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Great Western Coffee Shop > Journey by Journey > London to Swindon and Bristol > Grand Central Waterloo-Bristol open access
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John D
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« on: June 20, 2026, 14:23:02 »
Rumours are circulating (apparently based on article in Rail magazine) that Arriva owned Grand Central has applied for open access rights.

One is Waterloo, Salisbury, Warminster, Westbury, Trowbridge, Bradford on Avon, Bath Spa, Bristol Temple Meads

Other is St Pancras, Luton Airport Parkway, Wellingborough, Leicester, Loughborough, Derby, Uttoxeter, Stoke on Trent, Congleton, Macclesfield, Stockport, Manchester Piccadilly.

Nothing yet on ORR» (Office of Rail and Road, formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about), or Grand Central website.   Anyone know if this is genuine, and if so what is actually proposed.

Of course, SWR» (South Western Railway - about) will no doubt object, even though they decided they didn't want the revenue from the Bristol route and dropped it about 3 years ago.  (I think DfT» (Department for Transport - about) might have been behind cut, as didn't have to replace trains damaged in Salisbury Junction crash if cut Bristol and Brighton service)

Grand Central have 9 new tri-mode trains on order, but presumably could order more, or use displaced fleet in interim whilst waiting for more to be built.
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Clan Line
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« Reply #1 on: June 20, 2026, 19:28:26 »
Quote from: John D on June 20, 2026, 14:23:02
(I think DfT» (Department for Transport - about) might have been behind cut, as didn't have to replace trains damaged in Salisbury Junction crash if cut Bristol and Brighton service)

Who ever decided on the cut was totally clueless. I seem to remember that "duplication" of existing (GWR▸ (Great Western Railway)) services was one of the reasons given to axe the SWR» (South Western Railway - about) services. Since then, GWR have introduced something approaching a half hourly service between BRI▸ (Bristol Temple Meads station (that is the formal station code - see also BTM▸ (Bristol Temple Meads station (strictly, it should be BRI) but BTM is a commonly used alternative))), or Bristol Royal Infirmary (hospital), depending on context) and SAL. This appears to have been achieved by reducing the length of most of the CDF▸ (Cardiff Central station) - PMH▸ (Portsmouth Harbour station) services (except on Sundays !!) and NOT running the additional trains during the busy morning and late afternoon peaks when they are actually needed the most !!!
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PhilWakely
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« Reply #2 on: June 20, 2026, 20:31:40 »
I would expect a flurry of Open Access applications with 'nationalisation'. The various private companies would almost certainly want to maintain some form of rail revenue earnings
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anthony215
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« Reply #3 on: June 20, 2026, 22:03:35 »
I can see grand union trying again with marchwood to southampton and Waterloo .

Pity tfw wont apply to run their.open acess Bristol tm services to Waterloo
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John D
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« Reply #4 on: June 25, 2026, 11:11:08 »
Taken from another forum, so not copying it, but provisional timetable seems to be about every 2 hours

First train from Salisbury 07:31 to Bristol, arrives Bath 08:35, Bristol 08:54 to handy for local commuters
Then 08:11, 10:15 roughly every 2 hours from Waterloo,
last train from Waterloo 22:15 ends at Salisbury

Other direction 06:38 from Salisbury to Waterloo
From Bristol 07:36, 09:31 roughly every 2 hours to Waterloo
21:36 from Bristol ends at Salisbury

Looks like 3 train service with 8-10 minutes turnaround at Waterloo, and about 45 minutes turnaround at Bristol

2 trains appear to overnight at Salisbury and one at Bristol

From my local station Bradford on Avon, 2 hours 5 minutes to Waterloo, but just under 2 hours Waterloo - BoA▸ (Bradford-on-Avon station).   So a fairly reasonable time to London if don't like changing at Westbury or Bath (although changing gives overall quicker journey).  For comparison the one direct GWR▸ (Great Western Railway) train from BoA to Paddington takes 2 hours
« Last Edit: June 25, 2026, 17:38:53 by John D » Logged
anthony215
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« Reply #5 on: June 25, 2026, 21:14:52 »
Here's the proposed timetable for the Bristol tm to london Waterloo service.  Class 769s seemed to be thw rumoured  rolling stock.
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IndustryInsider
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« Reply #6 on: June 26, 2026, 12:12:59 »
Quote from: anthony215 on June 25, 2026, 21:14:52
Class 769s seemed to be thw rumoured  rolling stock.

Lord, God!  No!!!
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Clan Line
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« Reply #7 on: June 26, 2026, 18:34:20 »
Off the top of my head - am I correct in saying that this proposed service will actually provide a quicker WAT to SAL service than that provided by the steam hauled ACE - up to 1964 !  Is this what they call progress ?   
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John D
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« Reply #8 on: June 26, 2026, 20:18:39 »
Quote from: Clan Line on June 26, 2026, 18:34:20
Off the top of my head - am I correct in saying that this proposed service will actually provide a quicker WAT to SAL service than that provided by the steam hauled ACE - up to 1964 !  Is this what they call progress ?   

Provisional timetable is 76-78 minutes from Waterloo

About 8-10 minutes faster than Waterloo-Exeter trains with 159s

Don't have a 1964 timetable, but have copy of one of the last Southern Railway ones, and Salisbury was about 2 hours by the fastest trains to beyond Exeter
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grahame
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« Reply #9 on: June 26, 2026, 21:05:09 »
Quote from: John D on June 26, 2026, 20:18:39
Quote from: Clan Line on June 26, 2026, 18:34:20
Off the top of my head - am I correct in saying that this proposed service will actually provide a quicker WAT to SAL service than that provided by the steam hauled ACE - up to 1964 !  Is this what they call progress ?   

Provisional timetable is 76-78 minutes from Waterloo

About 8-10 minutes faster than Waterloo-Exeter trains with 159s

I would suggest that's because it's almost non-stop, not calling at Basingstoke or Woking - just Clapham Junction.  I also noted brisk timings from Bristol to Bath, sandwiched between Portsmouth Harbour and London trains; no stops showing at Keynsham or Oldfield Park and indeed a problem if they tried.   The service pattern may hint at the main market they are after.
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Mark A
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« Reply #10 on: June 27, 2026, 09:23:45 »
Ah, the Woking, Basingstoke, Andover calls on the previous service made a valued contribution to its attractiveness for passengers. Not so much the Whitchurch, Grateley ones though.

Mark
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