| Update from Bedwyn - May 2026 Posted by grahame at 11:13, 8th June 2026 |     |
From Bedwyn trains via Rail User Express (May edition) who are happy to be quoted with source acknowledged
Bedwyn Trains Passenger Group
At a GWR drop in session for MPs in March, MD Mark Hopwood was very positive regarding
restoring direct Paddington services, but there is no timescale. Martin Pearce, GWR's DfT contact,
asked for a summary of the problems with the shuttles. His kind reply acknowledged the issues.
BTPG also spoke with Zach Bailey, responsible for station development, about extending the 'nose
first' parking at Bedywn Station. It has put him in contact with the Parish Council.
A business case is being developed for an hourly Paddington - Westbury service. A Local Transport
Forum also held in March was told that from early to mid 2030s new battery/electric trains are
proposed, but the battery range isn't quite there yet for Newbury to Westbury. BTPG doesn't want
the Westbury extension lost due to the wrong rolling stock being purchased.
If the Bedwyn line is blocked, can you use Didcot or Swindon? Measures are put in place for planned
closures, but for unscheduled events it is down to Control to make the decision. From past
experience these are slow in coming and often not communicated effectively to passengers. So what
if one just drove to Didcot or Swindon and presented oneself at the barrier? GWR responded that
you'd likely be allowed through, but there is no guarantee. If you had to pay for an additional ticket,
BTPG would take up your case with GWR management and request a refund.
The ticket machines (TVMs) do not offer the same walk-on fares available online; eg one can buy an
off-peak day return to Luton for the 0846 Bedwyn departure online, but even after 0830,
its TVM does not offer this option. GWR will soon have aligned TVMs with what is available online.
At a GWR drop in session for MPs in March, MD Mark Hopwood was very positive regarding
restoring direct Paddington services, but there is no timescale. Martin Pearce, GWR's DfT contact,
asked for a summary of the problems with the shuttles. His kind reply acknowledged the issues.
BTPG also spoke with Zach Bailey, responsible for station development, about extending the 'nose
first' parking at Bedywn Station. It has put him in contact with the Parish Council.
A business case is being developed for an hourly Paddington - Westbury service. A Local Transport
Forum also held in March was told that from early to mid 2030s new battery/electric trains are
proposed, but the battery range isn't quite there yet for Newbury to Westbury. BTPG doesn't want
the Westbury extension lost due to the wrong rolling stock being purchased.
If the Bedwyn line is blocked, can you use Didcot or Swindon? Measures are put in place for planned
closures, but for unscheduled events it is down to Control to make the decision. From past
experience these are slow in coming and often not communicated effectively to passengers. So what
if one just drove to Didcot or Swindon and presented oneself at the barrier? GWR responded that
you'd likely be allowed through, but there is no guarantee. If you had to pay for an additional ticket,
BTPG would take up your case with GWR management and request a refund.
The ticket machines (TVMs) do not offer the same walk-on fares available online; eg one can buy an
off-peak day return to Luton for the 0846 Bedwyn departure online, but even after 0830,
its TVM does not offer this option. GWR will soon have aligned TVMs with what is available online.
| Re: Update from Bedwyn - May 2026 Posted by hoover50 at 13:26, 11th June 2026 | |
Would the introduction of an hourly Paddington - Westbury service be dependent on the reinstatement of the 4th platform at Westbury?
| Re: Update from Bedwyn - May 2026 Posted by grahame at 13:57, 11th June 2026 | |
Would the introduction of an hourly Paddington - Westbury service be dependent on the reinstatement of the 4th platform at Westbury?
That is the suggested linkage. Westbury is already so tight for space that it leads to reliability problems when things don't go exactly to plan.
| Re: Update from Bedwyn - May 2026 Posted by bobm at 16:44, 11th June 2026 | |
There are already some services which continue to Frome or Warminster to avoid blocking a platform at Westbury while they lay-over. They do provide extra services for those stations but I suspect some of them might not run if they didn't have to.
| Re: Update from Bedwyn - May 2026 Posted by anthony215 at 23:45, 11th June 2026 | |
From Bedwyn trains via Rail User Express (May edition) who are happy to be quoted with source acknowledged
Bedwyn Trains Passenger Group
At a GWR drop in session for MPs in March, MD Mark Hopwood was very positive regarding
restoring direct Paddington services, but there is no timescale. Martin Pearce, GWR's DfT contact,
asked for a summary of the problems with the shuttles. His kind reply acknowledged the issues.
BTPG also spoke with Zach Bailey, responsible for station development, about extending the 'nose
first' parking at Bedywn Station. It has put him in contact with the Parish Council.
A business case is being developed for an hourly Paddington - Westbury service. A Local Transport
Forum also held in March was told that from early to mid 2030s new battery/electric trains are
proposed, but the battery range isn't quite there yet for Newbury to Westbury. BTPG doesn't want
the Westbury extension lost due to the wrong rolling stock being purchased.
If the Bedwyn line is blocked, can you use Didcot or Swindon? Measures are put in place for planned
closures, but for unscheduled events it is down to Control to make the decision. From past
experience these are slow in coming and often not communicated effectively to passengers. So what
if one just drove to Didcot or Swindon and presented oneself at the barrier? GWR responded that
you'd likely be allowed through, but there is no guarantee. If you had to pay for an additional ticket,
BTPG would take up your case with GWR management and request a refund.
The ticket machines (TVMs) do not offer the same walk-on fares available online; eg one can buy an
off-peak day return to Luton for the 0846 Bedwyn departure online, but even after 0830,
its TVM does not offer this option. GWR will soon have aligned TVMs with what is available online.
Bedwyn Trains Passenger Group
At a GWR drop in session for MPs in March, MD Mark Hopwood was very positive regarding
restoring direct Paddington services, but there is no timescale. Martin Pearce, GWR's DfT contact,
asked for a summary of the problems with the shuttles. His kind reply acknowledged the issues.
BTPG also spoke with Zach Bailey, responsible for station development, about extending the 'nose
first' parking at Bedywn Station. It has put him in contact with the Parish Council.
A business case is being developed for an hourly Paddington - Westbury service. A Local Transport
Forum also held in March was told that from early to mid 2030s new battery/electric trains are
proposed, but the battery range isn't quite there yet for Newbury to Westbury. BTPG doesn't want
the Westbury extension lost due to the wrong rolling stock being purchased.
If the Bedwyn line is blocked, can you use Didcot or Swindon? Measures are put in place for planned
closures, but for unscheduled events it is down to Control to make the decision. From past
experience these are slow in coming and often not communicated effectively to passengers. So what
if one just drove to Didcot or Swindon and presented oneself at the barrier? GWR responded that
you'd likely be allowed through, but there is no guarantee. If you had to pay for an additional ticket,
BTPG would take up your case with GWR management and request a refund.
The ticket machines (TVMs) do not offer the same walk-on fares available online; eg one can buy an
off-peak day return to Luton for the 0846 Bedwyn departure online, but even after 0830,
its TVM does not offer this option. GWR will soon have aligned TVMs with what is available online.
Im sure Siemens have said their new new battery emu can do 50 miles on batteries. Certainly if they terminated at bedwyn network rail should install a charging bar in the turnback sidings maybe similar at Westbury or Frome
Edit note: Quote marks amended, for clarity. CfN.
| Re: Update from Bedwyn - May 2026 Posted by grahame at 12:43, 12th June 2026 | |
Im sure Siemens have said their new battery emu can do 50 miles on batteries. Certainly if they terminated at bedwyn network rail should install a charging bar in the turnback sidings maybe similar at Westbury or Frome
I would suggest that trains to run a renewed service terminating at Bedwyn is probably not high up the shopping list of a government of the current political colour. Their MP was elected as a Conservative, elected in 2024 with nearly 17,000 votes who defeated five other candidates, one of whom was Reform, who polled just under 8,000 votes. But their MP is now with the Reform party - I find myself wondering what the candidate who represented that party at the election, and what the consituents, make of that. Should we see a change in government colour to turkoise, the priority order might change.
Where a Bedwyn service beyond the wires from Newbury may gain just a little more politically is from Hungerford, and to a lesser extent (lesser because it is smaller) is from Kintbury, both of which are actually in the Newbury constituency - currently Lib-Dem, ex Conservative.
Away from Politics, where the business case really comes much more to life is with a service extension of the faster of the two trains an hour to Hungerford, Kintbury, Bedwyn, Pewsey, (new) Devizes Gateway and Westbury. Whether that (perhaps alternate trains?) carries on beyond, or feeds into the existing 2-hourly semifast, is open for discussion.
| Re: Update from Bedwyn - May 2026 Posted by grahame at 10:55, 15th June 2026 | |
June update - also shared from RailExpressNews
Recently, GWR went through a spate of missing holds at Newbury. BTPG has a pre-agreed set of
holds that can be implemented within limits if an inbound train to Newbury is delayed, but the
mechanism to do so is archaic and prone to human error. Steve Smith of BTPG has developed
software that uses real time data to identify situations where a hold is required. He now wants to
WhatsApp GWR in real time to request a hold, as this can be an effective way to get one, but the
interface to WhatsApp is proving difficult. So if you do have one from a C#.Net desktop
application, he would love to hear from you!
holds that can be implemented within limits if an inbound train to Newbury is delayed, but the
mechanism to do so is archaic and prone to human error. Steve Smith of BTPG has developed
software that uses real time data to identify situations where a hold is required. He now wants to
WhatsApp GWR in real time to request a hold, as this can be an effective way to get one, but the
interface to WhatsApp is proving difficult. So if you do have one from a C#.Net desktop
application, he would love to hear from you!
| Re: Update from Bedwyn - May 2026 Posted by hoover50 at 15:45, 15th June 2026 | |
where the business case really comes much more to life is with a service extension of the faster of the two trains an hour to Hungerford, Kintbury, Bedwyn, Pewsey, (new) Devizes Gateway and Westbury. Whether that (perhaps alternate trains?) carries on beyond, or feeds into the existing 2-hourly semifast, is open for discussion.
As things currently stand, some of the fastest trains that run between Pewsey and Paddington (and vice versa) only call at Newbury / Reading giving a journey time of just under one hour. Many passengers from Pewsey are concerned that these fast trains will no longer call at Pewsey if Devizes Gateway is built and/or Bedwyn trains are extended to Westbury which would result in longer journey times between Pewsey and Paddington (and vice versa)
| Re: Update from Bedwyn - May 2026 Posted by grahame at 16:34, 15th June 2026 | |
where the business case really comes much more to life is with a service extension of the faster of the two trains an hour to Hungerford, Kintbury, Bedwyn, Pewsey, (new) Devizes Gateway and Westbury. Whether that (perhaps alternate trains?) carries on beyond, or feeds into the existing 2-hourly semifast, is open for discussion.
As things currently stand, some of the fastest trains that run between Pewsey and Paddington (and vice versa) only call at Newbury / Reading giving a journey time of just under one hour. Many passengers from Pewsey are concerned that these fast trains will no longer call at Pewsey if Devizes Gateway is built and/or Bedwyn trains are extended to Westbury which would result in longer journey times between Pewsey and Paddington (and vice versa)
Currently 11 trains per day, Pewsey to Paddington. Here are the morning timings.
06:15 - 07:36 (Makes 8 intermediate stops)
06:40 - 08:01 (Makes 8 intermediate stops)
07:18 - 08:35 (Makes 4 intermediate stops)
08:15 - 09:21 (Makes 4 intermediate stops)
09:27 - 10:29 (Makes 2 intermediate stops)
11:04 - 12:06 (Makes 2 intermediate stops)
13:08 - 14:17 (Makes 3 intermediate stops)
I would envisage an update clockface semifast service to make 5 intermediate stops (Bedwyn, Kintbury, Hungerford, Newbury and Reading) and take perhaps 70 minutes - the 08:15 pattern with 1 extra stop. The 07:18 has slack in its timings - it is scheduled to sit at Reading for 9 minutes,. This morning it left Pewsey 7 minutes late but was on time on departure from Reading.
I would agree that if all the trains also called at stations such as Thatcham, Theale, Reading West and Maidenhead (all are calls in at least one of the above) then the running time would rise to 80 minutes. But then the current early "8 stop" trins can be characterised as Kennet Valley commuter semifasts extended out. You see similar in the evening peak, where the 18:08 from Paddington also calls at Twyford (personal experience it disgorges a high proportion of passenger there) and is scheduled to take 76 minutes - calls at Theale and Thtacham too in addition to London - Reading - Newbury and all stations onwards.
In the days of slam door HSTs, the outbound evening services that made lots of stops felt like an eternity. Perhaps memories have not faded and there is a fear of a return to similar timings? In 2015, the 18:07 (as it was) took 90 minutes from Paddington to Pewsey; there is no suggestion as far as I know of a return to those timings.
| Re: Update from Bedwyn - May 2026 Posted by hoover50 at 08:07, 16th June 2026 | |
where the business case really comes much more to life is with a service extension of the faster of the two trains an hour to Hungerford, Kintbury, Bedwyn, Pewsey, (new) Devizes Gateway and Westbury. Whether that (perhaps alternate trains?) carries on beyond, or feeds into the existing 2-hourly semifast, is open for discussion.
As things currently stand, some of the fastest trains that run between Pewsey and Paddington (and vice versa) only call at Newbury / Reading giving a journey time of just under one hour. Many passengers from Pewsey are concerned that these fast trains will no longer call at Pewsey if Devizes Gateway is built and/or Bedwyn trains are extended to Westbury which would result in longer journey times between Pewsey and Paddington (and vice versa)
| Re: Update from Bedwyn - May 2026 Posted by grahame at 09:40, 16th June 2026 | |
The other potential risk of extending the Bedwyn trains to Westbury (calling at Pewsey and Devizes Parkway) is that they could end up becoming Westbury to Newbury shuttles with 165's so Pewsey would lose it's direct IET trains to Reading and Paddington.
Bedwyn and Pewsey are both in the same constituency. With railways being nationalised, there's likely to be more political influence so you could have a word with your MP to help ensure the groundwork for a good outcome for all. In my previous times, Claire Perry was a great ally.
| Re: Update from Bedwyn - May 2026 Posted by John D at 16:10, 16th June 2026 | |
Many passengers from Pewsey are concerned that these fast trains will no longer call at Pewsey if Devizes Gateway is built and/or Bedwyn trains are extended to Westbury which would result in longer journey times between Pewsey and Paddington (and vice versa)
It's about 15 miles that are unelectrified Newbury-Bedwyn.
Of course a battery EMU could do it as extension (but aren't any yet)
Of course an IET is overkill, and totally wasteful hauling diesel engines around for that distance, when so many other lines could benefit from bimodes to replace pure diesels. But if it really need a 120-130mph electric commuter train, instead of 110mph one is different question.
So is electrification sensible, wouldn't need new power supplies (one has already been added near Reading West). Although would really need to continue to Frome / Bruton area if serious about electric freight.
As for practicality, some over bridges might need raising, I think there are
3 over bridges Newbury - Hungerford
3 over bridges Hungerford - Bedwyn
1 between Bedwyn station and reversing siding
Even if assume worst and all need doing (unlikely) then not impossible in practical terms. Although never going to be in logical queue ahead of other extensions like Didcot - Oxford
