I've been commuting out of Paddington recently and have a couple of
questions for the group.
Firstly, I've seen Chiltern trains in Paddington twice. One was working a
service to Princess Risborough via West Ruislip, not sure what the other
was doing.
Secondly, I've twice seen a Virgin Voyager on line East of Reading
(passing West Drayton).
I couldn't find any mention of these services in any time-tables. I guess
the Virgin trains could have been positioning somewhere for maintainance
or running a charter or something, but that Chiltern fella was definately
on the departure boards at Paddington as running a service to Princess
Risborough.
Can anybody shed some light on these movements?

--
Fig

Fig wrote:
Can anybody shed some light on these movements?

Chiltern runs a few parliamentary services from Paddington to Princes
Risborough via Gerrards Cross in order to maintain route knowledge of
the New North Main Line between Old Oak West Junction and Northolt
Junction, and additionally to maintain that route's certification for
passenger services. The primary impetus for running these services is
to provide a diversionary route that Chiltern can use when their route
into Marylebone is blocked, either by mishap or by engineering works.

Virgin run a few CrossCountry services via the GWML relief lines - some
use the Acton incline to reach the NLL and later the WLL, while others
run to Old Oak Common for maintenance or into Paddington for route
knowledge purposes.

Fig ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were
saying :

Firstly, I've seen Chiltern trains in Paddington twice. One was
working a service to Princess Risborough

but that Chiltern fella was definately on the departure boards at
Paddington as running a service to Princess Risborough.

Blimey, not only a strange route, but a royal sex change, too...

On Sun, 03 Dec 2006 10:30:11 -0000, Adrian wrote:

Fig ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were
saying :

I've seen Chiltern trains in Paddington twice. One was
working a service to Princess Risborough

Blimey, not only a strange route, but a royal sex change, too...

My most humble appologies to all Princes Risbarians.
I wasn't sure which it was, so I googled "Princess Risborough" and it
returned a few thousand results, including
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princes...ailway_station at number
3. It didn't ask me if I meant "Princes Risborough", so I took it as
gospel.
Beware the power of google and wikipedia combined!

--
Fig

On Sun, 03 Dec 2006 09:22:56 -0000, TheOneKEA wrote:


Fig wrote:
Can anybody shed some light on these movements?

Chiltern runs a few parliamentary services from Paddington to Princes
Risborough via Gerrards Cross in order to maintain route knowledge of
the New North Main Line between Old Oak West Junction and Northolt
Junction, and additionally to maintain that route's certification for
passenger services. The primary impetus for running these services is
to provide a diversionary route that Chiltern can use when their route
into Marylebone is blocked, either by mishap or by engineering works.

Virgin run a few CrossCountry services via the GWML relief lines - some
use the Acton incline to reach the NLL and later the WLL, while others
run to Old Oak Common for maintenance or into Paddington for route
knowledge purposes.

Thank you for a very informative reply.

--
Fig

Fig wrote:
I've been commuting out of Paddington recently and have a couple of
questions for the group.
Firstly, I've seen Chiltern trains in Paddington twice. One was
working a service to Princess Risborough via West Ruislip, not sure
what the other was doing.
Secondly, I've twice seen a Virgin Voyager on line East of Reading
(passing West Drayton).
I couldn't find any mention of these services in any time-tables. I
guess the Virgin trains could have been positioning somewhere for
maintainance or running a charter or something, but that Chiltern
fella was definately on the departure boards at Paddington as running
a service to Princess Risborough.
Can anybody shed some light on these movements?

As already (and informatively) detailed, Chiltern run into Paddington every
day in order for their drivers to retain route knowledge, as Paddington is
used as a diversionary terminus when any section of line between Northolt
Junction, Neasden Junction and Marylebone is required to be closed for
engineering work.

Currently there is an 05:26 (Mon-Fri) from Aylesbury, that arrives in
Paddington at 06:39 and which leaves as empty stock. There is then an 11:28
from Princes Risborough that runs on Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri to Paddington, arriving
at 12:29, and on Wednesdays only to Marylebone, arriving at 12:22. The
return services depart from Paddington to Princes Risborough at 12:55
Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri and from Marylebone at 13:00 on Wednesdays only.

Fig wrote:
On Sun, 03 Dec 2006 10:30:11 -0000, Adrian
wrote:
Fig ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were
saying :

I've seen Chiltern trains in Paddington twice. One was
working a service to Princess Risborough

Blimey, not only a strange route, but a royal sex change, too...

My most humble appologies to all Princes Risbarians.
I wasn't sure which it was, so I googled "Princess Risborough" and
it returned a few thousand results, including
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princes...ailway_station at
number 3. It didn't ask me if I meant "Princes Risborough", so I took
it as
gospel.
Beware the power of google and wikipedia combined!

Beware untrained drivers of such powerful engines! The Wikipedia URL
produces "Princes Risborough railway station ... (Redirected from
Princess Risborough railway station)".

--
Richard J.
(to e-mail me, swap uk and yon in address)

"Richard J." wrote in message
. uk...
Fig wrote:
On Sun, 03 Dec 2006 10:30:11 -0000, Adrian
wrote:
Fig ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were
saying :

I've seen Chiltern trains in Paddington twice. One was
working a service to Princess Risborough

Blimey, not only a strange route, but a royal sex change, too...

My most humble appologies to all Princes Risbarians.
I wasn't sure which it was, so I googled "Princess Risborough" and
it returned a few thousand results, including
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princes...ailway_station at
number 3. It didn't ask me if I meant "Princes Risborough", so I took it
as
gospel.
Beware the power of google and wikipedia combined!

Beware untrained drivers of such powerful engines! The Wikipedia URL
produces "Princes Risborough railway station ... (Redirected from Princess
Risborough railway station)".

That is because I have just changed it! Originally Princess Risborough
railway station was a seperate article.

Peter Smyth

Peter Smyth wrote:
"Richard J." wrote in message
. uk...
Fig wrote:
On Sun, 03 Dec 2006 10:30:11 -0000, Adrian
wrote:
Fig ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they
were saying :

I've seen Chiltern trains in Paddington twice. One was
working a service to Princess Risborough

Blimey, not only a strange route, but a royal sex change, too...

My most humble appologies to all Princes Risbarians.
I wasn't sure which it was, so I googled "Princess Risborough" and
it returned a few thousand results, including
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princes...ailway_station
at number 3. It didn't ask me if I meant "Princes Risborough", so
I took it as
gospel.
Beware the power of google and wikipedia combined!

Beware untrained drivers of such powerful engines! The Wikipedia
URL produces "Princes Risborough railway station ... (Redirected
from Princess Risborough railway station)".

That is because I have just changed it! Originally Princess
Risborough railway station was a seperate article.

Well done! Sorry, I should have checked the history of the wrongly
spelt article, before referring to others as untrained.

On Google, one should always check the number of articles for *both*
spellings and enclose the name in quotes: "Princess Risborough" 525,
"Princes Risborough" 422,000.
--
Richard J.
(to e-mail me, swap uk and yon in address)

Jack Taylor wrote:

Currently there is an 05:26 (Mon-Fri) from Aylesbury, that arrives in
Paddington at 06:39 and which leaves as empty stock. There is then an 11:28
from Princes Risborough that runs on Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri to Paddington, arriving
at 12:29, and on Wednesdays only to Marylebone, arriving at 12:22. The
return services depart from Paddington to Princes Risborough at 12:55
Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri and from Marylebone at 13:00 on Wednesdays only.

From 10th December, this becomes 10:01SX from Gerrards Cross to
Paddington (calling Denham Golf Club, Denham and West Ruislip), and
11:11SX from Paddington to Princes Risborough (calling West Ruislip,
Gerrards Cross, Beaconsfield, High Wycombe and Saunderton).

Cheers,

Barry