While waiting for the Banbury to Winchester Virgin service yesterday 
afternoon, the platform announcer advised customers for Paddington to change 
at Reading.  Is this a normally permitted route, or just during the Gerrards 
Cross tunnel problems?

It made me wonder if any consideration had been given to Chiltern trains 
from Birmingham  running at least to Oxford to provide a single connection 
to Paddington.  I'm sure this has occured in the last couple of years during 
possessions on the Aynho Jn - Bicester route.

Paul

On Thu, 18 Aug 2005 11:49:24 +0000 (UTC), "Paul Scott"
 wrote:


>While waiting for the Banbury to Winchester Virgin service yesterday 
>afternoon, the platform announcer advised customers for Paddington to change 
>at Reading.  Is this a normally permitted route, or just during the Gerrards 
>Cross tunnel problems?


It used to be *the* Banbury-London  route before Chiltern Line
modernisation. VXC trains ran through to Paddington. They now all
terminate at Reading to ease Paddington congestion and to try to
improve VXC reliability.


>It made me wonder if any consideration had been given to Chiltern trains 
>from Birmingham  running at least to Oxford to provide a single connection 
>to Paddington.  I'm sure this has occured in the last couple of years during 
>possessions on the Aynho Jn - Bicester route.


Chiltern trains have run via Oxford through to Paddington in the past
few years during line possessions.

Best regards, Paul
--
Paul Sherwin Consulting     http://paulsherwin.co.uk

> It used to be *the* Banbury-London  route before Chiltern Line
> modernisation. VXC trains ran through to Paddington. They now all
> terminate at Reading to ease Paddington congestion and to try to
> improve VXC reliability.


Plus don't forget about the few Banbury-Paddington via Reading & Oxford
that FGWLink operate as well. Are tickets from Banbury to London 'Any
Permitted,' or is there a 'Route Reading' / 'Route High Wycombe' or
something ticket?

Most tickets are any permitted, but Chiltern have a few High Wycombe
only fares

Joe Patrick wrote:

>>It used to be *the* Banbury-London  route before Chiltern Line
>>modernisation. VXC trains ran through to Paddington. They now all
>>terminate at Reading to ease Paddington congestion and to try to
>>improve VXC reliability.
> 
> 
> Plus don't forget about the few Banbury-Paddington via Reading & Oxford
> that FGWLink operate as well. Are tickets from Banbury to London 'Any
> Permitted,' or is there a 'Route Reading' / 'Route High Wycombe' or
> something ticket?
> 


If you buy a ticket to London Terminals then you can use either the High 
Wycombe or Oxford routes.

When I used to live in Banbury I commuted via Oxford to Paddington 
instead of going to Marylebone and then use the Tube to Paddington. It 
was much better run for me.

Before Chiltern ran trains to Leamington Spa on a regular basis the 
Oxford route was the only way for Leamington customers to get to London 
on a direct train and that is why Cross-Country ran through services. 
The nearest Virgin XC gets to Paddington now is Old Oak Common.

Dave

DERWENT Re: Banbury to Paddington
 18 Aug 2005 09:12:33 -0700, dtren@my-deja.com 


>Most tickets are any permitted, but Chiltern have a few High Wycombe
>only fares



travelcard add ons came in three forms (descending price):


Peak any Permitted
Off Peak any permitted
Peak via High Wycombe



PRAR
-- 
<http://www.i.am/prar/> and <http://prar.fotopic.net/>
As long as people will accept crap, it will be financially profitable to dispense it. --Dick Cavett
Please reply to the newsgroup. That is why it exists.
NB Anti-spam measures in force
 - If you must email me use the Reply to address and not prar@deadspam.com

> Before Chiltern ran trains to Leamington Spa on a regular basis the 
> Oxford route was the only way for Leamington customers to get to London 
> on a direct train and that is why Cross-Country ran through services. 
> The nearest Virgin XC gets to Paddington now is Old Oak Common.


I believe Virgin XC still run an occasional Voyager ECS into Paddington
for route learning purposes, early am only I think.

David