I was watching the performance at home of 1D93, 17:49 PAD» -DID» with interest today as it was the first of the two down 12-car 387 services (the second, at 18:19 was cancelled!). Firstly a small positive in that it did indeed run as a 12-car as planned between Paddington and Reading. Three minutes instead of the booked one minute was spent at Maidenhead - I suspect that was waiting for passengers to alight given how busy it is and how the rear set won't be platformed at Maidenhead.
It then arrived Twyford at 18:19, three minutes late, but it looks as if the 18:20 connection to Henley left on time (well, it left early at 18:19 according to the automatic reports). If true it is shocking that the connection was allowed to leave as the train pulled into the platform.
Then it went on to arrive at Reading two minutes late where the rear four coaches are detached. That operation is due to take four minutes according to the schedules, which would be pushing it for a Turbo, let alone a 387 where gangway connections have to be closed as well as four carriages checked empty and any passengers moved to the two sets staying in service. So, predictably it actually took nine minutes to do that and departed seven minutes late. It went on to Didcot arriving 5 minutes late.
Just wondered if anyone travelled on it to confirm the details above and report back on how busy it was etc.
I had the pleasure of the 17.49 this evening. I confess that I hadn’t taken in the fact that this was no longer a Worcester
HST▸ and so was intrigued to see how it performed.
Boarding didn’t start until gone 17.40 so it was quite a scrum. I deliberately listened for platform and on train announcements about which carriages would be platformed at Maidenhead - there were none. The only announcements concerned the split at Reading.
It must have come as quite a surprise to passengers in 8-12 to be informed by the driver as we passed through Taplow!! That might explain the long dwell time at Maidenhead.
The train itself was full. Busier than the Worcester HST by a considerable margin. I am basing that upon a) number of passengers standing in Coach 5 where I was, and b) that Coaches 1-4 were already full and so I had to double back. Given that the morning peak was so quiet today I was quite shocked by how busy it was, and will be intrigued as to what happens when passenger numbers peak later this month.
Comfort-wise I’m afraid the ironing boards just don’t compete against a comfy HST seat. I think I’m correct in saying that only the 19.48 is now an HST to Maidenhead?
