Latest commitments from First Great Western

Tue 17 Mar 2009, 12:46

John - I would have guessed this was the case, that is running the train at 17.57, however it was used again later in the evening, as a train started at Evesham, and doesnt usually. Strange happennings!

Tue 17 Mar 2009, 09:04

The 1731 was cancelled because the 1647 was still sitting on platform 2 opposite!

The 1647 was late leaving Paddington according to an announcement due to a last minute set change (ie train failure) and finally arrived at Oxford at 1712, we were then informed that the train would be further delayed to run in the slot for the 1731 and making additional stops for Combe, Finstock etc all in a HST.

Tue 17 Mar 2009, 00:37

FGW website said there was a fault with the train for the 17.31.

Since December the morning halts train has been operated from Reading, and runs out empty to Moreton where it goes into passenger service to work to Worcester before returning to Oxford.

Mon 16 Mar 2009, 20:04

The 16.47 was late arriving and left Oxford at 17.31 and called at all stations. I guess the Turbo was sent on as it's needed on the return journey in th morning...Shame if FGW didn't communicate this very well.

Mon 16 Mar 2009, 19:45

Can anyone tell me what happenned to the trains this evening. Got to Oxford to find that the 17.31 didnt run and they put on an extra train just to go to Evesham which left at 17.57. However although it was a turbo train didnt stop at Hanborough, Combe or Finstock.

Wed 11 Mar 2009, 09:43

Richard - Last trains on a Saturday night are usually constrained by Network Rail, rather than the operator, for overnight rail works. This is why the last train from Oxford to Banbury on a Saturday is a permanent bus - NR kept closing the line early so often that running a train became impossible.

I'll try and find out what the Rules of the Route are.

I've noted the requests for weekday last train from London.

Tue 10 Mar 2009, 17:14

One more here.

And a smaller, but similar request: at present the last train in the other direction leaves Worcester at about 11ish on weekdays, but 9.20 on Saturdays - the one day when we'd really welcome a late train back. Some of the Worcester pubs do serve very nice cider...

Tue 10 Mar 2009, 17:02

Please add my name to the list of those who would like a later last train from Paddington to Charlbury. I've had to sprint to catch the 21.48 so many times in the past (and missed it on several occasions) that I've stopped doing it now. If I know I'm going to be in London until late in the evening I now choose either to stay overnight with friends in London or to stay with my father, who lives near Didcot and thus has a more frequent and later-running train service than Charlbury. The Cotswold Line is therefore losing revenue from me as a result of these changes to my plans and so, as Christine says, there must be a good business case for a later last train.

Tue 10 Mar 2009, 10:18

Chris, Can I join the chorus voices who would appreciate a later train back from London. To make a commercial case, it's worth registering that some people--like me--travel on the Banbury line when they know that they are going to need to come back late. Others, I know, drive to Oxford & travel by bus.

Mon 9 Mar 2009, 09:48

Derek is correct in that further work will be necessary next year to complete the redoubling works - a further short blockade is possible but until the works planned this year are carried out, a final decision is still to be made as to whether a blockade or multiple weekends is needed.

However, I understand that improvements to the service are indeed planned *currently* in the Dec2010 timetable. Whether the recession has any effect on these plans won't be known until this time next year.

Jenny - I will take your request for a later train along the line from Oxford to the next Timetabling sub-committee so that it can be included within their plans. As above, I strongly suspect that it won't materialise this December, but if it does, it'll be with the other improvements at the end of 2010. A commercial case will need making for it as it would be additional to franchise, but there may well be a case.

Sun 8 Mar 2009, 10:24

Jenny: I think the answers to your questions are likely to be "No" and "No" unfortunately. Firstly, the redoubling is due to be finished in October 2010 (this summer's work is only preparatory) and so it will have no improving effect on the 2009 timetable. Secondly, I think the issue with running late-evening trains revolves around keeping signal boxes open late at night further along the line (at the Worcester end) and understandably the unions complain about that. So unless FGW introduce a late-night shuttle service between Oxford and M-in-M then it is likely that the status quo will be maintained. I have fallen foul of the 21.48 departure from Paddington many times myself and would also welcome a later train back!

Sat 7 Mar 2009, 18:57

Thanks for your explanation Chris. My annual season ticket purchase in December wasn't a renewal as I'd only just moved to Charlbury. I don't mind not receiving a discount if it means the trains are punctual. I was wondering, however, with the introduction of the second line in the summer, will this mean that FGW will run a more frequent service, and is there any chance of a service returning from Oxford after 10:50pm?

Fri 6 Mar 2009, 13:35

Many thanks for this Chris. I have to agree that the trains are much more punctual now - its been along time coming! Long may it remain!

Fri 6 Mar 2009, 09:53

Susie -

I discovered last night that the Cotswold Line services at CHarlbury (and all those stations at which HSTs stop) are in the HSS (High Speed Services) discount group - I thought the Cotswold LIne was in London & THames Valley group.

The HSS services target for discounts is 88%, and the discount disappeared at the start of February as the on-time figure rose to 88.3%. The most recent 4 week period ended last FRiday and the figure (which I am told will be above 88.3%) is announced today - you will notice new performance posters appear over this weekend.

AS this percentage is a rolling *annual* average, it will take many trains to miss the on-time target for this % figure to fall below the 88% trigger. So I don't think any discount will be on offer in the coming months. FGWs performance has massively improved - the periods dropping out of the rolling average were down in the mid-70% mark,m while the most recent 4-week is around the 90% - an increase of nearly 15%. So FGW would have to suffer several periods back in the 70-80% area, and that is extremely unlikely.

So everyone will be paying full (undiscounted) fares, but at least trains are running punctually now.

Anyone thinking that they might investigate seasons from the halts stations, which I think are in the London / Thames Valley group - don't bother, as that group only missed their trigger by 0.05% last period & this means it is very likely that there won't be discounts offered after the end of March for that group either.

Wed 4 Mar 2009, 16:40

Chris, when I renew again in April (at the beginning of the month) do you know if there will be any discount then? When is the optimum time to renew to get a discount, if one is available? Many thanks for your long explanation, which was more than I got at Oxford station.

Wed 4 Mar 2009, 09:48

If FGW have dropped the 8% (rounded up from the 7.5% that was agreed with the DfT for this year), it means that their performance within London & Thames Valley on a rolling annual basis (that has always been worked out on 13 4-week periods) is now above the Passenger…

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Tue 3 Mar 2009, 21:12

I renewed my ticket last month and expected a 10% discount only to find this was being withdrawn. However our 'new' Stationmaster Nigel offered some really good advice; I now understand the discount is worked out every 4 weeks based upon FGW's annual 'performance' up to the end of the 4 week 'period'.

Nigel was very helpful in advising me the optimum day to renew my ticket.

Tue 3 Mar 2009, 18:13

Does anyone know whether the discount to annual season tickets will still be available? Surely they will review the annual performance, and also take into account the disruption caused during the coming summer months? My ticket will expire in December.

Mon 2 Mar 2009, 22:58

Just had to renew my monthly season ticket to Oxford, and was horrified to learn that the discount which had previously been given, because of the tardiness of FGW, has now been taken away, and will be reviewed on a month by month basis. So the 8% discount I was hoping to get, I didnt. I think its even more important that we continue to meticulously enter information on the Commuter Blog - even when the trains are on time, if we need any ammonition to fight FGW with!

Thu 11 Dec 2008, 19:30

Further to FARQUAR GARFIELD WYNDHAM-SMYTH's post on the commuter blog when I commented on the lack of alternative transport yesterday, I am very sorry if the information I gave was incorrect however, wasnt there to witness the coach, as I had managed to get a lift into Oxford

Thu 4 Dec 2008, 14:06

Derek -

I will explore the carnet position with FGW....

Thu 4 Dec 2008, 12:04

It was announced on 3rd December that Andrew Haines, the Chief Operating Officer of First Great Western, is to leave the company. He will be replaced by Mark Hopwood, previously its Performance Director. Mark has been the driving force behind the improvements in performance over recent months. It is hoped that a recent downturn can be recovered under Mark's leadership.

Tue 25 Nov 2008, 23:08

Chris,

Apologies, thought you were referring to the previous post, which seemed to suggest leaf-fall was at the root of most current problems, when ropey Network Rail signalling kit seems to be rather more at fault.

Tue 25 Nov 2008, 13:19

Chris: the three journeys I undertake most often are Charlbury to Oxford, Charlbury to Paddington and Charlbury to Cholsey. I accept that the last of these is a bit obscure but the other two must be among the most popular journeys from Charlbury and I would therefore have thought that Carnets would be well supported if they were introduced on those routes.

Richard: John Stanley on this Forum did inform us that there was a Carnet for Charlbury to Oxford but the cost saving for me was so miniscule as to be virtually worthless. I for one would be quite prepared to pay a sizeable sum upfront if I could get 10-15% off the regular cost of fares and not have to worry about long queues at the ticket desk or the possibility of a malfunctioning ticket machine.

Tue 25 Nov 2008, 10:57

I haven't noticed a particularly consistent increase in performance from FGW. It comes and it goes.

This mornings (25.11.08) 8.33 was at least 15 minutes behind schedule although the announcements kept saying to expect the train in 5 minutes, then 3 minutes, then back to 5 minutes and then 4 minutes for about 15 minutes.

We were 4 cyclists patiently waiting to our bikes on board as quickly as possible and the train guard had the gall to suggest that we 'hurry along'.

Is that an example of that famed English irony?

Tue 25 Nov 2008, 10:20

Is the Oxford Carnet between Charlbury and Oxford still available?

Tue 25 Nov 2008, 09:05

William - The comment you quoted was in reaction to your earlier piece - as you can see I am actually *agreeing* with you by saying you were correct.....

Derek - I have had some success with FGW on local carnets between the Cherwell Valley stations and Oxford - what is your regular journey? I can & will take this up with FGW and see what's achievable.

Mon 24 Nov 2008, 22:52

"The earlier comments about leaf fall are correct - this has been a major problem over the last few weeks."

I didn't say it hadn't been a problem. Indeed, I indicated that on one journey it most certainly was, but trust me, I know when a train is having trouble due to leaves on the line and when it isn't.

Leaf-fall wasn't a factor on any of the five occasions I have made compensation claims in recent weeks.

Nor has a single train manager blamed leaves for delays, not even on that night when they clearly were to blame. That was one of those occasions when no explanation whatever was offered for the late running.

Mon 24 Nov 2008, 16:46

I forgot to mention this yesterday. According to Ed's logic, price rises on FGW should be performance-related and therefore, because the service today is better than it was a year ago, we should be expected to pay more. However, did FGW offer its customers a massive reduction in ticket prices at the start of 2008 when the service was diabolical? No, they put the prices up. I wouldn't mind paying an extra 10% in 2009 if there had been a 30% drop in prices in 2008 to reflect the appalling performance at that time but of course things don't work that way.

Also, bear in mind that the 5% or 10% reductions only apply to season ticket holders. Others, like me, who use the trains 2-3 times a week and for whom a season ticket is not practical get nothing in the way of compensation (unless a train is delayed by more than an hour). Despite some campaigning on my part, FGW still refuse to offer a useful "Carnet"-style ticket for those who regularly make certain journeys but not often enough to make it financially viable to buy a season ticket. Such "multitrip" tickets are widely available on buses, coaches and the London Underground but the rail companies still seem reluctant to introduce them - I wonder why?

Mon 24 Nov 2008, 11:16

I need to correct some inaccuracies in recent posts -

Peak fares are going up by 6% *on average*. This is a Government directive which all TOCs have to follow....the Government wants the traveller to pay more to reduce the taxpayers (that's you & I too) subsidy to the railway…

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Sun 23 Nov 2008, 19:37

Amen, Derek.

I pay for this lack of service; I just want what I pay for: raise your prices once you've started fulfilling the minimum of what we now pay for! Do you job, for god's sake!

Anything less is fraud, very plain and very simple!
Let's talk to lawyers next.

Sun 23 Nov 2008, 19:29

Thank heavens for some sense on this subject! (I refer in particular to William's postings). Yes, the quality of the service improved between the two FGW meetings held in Charlbury this January and April and the improvement was sustained throughout the summer. In my experience however, there has been a…

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Sun 23 Nov 2008, 19:20

I would just like to endorse William's statements and perspectives. As the highest paying train passengers in the country, we are entitled to a reliable train service and if we don't get it, demand it for the money we pay. So far, most of us still do not receive the level of service we pay for no matter how much FGW claims it has improved!

Pay attentioon FGW!

Sun 23 Nov 2008, 17:06

Where trains have been cancelled completely, or have started in Worcester & bypassed Charlbury by taking a different track, signalling problems seem to have often been listed as the cause. This information comes from tracking back on the live departures board for train cancellations.

Without understanding the ins & outs of the timetable, this doesn't sound to me like standard annual leaf fall problems. My suspicion is that FGW have decided to sacrifice running times on this part of the line until track-doubling has been completed. But in that case those who object to the increased fares surely have a point.

Sun 23 Nov 2008, 13:16

Ed,

Sorry to disagree, but combining the two figures does NOT reflect 'customer experience'.

Almost all timetabled trains do operate - they always have done! What most of us care about is them getting to our destination on time and in my experience (and others if we are to believe the commuter blog) this has been happening on fewer and fewer occasions in recent weeks - plus the Cotswold Line has always lagged behind the rest of the Thames Valley performance-wise. I made it clear that punctuality had improved markedly in the middle of the year. It is now clearly in rapid decline.

And just saying it always happens at this time of year isn't an excuse for 30-minute-plus delays. In other areas it doesn't always happen that the timetable collapses. It doesn't always happen that trains that ran on time two months ago are now 35 minutes late.

Leaf-fall is a factor, but nowhere near the extent you seem to suggest. Chiltern add about three minutes to the running times of their trains at this time of year (and there are lots of leafy cuttings on their lines too).

With FGW's very generous timing allowances (and the 15-minute timetabled stops of some trains at Moreton and Evesham), you could say that margin is already built into the timetable anyway. I have had one recent journey badly affected by leaf-fall, in an Adelante - which appear to have far more sensitive wheelslip protection than HSTs and Turbos - and that lost 10 minutes between Oxford and Moreton.

Yes, at the end of this year and the early part of next year, FGW's figures will look better than they did 12 months previously. It would be hard for them to have got any worse. Remember that in January just 64 per cent of Cotswold Line trains were 'on time' (ie up to five minutes late, as allowed by the official stats) - the worst performance on the entire FGW network! I just hope we're not going back there, though the evidence isn't reassuring.

Sat 22 Nov 2008, 18:17

William, a drop if performance is nothing unusual at this time of year and the main cause is leaves on the line, a specific problem along the Cotswold Line is railhead adhesion due to its rural nature. With a mild autumn the leaves have stayed on the trees longer than normal and have only started to fall in the past few weeks – coinciding with the blip in performance. Some companies introduce special ‘leaf fall’ timetables with longer journey times but FGW is not one of those. Of course, the cold weather also puts a strain on the signalling which doesn’t help – but should be better after the redoubling.

The figures I’ve given are the four-weekly public performance measure for each of the 7 periods to mid-October and combine reliability and punctuality into one figure that closely reflects customer experience. These are the figures used to compare every train operator in league tables. The 84% moving annual average quoted on the FGW website uses the same period figures for punctuality but adjusted to allow for seasonal variations (i.e. it shows a trend) - the current figure includes the atrocious period at the end of last year when performance was very poor. Performance has been running at its highest level since the mid-1990’s and at the end of the year when the next set of comparisons are made I think people will be surprised at how well FGW has done overall.

Sat 22 Nov 2008, 11:39

Ed, until recent weeks, things had improved since the start of the year. But it is plain enough from my own experiences and posts on the commuter blog that in recent weeks things have gone into reverse.
I have made one compensation claim (for a delay of more than 30 minutes on a journey of less than an hour - Oxford to Moreton-in-Marsh) each week for the past five weeks. And there have also been several journeys running 10 or 15 minutes late, which wasn't happening over the summer and into September.
The evening service descended into utter chaos on Wednesday, with the 17.51 stuck at Moreton for 45 minutes and the 18.21 sitting at the last signal outside Moreton for 30 of those minutes. It then had to wait for the 17.51 to reach Evesham (15 minutes away) before it could leave Moreton in turn. The 18.49 from Worcester to London was 50 minutes late and the disruption continued until the end of service.
And I don't know where your figures come from or what they mean. The rail industry, FGW included, uses two performance figures. Punctuality, whether the train is on time or not, and reliablity, which is whether a service operated.
Reliability has always been in the high 90s. Punctuality is another matter. FGW's website says that the rolling 12-month average punctuality for the Thames Valley services (and these stats are for Mon-Fri peak-hour services only, so don't reflect disruption at other times) is 84% (target 92%) and in the four weeks from Oct 13 it was 88% (with the Cotswold Line obviously accounting for a lot of the 12% of delayed trains, as it always does with the current infrastucture.
FGW's performance figures are here www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=265

Fri 21 Nov 2008, 21:37

Thanks, Susie. I'll see if I can listen to your interview on Listen Again - it sounds interesting.

Fri 21 Nov 2008, 20:58

No Suzie, what is needed is a realism that things have been improving since last year. Independent figures show FGW in the Thames Valley (including the Cotswolds) has exceeded 90% reliability for the past six months - 92.22%, 91.62%, 91.58%, 92.31%, 93.12%, 93.35%, 93.52%. There will always be bad days or odd occassions when things don't go right but overall things have got better - the commuter blog has got much quieter!

It is government policy (not FGW's) to allow all train companies to increase fares by the Retail Prices Index +1% (based on RPI in July which this year was 5.6%), thus a 6.6% increase in January.

The 5% discount is compensation for poor reliability and people may have got used to getting it but as things have improved it cannot continue forever. None of us like paying more but as the service has got better we should get used to paying a proper fare again.

Fri 21 Nov 2008, 18:43

I was rung today by Radio Oxford to give my views on the fact that FGW will be raising their fares by 6.6% from January. This is outrageous, especially bearing in mind that they will also be removing the extra 5% discount on season tickets at the end of this year. Apparantly according to Radio Oxford, FGW have quoted that "9 out of 10 trains are on time"!!! Only today, when I was being interviewed at Oxford Station, was the 16.49 from Oxford over 25 minutes late! More harrassment is needed I think!

Sat 1 Nov 2008, 21:44

Igor,
The only thing that makes Mr Howe 'distinguished' is the fact he managed to get rid of Thatcher! It is nice to know that those who caused all this chaos by privatising the railways sometimes have to suffer from their actions too.

Sat 1 Nov 2008, 15:53

I Had That Geoffrey Howe in the Back of My Cab Once

Or more exactly we shared a long wait on Platform 2 at Oxford Station last night. I don't know what it is about me and key figures of the Conservative Party, but I seem to be crossing their…

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Thu 30 Oct 2008, 17:24

This is great news - especially taking into account all the late arrivls over the past few weeks.

Thu 30 Oct 2008, 11:49

Not quite FGW, but confirmation came this morning from the Office of Rail Regulastion that Network Rail has had its plans & expenditure approved for the redoubling scheme.

I'm sure Network Rail will now be full steam ahread to develop up all the plans and that these will be shared with us in the not too distant future.

I would hope to have some news in a couple of weeks time.

Mon 27 Oct 2008, 23:35

Change of rolling stock from old-style to modern DMUs occured in the late 1980s - 88 or 89. I wasn't living locally at the time so can't be precise, just came occasionally to visit family. They were class 150 or 155 Sprinters and operated Hereford, Malvern or Worcester to Oxford, though I do remember some of the Hereford-London trains were still loco-hauled into the early 1990s. The Turbos took over most trains in May 1993, with many more London through trains as a result.
There aren't guard's compartments any more because the post and parcels they were actually intended to provide space for - because they earned a lot of revenue - go by road these days. The riders of bikes don't bring in anything like as much money, so little space is provided for cycles in modern trains.
And the dual Adelante combo wasn't some fortuitous piece of organisation by FGW. It regularly operates the 7.10 and 10.30 services from Oxford to London, Mondays to Fridays.

Mon 27 Oct 2008, 22:10

Glena - the changes I mentioned referred to the line between Oxford and Reading on which I used to commute in the late-80s/early-90s. Turbos definitely started to replace DMUs in 1992 because I remember it distinctly; not sure exactly when loco-hauled services were phased out but I would think it began in the late-80s. I'm not sure what the changes you referred to on the Cotswold Line would have been caused by. There was a period when DMUs were primarily used on the CL so as to avoid damaging the track but I thought that was much earlier, about 1982 from memory, and DMUs did have guard's vans so I can't really help I'm afraid! John Stanley may well know.

Mon 27 Oct 2008, 17:31

Very interested to read Derek's posting. However, the two changes he mentions were in the early 90s he says and the decision I spoke of must have been 1986/7. It would be gd to have the guard's van back though.

Mon 27 Oct 2008, 11:22

Derek wrote....

"We either need to go back to a nationalised railway or else there should be state compulsion to force the rail companies to make proper provision for cyclists. Either way, Mr. Brown must act!

.....Why can't British trains be longer? Recently I was on a London-bound train which was taken out of service at Oxford and had to wait half an hour for the next one. As there were two trains' worth of passengers likely to be using this train, FGW (amazingly proactive for once) coupled together two Adelantes to form a 10-coach train! It can therefore be done, but why not more often? If all rush-hour trains were this long then there would be plenty of space for one carriage or even half a carriage to be converted into a cycle carriage."

It all comes down to cost. Mr Brown wants a certain return from the TOCs and doesn't allow the TOC to purchase more stock....while reaping more 'tax' from the farepayers to reduce subsidy.

Until this country gets a suitable transport policy, it is unfortunate that these problems will continue. MIght be worth asking the local MP just what his party's rail policy might be?

Mon 27 Oct 2008, 11:04

I would be interested to know when bikes were first allowed on British trains. From memory, it may have been some time in the 70s. Certainly, if one watches films from the 1940s and 1950s you never see anyone attempting to take a bike on a steam train. Mind you…

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Wed 22 Oct 2008, 18:08

It sad how some things have changed. I can remember when my daughters went to school in Oxford they, and all the others who went to Oxford schools, used to take their bikes which went in a sort of wire cage in the guard's van. By the time the train got to Charlbury there was quite a heap as there were lots of young people all up the line who travelled to Oxford. The boys used to be very helpful and chuck the girls' bikes onto the top of the pile. Then, quite suddenly, the railway company announced over one weekend that it was not carrying bikes anymore. I can't remember why (it must have been about 22 years ago)but it caused huge problems---especially as there was no warning.

Wed 22 Oct 2008, 13:19

Back to the subject!

Sometimes I have to remind myself that I'm not the only person in the country who thinks train companies should do more to support utility cyclists (people who get to work or school on a bike), by providing enough accommodation to meet the demand.

In fact there's a petition you can sign at

petitions.number10.gov.uk/bikes-on-trains/

just about that.

Tue 21 Oct 2008, 22:51

Paracetamol is better david.

Tue 21 Oct 2008, 20:31

Only the Charlbury Forum could go from issues with the FGW timetabling through the ever-worsening plight of the cyclist to a political rant about the Canadian government. Who needs TV...??

Tue 21 Oct 2008, 16:02

Irony and all of North America? Make your cultural distinctions a bit finer grained. Igor is from the US - in fact NY, where irony is a well developed characteristic although a bit geographically specific when compared to other areas of the USA, granted. Canada, however, particularly Southern Ontario and the Maritimes, is essentially an ironic culture and one prone to complex and highly derived flights of parodic prosody. Hamiltonians, that particularly tough breed of bloody minded hard nut steeltowners, especially from the 50s and 60s era and before, generations of tough stelco/dominion working class (c'est moi) eat Yanks (and Torontonians in particular) for a first or starter course before getting into rednecks or boiled lobster, whichever comes to fork soonest and is reddest. I don't know what its like nowadays. Probably gone soft and all Yank-like over the last 30 years, especially with that Yank loving neo-con traitor Harper in government ... again...

Tue 21 Oct 2008, 11:44

Igor
I feel that i must post on here although i do promise to behave.I have been following the postings closely and have felt great sympathy with you when there were issues concerning picking up your daughter from school.How refreshing though to see that you are complimenting the help you are recieving from certain areas .Actually i would hope to see FGW improve even further and then dare i say it ,we might even see you smile .

Tue 21 Oct 2008, 11:04

Yes, to clarify my comment suggesting that pushchairs and buggies also be banned from trains was meant to be ironic and was totally facetious.

Richard Rowland is the Regional Manager, London & Thames Valley for First Great Western and thank you to Hannah Parmley for bringing the matter to his attention.

Tue 21 Oct 2008, 11:00

Richard Rowland did provide some clarification:
"During the peak periods our customers want the maximum number of seats available and no bikes except in the Guard's compartment . Our trains are designed for this purpose - we could supply more cycle spaces on board but that would mean a reduction in seats which the majority of our customers would not want. We do allow our Train Manager's some discretion with regard to cycles on board and often, if it is not a full train, they will allow cycles in the vestibule area between the coaches."

Which is a reasonable reply except that it seems to create a distinction between passengers and cyclists; cyclists are passengers who also want seats and I can't think of anyone that would argue that a bike should displace a seated passenger . The two incidents I experienced were where my bike posed no obvious inconvenience to other passengers, as a few stated to the guard at the time.

Relying on the discretion of the train guard is alright (if a bit arbitrary), as long as the guard
appreciates that those of us traveling with bicycles are also paying passengers who are entitled to the treated as well as FGW treats all its customers. Denying a paying passenger access to the scheduled service is not a trivial matter to be invoked lightly.

Placing bicycles between carriages when the cycle carriage is full makes sense, but what would be preferable is if there indeed is enough evidence to indicate an increase in demand of passengers commuting with cycles that FGW install more racks in the cycle carriage. It looks like there's actually enough space for a dozen.

This would seem to be a solution that would accommodate everyone.

Tue 21 Oct 2008, 08:24

If I can leap to Igor's defence I believe his long exposure to the UK has influenced him to become that rare beast, a North American able to use irony !

Mon 20 Oct 2008, 09:44

With deepest respect, Igor - you started off this thread on cycle / train interfaces by railing against the current policy, which is to only allow bikes on if there is rack space in the guards van of any HST concerned.

In your case there wasn't & you objected strongly when the train manager refused to allow you to travel in a coach vestibule!

You can't have one rule when you are inconvenienced (the light touch) while suggesting the policy is rigidly enforced for everyone else.....

Sun 19 Oct 2008, 14:00

Accommodating cyclists on trains isn't rocket science.

It just takes willingness on the part of the company, common sense and a clear policy that is consistently upheld by train and station staff.

Subsidies and/or additional charges is no substitute for the above.

Sun 19 Oct 2008, 13:53

Maybe we should also suggest pushchairs and buggies be banned from trains as they equally pose a nuisance and take additional time for passengers to load and unload.

Sat 18 Oct 2008, 12:42

I realise that it is probably heretical for a committed cyclist such as me to say such a thing, and I fully expect to be pilloried as a result, but wouldn't the simplest solution be if all train companies refused to carry any bikes at all? They could just say…

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Sat 18 Oct 2008, 08:20

Thanks again for your efforts, Chris

In discussion with other utility cyclists who travel by train, I found out that each rail franchise in the UK adopts its own rail/cycle policy, which of course can make traveling any long distance by train rather confusing.

I'd like to hear what FGW has to say and also what Hannah Parmley on behalf of Rt Hon. Mr Cameron thinks of the national issue.

Fri 17 Oct 2008, 18:16

Igor - I have raised your post with FGW & will post the reply as soon as I get it (Monday, I guess, looking at my watch)

Fri 17 Oct 2008, 12:42

As a disincentive to cyclists wanting to use the train,
it would probably work.

But wouldn't necessarily be in line with government transport initiatives to reduce road congestion by encouraging alternatives like cycling and commuting by train.

Fri 17 Oct 2008, 10:42

Perhaps if rail companies charged £3 per cycle for each journey there would be more room?

Fri 17 Oct 2008, 10:08

Yesterday, I was 10 minutes early on the Oxford plaform for the north bound 4.50. When the train pulled in I wheeled my bike to the bike carriage where I was. There were three cyclist ahead of me who were actually on the platform after me but as I walk…

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Fri 17 Oct 2008, 09:06

There are many more trains on the tracks than in 1958, with no increase in the number of tracks, hence far more congestion.

Thank your wonderful Governments and their transport policies!

Thu 16 Oct 2008, 18:36

So to summarize: in 1968 there was a train at about 09.30 and in 1958 it took only 8 mins more to travel from Oxford to Paddington than it does today! And they call this progress...

Thu 16 Oct 2008, 12:51

Thats all very fine Brian ,but have you ever tried driving a railcar on the road .Boy is it difficult to handle.

Thu 16 Oct 2008, 11:21

Remember Swindon residents don't have the luxury of a 'Network card' or 'Cotswold railcard'.
Just out of interest :- 40 years ago the service from Charlbury to Oxford on weekdays was - 6.14. 6.55. 7.56. 9.33. 12.22. 4.58. & the last train was 6.57. These were all stopping trains. There were just 2 trains on Sundays at 12.16 & 7.09
Trains arrived from Oxford on weekdays at 7.43. 1.46 (this train ran on THURSDAYS only). 6.02. 6.57. & the last train was 8.43
Sundays there was just one train at 6.55.
And this was in the days before you all had cars!

Thu 16 Oct 2008, 10:23

I understand that the change in timings of the off-peak morning trains is connected with a request to improve connections at Worcester. The way to achieve this was to move the off peak pattern by 30 mins from Oxford to Worcester.

John Philips / CLPG might know more about this request.

As we have already acknowledged elsewhere in this thread, the 0835 is already a busy train and for that reason, there is very little chance of getting a Network Card easement on that train.

Wed 15 Oct 2008, 23:49

The 09.38, and its previous incarnations, has been running for all the seven years I have been commuting between Moreton and Oxford - I expect someone in the CLPG can advise exactly how long a service roughly at this time has existed - but what I can say for certain, as I'm looking at a reproduction of it in John Boynton's book on the history of the Oxford Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway, is that way back in the Dec 1958-March 1959 timetable, there was an 8am all-stations service from Worcester (called CBY 9.34am), which terminated at Oxford on the dot of 10am, but was followed by the Cathedrals Express, calling Evesham and Moreton only, which left Oxford at 10.21 and reached Paddington at 11.30 - not bad for a heavy steam-powered train, complete with a proper restaurant car!

Wed 15 Oct 2008, 22:15

Sorry Chris - I shouldn't post late in the evening, my brain ceases to work and I make mistakes! With a wary glance at the clock therefore, let me try again. Point 4 should have read:

"What is needed clearly is either (a) a train between 08.35 and 10.08 on which one can use a Network Card or (b) an easement on the 08.35 so that Network Cards can be used to purchase tickets for it, as with the 09.38 at the moment."

The point I was attempting to make is that 93 minutes is a long time to wait in the morning peak without a train from Charlbury to London and FGW should therefore do something to compensate passengers for the "loss" of the 09.38. Personally, I would prefer there still to be a train between 09.15 and 09.45, as there has been for the last four years during which I've lived here, on which I can use a Network Card and hence reduce the cost of travelling to London.

Wed 15 Oct 2008, 10:54

Derek - your item 4(b) should be valid - in that Network Cards are valid on trains departing after 10 - so yes, you would be able to use it on the 1008.

Tue 14 Oct 2008, 22:00

I agree with you John - I was typing in a hurry and got my facts a little muddled. If I am confused though then I suspect I'm not the only one! Just to clarify my issues with the new timetable:

1. Yes, I can catch the 08.35 if I want to spend the day in London but that means getting up an hour earlier than at present and my ticket will cost almost double what it currently costs to buy a One Day Travelcard on my Network Card.

2. If I catch the 10.08 then yes I can get a One Day Travelcard on my Network Card which keeps the cost down but I get to London half an hour later than at present and if the train is late then it is going to be hard to get into central London much before lunchtime. (The journey time from Charlbury to Paddington seems to get longer every time FGW introduce a new timetable!) With this option I am also restricted as to when I can return.

3. Yes, I realize that I can return at any time if I buy a Saver (or whatever it's called now) and use the 08.35 but my chief gripe with that option is the cost - £32.00 is a lot of money in my book to spend purely on transport for a day out.

4. What is needed clearly is either (a) a train between 08.35 and 10.08 on which one can use a Network Card or (b) an easement on the 10.08 so that Network Cards can be used to purchase tickets for it, as with the 09.38 at the moment.

5. At present I confess I'm torn between the two options - I'll probably try both in the early days of the new timetable and see which works out better. Of course, if most users of the 09.38 defect to the 08.35 then it's liable to be very overcrowded!

6. I will be writing to Andrew Haines to complain about this situation and would request other passengers who are likely to be adversely affected by the new morning timteable to do likewise.

Finally, most Swindon residents would probably gladly pay £98 just to get out of Swindon!

Tue 14 Oct 2008, 09:16

Further to my previous post, I should have also mentioned that I have suggested that FGW and Network Rail jointly run a 'roadshow' exhibition and 'Meet the Managers' at principle affected locations along the line.

Initial reactions to this suggestion have been positive and I'll be taking this forward after 30th October. It will be your chance to raise questions and concerns direct to the operator of rail & trains.

Tue 14 Oct 2008, 08:30

I'll raise my hand in protest at the elimination of the 9.38. It basically extends the peak travel time and the consequential higher tariff for regular morning commuters. At least FGW could offer North of Hanborough commuters the grace of the off peak discount on the 8.35.

One would almost think that FGW was merely interested in maximising its revenue at the expense of providing an appropriate transport service for its customers.

Perish the thought.

Mon 13 Oct 2008, 23:37

I fear that Derek Collett has become a little confused regarding what ticket can be used during the evening weekday peak from Paddington back to Charlbury.

The ticket which he currently obtains (an Off Peak Day Travelcard) CANNOT be used on the 1721, 1751 and 1821 departures from Paddington. However, if, from December, he choses to travel on the 0835 to London and buy an Off Peak Return (formerly known as a Saver) + Travelcard, then there are NO RESTRICTIONS on when he can use the return portion. It is valid on all three of the above trains. This is a special concession available only to passengers travelling to Hanborough or beyond. Much as we may bemoan our misfortunes, it is worth bearing in mind that a passenger making a similar journey to London Paddington from Swindon and wishing to return during the evening peak will pay a staggering £98.00 for the privilege and Swindon is about the same travelling distance from London as Charlbury. Our Off Peak Return to Paddington costs £26.00.

The real problem, in Derek's case, is not being able to use his Network Railcard until the new 1008.

Mon 13 Oct 2008, 22:05

I agree with Nick that the morning portion of the new timetable is tremendously disappointing. If I want to be able to do a reasonable day's work in London I'll have to get up abhorrently early in order to catch the 08.35 and then, by my calculations, I'll be slugged with a whopping £32 bill for a One Day Travelcard. Compare this to the £17.30 I'm paying at present on the 09.38 - nearly twice the amount. Of course, on the way back I'll have to steer clear of Paddiington between 15.51 and 19.21 otherwise I'll be surcharged so it's going to be a long (or expensive) day out (or both probably).

I don't think FGW will ever be truly happy until they've dissuaded everyone in this region from travelling on their trains (see also their cycle policy). I suggest we all bombard them with complaints regarding the new timetable.

Mon 13 Oct 2008, 12:11

I currently get the 08:49 from Oxford to Charlbury most days, due in to Charlbury at 09:06. This works fine for getting to work. Under the new timetable, it'll be a 09:21 train from Oxford, due in to Charlbury at 09:39, which is really getting quite late for starting work. The previous train leaves Oxford before 7am!

Nice to see that FGW have managed to wreak things for both people coming to Charlbury in the morning, and people heading from Charlbury to London. Is it too late to ask them to see sense?

Sat 11 Oct 2008, 08:05

Thank you, Chris.

Fri 10 Oct 2008, 09:50

There are 200,000 £5-off vouchers worth £1million - once they're gone, they're gone! So apply / register soon! However, once you have your voucher number, you need to have booked your ticket before 7th November, but any advance ticket available on that date will be honoured - so travel is technically possible until well after Christmas on this offer.

The line work is no longer split into individual phases, but will be completed as one, with an earliest completion date of May 2010. THe ORR decision is slated for 30th October, and a lot more definite information will hopefully be available within 10 days after that date.

What I can say now is that there will be some disruption obviously, which is currently be planned to be as least disruptive as possible. However, there will be one longish block in Summer 2009, with two further, shorter blocks in 2010. FGw are intent on running trains wherever possible where lines will be open. There will be 3 new platforms, 2 new footbridges and 1 new underbridge in total.

I now understand that the clearance of vegetation will commence in about 2 weeks time in preparation for the works along with a survey of Chipping Campden tunnel.

I have drawn Igor's comments about his cuycle problem to FGW's attention, and I believe it was duly noted. I agree with the timings for Dec08 that John mentions below, but one or two trains have slipped by a minute.

Thu 9 Oct 2008, 10:12

Incidentally, FGW are currently offering £5 off any ticket bought online (one per person): see www.fgw5pounds.co.uk/ .

Thu 9 Oct 2008, 08:53

Chris Bates: Thank you for including cyclists in consideration of your negotiations with FGW. There's a noticeable increase in the numbers of cyclists using this train line as commuters try to offset the costs of motoring. Both Oxford and London have made progress in encouraging safe cycling with extensive cycle lanes and bike racks throughout. It would be nice if FGW could get on board this particular train . . .

Thu 9 Oct 2008, 01:40

The delay in the ORR announcement on Network Rail's 2009-14 funding is probably down to a row between the two parties over the gap between what NR wants to to do and what ORR said in June that it thought it should do. There is a long list of projects in dispute, including redoubling the Swindon-Kemble route through the South Cotswolds, so they are probably still trying to thrash things out.

I'm another in the camp of disgruntled users of the 09.38. It may be good news for Great Malvern and Hereford, but I can't think of anyone else who gets any benefit. Not anyone on the main section of the Cotswold Line, that's for sure. John Stanley's post makes it clear that once again, operating convenience for FGW and LM is being put ahead of what suits their passengers and while the current hole in services towards Oxford in the late morning isn't ideal, it makes a lot more sense than creating a huge hole in services at what is to all intents and purposes still part of the morning peak. We don't all work 9 to 5 nowadays.

I expect FGW will say that, ORR willing, from December 2010, an earlier departure will return, but we'll just have to lump it until then. A couple of Decembers ago, of course, they told Oxford commuters there was nothing they could do about axeing their peak expresses, then promptly pinched the Adelante off the 06.35-ish to operate an extra service from Oxford. They always seem able to rustle up a tatty Turbo from somewhere, so why not find one to fill this yawning gap, even if it only runs from Moreton to Oxford for a connection with the 10.01 to Paddington?

Wed 8 Oct 2008, 23:37

The weekday departures from Charlbury to Oxford/London from 15th December appear to be:
0606. 0634. 0726. 0749 (Turbo-Oxford). 0835. 1008. 1106 (Turbo). 1306 (Turbo). 1505. 1601. 1630 (Turbo-Oxford). 1718. 1847. 1955. 2101 (Turbo-Oxford). 2206. 2345.

In the opposite direction arrivals at Charlbury are:
0712. 0938. 1042 (Turbo). 1137. 1237. 1437. 1536 (Turbo). 1706. 1752 (Turbo from Oxford). 1834. 1908. 1937. 2040. 2135. 2310. All originate from London Paddington, except the 1752 which connects at Oxford with the 1622.

All services are scheduled to be operated by High Speed Trains except those indicated above as being Turbos.

This information has been extracted from the National Rail Enquiries web site nationalrail.co.uk/, using a date of 15th December. Those trains not diplaying the normal catering symbols are believed to be the ones operated by Turbos (some of which will have a trolley service of refreshments).

Wed 8 Oct 2008, 22:37

I think the retiming of the 0938 to 1008 is very bad news. A large number of people use the 0938, including myself, and one effect will be that many of us will use the 0838 instead, which will probably become very crowded. I'm also curious as to whether the 1008 will continue to be an HST, or will it become a Turbo, like the current 1025 and will the 1025 itself continue to run.

Wed 8 Oct 2008, 20:53

For those who don't know, it's worth saying that the Senior Railcard is valid from Charlbury at 8.38. It makes this a particularly good deal; but it is indeed a shame to have a 90 minute gap at this time of the day.

Wed 8 Oct 2008, 18:41

The Cotswold Line Promotion Group did not raise the question of easement of the rules for the use of the Network Railcard before 1000. To do so, would mean an easement of some 2½ hours for those boarding at Worcester Foregate Street (0729)and would certainly have been declined. The following, later, train still requires the easement for passengers boarding as far as Kingham (0958).

FGW also declined a request from the CLPG to allow the use of Off Peak Day tickets on the 0835 train, saying that "There is already a saver validity on this service with a railcard easement and to allow a CDR would be abstractive and would increase the load on what is already a busy train."

Wed 8 Oct 2008, 18:09

The 90-minute gap between the 08.35 and 10.08 departures is indeed very disappointing John. I've used the 09.38 regularly for the last few years to get to London. With a bit of luck and a following wind I can be in central London by 11.30 if I take this train. If from December I have to take the 10.08 then I don't suppose it will arrive at Paddington before 11.40. If it's substantially late and/or there are problems on the Tube then one is unlikely to get into central London much before 12.30 and half the working day has already gone. To those who might say to me "Well why don't you just get up earlier then you lazy git?" I would say this: (i) I don't like getting up early; and (ii) if I catch the 08.35 then I can't use my Network Card and therefore the cost of my journey is almost doubled, which I can't afford. Does John know whether the "easement" that currently applies to the 09.38 regarding the use of railcards will be extended to the 08.35 when the new timetable is introduced? If not, then I will be forced to take the 10.08 and will effectively have to write off the entire morning. Not a very satisfactory situation!

Wed 8 Oct 2008, 13:16

Re Chris Bates' update on the doubling situation, the Cotswold Line Promotion Group understood originally that, if approved by the Department for Transport/Secretary of State, work could start as early as January 2009. If it did, and related to Ascott-Charlbury, then it is possible that this section could be completed…

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Wed 8 Oct 2008, 10:44

The ORR (Office of Rail Regulator) will give their decision on Network Rail's proposed budget for the period to 2014 on 30th October.

I am working with FGW and Network Rail in developing the plans for services during the doubling works and as soon as they can be finalised, I will pass these on. Everyone is well aware that the disruption does need to be kept to a minimum, and I am keeping a beady eye on this. I doubt very much that it will be 'hell' - although I suspect a coach / taxi service will be necessary at some stage in these works, I will be working with FGW to keep this to an absolute minimum, and as much notice as possible will be given to enable those that wish to, to take annual leave at that time.

I will see what can be done for those cyclists amongst you, too.

FGW have agreed with NR that these works can be prioritised so expect works to start at some stage in 2009. I think it highly unlikely that these works will be complete in time for May09, as referenced below to the CLPG website. FGW are looking at increasing the level of service on he line soon after completion although every half hour might be a tad optimistic!

I understand that lineside vegetation is already being cleared in preparation.

The Dec08 timetable is nearly set in stone and as soon as I get clearance, I will pass it on. It will likely also appear on the CLPG website.

Tue 7 Oct 2008, 23:25

What makes this even worse to my mind is that there was a child waiting to be collected from school.Surely some action should be taken in situations like this.

Tue 7 Oct 2008, 14:46

I attempted to put my bike on an Adelante last year. The guard couldn't unlock the cycle compartment at the rear of the train. He therefore let me put it in the vestibule. This no doubt contravened health and safety regs but as I was only going from Charlbury to Oxford and I made sure my bike was not in anyone's way he decided to use commonsense and let me travel with my bike. Igor must have encountered a "Jobsworth"-type guard yesterday.

Tue 7 Oct 2008, 12:52

Is it really true that there was no more bike space?

My understanding was that, for the abortive - and disastrous - arrangement whereby first class was platformed at Charlbury, three Adelante-style hanging bike spaces were installed in each of the power car and DVT (the "engines" at each end of an HST!). Presumably these spaces are still available and could have been used.

I do appreciate that cycle storage is finite and that the alternative would be a reservation-only system (which would be a real shame), but it seems a shame that the guard could not apply a little leeway when the passenger is only travelling for a few stops.

Tue 7 Oct 2008, 12:27

Thanks for the thought Roger, I did send a copy of this pot to Hannah Parmely

Tue 7 Oct 2008, 11:39

Igor please take this the right way as it is intended .Contact David Cameron on this matter as he helped me and my wife with a problem we had a little while ago .I do no know, but he seems to take issues like this very seriously and see if he can help.It would be interesting to see .

Tue 7 Oct 2008, 11:33

I was expelled from the 14.48 Cotswold train at Oxford yesterday, even though I had purchased a return ticket.

I was on the platform with my bike with plenty of time to board whereupon the FGW train guard informed me that the bike carriages were full. So I found the corridor next to a loo between two carriages and put my bike out of other passengers way.

The train guard then delayed the train while he asked me to get off. I explained that I had to collect my 9 year old daughter from an after school activity at Charlbury Primary. This meant nothing to the train guard who insisted I disembark although the other passengers were clearly impatient to leave and I was inconveniencing no one nor blocking any emergency exits. Needless to say, I complied with his unreasonable and pedantic demand, even though I had purchased a ticket for the journey.

He even went so far as to allow other passengers to board after me who didn't have bikes.

After the train had left and I frantically called to arrange for someone to meet my daughter, the station staff were so taken aback by the train guard's actions that knowing me as a regular train using cyclist, they called the FGW manager on my behalf.

Needless to say there was no satisfactory answer, apparently more cyclists are using the train line but FGW has made no provision to accommodate the increased demand for bike space.

I wonder what Hannah Parmley's take on this is?

Fri 3 Oct 2008, 09:35

Much though Beeching did immeasurable harm to the country's railways, it wasn't him who cut the Cotswold Line down to single-track - that was a decade or so later.

Fri 3 Oct 2008, 07:00

Roger, are you paid for your party political endorsements?

Surely the answer is not to gaze wistfully into the past but as paying passengers, to put pressure on those bodies and companies who charge us for the rare privledge of public transport to actually deliver what we pay them for.

Fri 3 Oct 2008, 05:19

I have learnt since being away for a few how easy it is to forget.Being that much older than a lot of you it is easy when reminded whose fault it is that we find ourselves without a good rail service .
We blame FGW for it all ,when in effect it is dear old Dr Beeching who left us all in the winnie the poo with the railways we have today.Had he not been paid al those years ago to rid us all of the Spare rail capacity we had then ,we would still be enjoying a half decent rail network .So surely the answer is to vote in David at the next election and then pressure him like his long since predecessor did to master beeching to put right all the harm he did in the sixties,because by the website archive on page 46 whinging and whining about it is even worse than me and Igor .Still there is the fact that we should not get fed up watching it go on though ,isn,t there.

Thu 2 Oct 2008, 08:35

I've become so dependent on the unreliability of the south bound morning trains by 5-10 minutes, that I count on the extra time rushing out the door.

Whatever shuttle service is provided during the inevitable (and I predict underestimated) disruption, will it provide for cyclists?

From once being (what seemed to me), the only cyclist using the train in the morning, I've been joined by 3-4 regulars and we're up to half a dozen now. Occasionally there are too many bicycles to fit in the cycle car! Will the shuttle be accommodating cyclists or should we count on getting up extra early to join the cycle route at Woodstock?

Thu 2 Oct 2008, 00:09

Assuming the work is signed off at some point later this month - once Network Rail and the Rail Regulator have sorted out the 2009-14 spending programme - there may well be some sort of shuttle service while work is taking place around Charlbury, but don't forget that the double track will extend for a mile or so east of the station as well, so there will inevitably be a period when work is going on there and trains will not be able to run - ideally coinciding with work on the station itself.

During the - much more extensive - work west of Moreton-in-Marsh, there will be a long period of disruption, though there may be a peak train or two through to and from London during this phase, as well as shuttles.

Wed 1 Oct 2008, 16:07

I agree Richard. The two hour gaps during the day are a pain! I use the bus if I've just missed a train before one of these gaps. The doubling will help this and who knows, we may even get a decent service - every half hour!!!? But I agree we must push for a shuttle, as they did during the floods last year. Surely this must be possible? Otherwise its the bus - which does take forever!

Wed 1 Oct 2008, 12:52

There's no question in my mind that the redoubling must go ahead. If FGW put their mind to it, and nothing goes wrong further down the line, then, yes, they can provide a passable service from Charlbury to London in the morning, and vice versa in the evening.

But that's only half a service. For the rest of the day it's pot luck whether you stumble across one of those two-hour gaps. Evening and weekend services are often so unreliable as to almost be laughable - the other week I had to get a taxi (fortunately at FGW's expense) from Worcester to Church Stretton, arriving at 1am, after single-line congestion caused a missed connection. And if you want to travel in the opposite direction to the peak flow, forget it: I still recall, not too fondly, the time I was trying to get into London for an evening meeting, and the train was held at Ascott for an astonishing 1hr45 so as not to delay any of the country-bound trains.

The trick now is to minimise the pain while the work is carried out, and to fight for that Charlbury shuttle.

Wed 1 Oct 2008, 11:39

Redoubling work shows that FGW have are committed to improving services on that line, & in the end it must be worth it.

But if FGW wants to keep the loyalty of passengers, they do need to provide a good & reliable means of travel whilst the improvements are made. As I travel mostly in non-peak hour times, I dread the inevitable disruption.

Wed 1 Oct 2008, 10:46

I guess the question really in my mind is this: if FGW are able (as they seem to be at the moment) to run reasonably well to time then do I want the huge disruption of doubling the line in order to gain what would then be a very small improvement. On the other hand, if it allowed a lot more trains to run, then it might be worth it. At the moment I'm far from convinced, particularly as FGW for a long time claimed that the problems with running to time were not because of the single track, although latterly they have tended to rely on that as an excuse.

Wed 1 Oct 2008, 10:34

My information came from Theresa, the station manager, who by the way does a superb job in my opinion. The only information I have about the timetable is from the Cotswold Line Promotion Group Web Site, which says:

'As the CLPG understands it, the scheme still has to receive the final approval of the Secretary of State for Transport. If this is received, then it is understood that the work will be done in two phases. Phase 1 will be from Ascott-under-Wychwood to about a mile east of Charlbury. Phase 2 will be Moreton-in-Marsh to Evesham. Work on Phase 1 could start as early as January 2009 and, hopefully, be completed in time for the May 2009 timetable changes.'

That's all I know, but does agree with what the station manager told me. Does anyone have more information? If you are at the station in the mornings it's worth talking to Theresa - she is very helpful and can update you with what she knows.

Wed 1 Oct 2008, 10:12

Frank, This is really disturbing news! Do you know the timetable for the proposed works?

If the line is closed for a while, many passengers from Charlbury are likely to desert to the Chiltern Line, as they did during the floods.

As far as my own use of the trains is concerned, there has been a huge improvement this year.

Wed 1 Oct 2008, 09:55

My experience, at least on the trains I use regularly, is that the service has improved a lot since the start of the year. This is also borne out by the latest Thames Valley punctuality statistics which claim 92.7% punctuality, and just exceeds the target set for FGW.

More important for me is going to be how FGW handles the track doubling. Talking to the station manager it seems that the track from Charlbury towards Evesham will be closed whilst the works are in progress. At best there may only be some sort of shuttle service from Charlbury to Oxford, and possibly the line in that direction will be closed. When the new platform and bridge are being built at Charlbury it seems very likely that the line will be closed so now should be the time to start getting committments from FGW to minimise the disruption. As the station manager put it to me, it's going to be hell.

Wed 1 Oct 2008, 09:37

Igor - I think you must be unlucky. Touch wood recently the 7.24am has been on time more often than not. And even if it gets into Charlbury a tad late, has often made up time by the time it gets into Oxford and in fact often arrives early!

Wed 1 Oct 2008, 09:02

What I've noticed is a narrowing to around 5-10 minutes tardiness on the south bound train in the mornings 8.33 and 9.33 am, which are the trains that have an impact on people getting to work on time locally. London commuters obviously take the 6.38 or 7.24 am trains which I don't know if they're reliability has been improved.

I suppose that regardless of the number of village hall meetings, posted improvement statistics or commitments FGW issues, it doesn't mean much compared to what the average train user experiences as the reliability of their particular journey.

I'm cynical about cosmetic improvements like flower gardens, pavements and cappuccino stands because what really to train users are results: do the trains run on time and can I rely on one to get me to work on time?

Tue 30 Sep 2008, 21:05

Hey Roger, can you crank up the humour, current humour levels are not working, the so called "9.38", still isn't running on time, can you help?

Hey Igor, is the 16.48, leaving Oxford at 17.46 last Friday, an example of "the lateness narrowing"?

Mon 29 Sep 2008, 08:59

More like Cameron is on the side of pleasing potential voters within his own consituency.

Being a long suffering FGW passenger, I find the lateness narrowing and the train staff a little more anxious to leave each station stop as quickly as they can.

In Oxford (not Charlbury), this extends to cursing at passengers for not boarding as quickly as as they should.

Sun 28 Sep 2008, 16:47

Chris ,I had a sudden thought which is rare for me at the best of times.Consider this ,could it be that the train drivers have their watches set at british summer time then they would have thought they were leaving two minutes early just to upset any late passengers trying to catch the train .Anyway must go for a lay down now as thaats exhausted me .see you soon.

Sat 27 Sep 2008, 20:59

Well Chris there will come a time although no one knows when that the trains will run on time .The fact that master Cameron is on the side of the people has to say something surely .If the bosses at FGW are not worried yet, then maybe they had better check their watches .

Sat 27 Sep 2008, 20:42

Not sure the current tactics with First Great Western are working that well. The so called 16.48 from Oxford eventually left Oxford at 17.46 yesterday.

I have also been catching the so called 9.38 from Charlbury to Oxford over the last couple of months and it has been five to ten minutes late more frequently, than on time.

Would a change of tactics work better? Suggest putting senior FGW management in stocks at Oxford station and supplying a few tomatoes for commuters to throw whilst waiting for the late trains. Any other ideas?

Sat 27 Sep 2008, 20:24

why no replies from the incoming tory faithfull

Thu 4 Sep 2008, 15:43

Dear all

I have received the latest list of commitments from First Great Western following the meetings in Charlbury. If anyone would like a copy, please contact my research assistant, Hannah Parmley, at parmleyh@parliament.uk.

With best wishes,

David Cameron