Back to the delights of the Wrexham & Shropshire service today as I joined the 9.02 from Tame Bridge Parkway to Marylebone. Reasonably busy train - amused to see a fully reserved Coach 'B' with relatively empty 'C' and 'D' coaches - but I had no problem finding a table to myself.
Alas, the promised free standard class wireless didn't materialise for my laptop. Fortunately, W&S employ tech-savvy train managers. In this case, she pointed out that the wireless transmitter was in First Class and so may not be reaching my end of the train... She was correct: carrying the laptop to the Buffet end of the First Class coach established a connection, though this was lost on my return to my seat!
Have completed a comment form so look forward to a W&S response on this matter.
Other than that disappointment, the service was fine (indeed, more than fine). W&S staff are friendly and helpful; the buffet car stays open the whole journey and serves good, interesting food; the carriages and toilets are clean and cared for; the power points work; and the seats are comfortable. What more for a walk-on single fare of £31 (£19.40 after 1pm) could a standard class passenger want?
Well, a slightly faster journey would be a start: the 9.02 takes 133 minutes; and a more convenient station location: Tame Bridge Parkway is fine for Walsall and NW Birmingham but not easy to reach from more central areas of Birmingham even by car.
One does wonder if the company could get a variation to allow a stop at Birmingham International - I'm sure an argument could be made for Welsh passengers needing the airport...
Incidentally, the train manager confirmed that the 11.20 W&S service from Marylebone also has the £19.40 Super-off peak single fare: anyone thinking of travelling on the 11.24 Chiltern service to Banbury and beyond, take note!
On the subject of Super off-peak fares, the ticket machine (LondonMidland owned) at Tame Bridge Parkway fails to make the availability clear. Why can't these machines show the time restrictions in an obvious and clear manner?
Walked along the Regent Canal to Paddington for lunch at The Mad Bishop & Bear, Paddington's lovely pub tucked away on the 2nd floor of the food court (though obviously not too hidden given the busyness over lunch). Almost as nice as the former Royal Waiting Room (aka the FGW First Class Lounge) though of course you have to pay for the (wider range of!)refreshments...
Caught the 13.00 FGW HST to Bristol to connect into the 13.41 CrossCountry Reading to Birmingham. Both trains reasonably quiet and the connection made comfortably. Both HSTs and Voyagers offer reasonably comfortable seats, some tables, power sockets, and refreshments (albeit from a trolley).
The 132 minute journey* would have cost £40.90 (off-peak single fare) so doesn't compare in price with LondonMidland's equivalent timed offering (though more comfortable and with refreshments and sockets) and is nowhere near the value for money of the W&S service... I still think that, given it is an effectively half-hourly service, FGW and XC are missing the opportunity to capture some of the London-Birmingham traffic with some aggressive pricing...
* The 132 minute comes from catching the 13.06 out of Paddington
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Promoting Padding-B'ham would require two different operators to work together on publicity - something which has never happened so far on the privitised railway. There used to be cross-counrty services from B'ham to Paddington, but they got cut back to Reading. A shame, because it offered direct London services for those between Birmingham and Oxford.
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