Some applause for First Great Western

Sat 7 Feb 2009, 17:46

London four times this week - well done to FGW and Network Rail, especially Friday when things appeared to deteriorate (as seen on TV www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00hd65n/b00hd5zs/BBC_News_at_Six_06_02_2009/ )after I left for work on the 06.34!

Also a mention in dispatches is owed to our stalwart Stationmaster who resolutely made the journey to the station by car, and spent much effort clearing and salting the platforms!

Sat 7 Feb 2009, 15:55

I'd like to congratulate FGW too. The only reason I didnt go to work on Friday was because there were no buses running in Oxford up to Headington!!

Fri 6 Feb 2009, 23:59

And a PS for anyone travelling this weekend. Due to engineering work east of Didcot, most Cotswold Line trains will be terminating at Didcot Parkway, with passengers having to change there to get to Reading and London, or back in the other direction. It may be that the work gets cancelled, so more through trains to London may operate, but check the FGW site for the latest.

Fri 6 Feb 2009, 23:39

And don't forget Network Rail's staff as well, who have gone to work in the early hours to keep snow and ice off the points and open up the signal boxes, despite often tricky journeys to work amid falling snow, while many of the rest of us were still in bed.

Fri 6 Feb 2009, 22:47

I agree with Derek. I have travelled to London and back three times this week and compared to the journey experiences or the excuses for non travel that came into our office from other members of staff, I think GWR did a pretty good job getting people into Oxford and London!

Fri 6 Feb 2009, 21:19

groveling gets you no where derek it was wrong kind of snow.

Fri 6 Feb 2009, 20:53

Having recently been accused of being too critical of FGW, can I be the first to applaud them for how well they seem to have coped this week with the difficult weather conditions we've been experiencing? I travelled to Oxford on Monday, London on Wednesday and Reading today. None of the trains I wished to use were cancelled and only one out of six was delayed by more than about five minutes, which seems to me to be a pretty good effort in the circumstances. FGW's website was also updated regularly all week with news of the latest travel situation. I know that some other trains were cancelled this week and that things weren't perfect for everyone but well done to FGW for exceeding my expectations and making three potentially fraught journeys quite pleasant.