The 180s seem to be poorly today, and Oxford passengers may be in for a squeeze. Journeycheck reports the 0826 WOF-PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) [1001 from Oxford] will be 3 coaches vice 5; and the 0901 OXF^» (Oxford - next trains)-PAD will be 2 coaches vice 5.

I'd be very grateful if someone could tell me which journeys are now regularly operated by class 180 trains.

When I was a lad, 'twere always Railway Station.
When I came to Oxford in the 1970s, buses on route 1 showed as their inbound destination "Oxford Rail Station". This is still so, and is also used by Arriva on their service 280 from Aylesbury.
But I don't think people say rail station.

Chiltern Railways held a presentation at Islip yesterday. Apparently it was not well advertised locally. A friend who lives in the area was able to attend and reported back:

^Evergreen 3^  Oxford-Bicester Railway Improvement Project. Presentation in the Terrace Room of Islip Village Hall, 4th March 2014
 
The event, which remained open from 5.30 to 7.30 took the form of large detailed plans laid out on tables, various posters, and a few refreshments. There were probably about ten people from  Chiltern Railways and from the contractors  with whom it was possible to discuss aspects of the work, including the replacement buses. . Several people I know in Islip drifted in and one lady from Murcott . I was able to discuss (in indeed help identify) what I knew already and the areas to which the maps related with some of my acquaintances.  I was guided by one Chiltern Railways person to the Carillion contract manager with my queries.
 
I ascertained that the track is to be double throughout and the Carillion person looked blank when I mentioned the rumours that there were to be single track sections. He only said that of course one track is laid at a time, so in a sense there would be a time when only one track is in place.
 
The detailed plan of ^my^ bit of the railway (Mansmoor Road, near Charlton-on-Otmoor, https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.8487452,-1.1879143,15z) shows what will happen in my ^new dog walking field^.  The farm access bridge and a concrete track will be built. However in addition to this there will be a larger section of wide road and a one hectare compound for the works (for dismantling old track etc.) and another holding area. This explains why such a large area of field has been obtained. It is not just for the farm track.  Material to construct the ramps up to bridges is apparently to come from various sources.  I knew already that a lot of material for the chord of Bicester had come by rail from deposits of old railway ballast in the North of England  For the new ramps some use will be made of surplus ballast that is already on the line and there is a lot around Wolvercote. A lot will be gathered up and will of course be replaced by new ballast. In addition there may be some material from local ^borrow pits^ . It sounds as though not too much material will have to be brought in by road.

I just noticed that the new "Connecting Wiltshire" services are being advertised on ebay.

I parked my bike at Oxford station last Friday, 6/12/13, prior to taking the train to Norwich for a weekend away. I returned Monday 9/12/13 and found attached to my handlebars a laminated plastic notice :

04/12/2013
Your bike has been left at Oxford Railway Station for a significant amount of time. You have parked your bike in a location which has a high number of bike thefts. Any bikes left at Oxford Railway station with one of these tags attached on MONDAY JANUARY 27th 2014 will be removed and will become property of First Great Western Oxford Railway Station.
[BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) crest]    [First logo]


I am a bit puzzled about the purpose of this.
(1)  I know how long my bicycle was left at the station -- 3 and a half days.  As far as I know there is no limit.
(2)  I know it is in an area with a high number of bike thefts. But if one is catching a train the station is a good place to leave one's bike. Are they trying to frighten me off doing so in future?
(3)  I know that the cycle park gets filled up with abandoned bikes, which need clearing away from time to time. Abandoned bikes are quite easily recognised by bent wheels, or rusty or missing chains.
(4)  I guess it's in the bye-laws somewhere that the railway may impound abandoned cycles or vehicles - but can they / do they become the property of First Great Western Oxford Railway Station.

Is this standard procedure at all stations on FGW^▸ (First Great Western)? And is the weird wording and inconsistent capitalisation also standard, or is this an instance of someone at Oxford showing off their command of logic and language?   

Police have made an arrest in connection with the incident on 12 Nov 2013. A woman has been charged with endangering safety on the railway.
http://www.thisisoxfordshire.co.uk/news/10829951.Woman_charged_following_Sandy_Lane_crossing_accident/?ref=mr

13. Dorking West ?

A couple of years ago someone used "Freedom of Inforrmation" rules to persuade TfL^» (Transport for London - about) to release working timetables of each underground line. I downlaoded the timetables then current, but am unable now to find the link.
Could anyone here point me to where the new Central line timetable can be found.
Thanks in advance, and apologies if this is drifting a bit far from FGW^▸ (First Great Western)-land. [Though I do often walk from Lancaster Gate to Paddington on my way home in the evening.]

Will the TM^‡(resolve) henceforth scribble on my phone with his biro when doing his on-train ticket check? 

Rather surprisingly, since you have to ring to book an off-peak journey, no telephone number is shown on the Charlbury Taxibus timetable.

A derailment at Worcester this morning meant that Cotswold line services were a bit mixed up all day. When trains don't call at Combe and Finstock it's usually because the usual 2-car turbo or Adelante has been replaced by a 3-car turbo, which isn't allowed to call at those "halts" because of their short platforms.

And even more so for Bicastrians

Has any consideration been given to the naming of the station at the south end of Bicester. When I was a lad it was called London Road, but since re-opening it has been called Bicester Town.

As far as many visitors to Bicester are concerned, it should surely be re-named Bicester Village, as that "outlet centre" is the destination of thousands of visitors each month. I am sure that as soon as through trains start running from Marylebone, many tourists from all over the world will take advantage of the new link, to stock up on last year's fashions.

Perhaps it should be known as "Bicester Town, for Bicester Village"?

I travelled through Dawlish yesterday and there is just a large nothingness where until recently there was a pretty signalbox swathed in bubblewrap. Still, I suppose in a few months we'll forget that it was ever there.