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Mixed start for GWR non-stop London to Bristol

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26006

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Mixed start for GWR non-stop London to Bristol - Posted: December 17, 2019 - 1:01 AM Quote and reply
Signalling problems in the Slough area caused chaos to the start of GWR's new timetable on Monday morning. I am led to understand the up main was the line affected - causing delays and cancellations to inbound services - that subsequently had a knock-on effect on outgoing services.
Fortunately the 12.45 Paddington to Weston Super Mare and 15:03 return survived - with mixed running as a consequence. 800 016 RT departure but slow to Westbourne park - Ealing Broadway 7:03 pass, 123mph by Hanwell, 60mph slowing through Slough in 13:56 - 70-80mph through Maidenhead - due to catching 12:36 Pad to Exeter - brief 108 before 95 through Reading P9 in 25:20, Didcot 33:53 @124, Steventon 109/125, Swindon - 47:10 @71mph having caught late 8 min late running 1G15 1228 Pad to Cheltenham, brief 107 then 69 for Wootton Basset, 121/110 for Alderton TEP, MP99 in 1:00:01, Westerleigh 1:04:13 @99, Bristol Parkway 1:08:25. New alcomers FT since the 1980's.
The return run scheduled for 72 mins achieved a disappointing 79:22 due to issues with 1A24 Bristol TM to Paddington ahead stuck at Didcot for 30 mins with a fault in P2 requiring services on the up to be routed on to the down relief at Didcot through P3 to pass it and rejoin the up main at Didcot East. 7L arrival at Paddington. The path of 1H44 is really poor because it is booked only 4 min behind 1L23 Cardiff to Paddington which additionally stops at Swindon and Reading and no opportunity to overtake it.
Incidentally 800 016 5-car only running on only 2 GU's Bristol Parkway to Weston Super Mare and return. 55mph at start of Filton bank reduced to 52mph at the top before a brief 64mph on the level.

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Sean Emmett

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Re: Mixed start for GWR non-stop London to Bristol - Posted: December 22, 2019 - 7:40 PM Quote and reply
My first experience of the superfasts was last Thursday on the 19.15 Paddington - Weston.

Heavily delayed out of PAD and took 37m 00s to pass Reading (16 late). But regained 6 mins to arrive Bristol Parkway in 78m 52s, so 41m 52s from Reading pass to BPW stop. Slight check or TSR down to 99 before Hullavington.

41 mins pass to stop should be just about doable within the limits.





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