The concern is is that they don't appear to be doing anything, the management need to do some managing.

The following was a conversation I had today: my other half planned to catch a train to Oxford (from Didcot) tonight. Her friend had checked the train schedules earlier in the week and found no issues. Aware of the notoriously poor Sunday service, I suggested she check the current schedule, and, unsurprisingly, she had not. Upon checking, we found that there are no trains returning from Oxford after 21:30, with only replacement bus services at 23:05 and 00:05. The last train is too early and the bus services are too late (and take too long). Had I not prompted her to check, she would likely have been stranded in Oxford for an extended period (or more likely, she would have called me to pick her up). As a result, she opted to travel by car, representing a loss of revenue for the railway.

<Rant on>
Given the above why would anybody choose to travel by train, if the management and employees don't seem to sort out this issue?
Why don't the management, staff, and unions come together to at least reach a temporary agreement?
Is the railway industry the most inept industry at undermining itself?
<Rant off>

Long time thread update.

I can now answer the question I asked at the beginning of this thread.

This might have been possible for a while, but yesterday I discovered that you can now load non-season tickets from the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) app directly onto the GWR Touch smartcard from your smartphone using NFC.

Rail fares up 4.6% from 2nd March.

I would hope not 

There is a picture of the IEP at Bicester Village in this very forum http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=29339.0

ChrisB, I think you have forgotten ( ) that the Elizabeth Line to Reading is an example of this where the users don't have any representation for this service but where the money from fares goes to Tfl.

It appears that GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) is operating IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) along the East/West rail for potential use as a diversionary route.

However, it is unclear to me under what circumstances this route would be utilized, especially considering there is an existing route into London from Oxford via Bicester that is not currently employed as a diversionary route.

I agree in that I think they should do this, but they won't, as letting the ROSCO's buy the trains keeps the cost of purchase off the government balance sheet even though in the long term it would be cheaper for the government/taxpayer/railway.
I would gladly be happy to be provided wrong on this.

From National Rail:
"The emergency services are dealing with an incident between Swindon and Didcot Parkway. So they can safely carry out their work, all lines are closed.
As a result, trains may be cancelled, delayed by up to 60 minutes or revised.
Major disruption is expected until 18:00.
Customer advice:
A very limited rail replacement services is in operation between Bristol Temple Meads / Swindon and Didcot Parkway.
You can use your ticket on Stagecoach Bus route 55 between Swindon and Chippenham, and route S6 between Swindon and Oxford at no extra cost.
You may use your ticket on the following services:
CrossCountry via any reasonable route
Elizabeth line via any reasonable route
Chiltern Railways between Oxford and London Marylebone"

Worryingly this is about the 3rd such incident being dealt with by Emergency Services between Swindon and Didcot in the last week or so.

It is £5.10 extra if you buy a ticket from Bicester Village to Haddenham and T. and I know that wasn't the question.

7 Southampton

As an aside Olly Glover's CV makes interesting reading:

"He has spent all his working life on the railways, having held a range of senior operational management positions in Network Rail and train operating companies. These have involved leading large teams of train drivers, responsibility for major control centres, working in partnership with trade unions, and hands-on roles managing disruption, on the tracks and on station concourses. Olly now works as a consultant, using his knowledge to help railway companies in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) and abroad to improve their operations."

This is from https://www.libdems.org.uk/mps/didcot-and-wantage

I understand he talked about the railways in his first speech in the House of Commons.

18 New Orleans

Aren't those Woolston and Bitterne stations, both in Southampton.

Didcot Parkway lifts are quite often out of action after heavy rain.