Unusual through train

[whole diary]

[bobm]

From FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Website

07:59 Swansea to London Paddington due 12:02
This train will call additionally at Pewsey and Newbury.This is due to an earlier train fault.

Last Updated: 30/10/2011 09:33

Wonder when the last time there was a through train from Swansea to Pewsey?

Always like these extra stops but of course it's usually too late to take advanatge of them.  Did strike lucky once when a Penzance service made an extra call at Twyford and I was heading to St Erth so didn't need to change at Reading!

[IndustryInsider]

Yes, I travelled direct from Banbury to Tiverton Parkway several years ago when Virgin Cross Country were diverting their services that would normally run via Cheltenham through that route instead.

[Steve Bray]

Was it around a Sunday in New Year 2010 when there were a couple of London-Swansea services that ran via Hereford and the Cotswold Line?

[smokey]

I recall that last Christmas or New year that the 17.38 Penzance to Paddington which is routed via Bristol TM^▸ (Train Manager, or Ticket Machine, or Temple Meads (Bristol), depending on context), Bath Spa and Swindon normally was routed and called at Oxford before reverseing at Banbury.

Penzance to Oxford on a Direct train THESE days is about as Common as Rocking Horse Droppings.

[inspector_blakey]

Probably about 10-11 years ago, a Virgin XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) from Penzance - North East somewhere that worked direct (and non-stop) Bristol TM^▸ (Train Manager, or Ticket Machine, or Temple Meads (Bristol), depending on context) - Oxford, via Chipping Sodbury and the west curve at Foxhall. It was a planned, advertised diversion due to engineering, and probably the quickest journey I've ever had between the two places by some distance!