Great Western Coffee Shop

From The Oxford Times:
http://www.oxfordtimes.co.uk/news/8779904.Help_needed_to_smarten_up_Cotswold_Line_stations/

I've just been on the FGW website and I can't see details of the line closure at the end of May. They're still giving details of the 2010 closures. I thought the point ofwebsites was to give up to date info.

(To be fair I've been rightly critiscised before for missing something on the FGW website, so if I'm wrong with this gripe, apologies, but it's not obvious)

Wounder if the PM will be out with his marigolds and feather duster volunteering in this "Big Society" ? or am I just a cynic

No, you haven't missed anything on the FGW website. The page hasn't been changed since last summer after details of the weekend closures for track renewal at Evesham were deleted. Network Rail's site is better, though it doesn't really make it clear that what's happening at the end of May and in mid-August are full or partial line closures, but it gives the dates. It suggests going to the FGW site to sign up for updates, but that facility has disappeared from the FGW page - and I seem to recall only ever receiving one email update anyway, back in the summer of 2009.

Network Rail are generally making a better fist of telling people what they are up to. This newsletter - which does make the closures clear - has been distributed to stations along the line in the past few days
http://www.networkrail.co.uk/documents/Projects/10995_Cotswold%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf but obviously working out what trains and replacement bus services will be running and letting passengers know about them is not their job.

Pretty poor if you ask me. I've always believed that if you're an organisation selling goods or services to the public and you have a website you should keep it up to date

Hamg on, this is still 3 months away! You cant yet buy advances for the dates of the closure yet either, but no one complains about that, just accepts it.

Any more than 6 weeks and people will forget.

Advances? On the Cotswold Line??

I didnt say just Cotswold! Anywhere on FGW, doesnt matter....any mire than 4 weeks and people forget. It was mentioned at the last closure, so regulars should have diaryised it already

Sorry Chris, but I'm going to have to disagree with you on this issue again.

The closure date at the end of May is fixed. It is posted online on the Network Rail website, it is posted online on the CLPG website, it is online in assorted news stories I and others have written and on that recent Network Rail newsletter. Pretty much the only place one might expect to find it where there is nothing, beyond the vague note "Spring 2011: Stage 1 complete ^ Charlbury to Ascott-under-wychwood", is the FGW website.

Fine, FGW may still be finalising replacement buses, etc. That does not stop them putting on a note online that the line will be closed at the end of May, does it? And that FGW web page has not been updated since last autumn. It is still talking about the closures last October - not very helpful to passengers, regulars or not, is it? Should someone have a vague recollection of there being a closure coming up and wanting to check when it is, they will find nothing there of any use. Not good enough, I'm afraid.