is missing for people who only occasionally get the train. On this occasion particularly when he got to the station and was allowed and able to board a train to Paddington. Then everyone had to get off at Slough and couldn't go either way.

I can't see anything else on here about this but does anyone know how long the engineering works were supposed to go on and at what point they became overrunning?

My son went to Maidenhead station about 11.15ish. Apparently at that time the trains were all showing as going to Paddington and there was no information (that he saw) to suggest anything was different to normal.

He spent at least an hour at Slough where apparently the information was sadly not forthcoming (again his opinion)

**update** I have just seen online that Paddington was due to open at 12

He got to Ealing Broadway at about 1.50pm.. Kind of missed his booked activity in Vauxhall at 2pm but fortunately that was able to be  rescheduled until later.

Thanks to Oxonhutch for asking this to save me doing so. I also could not for the life of me find the "new" button after reading this 

I've found it now after your further reply Grahame.

Welcome to the Forum Sally J!

I've been on that boat twice and it didn't make me feel ill at all but many other people were suffering even though the crossings I was on were relatively calm (way out) and slighly less calm (way back). I would not like to travel today or tomorrow on it though. Not even in the downstairs "sick" room (which is my name for it - not the official name  )

And Maidenhead! Just need Crossrail to actually open then I can sell up and move on 

Got my second booked for Tue 18th. Hoping for less side effects second time around!

My previous manager was a stickler for having people in the office at all times (he must be very uncomfortable with these new ways of working). At my company now we've been Working at home since mid March and this has been extended to at least the start of November.. The office is open for people who can only work from there and also some people who live on their own have taken advantage of going in occasionally for a change of scenery (and canteen food).

I definitely don't miss my three hours of commuting a day and the being crammed onto trains so hope we won't be made to go back anytime soon. My current manager fortunately agrees with that opinion. I suspect it would be silly to make people go back to work over winter when germs and viruses are more prevalent anyway. People working at home where they can also keeps the trains available and safer for social distancing for those people who have no option other than to use them.

I think it's a good idea as long as those who it's causing issues for can turn it off (which they can).

In these very strange times we should use as many ways of keeping people in touch as we can for those who want and need it.

I paid by contactless the other day (Mai to Pad) when there was a ticket check and there was no way for them to check that I had paid it seems.. Though they did believe me and reminded me to touch out at Paddington

I've just asked GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) on twitter as the information on the GWR site is far from clear. Firstly they referred me straight back to their unclear information (sigh) so I asked explicitly if I was on a GWR train between Paddington and Maidenhead having paid by contactless what would happen if there was a ticket check

The reply "Yes, this can be checked on board by tapping your contactless card/phone onto the staff's reader"

So I will keep that as proof if nothing else..

I can't find anywhere that will tell me what the contactless fairs would be though?

Just to redress the balance though the 7.35 fast departure from Maidenhead to Paddington was cancelled (ran from Newbury to Reading and no further) due to a late running freight train