The 2+7's - as far as I remember........

[whole diary]

[Mookiemoo]

They were going to be used for shorter journey's....... or for off peak services........

Well how about the Cathedrals "Express" (Express being defined by FGW^▸ (First Great Western) and not the common definition of the word but we wont go there) - the second longest journey I believe in FGW land after PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)-Penzance - the flagship cotswolds service - being a 2+7

Would they do it to the Golden Hind, Would they do it the (I think its called) Red Dragon....... I suspect not.

Ridiculous

[Mookiemoo]

Would they do it to the Golden Hind, Would they do it the (I think its called) Red Dragon....... I suspect not.

Confirmed as - NOT
The 1815 which I believe is the Red Dragon - we got set swapped with alledgedly

So they get their buffet and we get.............this

[devon_metro]

Isn't it only advertised as a normal buffet service anyway?

[Rogang]

not strictly true about the set swap with the 18:15. Paddington ended up with no less than three HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s short for peak service tonight after three totally unrelated set faults during the afternoon. Turbo's were drafted in for th 18:33 and 18:51 Oxfords, and the rest was a huge 'step up' operation with sets. FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have a policy not to use 2+7's on the peak Herefords unless really unavoidable, and tonight was one of those nights. Shame it was on day 2 of post-Cotswold block

[willc]

Isn't it only advertised as a normal buffet service anyway?

Yes, but I'm assuming that this was not a 2+7 with a mini-buffet...

But it seems to have been one of those evenings really. The 19.22 Hereford was 30+ late after an incident at Paddington. Not entirely sure of its nature as the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) website and conductor both said a passenger had been taken ill, the announcements at Oxford said there was an accident involving a passenger and I bumped into someone I know on the train, who said a person had fallen between the train and the platform.

Train then seems to have been held at Moreton or Evesham and was showing as 56 late from Evesham on the website, with services going in the opposite direction also stuffed up. Roll on 2011....

[devon_metro]

Not been a great day for fgw, what with 1A74 0600 Plymouth Paddington arriving at 1120, a mere 2hr20 mins late!

[Mookiemoo]

You are correct

The 1822 cathedrals express was a 2+7 with a trolley in FC^‡(resolve) and a static in A

A trolley in FC I thought had left at oxford ........ I broke my toe this morning - see another post in across the west

Sp did not want to hobble to A - surprise there was still a station in H but she did not venture out beyond oxford!

[willc]

And another 2+7 on the 18.22 tonight. The customer host in coach A was still doing a roaring trade and was most apologetic about the lack of a buffet - and chilled drinks!

The scrolling platform displays at Oxford now proclaim: Please note this train is called the Cathedrals Express.

But not very express tonight - brought to a stand at the edge of Moreton-in-Marsh. That and the resulting trundle into the station cost five minutes. I can understand being held outside when there is a train from Evesham approaching as well, but the 18.47 from Worcester was long gone, having passed us at Kingham running on time. I don't mind being delayed for a genuine reason but this just looked like sloppy operating.

[Mookiemoo]

And another 2+7 on the 18.22 tonight. The customer host in coach A was still doing a roaring trade and was most apologetic about the lack of a buffet - and chilled drinks!

The scrolling platform displays at Oxford now proclaim: Please note this train is called the Cathedrals Express.

But not very express tonight - brought to a stand at the edge of Moreton-in-Marsh. That and the resulting trundle into the station cost five minutes. I can understand being held outside when there is a train from Evesham approaching as well, but the 18.47 from Worcester was long gone, having passed us at Kingham running on time. I don't mind being delayed for a genuine reason but this just looked like sloppy operating.

Possibly the 1751 on the single line?  Thats what did for us on Wed!

[willc]

And another 2+7 on the 18.22 tonight. The customer host in coach A was still doing a roaring trade and was most apologetic about the lack of a buffet - and chilled drinks!

The scrolling platform displays at Oxford now proclaim: Please note this train is called the Cathedrals Express.

But not very express tonight - brought to a stand at the edge of Moreton-in-Marsh. That and the resulting trundle into the station cost five minutes. I can understand being held outside when there is a train from Evesham approaching as well, but the 18.47 from Worcester was long gone, having passed us at Kingham running on time. I don't mind being delayed for a genuine reason but this just looked like sloppy operating.

Possibly the 1751 on the single line?  Thats what did for us on Wed!

That wouldn't need the train to be stopped outside the station, even if the section to Evesham is still occupied. The signaller can perfectly well bring an approaching train down to low speed by leaving the signal at danger, then drop it as the train approaches so it can just keep on going slowly all the way to the platform, with the next two home signals being dropped in turn as the train nears, rather than have to make a standing start with a few hundred yards to go, which is also a waste of fuel.