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News Archive 2023 | |
Fare Rise Trimmed to 4.9%The Government has announces that regulated fares will go up by an average of 4.9% in
March. This is lower than the 9% rise in the Consumer Prices Index last July that’s
normally used. Could there be a General Election in the offing?
Day Travelcard ReprievedCommon sence prevails! The Mayor of London has reached a deal to reprieve the Day
Travelcard which is particularly useful to customers living outside Greater London or who
use Railcards. The cost will be a one-off 3% increase in the price from 2024. We anticipate
that the increase will then be subject to the normal fare increases from 2025.
Maidenhead Works Under WayOn Monday 6 November Network Rail began work to remove the lift to platforms 2 and 3 as it has reached the end of its working life. Contractors will be installing a new lift to both platforms in a new location, which allows a new staircase to be built that will reducing queuing and ease congestion on the platforms at peak times. The work is due to be completed in Autumn 2024 and during this period there will be no step-free access to platforms 2 and 3. Step-free access will still be available to Platforms 1, 4 and 5. This will impact passengers travelling west from Maidenhead or those trying to alight at Maidenhead coming from the London direction. GWR will have additional staff available at the station to offer support for the duration of the work, for example with luggage or just a helping hand, and they’ve also set out the travel advice for customers whocannot use the steps below. Information systems will be updated to reflect the lack of step-free access to the two platforms, and our Passenger Assist scheme is also on hand and will help put alternative arrangements in place for customers who are unable to use stairs. Assistance can be booked up to 2 hours before travel and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It can be booked online at Passenger-Assist or by calling 0800 197 1329. GWR will also be making customers aware through the media, and through at station posters, banners, on board and station announcement, and holding a Meet the Project Team session at Maidenhead from 1600-1830 on Monday 6 November with colleagues from Network Rail, GWR and contractors Morgan Sindall. You can see the media release
here.
Update: We notice that some down trains (towards Reading) are stopping
at Platform 4 at Maidenhead which remains accessible, and it also provides a
cross-platform interchange with the Marlow branch.
ORR Investigates Network Rail Wales and Western regionThe Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has launched an investigation into poor train punctuality and reliability in the Network Rail Wales & Western region. The news comes as train performance in the Wales & Western region has continued to deteriorate whilst the British while the wider network across Great Britain has seen performance stabilising. While ORR’s investigation will focus on Network Rail, the regulator recognises that delivery of reliable, punctual trains requires cross-industry collaboration. As part of its investigation the regulator will convene a roundtable of parties who directly contribute to delivering train performance in the region. Bringing together Network Rail, train operating companies, freight operators, and other bodies, ORR will work to ensure a joined-up approach to identifying the measures required to improve performance for passengers and freight in the Wales & Western region.
ORR’s investigation will assess whether Network Rail is complying with its licence obligations in the Wales & Western region, and whether it is doing everything reasonably practicable to deliver train service performance. This will include the regulator reviewing the effectiveness of the region’s performance improvement plan, whether assets are being managed appropriately and the impact of changes to the rail network on train performance. Based on its investigation, ORR will determine whether or not there is more that Network Rail
could be doing and may decide on appropriate measures, which could include enforcement action.
Network Rail Manager ResignsNetwork Rail Wales & Western managing director Michelle Handforth has resigned after
more infrastructure failures. Ms Handforth was reportedly on a salary around
£330k and commuted by air from her home in Aberdeen. She joined Network Rail in
August 2020. Rob Cairns will take over as interim director from 1st January.
DfT Bins Ticket Office Closure PlanThe Department for Transport, through the Rail Development Group, has asked train
operators to withdraw their plans to close all ticket office windows. Three quarters of a
million people responded to the consultation which was run by
Transport
Focus and London Travelwatch on behalf of
the DfT. The two organisations unanimously rejected the operators’ proposals.
Disruption this Weekend 25/26 NovHS2 works at Old Oak Common plus mobile phone improvementsd on the Elizabeth Line (EL) are likely to cause travel chaos this weekend, 25th and 26th November. On Sunday 26th there will be:
On both days:
ASLEF StrikesASLEF, the train drivers’s union, has called one day strikes on Saturday 30th September and Wednesday 4th October.
In addition the union will hold overtime bans on Friday 29th September and from Monday 2nd to Friday 6th October.
Transport for London to Withdraw from Day Travelcard AgreementThe Mayor of London has given the go-ahead to withdraw from the Day Travelcard scheme in six months. This will particularly hit visitors from outside London (us), and people who hold Railcards and other discounted tickets. Longer duration Travelcards will continue. The only way to keep your Railcard discount is to buy an Oyster card (£7.00 non-refundable, plus the amount you wish to load onto it), register it and have your Railcard added to it. The snag is that you can’t use Oyster west of West Drayton so you will have to buy another return ticket to Paddington (on GWR) or intermediate stations to Acton Main Line if you alight there. You will still be able to use Pay-As-You-Go with bank cards etc., but it doesn't recognise Railcard discounts. We think this is a very bad move, and won’t save much money if the extra cost and complexity deters people
from coming into the capital.
Bourne End – Marlow 150th AnniversaryGreat Western Railway celebrated the anniversary of the Marlow Road (now Bourne End) to Marlow
which opened on 27th June 1873. The branch train on the day which was 165122 which sported vinyl
emblems on each side commemorating the anniversary (see above).
Deadline for Ticket Office Consultation ExtendedYour contribution to the Government's proposal to close all ticket windows is required by Wednesday 26th July.
UPDATE: following the furore following the botched consultation (in particular no Braille or audio version),
the closing date has been put back to 1st September.
Bourne End ImprovementsBuckinghamshire Council has been awarded £18.6k funding from Great Western Railway’s Community Fund to explore opportunities to improve access for those walking, wheeling, cycling or taking the bus to Bourne End Railway Station. The council successfully applied for a grant from the train operator’s Community Fund, which was launched in May to support local communities and address areas of social need. As part of GWR‘s National Rail Contract with the Department for Transport, the train operator is committed to supporting schools, colleges, councils, community and other not-for-profit organisations by aiding a number of initiatives. A feasibility study commissioned by Buckinghamshire Council will consider:
The council will also be working closely with GWR on a proposal to improve facilities for bus users by creating a new bus interchange at the station, which MMPA has been campaigning for. The outputs of the feasibility study will inform future bids for full delivery funding.
Strikes UpdateThe RMT union has announced two further strike dates for Saturday 26th August and Saturday 2nd September at train operators across England, including GWR. Many parts of the network will have no service whatsoever. Trains that are planned to run will be subject to short notice changes and cancellations. GWR also expects that there to be an impact on the days before and after strikes too. There are further RMT strike dates affecting Cross Country services only on Saturday 19th August and Saturday 9th September. For further information on this please visit their web site. 165122 Carries Marlow Donkey 150 EmblemsThe two-car "turbo" often seen on our branch now sports Donkey 150 vynils on the body sides.
Bourne End – Marlow 150th AnniversaryGreat Western Railway celebrated the anniversary of the Marlow Road (now Bourne End) to Marlow
line which opened on 27th June 1873. The branch train on the day which was 165122 which sported
vinyl emblems on each side commemorating the anniversary (see above).
Bourne End – Marlow 150th AnniversaryGreat Western Railway will be celebrating the anniversary of the Marlow Road (now Bourne End)
to Marlow which opened on 27th June 1873. Don't get too excited, but GWR has confounded rumours
that the government had thrown a wet blanket over the celebration. OK, don't expect steam or a
heritage DMU but do ride the branch on the 27th when a specially decorated“Turbo”
will be in charge.
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165119 Carries Norman Topsom Tag
You will recall that a Class 166 Turbo Express unit was named in honour of
Norman “Mr. Twyford” Topsom MBE on his retirement. That unit has been sent to
the West Country so is rarely seen on the Henley-on-Thames branch. The appellation has been
transferred to a Class 165 unit, 165119 (above).
165122 Carries Marlow Donkey 150 EmblemsThe two-car "turbo" often seen on our branch now sports Donkey 150 vynils on the body sides.
Big timetable change in May 2023.Whilst the December timetables will show only minor changes, there’ll be a major update next May. GWR is planning to run
the Didcot Parkway to Paddington service fast between Slough and Paddington on the main line, crossing over at Dolphin Junction
which is between Slough and Langley. Passengers for intermediate stations will need to use the MTR Elizabeth Line services.
Update: Members noticed that the journey planners omitted the round trip from Maidenhead to Bourne End at 05:59, returning at 0646,
which would leave a gap of one hour in the morning peak. We are pleased to see that version 2 of timetable T12 now on the
GWR web site (PDF) reinstates this sevice at 05:58/06:46.
Further StrikesASLEF has called strikes on 12 May and the RMT union on 13 May. GWR will be running very limited services - none in some areas. Services on 11 May and 14 May will also be impacted. ASLEF has announced action short of a strike from 15 to 20 May and 01 June but GWR is expected to run a full service.
Bourne End DisturbanceThere are occasions when the branch train is stabled overnight at Bourne End. This is done when it would be difficult get the train onto the branch in the early morning owing to engineering work on the Relief lines. Unfortunately this means that the train needs to depart Bourne End at 05:12 in order to form the first service from Maidenhead.
Unfortunately the start-up procedure is causing serious disturbance to near-by residents. We have raised this with GWR
and asked if they can modify the procedure or use another location.
GWR Acquires Vivarail Fast Charging Assets
Great Western Railway has completed the purchase of a number of assets from emission-free battery and hybrid trains manufacturer Vivarail, which entered administration last December. GWR has agreed contracts to buy intellectual property, rolling stock and equipment relating to the development of high-performance battery and FastCharge technology designed to support wider introduction of battery-powered trains on the UK rail network. The deal secures the future of planned trials of the technology in a real-world environment, which GWR was supporting between West Ealing and Greenford. The company has also employed nine former Vivarail staff to support the trials and project development. GWR Engineering Director Simon Green said: “We’ve been working closely with the Vivarail team on this exciting project for some time, and we are delighted we have been able to step in and make sure its important work can continue. “There have clearly been some setbacks that mean we will need to review the existing plans and timescales, but we will continue to
work with Network Rail and the Department for Transport to get the project back on track. This work is a key part of our commitment
to reduce the carbon emissions of our train fleet with a view to removing all diesel-only traction from the network by 2040, in line
with the Government’s Transport Decarbonisation Plan.”
May Reopens Silco Drive Car Park
Maidenhead MP and former PM Theresa May cut the ribbon to mark the reopening of Silco Drive car park at Maidenhead Station. The car park was taken out of use six years ago while the sidings for the Elizabeth Line were constructed. Network Rail has funded the £0.6M restoration of the car park which includes resurfacing, markings for 141 spaces, CCTV and a Customer information screen showing real-time train information. Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) will also be introduced. Silco Drive car park is a five to 10-minute walk from the station and will help to relieve pressure on the Shoppenhangers car park which provides 171 spaces. Mrs May said: “I’m pleased to see the parking spaces in Silco Drive car park coming back into use. With the enhanced services of GWR and the Elizabeth line, Maidenhead is an increasingly important station. The spaces in Silco Drive car park will be a real boost for those who need to drive to the station.” GWR Business Assurance and Strategy Director, Joe Graham (left in photo), said: “The return of this space as a car park at Maidenhead station is a real boost for customers now benefitting from more than six trains per hour to and from London. Shoppenhangers car park has traditionally been extremely well used and we hope these additional 141 spaces will be well received by station users.” Network Rail Industry Programme Director, Bogdan Lupu (right), said: “Following the £19 billion investment in the Elizabeth line, which has proved to be a vital transport link into London since opening in 2022, passengers from Maidenhead now have more opportunities to travel to a number of destinations using the line, as well as with GWR. We’re pleased that passengers at the station will be able to use the car park once again, opening up rail travel for commuters in the area who drive to Maidenhead station to start their journeys.” Photo: Great Western Railway
Shoppenhangers RoadThis was posted on Nextdoor by Cllr. Phil Haseler: Shoppenhangers Road will be fully closed for vehicles, (not pedestrians) on Friday 27th January 2023
between Ludlow Road and the railway station car park, for a period of approximately three Months!
This period will commence with 2 weeks of enabling work followed by the installation of a new sewer pipe
at a depth of 5.7 metres. Ludlow Road will be accessible to vehicles, as will the station car park.
Didcot Parkway - Oxford Line ClosedThe Didcot Parkway to Oxford line is blocked and is likely to remain so until at least 23rd April. This is due to
the Nuneham Viaduct between Radley and Culham becoming unstable following heavy rain. Rail replacement buses are
operating between Didcot Parkway and Oxford (both direct and serving intermediate stations). GWR tickets are being
accepted by other operators including Chiltern.
AGM CancelledWe regret that due to continued industrial action we have postponed our AGM and public meeting. It was scheduled between two strike days so it could be difficult for those relying on the railway to get home. Also our industry representatives would be busy getting a service together on the Saturday with whatever resources they could muster. It was annoying for all concerned to keep postponing the meeting by three months at a time, so
we have decided to wait until the disputes have been resolved before rescheduling it.
RMT votes to end Network Rail StrikeRMT Union members in Network Rail have voted by 3 to 1 in favour of ending their dispute after receiving a modestly increased pay offer and the removal of some conditions which will be dealt with later. The planned strikes by RMT members in the 14 train operating companies are still on.
More StrikesThe RMT Union has called one-day strikes on Thursdays 16th and 30th March, and Saturdays 18th March and 1st April (00:01 to 23:59). Network Rail members will strike from 02:00 on 16th March to 01:59 on 17th March. Seven day overtime and rest day working bans affecting maintenance will be in effect from 00:01 on Fridays 17th March, 31st March and 14th April. Seven day overtime and rest day working bans affecting operations will be in effect from
00:01 on Sundays 26th March, 9th April and 23rd April.
ASLEF Strike 01 and 03 FebThis strike will affect 14 operators including Great Western Railway and Chiltern Railways, but not
MTR Elizabeth Line. London Overground is expected to be running subject to acceptance of an offer
from Arriva Rail London.
Chiltern Ticket SaleChiltern Railways is offering 50,000 seats including selected advance fares for
half price in its January Sale. There are also some 2-for-1 offers on some attractions.
Elizabeth Line StrikesOn Thursday 12 January, strike action is expected to affect Elizabeth line services.
From Friday 13 January until Tuesday 28 February, Elizabeth line services could be subject to short
notice changes or cancellations due to industrial action.
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