Travelling on the Heart of Wessex

[whole diary]

[Conner]

My family have recently booked a holiday in Weymouth and I am looking at travelling by train from Camborne.
The price is good but would like some info on the service.
Is it reliable?
Is it busy?
What type of train forms services?
I was looking at travelling on the 12:44 from Castle Cary-Weymouth on the way their on a Monday and 15:11 Weymouth-Castle Cary on the way back on a Friday.
Any help greatly apreciated.

[Timmer]

Reliable as any FGW^▸ (First Great Western) service.
Can be if the sun is shining, especially summer saturdays/sundays and school summer holidays. Even when FGW add extra carriages it can still be rammed. Very quiet during the winter months.
Been a mixture of 150s and 158s over the past couple of years but expect this to change once the Cardiff-Portsmouth goes 3-car with the service reverting to pretty much 150s during the week with 153s/158s bolstering services at weekends.

[devon_metro]

Booked 150 probably although in summer season they might throw in a 158.

When ever I travel on halts trains during the day they are never busy and have had Ex FC^‡(resolve) on TPEx to myself to Weymouth before.

A warning about Friday 1505 Paddington - Penzance - it gets VERY busy!!

[Jim]

Booked 150 probably although in summer season they might throw in a 158.

When ever I travel on halts trains during the day they are never busy and have had Ex FC^‡(resolve) on TPEx to myself to Weymouth before.

A warning about Friday 1505 Paddington - Penzance - it gets VERY busy!!

That one is booked 150. The 16.10 and 18.10 from Cary are booked 158 though.

[Conner]

It will be in March and on FirstMinuteFares so I will have a resrvation so not worried about how busy the 15:05 is as I will have a seat. 150 will be fine, would have been nice as a 158, good it isn't 153.
It is also interesting you can reserve seats on HOW, Do they put them out?
But FGW^▸ (First Great Western) being FGW, who knows what will happen.
The 5:31 BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI))-Penzance(150) and 6:47 BTM-Penzance(158) are often swapped round so could happen.
Talking of 150's I managed to get on 150261, refurbished, today, very nice inside, but seats seem to be slightly less comfortable now. Looks brillaint though.

[Conner]

Just booked it up.
Same trains a s I said in Original Post, looks good.
Never travelled on the HOW before so i am looking forward to it.
Used NXEC^▸ (National Express East Coast) to book it and must say their booking system is amazing. Definatly reccomended. Got FirstMinuteFares and reservations on all trains- how good are they at putting them out on HOW trains? Or is it sit anywhere?

[Jim]

Just booked it up.
Same trains a s I said in Original Post, looks good.
Never travelled on the HOW before so i am looking forward to it.
Used NXEC^▸ (National Express East Coast) to book it and must say their booking system is amazing. Definatly reccomended. Got FirstMinuteFares and reservations on all trains- how good are they at putting them out on HOW trains? Or is it sit anywhere?

Sit anywhere.

[Conner]

Just booked it up.
Same trains a s I said in Original Post, looks good.
Never travelled on the HOW before so i am looking forward to it.
Used NXEC^▸ (National Express East Coast) to book it and must say their booking system is amazing. Definatly reccomended. Got FirstMinuteFares and reservations on all trains- how good are they at putting them out on HOW trains? Or is it sit anywhere?

Sit anywhere.

Would have tried to nab a table anyway- especially on return. But if it is packed(which is unlikely as Cornwall are about the only place on School Holiday) i'll make sure I get my seat.