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grahame
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« on: May 11, 2007, 16:03:47 » |
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An hourly service will be operated from Oxford to Bicester and back this Saturday and Sunday, to celebrate 20 years of service on the line (since re-opening). http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=1196Excellent to see that First are running extra trains for special events. I hope they'll be well supported. |
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Coffee Shop Admin, Acting Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, Option 24/7 Melksham Rep
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Lee
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« Reply #1 on: May 11, 2007, 17:34:00 » |
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Lee
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« Reply #2 on: May 12, 2007, 12:11:23 » |
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Lee
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« Reply #3 on: December 10, 2007, 11:50:00 » |
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From Saturday 17 November to Sunday 6 January there will be extra trains running on Saturdays and a special Sunday service between Oxford - Bicester (link below.) http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=1907Fares between Oxford , Islip and Bicester Town : Adult Return ^2.00 , Child Return ^1. |
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Lee
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« Reply #4 on: February 04, 2008, 00:37:16 » |
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Some quotes by Industry Insider (plus brief comment by me) from the Save The Train forum : 2) Information at Bicester Town - I noted today that the (unstaffed) station at Bicester Town had its train times poster up with the heading Bicester-Oxford Train Times. It then goes on to print the timetable for the Cotswold Line with not a mention of the Oxford-Islip-Bicester service anywhere to be seen. Surely, even if those who produced the poster made a cock-up and printed the wrong service by mistake, the person sent out to stick it up in the poster board might have spotted that the layout looked a little suspicious (about 25 stations listed rather than 3). Henrietta Leyser of Oxford-Bicester Rail Action Group informs me that this error has now been corrected. On my latest visit to Bicester Town, I note that the timetable poster has indeed been changed. Though I noticed this little 'gaggle' of signs at the platform entrance...  It struck me that all three of them have certain issues concerned with them that mean they perhaps shouldn't be there at all? : 1) The facilities are checked on a regular basis. Hmmm, are they really? I somewhat doubt it judging by the documented farce with the help phone at Melksham, though I suppose it is at least useful to have a phone number listed you can call to report faults. 2) Nearest station with access for mobility impaired customers is Oxford. What does this actually mean? Bicester Town is an unstaffed station, but it only has one platform which has level open access from the small station forecourt. The step up from the platform to the train is probably typical of most stations (around 6 inches), so unless you are 'Mobility Impaired' to an extent you are confined to a wheelchair then there are no problems. If that is the case why not use the phrase Confined to a Wheelchair or is that not PC? In any event the nearest station is Bicester North which also has level access to all platforms and is staffed throughout the majority of the operating day. The 'Station Facilities' poster on the platform also states Oxford is the nearest station to purchase advance tickets, railcards etc., when of course Bicester North is much closer. Sceptics would say that Oxford is quoted deliberately so Chiltern Railways (who operate Bicester North station) miss out on some potential sales commission. Or perhaps it's just an innocent mistake with the person who produces the poster being unaware of the other station? 3) It's against the law to smoke. An interesting one this. As a non-smoker the fewer places people can smoke the better as far as I'm concerned, but I can clearly see that it seems silly to prevent smoking on the station platform, which is as open and windswept as the station forecourt and road. It doesn't actually say where the non-smoking area starts and ends either of course, and as it's an unstaffed station who on earth is going to enforce such a ban? I guess the wider issue I am raising is that the number of useless/contradictory/vague signage at our stations is increasing incrementally as the years go by, and is yet another way that money is being wasted. |
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Tim
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« Reply #5 on: February 04, 2008, 10:28:56 » |
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Some of the No Smoking audio announcemnts and signs are a little confusing. At Paddington, signs say something like "No Smoking within the confines of this station". I guess this means anywhere on station propery, but why put it in some a wordy way. people could be forgiven for thinking that the ban only applies to the confined (ie, enclosed parts of the station".
At Bath the auto-announcement says "no smoking on any FGW▸ station" (how is the public supposed to know which stations are FGW stations? Why not just say "no smoking on this station" or "no smoking on any station" (I belive that smoking is banned at all stations in GB▸ with the possible exception of fishguard harbour where it is allowed because it is actually owned by a ferry company and when they tried to ban it smokers ended up standing on the adjacent road and level crossing which presented a more imediate health risk.
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vacman
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« Reply #6 on: February 04, 2008, 15:50:19 » |
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Smoking is actually against railway byelaws (byelaw 3) provided there are signs indicating this, so yes, technicaly it's illigal to smoke on a station if there are signs!
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #7 on: February 04, 2008, 23:03:40 » |
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Smoking is actually against railway byelaws (byelaw 3) provided there are signs indicating this, so yes, technicaly it's illigal to smoke on a station if there are signs!
An interesting point, vacman! Just an idle observation, but the last time I saw someone actually on duty at our 'allegedly' manned station at Nailsea one morning last October, he was leaning nonchalantly against the 'It is illegal to smoke on this station' sign at the top of the steps to platform 2, puffing away! (And he's ex-Wessex, too!)   |
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William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
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John R
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« Reply #8 on: February 04, 2008, 23:17:16 » |
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Maybe we could campaign for the coffee cart lady to sell tickets. She's now minding the newspapers, and I bet she could do with a bit of extra income. By the way, do you think Digital Doris will ever reappear (if a voice can appear). I haven't heard her at Nailsea for weeks. Don't suppose that's FGW▸ 's fault either.
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #9 on: February 04, 2008, 23:40:31 » |
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More interesting points, John! I saw the poster from our local newsagent this morning, taped inside the shelter where the newspaper stand and 'honesty box' used to be, explaining that he's discontinued the service, due to the cash being stolen twice in the last month. That wouldn't have happened when Nailsea was indeed a 'manned' station? Hopefully, Digital Doris has gone the way of Vera Duckworth - not least because they both spouted a load of absolute $^%&*& ... ! More likely, though, it's probably just a case of 'rainwater in the electrics' - which is why the ticket machines don't work, whenever there's been rain overnight ... !  |
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William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
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Btline
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« Reply #10 on: February 21, 2008, 19:54:36 » |
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I think that smoking on stations is allowed in Scotland. Anyway, when I was on the West Highland Line many passengers, not to mention the guard and trolley man (and the driver) got off the train at all opportunities and had a fag! |
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Btline
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« Reply #11 on: February 21, 2008, 19:57:44 » |
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Hopefully, Digital Doris has gone the way of Vera Duckworth - not least because they both spouted a load of absolute $^%&*& ... !
Ha Ha!! Is Digital Doris the one that does lots of LM▸ stations e.g. Snow Hill where she was banned because she spurted absolute cr*p!!! It is now manual. She also pronounced Cradley Heath and Rowley Regis incorrectly. So she rerecorded- AT A HIGHER VOLUME so all Snow Hill Line announcements are weird now. |
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eightf48544
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« Reply #12 on: February 23, 2008, 19:05:30 » |
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There 7 No Smoking signs on Platform 4 at Taplow, we haven't counted the ones on the other 3 platforms. Thats more than the number telling you about the train service.
Magdebug - Hanover is a five fag run for the driver, seen from the DVT‡.
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IanL
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« Reply #13 on: March 20, 2008, 19:40:24 » |
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two Bicester trains cancelled tonight due to train failure
1910 Oxf-Bicester and its return 1951 Bicester -OXF»
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Lee
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« Reply #14 on: October 03, 2008, 07:28:37 » |
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From the FGW▸ website :
05:51 Oxford to Bicester Town due 06:17
This train has been cancelled.This is due to a problem with line-side equipment.
06:24 Bicester Town to Oxford due 06:50
This train has been cancelled.This is due to a problem with line-side equipment.
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