I also checked and the 0542 is going forward to Great Malvern and so this is the reason it is later.
Fine and dandy, if it actually ever gets to Malvern, given that for much of the early part of this year, even reaching Foregate Street was beyond it, but doesn't get away from the fact that at what is a busy time of day for travel,
FGW▸ have created a one hour, 40-minute hole in the service towards Oxford and London (from 07.26 to 09.06). While the previous gap from about 8.35 to 10.35 and current one from 9.35 to 11.25 wasn't/isn't great, they at least put a gap in the service at a more logical point in the day, in terms of people's broad travel patterns, than this change will do.
A depot at Worcester is to be welcomed though. The sooner the better, to bring an end to the miles of empty running and staff getting up at dead of night, then being at work for several hours before they actually move a single passenger.
as long as it's a three car I don't personally think capacity will be a problem.
Maybe not beyond Oxford, but I stand by my view that there will be times of the year when it will not be up to the job on the first leg of the journey, if it is just a three-car Turbo. My other thought, looking at when it will get back to Oxford (16.49), might it actually be a two-car, split off a five-car formation at Oxford, as then it could head out of Oxford again at 17.31 as the halts train?
