Train GraphicClick on the map to explore geographics
 
I need help
FAQ
Emergency
About .
Travel & transport from BBC stories as at 11:35 01 May 2025
 
* Snake halts Japanese bullet trains after wrapping around power line
Read about the forum [here].
Register [here] - it's free.
What do I gain from registering? [here]
 05/05/25 - Walk to Pilning
10/05/25 - BRTA Westbury
10/05/25 - Model Railway Show, Calne
13/05/25 - Melksham TUG / AGM

On this day
1st May (1851)
Great Exhibition opens (*)

Train RunningCancelled
11:54 Reading to Gatwick Airport
12:13 Newbury to Reading
13:29 Gatwick Airport to Reading
Short Run
09:03 London Paddington to Plymouth
11:16 London Paddington to Cardiff Central
12:13 London Paddington to Newbury
13:11 Taunton to Cardiff Central
16:00 Cardiff Central to Taunton
17:30 London Paddington to Taunton
Delayed
10:23 London Paddington to Oxford
10:35 London Paddington to Exeter St Davids
Abbreviation pageAcronymns and abbreviations
Stn ComparatorStation Comparator
Rail newsNews Now - live rail news feed
Site Style 1 2 3 4
Next departures • Bristol Temple MeadsBath SpaChippenhamSwindonDidcot ParkwayReadingLondon PaddingtonMelksham
Exeter St DavidsTauntonWestburyTrowbridgeBristol ParkwayCardiff CentralOxfordCheltenham SpaBirmingham New Street
May 01, 2025, 11:44:58 *
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Forgotten your username or password? - get a reminder
Most recently liked subjects
[112] Cash payments for transport services
[69] Brighton Belle - merged topics
[53] May Timetable Change
[52] Longer distance canal walks - public transport for one way sec...
[36] "Save the Last Remaining British Rail Hovercraft from Destruct...
[36] What and why - on the platform
 
News: the Great Western Coffee Shop ... keeping you up to date with travel around the South West
 
   Home   Help Search Calendar Login Register  
Pages: [1] 2
  Print  
Author Topic: See how they used to be ...1983 to 1984  (Read 26935 times)
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 43944



View Profile WWW Email
« on: May 06, 2017, 20:14:54 »

Going through loads of old papers, I found some timetables that are about 30 years old.

Before you click on the link, ask yourself how many Paddington services you think Bedwyn, Pewsey and Westbury had each day.   Then take a look at the timetable ...

http://atrebatia.info/bandh1983to4.pdf
Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, TravelWatch SouthWest Board Member
IndustryInsider
Data Manager
Hero Member
******
Posts: 10456


View Profile
« Reply #1 on: May 06, 2017, 23:52:30 »

A great example of how steady incremental increases over the years have massively improved frequencies.
Logged

To view my GWML (Great Western Main Line) Electrification cab video 'before and after' video comparison, as well as other videos of the new layout at Reading and 'before and after' comparisons of the Cotswold Line Redoubling scheme, see: http://www.dailymotion.com/user/IndustryInsider/
Chris from Nailsea
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 19585



View Profile Email
« Reply #2 on: May 07, 2017, 00:57:31 »

Agreed.

But back in the early 1980s, was there perhaps less of an expectation that anyone working in London would also choose to live in Pewsey - just for example?

 Undecided

Logged

William Huskisson MP (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post (a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London), depending on context) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: Stop, Look, Listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner."  Discuss.
IndustryInsider
Data Manager
Hero Member
******
Posts: 10456


View Profile
« Reply #3 on: May 07, 2017, 13:08:56 »

It's often the Sunday services that show best how travelling habits have driver service frequency improvements, such as the 8-fold increase in trains serving Hungerford in this example.
Logged

To view my GWML (Great Western Main Line) Electrification cab video 'before and after' video comparison, as well as other videos of the new layout at Reading and 'before and after' comparisons of the Cotswold Line Redoubling scheme, see: http://www.dailymotion.com/user/IndustryInsider/
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 43944



View Profile WWW Email
« Reply #4 on: May 07, 2017, 14:45:18 »

But back in the early 1980s, was there perhaps less of an expectation that anyone working in London would also choose to live in Pewsey - just for example?

The service was certainly "London facing" in those days - trains left (all to Paddington) at 07:04, 08:29, 09:59 and 19:14, return trains arriving at 11:39, 17:39, 19:04 and 19:39 ... those are Monday to Friday. A sprinkling of others running 1 dy per week.

Logic suggests commuting to Reading, or a more genteel working day in London.  An extra train Monday morning only to London, and Friday evening only from London, suggest weekly commuters.  Interesting that extra trains ran via the Berks and Hants on Friday evening, isn't it?    Can't imagine there would be any call for that these days  Wink
Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, TravelWatch SouthWest Board Member
didcotdean
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 1454


View Profile
« Reply #5 on: May 07, 2017, 16:24:19 »

For comparison, this is 1965.

London-Westbury
Westbury-London
Logged
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 43944



View Profile WWW Email
« Reply #6 on: May 07, 2017, 17:22:08 »

For comparison, this is 1965.

London-Westbury
Westbury-London

Can't help wondering how on earth they expected the Lavington service to attract passengers ...
Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, TravelWatch SouthWest Board Member
Chris from Nailsea
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 19585



View Profile Email
« Reply #7 on: May 07, 2017, 18:27:54 »

Maybe someone important in those days lived in or near Lavington?  Roll Eyes Grin
Logged

William Huskisson MP (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post (a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London), depending on context) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: Stop, Look, Listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner."  Discuss.
Zoe
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 754


View Profile
« Reply #8 on: May 07, 2017, 19:46:04 »

I wonder why Bedwyn was chosen as a terminus even back in the 1960s for some services from Reading.  There really isn't much of note between Hungerford (except maybe Pewsey) and Westbury so it seems an odd place to turn back rather than either running on to Pewsey (which would have removed the need for intercity services to call there) or turning back at Hungerford (which would have then required intercity services to also call at Bedwyn).  I wonder if it was chosen simply for operational convenience.
Logged
SandTEngineer
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 3485


View Profile
« Reply #9 on: May 07, 2017, 19:49:40 »

I wonder why Bedwyn was chosen as a terminus even back in the 1960s for some services from Reading.  There really isn't much of note between Hungerford (except maybe Pewsey) and Westbury so it seems an odd place to turn back rather than either running on to Pewsey (which would have removed the need for intercity services to call there) or turning back at Hungerford (which would have then required intercity services to also call at Bedwyn).  I wonder if it was chosen simply for operational convenience.
I think Bedwyn was possibly chosen as the Up Siding was converted to a Bay Platform.  Nowhere at Hungerford for trains to wait other than in the sidings.
Logged
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 43944



View Profile WWW Email
« Reply #10 on: May 07, 2017, 19:58:05 »

Here's an older timetable ...

Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, TravelWatch SouthWest Board Member
Chris from Nailsea
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 19585



View Profile Email
« Reply #11 on: May 07, 2017, 20:18:36 »

Oh, for the days when there were trains stopping at Seend, Holt and Limpley Stoke ...  Roll Eyes

Logged

William Huskisson MP (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post (a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London), depending on context) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: Stop, Look, Listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner."  Discuss.
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 43944



View Profile WWW Email
« Reply #12 on: May 07, 2017, 20:35:02 »

Oh, for the days when there were trains stopping at Seend, Holt and Limpley Stoke ...  Roll Eyes

Bathampton too - perfect for a park and ride
Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, TravelWatch SouthWest Board Member
Chris from Nailsea
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 19585



View Profile Email
« Reply #13 on: May 07, 2017, 20:43:23 »

Well, yes - but I was trying not to get too involved in current re-opening issues - or indeed going even further off-topic from the Kennet Valley.  Roll Eyes Wink Grin

Logged

William Huskisson MP (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post (a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London), depending on context) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: Stop, Look, Listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner."  Discuss.
Bmblbzzz
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 4256


View Profile
« Reply #14 on: May 08, 2017, 10:13:39 »

Oh, for the days when there were trains stopping at Seend, Holt and Limpley Stoke ...  Roll Eyes


I've used Limpley Stoke, it's not that ancient!  Shocked
Logged

Waiting at Pilning for the midnight sleeper to Prague.
Do you have something you would like to add to this thread, or would you like to raise a new question at the Coffee Shop? Please [register] (it is free) if you have not done so before, or login (at the top of this page) if you already have an account - we would love to read what you have to say!

You can find out more about how this forum works [here] - that will link you to a copy of the forum agreement that you can read before you join, and tell you very much more about how we operate. We are an independent forum, provided and run by customers of Great Western Railway, for customers of Great Western Railway and we welcome railway professionals as members too, in either a personal or official capacity. Views expressed in posts are not necessarily the views of the operators of the forum.

As well as posting messages onto existing threads, and starting new subjects, members can communicate with each other through personal messages if they wish. And once members have made a certain number of posts, they will automatically be admitted to the "frequent posters club", where subjects not-for-public-domain are discussed; anything from the occasional rant to meetups we may be having ...

 
Pages: [1] 2
  Print  
 
Jump to:  

Powered by MySQL Powered by PHP Powered by SMF 1.1.2 | SMF © 2006-2007, Simple Machines LLC Valid XHTML 1.0! Valid CSS!
This forum is provided by customers of Great Western Railway (formerly First Great Western), and the views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that the content provided by one of our posters contravenes our posting rules via admin@railcustomer.info. Full legal statement (here).

Jump to top of pageJump to Forum Home Page