Great Western Failway

Sat 17 Mar 2018, 23:30

Went to London on Friday, used the Chiltern Line from Oxford Parkway to Marylebone at just over £26.00 return. Clean and on time highly recommend. I do not agree with private companies running the railways (No, I am not a Socialist) but how can running a train that operates on a franchised line be a choice. After all if I go into shop and see a selection of baked beans from various manufacturers I have a choice but at the railway station there is no choice only the train that is provided by the highest bidder, I can't wait at Charlbury for a Virgin ( no puns), Chiltern , SouthWest trains .....!

Sat 17 Mar 2018, 19:46

Richard - do please give us a link to those two images. I love them.

Sat 17 Mar 2018, 19:02

I say, these posters are all jolly spiffing!

Sat 17 Mar 2018, 18:42

Hamish, Andrew and Sean - those are terrific.

Sat 17 Mar 2018, 10:49

Brilliant Andrew, Sean (& of course Richard)!
I can't let you have all the fun:
ibb.co/c5iKPc
ibb.co/dyym4c
ibb.co/emo8Hx

Fri 16 Mar 2018, 22:42

Ok, here's another one:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8tdfxq6dtf50koq/gwr_late_again.jpg

Fri 16 Mar 2018, 19:40 (last edited on Fri 16 Mar 2018, 19:41)

Here you go, Hamish...

preview.ibb.co/ky65fH/5timmy.jpg
preview.ibb.co/jot7uc/5bus.jpg

Fri 16 Mar 2018, 19:08

With half a dozen of these I'm sure they would trend on social media if everyone shared one on twitter/instagram/etc.

Fri 16 Mar 2018, 19:00

If only this site had a 'like' button!

Fri 16 Mar 2018, 18:54

Amazing Richard, April 1st coming up first... ripe for a few of these to be distributed....

Fri 16 Mar 2018, 18:00

Brilliant, Richard!

Fri 16 Mar 2018, 17:42

Purely for information, GWR's corporate typeface is Glypha, while their current advertising campaign uses 'Adventuring'.

I wouldn't condone using this information for parody purposes, and certainly not to produce spoof advertising posters like this:

Fri 16 Mar 2018, 16:39

We should do our best to embarrass GWR into getting their act together. What about banners to display at the station, in GWR colours and font? One would of course be Great Western Failway; another Great Woeful Railway; a third perhaps : GWR Timetable wins Booker as Great Work of Fiction. Any appetite for this sort of thing?

Fri 16 Mar 2018, 13:16

I have a £5 single from CBY to PAD for Monday 0731 if anyone would like it? If you do want it - please email me on: lizdrake73@gmail.com and I will give you the code. I understand anyone can use their own card to collect as long as you have the code. Maybe worth getting it over the weekend in case!

Thu 15 Mar 2018, 17:54

It is amazing that in the year that for the first time, my monthly season ticket officially cost me more than my mortgage (!), the service has reached an all time low. There have been cancellations every day this week which makes for a long day when you commute to London Monday to friday

Tue 13 Mar 2018, 09:30

Interesting Court case. Perhaps it's time for legal action?
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-43310621

Sun 11 Mar 2018, 12:15

Stephen, I am still seeing "shortage of drivers" given as their excuse for most of today's cancellations.

I thought it might have been because of "shortage of trains" instead, given that a train derailed inside St Phillip Marsh's depot in Bristol yesterday, trapping 5 HST trains inside. The extensive impact of this on the Cotswold line yesterday can be seen (in part) here: www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=19451.msg233158#msg233158

Sun 11 Mar 2018, 07:58

After a memorable Thursday, when there was a perfect service, we are back to the familiar litany of cancelled trains, but with a new twist - FGW now do not even bother to give an explanation. Surely there must be a requirement to do so under the franchise?

Tue 27 Feb 2018, 17:11 (last edited on Tue 27 Feb 2018, 18:03)

The brand new train I was on today came to a halt due to a 'technical' issue halfway between Oxford and Hanborough and was subsequently forced to travel at 20mph to Moreton, where it was then to be taken out of service... Took about 45 minutes to travel the 10 miles or so to Charlbury.

Tue 27 Feb 2018, 13:57

Quite. 70 minutes late arriving in Paddington this morning on the 6.05 - combination of door fail, and then a signalling problem. Hey ho. Here's to the unpleasant Turbo home. Though as my tickets only cost £5 each in their 'January sale' I'm slightly less grumbly than I would have been if I had paid £50+

Tue 27 Feb 2018, 09:53

It goes without saying, of course, that the VAST amount of snow we've had has rendered the Failway impotent today. Such lovely staff, such a terrible service.

Sun 25 Feb 2018, 10:56

Which? Magazine Feb 2018. Customer Satisfaction table-Customer Score based on 8 criteria - GWR mid table 56% - top of the table 70% - lowest 39%. Spare a thought for those who have to use the 12 operators with a lower rankings.

Fri 23 Feb 2018, 15:46

I'm not sure if I should laugh or cry after reading that Richard.

'In awarding GWR the coveted title of Rail Business of the Year, the judges said the operator had shown 'incredible versatility and resilience through a very difficult period ', despite the disruption caused by electrification and upgrading works.'

I think GWR's passengers /customers should be receiving awards too.

Fri 23 Feb 2018, 15:27

Posted for amusement rather than anything else: www.railwaygazette.com/news/business/single-view/view/gwr-leads-the-pack-at-20th-rail-business-awards.html .

Fri 23 Feb 2018, 14:36

Note you can buy ticket to London in 2 parts; Oxford, then Oxf to London and save money plus more choice of trains to return...

Fri 23 Feb 2018, 14:08

Currently sat freezing at the station, 2.05 to ldn currently delayed by at least 15 mins due to a broken down train earlier on apparently...
Why on earth is the shelter not open at 2pm on a Friday though? My phone is showing as 2c and there are elderly people waiting too. £6.60 return to Oxford and you can't even escape the biting wind or use the Looe!!

Fri 23 Feb 2018, 10:55

Also unpredictable at Oxford Parkway is the ability to find a car-parking space. This is better at the moment, since the huge traveller's encampment at Water Eaton has moved on - first to Peartree and now, apparently, to Bicester P&R. But a couple of weeks ago it was very difficult indeed.

Do not be tempted to park outside the designated white lines at Oxford P&R. This car park is now also run by Apcoa (but on a different online system) & they love giving out tickets to those who do this.

NB: the travellers camp will surely be back at they have been at Oxford P&R several times last year, and they always seem to stay longest at that site - this last time it was nearly a month before they were moved on.

Fri 23 Feb 2018, 09:37

Need to go to London today, train from Charlbury was £56.00 return. Booked from Oxford Parkway for same arrival time, £26.40. £4 to park, nice train. According to chap on the platform it's also reliabe. Only tricky bit is the unpredictable car journey.

Fri 23 Feb 2018, 08:27

The 07:49 train from Charlbury to oxford this morning is currently running late getting into Oxford so there is your answer Heather! It has stopped at junctions twice. I have NEVER known a week like it. And don't start me on their customer service - appalling! The staff at Charlbury station are great though

Fri 23 Feb 2018, 08:11

Reading these posts, do the trains leaving Charlbury in the morning generally run, and the ones coming back either very late or cancelled?

Fri 23 Feb 2018, 07:52

16.50 and 17.25 both cancelled yesterday.

Thu 22 Feb 2018, 21:21

Extra glad I got a lift tonight based on 20.23 report..

Thu 22 Feb 2018, 20:30

20:23 Train from oxford to Charlbury tonight is running 21 minutes late (so far) owing to a fault in the signalling

Thu 22 Feb 2018, 18:50

Had the local news on just now, rats on the line! Apparently at Didcot rats had bitten through cables......... you really couldn't make it up

Thu 22 Feb 2018, 18:35

11.11 twenty minutes late today . In fact it has been late every journey I've been on this week!

Thu 22 Feb 2018, 17:55

Thames Trains/First Great Western/GWR apologise for the recent flurry of apologies. This was due to a delay on a previous apology at Ealing Broadway. www.fourwordsmen.com

Thu 22 Feb 2018, 11:40

11.11 twenty minutes late today . In fact it has been late every journey I've been on this week!

Wed 21 Feb 2018, 09:28

Reminder - last day for the DFT consultation on the line: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/great-western-rail-franchise

Closes 11.45pm today.

Wed 21 Feb 2018, 04:42

20:23 Train half an hour late coming back from Oxford last night

Fri 16 Feb 2018, 15:58

Steve Andrews: Excellent question.

Indeed our MP (who seems to have decided I'm his official spokesman, which will probably annoy his supporters even more than my wife) has just sent me a presentation that sort of tries to answer you.

Only I don't know how to upload 3 meg of pdf onto this forum. So - pending our Editor's welcome return from his hols - I'll send a copy to anyone messaging me via this site.

And you can all pay me what you feel comfortable with. Just make your cheques out to "Liz Leffman Re-Election Fund".

Isn't that what management consultants call win/win?

Thu 15 Feb 2018, 19:08 (last edited on Thu 15 Feb 2018, 21:28)

Given that the training of the drivers on the new electric/diesel stock may take some time (end of April?), why do GWR not just operate an emergency restricted timetable rather than cancel trains?

Thu 15 Feb 2018, 17:38

Total chaos this week: the 16.50 from Oxford yesterday left from the opposite platform as it was originally destined for London, causing much confusion to the point that even the driver didn't know where they were supposed to be going. It then sat outside Oxford for 20 mins due to 'congestion'. The 07.49 from Charlbury was late today, the 09.41 cancelled both yesterday and today, and the 15.23 and 17.25 returning from Oxford cancelled this afternoon, leaving a delayed 16.25 made up of just two carriages to cope with the resulting increased passenger numbers.

Mon 12 Feb 2018, 22:25

Went to catch the 12.44 from Malvern Link today. Cancelled. Staff shortage. Got to Worcester Foregate Street for the 13.55. Late. I asked the staff why it was late. "The simple answer is because it's run by GWR. Please make a complaint to Consumer Focus because they really need to know what's going on."

Fri 9 Feb 2018, 16:06

Excellent Michael- puts it all into perspective.

Fri 9 Feb 2018, 14:08 (last edited on Fri 9 Feb 2018, 15:16)

Well neither Mr Courts nor Ms Pickup have reported back to us about last night " in spite of all those email addresses they went to such trouble to get hold of. Nor has GWR " though they might be along shortly.

Liz will kill me for doing this. But…

Long post - click to read full text

Fri 9 Feb 2018, 13:13

Yes Jonathan, Charlbury station is to get 4 new cycle hoops and they've fixed the faulty light bulb at Combe.

Fri 9 Feb 2018, 12:53

Have GWR not failed the performance target conditions for their franchise? Assuming there are any, and if not there should probably be.

Fri 9 Feb 2018, 12:24

I wasn't able to attend the event last night - was there any good news which may lift the spirits of us weary commuters?

Thu 8 Feb 2018, 16:00

I can't claim to have suffered all of those delays as I sometimes travel back later of my own choice, but it gives an idea of the unreliability of the service. The 1725 has not run at all for 8 of those 26 days and on a number of occasions has been a 2-car train, packed to the rafters. In the first week I drove to work a couple of times after suffering too many cancellations of the 1725 (it was cancelled for 5 consecutive weekdays). My compensation cheques for the 2 major delays, I'm told, are in the post!

Thu 8 Feb 2018, 15:43

Matt that is shocking!

Thu 8 Feb 2018, 15:26

My modest commute to Oxford (0749 out, 1725 return) for working days in 2018:
Total timetabled travel time: 1222 minutes (26 days x 47m)
Total minutes late: 751

Thu 8 Feb 2018, 14:36

Thanks Richard - you are clearly better at data analysis than me! Do we have a few killer stats that show: Average lateness/ cancellations for the line overall and for key commute times and can we look at yearly not just monthly? I also think your points on price and train types should come up. Thanks alot for your help!

Thu 8 Feb 2018, 10:52

Here's the whole of January for Paddington to Charlbury and Charlbury to Paddington.

I think the key columns are

• "% Svc CANC/NR" - percentage of services which were cancelled or otherwise did Not Run
• "% Arrivals RT-5m late" - percentage of service which arrived Right Time or up to 5 minutes late
• "Actual Arrival Average" - average delay over the whole month for that train

So, for example, the 16.22 from Paddington was cancelled 42% of the time. The 06.52 from Charlbury was cancelled 18% of the time, i.e. one day a week on average. Of the key morning trains, the 07.12 and 07.31 were on average 15 minutes late.

The other thing I'd press them on is fares. You can catch the 09.16 from Oxford Parkway, and get (say) the 18.18 back from Marylebone, for £26.50. If you get the 09.41 from Charlbury and the 18.22 back from Paddington, it'll cost you £67.20 - for a less punctual, less reliable service. That is ludicrous by any measure. (The evening peak is now terrible value all along the Cotswold Line - GWR charge £48.60 to get from Paddington to Bath Spa for 20.30, but £86.00 to get from Paddington to Worcester for the same time.)

Wed 7 Feb 2018, 20:54 (last edited on Wed 7 Feb 2018, 21:06)

Richard Fairhurst, I have it on good authority (from your sister!) that you are the man to present the facts and figures tomorrow on GWRs performance. I see the recent times link - results depend how you analyse the data so what should we use please and are there other things we should arm ourselves with? Thanks!

Mon 5 Feb 2018, 12:42 (last edited on Mon 5 Feb 2018, 16:55)

Nigel: you've no idea how painful it is for me to call for a Tory to be treated kindly.

But it's a lifelong principle never to attribute to conspiracy what's easily explained as a cock-up.

The likelihood is that Ms Pickup just posted the first thing that came into her…

Long post - click to read full text

Mon 5 Feb 2018, 09:57

Mike, because it's part of the slow erosion of democratic rights, in my view. Citing the death of Jo Cox as a reason for asking people to register for a public meeting in a public place is cheap and controlling. MP's are elected by the people to represent the people. It is a public office and a public job and ergo carries the risk of unpleasant interaction with people who oppose your views. That the job. If you're scared of that, it probably isn't the job for you and you're probably not fit for it anyway. Linking a public meeting in a (frankly) genteel market town about our funny old railway service to the death in the street of another MP at the hands of a right wing extremist nutter is taking things way to far. Mr Courts should man up or go back to making legal claims against the NHS full-time.

Mon 5 Feb 2018, 08:32 (last edited on Mon 5 Feb 2018, 08:49)

Why's everyone making a fuss about vetting who's allowed into meetings?

Times have changed. For example, David Cameron always published his address on the ballot paper we got at Parliamentary elections. But life's so dangerous these days, Robert Courts kept his secret last June.

True Liz Leffman published hers. But she's got two cocker spaniels to protect her.

In the public interest, I've emailed Ms Pickup to register. I'll publish the reply.

Sun 4 Feb 2018, 17:04

Stephen - Even if he had my address he certainly wouldn't have it linked to my social media accounts! Maybe he only wants your so called 'plebs' to register!?

Sun 4 Feb 2018, 12:27

The invitation has gone out to the whole constituency, including places like Bampton that are unlikely to be using GWR much. But this means that it is unlikely that nobody will turn up.

In fact, it's unclear to me what the meeting is about. Some invitations to the event pick out the future of GWR in the region. I am not sure how much complaints will feature.

Like others, I can't make that time. But I also strongly object to the being vetted in advance.

Sun 4 Feb 2018, 11:03

It would back fire on him if no one showed up because they were delayed on a train coming back from work and couldn't make the meeting and everyone just wrote him letters with their addresses, so he can reply. Annabel Pickup's email box would be overflowing!

Sun 4 Feb 2018, 08:31

Hamish - Robert Courts must 'know where you live'. The public invitation on the Events page inviting the plebs to 'this important meeting' states'If you would like to attend this event please email Annabel Pickup to register you interest. Please include your full constituency address in your RSVP as we will need this to ensure you are eligible to attend

Sat 3 Feb 2018, 08:51

Robert Courts' Instagram advert that popped up in my feed today invite everyone along with no mention at all about registration.

Fri 2 Feb 2018, 19:21

I have simply never heard of a public meeting where the public are vetted - well not in Britain anyway, Apparently they are citing security measures in the wake of the death of Jo Cox. Correspondence available privately if you want to see it.

Fri 2 Feb 2018, 18:42

Sue/Heather----many thanks. Actually I can't go anyway but it's the principle of the thing--outrageous !

Fri 2 Feb 2018, 17:32

Probably only wants addresses, so he can clutter your letter box! Anyone is entitled to go.

Fri 2 Feb 2018, 15:18

Glena, Ann and others - just turn up. After all. who is going to stop you/us going in to OUR Memorial Hall?

Fri 2 Feb 2018, 11:59

Completely agree with Ann. David Cameron never asked for our addresses when he hosted railway complaints/discussion meetings. Yes, Robert Court's chief responsibility is to his constituency members but given that he is an MP he has a wider brief as well and surely anyone around who uses the railway should be welcome ? How unnecessary to check our 'credentials' !!

Fri 2 Feb 2018, 11:38

I have lived in Charlbury for a long time but I have never before been asked for my address so that I can be vetted in order to attend a meeting as we apparently need to do for the GWR/Robert Courts meeting in the Memorial Hall.

"If you would like to attend this event, please email Annabel Pickup at annabel.pickup@parliament.uk to register your interest. Please include your full constituency address in your RSVP as we will need this to ensure you are eligible to attend."

Tue 30 Jan 2018, 21:12

I spoke with an off-duty GWR driver on a 45-min delayed train home from Oxford the other day, who said pretty much what Richard said at 20.20 today. Drivers and other staff are keen to help but haven't usually been given the necessary training and/or rota slots to be able to step in when needed. The failing seems to be mainly one of management, plus various infrastructure problems and other incidents beyond GWR's control.

The driver reminded me that delays spoil GWR staff's lives too - on that day the driver had had to call in emergency childcare and had missed a free lift home.

Tue 30 Jan 2018, 20:20

From what I've read in knowledgeable places, yes, that's broadly it.

Specifically, GWR have sent a bunch of trains away in the last few months. Some of the Turbos have gone to Bristol, and all of the Adelantes (the five-coach purple ones) have gone to the North-East. They are all meant to be replaced by the new five-coach Hitachi trains.

GWR has set up a new depot in Worcester for the drivers of these trains. Unfortunately, it hasn't allocated enough drivers for the number of services, while the rosters they've drawn up are preposterous and rely on staff being taxied from Worcester to Oxford and back. Meanwhile the existing Oxford drivers haven't been trained on the new Hitachis so can't help out. Add this to a general staff shortage across GWR and the result is what we've seen over the last month.

Mon 29 Jan 2018, 19:46 (last edited on Mon 29 Jan 2018, 19:46)

As Rob's original posting says, now we are out of the holiday period, the 'shortage of drivers' explanation which appears more often that not during weekdays, is likely to refer to that the drivers have not been trained to operate the new rolling stock. In the absence of any GWR comment or apology on this Forum I will happily be corrected at the 'ask GWR' session.

Mon 29 Jan 2018, 18:09

Claire - delayed engineering works are not the responsibility of GWR (although compensating you should be). Maintaining the infrastructure is the responsibility of Network Rail and GWR cannot be held responsible for their overruns. Many consider this separation, which has existed since privatisation some 20 odd years ago to be a Bad Thing (even a Totally Bonkers Thing) but that is the way it is.

Mon 29 Jan 2018, 17:19

If the meeting is anything like today's 16.25 and 16.50 fiasco, we'll be told it's cancelled at the last moment and be told to leave the memorial hall, and then told it is happening after all but 46 minutes late. Grrrr. They still have a shortage of train drivers.

Mon 29 Jan 2018, 17:01

In response to Dave, the meeting will be running until 8:30pm so people are welcome to pop in at anytime during the meeting.

Mon 29 Jan 2018, 15:42

I have referred to FGR as "Last Great Western" for many years ... and I am sure that if the great Isambard Kingdom Brunel could see what the wonderful railway that he engineered and developed had turned into, he would be turning in his grave. Yet another example of a company with a great history taken over by a cheapskate nonentity of an organisation whose only interest is in their profits and shareholders, and who do not give a tuppenny damn about the man in the street who has the misfortune to have to use their excuse for a service.

Sun 28 Jan 2018, 18:32

I have not yet had a reply to my written request made several weeks ago, using the correct GWR form, for the reimbursement of almost £200, to cover the cost of a £170 taxi fare that I had to pay to get to Gatwick for a flight when the 8:31 train was cancelled on 20th Nov, and the cost of the outward bound rail ticket I had already purchased. To find myself early on a bitterly cold morning with luggage at the station with the only train that could get me to check in on time cancelled was not a fun start to a short break. The staff at the station could not have been more helpful and even gave me free coffee. But as for GWR whose delayed engineering works over that week-end caused the cancellation, not even a reply !

Sat 27 Jan 2018, 20:21

We have pretty well given up using FGW - and drive to Oxford Parkway, which is ridiculous when we have a station here.

Sat 27 Jan 2018, 20:05

It's a ridiculous state of affairs. 3 years ago I travelled around central India on trains. They were never late, the seats weren't great - just benches but seasoned travellers brought cushions. The customer service was fantastic - all staff so helpful and polite. Also we had vendors (independent I think) coming along at very regular intervals ( every 15 minutes or more) with water and lovely street food. Plus it was all so cheap.
GWR know they have a captive market, and clearly they couldn't care less for passengers. After all, their customers can't boycott, as they need to get to and from work to, among other things, pay extortionate rail fares.
Btw, when speaking of customer service I must say that I have found the staff of GWR to be incredibly helpful and polite.
The "problem" must be higher up the chain. But what do you expect if you allow a Government to sell off "our" assets to their chums for a quick buck?

Sat 27 Jan 2018, 19:02

Yes, it's been just awful. I've had so many different excuses for cancelled or extremely late-running trains the last few times that I have used GWR: shortage of drivers; shortage of trains; problems with the points; problems with the overhead wiring; faulty train; fatality on the line. When on the train it is often also really short (3 coaches) and/or with the only toilet out of order.

The number of times that trains stop short at Oxford or also start from there makes one think that GWR simply does not care about customers who live north of Oxford.

Sat 27 Jan 2018, 16:24

Huge sympathy for poor commuters - including husband who is often now forced to drive to Oxford - having to endure frequently late and cancelled trains. Nightmare. However not just regular commuters who suffer. Daughter and baby went to catch train to Moreton last week mid morning. She checked online before leaving, all looked fine. When she got to station train delayed, went off for walk as baby crying. Went back again, train delayed further. Baby crying even more. Eventually, after 45 minutes, train cancelled. Walked home in pouring rain with crying baby. Today, husband catching train to see daughter in Moreton, train cancelled. Bus laid on but wouldn't arrive till next train due! Now you never actually know whether there's going to be a train or not, even if you check first. Bloody diabolical. What is going on? And, more importantly, what is the answer?

Sat 27 Jan 2018, 14:01

The "ask GWR" session will I'm sure be very valuable. However, virtually everyone (including myself) who uses GWR to commute to London and reading on a daily basis won't be able to make it as we will be on our (probably late) trains home!!

Sat 27 Jan 2018, 09:55 (last edited on Sat 27 Jan 2018, 09:59)

Robert Courts MP is hosting an "Ask GWR" event to discuss the future of West Oxfordshire railways on Thursday 8th February at 18.30 at the Charlbury Memorial Hall with Great Western Railway.

The meeting will be a chance to speak to GWR directly, learn about GWR's future plans, feed into the current consultation about the GWR franchise and to raise any concerns and questions you might have.

If you would like to attend, please email Annabel Pickup at annabel.pickup@parliament.uk to register your interest and include your full name and address in your email.

Tue 9 Jan 2018, 17:07

Jon. Thoroughly agree.

Tue 9 Jan 2018, 15:37

The 17.25 from Oxford to Charlbury was also cancelled on Monday afternoon. Apparently, there had been a fatality earlier in the day with knock-on effects for all subsequent trains (delays and cancellations). At least we all got transported home in taxis organised by Oxford station staff. And I got to make four new taxi friends.

Mon 8 Jan 2018, 19:36

Oh well, those of us who use Chiltern are just lucky then. Nationalise them all, I say, and get the fat cats off their backs and shareholders out of their pockets!

Mon 8 Jan 2018, 16:08

Careful what you wish for though, Jon - CrossCountry and Arriva Trains Wales are also run by Deutsche Bahn and both make GWR look like a paragon of efficiency, comfort and reasonable prices. I once sat on a hideously delayed, overcrowded CrossCountry train next to a well-lubricated Irishman, who was loudly proclaiming that the Germans wouldn't stand for this and it would be much better if Angela Merkel took it all over. I told him that CrossCountry was already owned by Deutsche Bahn. Last I heard he was going to write an indignant letter to Frau Merkel to let her know about the conditions in her British outpost. I wonder what response he got.

(But I suspect Chiltern's efficiency is more due to the influence of its founding MD Adrian Shooter, an ex-British Rail man!)

Mon 8 Jan 2018, 15:26

Perhaps privatised GWR has given up trying to compete with the German nationalised railway company that is Chiltern Railways, who make a better job of running a railway. Let's hope they takeover the GWR franchise soon.

Mon 8 Jan 2018, 11:32

The www.recenttraintimes.co.uk site logs train punctuality. It's pretty grim reading for the Cotswold Line at the moment. Here's the last four weeks from Charlbury to London, and from London to Charlbury. The figure on the right with an 'L' next to it is the average number of minutes late in that period.

Mon 8 Jan 2018, 10:50

And the 14.42 Paddington to Hereford. The 15.42 to Worcester (3 coaches) was surprisingly uncrowded but also unheated.

Mon 8 Jan 2018, 10:24

More cancellations yesterday, including the 16.52 from Ledbury to Paddington and the 17.40 to Hereford. But for the kindness of a local man who drove us to Worcester, we'd probably still be in Ledbury. A member of GWR staff said the company had bought new rolling stock but not trained anyone to use it. Is someone keeping a tally of cancellations? Might such a count be useful in challenging GWR's competence to continue operating the service?