Poor Planning

[whole diary]

[Timmer]

Aaah, that makes much more sense!

So given the reversal at BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains) there will be lots of sets running the wrong way round come Sunday then, unless they have fun driving set after set round the triangle at Landore on Saturday night!

Services from Paddington-South Wales will call at BPW. Services to Paddington will call at Patchway instead with bus link to BPW.

Revised Timetable:
http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Documents/Custom/FGW%201657%20Swansea_New%20Info.qxd.pdf

With regards to Six Nations fixtures, these are made available well in advance. Even if Engineering work is planned even further in advance than that, Network Rail really should be a little more flexible in assisting TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) when extra demand for services is required for events like major sporting fixtures, music festivals etc.

[eightf48544]

The reason why GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) could update over a 100 miles of track in one weekend in 1892 was because for several years they had been updating the track to allow dual - gauge.

It was a relatively simple job to remove the third rail to leave a standard gauge track.

Whilst not trying to diminish GWR's achievement, the job was not a weekend wonder, but planned and implemented over a number of years.

Plus of course they could mobilise cheap labourers in large numbers of to undertake the actual changeover.

The interesting point is when did they do the preparation and did they have blockades and a large number of possessions to do the work? My feeling is that most of the preparation would have been done by the local PW^▸ (Permanent Way - the railway track) gangs between trains.

Did you know the LNER^» (London North Eastern Railway - about) poineered a single line track relaying machine before the war? With all the mechanisation of PW work we don't seem to have progressed too much as we now have to close both lines to relay track.

[John R]

LIne problems at Didcot due to over-running engineering work today can't be helping shift the England fans westwards efficiently.

[devon_metro]

Its worth noting that initially the line was meant to be blocked at Didcot, resulting in diverts via Westbury which would have taken quite a bit longer.

[devon_metro]

Also,
FGW^▸ (First Great Western) extended the 1130 Paddington - Bristol TM^▸ (Train Manager, or Ticket Machine, or Temple Meads (Bristol), depending on context) to Cardiff.
FGW ran an extra 1235 Paddington - Cardiff relief of the 1245. In true fashion it left after the 1245. (1250 Paddington)

[G.Uard]

Not a good weekend to try going anywhere really. I assume that diversion is up through Kemble and Stroud then back down rejoining the usual route at Standish Junc, just east of BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains)?

After those diversions on Saturday, the GWML^▸ (Great Western Main Line) is then closed between DID^▸ (Didcot Parkway) - SWI^» (Swindon - next trains) all day Sunday with replacement buses and west-bound services diverted after Reading.

Sorry for the correction, but the junction east of Bristol Parkway, (Yate outskirts), is Westerleigh.  This is where the Charfield line leaves the main Badminton Line.  Standish is in the Stroud area, some miles to the north and is where the Swindon branch diverges from the Charfield Line.

[inspector_blakey]

Sorry, I always get my knickers in a twist with those two!

I really ought to know about Westerleigh junction given that it's only just down the road from my heritage railway activities...