Railway electrification coming to Newbury Options

[James_Trinder]

I hope we get a regular interval service throughout the day up to the last train from Reading around midnight - 1am. Wouldn't it be nice if you could leave Paddington around the 11:30 - 00:00 time and still get home, like many other places the same distance from the capital can do.

It wasn't so long ago that the last train out of Paddington that would allow you to get back to Newbury was 22:15. Therefore I am grateful for the current state of affairs at the moment.

[Hugh Saskin]

Good. Branson, National Express & Stagecoach have all made way too much dosh out of the tax payer 'running' the rail service in this country.

Yes, and you may depend whatever government is in power, will continue to do so, given the mickey mouse way the Tories privatised the railways, compounded by Labour doing b*gger all about changing it once they came to power. Well, perhaps not NEX, they are poised to be stripped of the other two franchises they currently hold. Actually, the train services run by the three groups you mention are, in my experience, generally pretty good, especially Stagecoach with SWT who run a timetable that is boringly reliable, convenient and actually works. You don't mention the dreaded 'First' Group - are we to take it that you don't think they have yet made too much money out of the taxpayer? I do hope not

[JeffG]

He'll be spinning in his grave at the way his legacy is treated now.

He was probably a bit miffed when they ripped up his 7-foot gauge track, too

[Biker1]

Give me Virgin Trains any day over Last Worst Western. It's like travelling in another world.

Virgin Trains who operate the West Coast line out of Euston have had billions of pounds spent by the government on new trains, improved track and new signalling.

First Great Western have had to make do with the 15 year old turbos and the refurbished 32 year old HST's.

No money spent on electrification and very little on track and signalling.

It's not always the train company's fault.

[Biker1]

He was probably a bit miffed when they ripped up his 7-foot gauge track, too

He certainly was and he was right too!!

[Hugh Saskin]

Virgin Trains who operate the West Coast line out of Euston have had billions of pounds spent by the government on new trains, improved track and new signalling.

First Great Western have had to make do with the 15 year old turbos and the refurbished 32 year old HST's.

No money spent on electrification and very little on track and signalling.

It's not always the train company's fault.

Yes, but that doesn't excuse them from reducing the level of catering on a lot of trains or from, would you believe it, reducing the number of loos on Reading Station. Virgin Trains IMHO is, like Beardie himself, heavy on show and light on substance - I have a savings plan with them!

[Biker1]

Yes, but that doesn't excuse them from reducing the level of catering on a lot of trains or from, would you believe it, reducing the number of loos on Reading Station. Virgin Trains IMHO is, like Beardie himself, heavy on show and light on substance - I have a savings plan with them!

FGW are refurbishing some more buffets for their HST's

Can't speak for Reading but Newbury has recently refurbished loos and new ones on Platform 1.

[Hugh Saskin]

FGW are refurbishing some more buffets for their HST's

Will they put them back again, though? Some of the Exeter services now only have a trolley service, suspect that's curtains for hot food - certainly it's a year or two since it was possible to obtain a full breakfast when heading west on any service from Reading. Sorry, I still think FGW are rubbish.

[Biker1]

More improvements to the local railway.

I see we now have a new station at Hamstead Marshall!!

Link