13:09 Bristol Temple Meads to Oxford due 14:29

13:09 Bristol Temple Meads to Oxford due 14:29 is being delayed between Bath Spa and Swindon and is now expected to be 17 minutes late.
This is due to a late running freight train

13:03 Oxford to Bristol Temple Meads due 14:15

13:03 Oxford to Bristol Temple Meads due 14:15 is being delayed between Swindon and Chippenham and is now expected to be 32 minutes late.
This is due to a late running freight train.

"When" doing the heavy lifting there! 

2) Availability of staff on a Sunday due to historic reasons.

It wasn't in the Section 22A application to the (ORR) either for the 2-hourly service from tomorrow, or the hourly service from next May.

The two most likely reasons:

1)  Availability of paths on a Sunday due to engineering works.
2)  Availability of staff on a Sunday due to historic reasons.

Agreed it would be nice, and appropriate, to provide a Sunday service as well.  Perhaps when Sunday's are in the working week?

Why is Sunday running not included in these services? Demand to travel between major tourist centres (Oxford, Bath and Bristol) is likely to be at least as high on a Sunday as any other day.

We promised to keep you updated on changes to our timetable, and we're very pleased to confirm that from Monday 17 May, we'll be running direct services from Bristol to Oxford every two hours. This follows initial safety measures being put in place along the route ahead of services starting, and further safety improvements in the months to come, as discussed with our regulator, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR).

This builds on our trial of running a limited number of these services on Saturdays. The new services will run Monday-Saturday. Online journey planners have been updated, and tickets are available for purchase including special introductory fares from £10 between Bath Spa to Oxford and £6 from Swindon to Oxford.

The services will call at Bristol Temple Meads, Bath Spa, Chippenham, Swindon, and Oxford – providing direct links between these communities and Oxford for the first time in more than 20 years.

We know this is something customers and partners have been campaigning for over recent years, and we’re very grateful to those who have supported our case to make this happen, following upgrades that Network Rail has completed in the last few years providing much needed additional rail capacity at and around Oxford station.

The economic and social benefits are clear, and we're confident that these new services demonstrate the value of rail in driving economic growth, environmental benefits, and creating education and employment opportunities which previously were not possible – as well as directly linking two of the key leisure markets in the UK.

Thank you again for your support and do let us know of any questions you may have.

You’re not wrong there. 

“Advance single Wednesday coming on the 07:29 from Bath to Oxford, sir?  That’ll be a tenner please!”

“Back home on the 17:04 or 19:00? Yep, you’ve guessed it…another tenner. Or for an extra £15 you can travel back in 1st Class if you like?”

Indeed, outside the peak, fares drop to levels that to which many more people can relate. Also, for the moment there's ample availability of advance fares and at useful times of day too (the availability granted at the discretion of the rail company of course).

Yes, 5-car IET’s.  Though no reason why Turbos can’t be used in case of shortages (other than the relative lack of performance).

The anytime ticket prices will be the same as currently (routed ‘Not Reading’), surely?  There will of course be the possibility of more/cheaper advance fares than now.

... I've no idea if the annual season ticket holder from Swindon to Oxford qualifies for any additional benefits: rail commuters outside London have reason to look ruefully at people holding annual season tickets for travel within London, as these unlock unlimited travel on some or all of London's rail network.

Presumably they're IETs as the National Rail site lists 1st class fares against them.

For Bath to Oxford:

Anytime standard day return £77.20
Anytime standard return £169.40
Anytime 1st return £202.20
Anytime 1st return £278.60 (allows travel via Reading but not via London terminals - for comparison, a Bath Spa to London Paddington anytime return is £380.60.)

Direct Oxford to Swindon rail service set to begin after 23 years

A direct rail service from Oxford to Swindon is expected to set off for the first time in more than 20 years.

The first daily direct service will begin on Monday from 07:00 BST, travelling from Oxford to Bristol Temple Meads, after Network Rail and Great Western Railway (GWR) gave the final sign-off on Friday. The new service, which comes back into operation after 23 years, cuts more than 10 minutes off the current fastest weekday journey time to under 30 minutes.

Marcus Jones, Network Rail western route director, said the service would "open up new opportunities for work, education and leisure".

Currently, there are no direct services between Swindon and Oxford, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Passengers have to change at Didcot Parkway or Reading to travel between the two stations.

It comes after the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) approved a bid on 13 May from GWR to run a two-hourly service between Bristol, Swindon and Oxford on weekdays and Saturdays from 17 May.

The new service will run Monday to Saturday, between Bristol Temple Meads, Bath Spa, Chippenham, Swindon and Oxford. The first service leaves Oxford at 07:00 on Monday, arriving into Swindon at 07:30 and Bristol Temple Meads at 08:20. From Bristol, the first train will leave at 07:14, arriving into Swindon at 07:59 and Oxford at 08:32. Fastest direct journey times from Oxford will be one hour and eight minutes, and from Bristol one hour and 11 minutes.

Jones said: "These links will make it easier for people to travel between key economic centres, opening up new opportunities for work, education and leisure, while we continue to deliver further improvements across the route in the months ahead."

Transport Secretary and Swindon South MP Heidi Alexander said the service would "provide a fast, convenient alternative to being stuck in a traffic jam on the A420".

Mark Hopwood, GWR managing director, said: "We are confident that these new services demonstrate the value of rail in driving economic growth, environmental benefits, and creating education and employment opportunities."

Lack of stock for those journeys I reckon


Strewth. Not even an hour.

Well, the stock do have train managers aboard.

Presumably they're IETs as the National Rail site lists 1st class fares against them.

For Bath to Oxford:

Anytime standard day return £77.20

A good example of a service planned and implemented for a different market also having positive benefits elsewhere.

There have been whispers of exactly that happening!  Can’t see it myself, not for a few years at least, but you never know.

Yes - those are *very* pleasing ... and it is also pleasing to see practical commutes from Westbury, Trowbridge, Melkshan (and Chippenham and Swindon) to Oxford too.

Can they be persuaded to continue the service on to Milton Keynes? I understand that there is an unmet need for such a service and a nice newly rebuilt line available...

Brilliant! For my Melksham-Bristol commute:

• it's now practical to catch the 07:21 from Melksham instead of the 06:29 (because if I miss the unofficial 07:33 connection at Chippenham (likely) there's the new 07:47, don't have to wait for the 08:09)
  
• what was going to be a >30 min wait at Chippenham (due to the 18:00 CPM-MKM moving to 18:09) is reduced to ~20 mins thanks to the new 17:15 from Bristol, which I'll catch instead of the 17:00.
  

Indeed, all good for a launch on Monday as originally hoped.  Services now in RealTimeTrains and the journey planners:

I'm wondering how the Coffeeshop forum's disruption map will render this service. (Obviously, also hoping it will not need to render it at all.)

Mark

Can they be persuaded to continue the service on to Milton Keynes? I understand that there is an unmet need for such a service and a nice newly rebuilt line available...

I’m hearing the start might not be delayed now!

In terms of road crossings, on the GWML there's the terrible twosome at Steventon, and on the line to Oxford there's an 'Authorised user only one with a not-particularly-helpful road arrangement at either side - recorded on a Google Streetview from 2011 with a sort of vehicular dance in progress and which can't fill anyone that sees the image with much reassurance.  c. 2016 it received a pair of gantries at either side but I don't know what those were for. (Streetview link below shows the most recent image...)

Mark

https://maps.app.goo.gl/qna9Cq2HHiaDtV9E8

Is it me or does this conflate two separate issues?

Direct trains to run from Swindon to Oxford if line is made safer


The GWR service would mean passengers would no longer need to change at Didcot Parkway - Image © Aled Thomas

A direct daily rail service between Swindon and Oxford has been given the green light as long as some level crossings on the line are made safer.

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has approved an application from Great Western Railway (GWR) to run a two-hourly service between Bristol, Swindon and Oxford on weekdays and Saturdays from 17 May. An ORR spokesman said the service has been approved provided Network Rail brings in "reasonably practicable level crossing safety measures" on the route.

A GWR spokesman, said it understands customers will be "disappointed" the service has not been "fully" reinstated but it will continue to work with Network Rail to "understand what more can be done".

Currently there are no direct services between Swindon and Oxford, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Passengers have to change at Didcot Parkway or Reading to travel between the two stations. A direct service would shave more than 10 minutes off the current fastest weekday journey time to under 30 minutes.

The ORR said after analysing the "impact on punctuality and reliability" as well as level crossing safety, it had approved the service "subject" to certain conditions. "Network Rail will undertake a performance review of the two-hourly service before deciding on a long-term view on GWR's proposal to run hourly services," it said.

A GWR spokesman said customers will be disappointed the ORR "has not been able to approve proposals to fully reinstate services - at this stage as hoped. We will continue working closely with Network Rail and industry partners to understand what more can be done to introduce additional services as quickly and safely as possible," he said.

The proposals came after a trial saw limited weekend services run between Swindon and Oxford in 2024.

Jim Robbins, leader of Swindon Borough Council, said it was "outstanding news for Swindon".

"Shortening the time needed to get to Oxford will be massive for people who regularly travel and take pressure off the A420," he said. "This will help us attract even more jobs and growth to the town."

Conservative leader Gary Sumner, said it was "positive news" for the town. "I will be very interested to see the take-up of the service," he said. "Anything that adds to connectivity is to be welcomed, but as usual, it's having reasonably priced fares which are the key to the service being sustainable."

…so the longer the start is delayed, the better in terms of the problems with that.

Purely out of idle curiosity on my part: do any of those jobsworths civil servants at the Department for Transport have invitations to attend these famed GWR staff Sunday BBQs?

Purely out of idle curiosity on my part: do any of those jobsworths civil servants at the Department for Transport have invitations to attend these famed GWR staff Sunday BBQs?

... the same shortages over summer as every year, especially on Sundays as the DfT are still sitting on the Sunday in the working week proposals.

175s in Cornwall cascading some IETs.   Who knows - Hungerford / Kintbury / Bedwyn may get back their hourly London train.   Not sure on crews - perhaps staff will feel patriotic and be prepared to do more overtime if they're working for the nation.

From where will the additional rolling stock and crews be found to run these services without shortforming/cancelling others?

Rich Wilcox has tweeted/x'd -


Suspect that level crossing work will delay the service starting....

Rich Wilcox has tweeted/x'd -


Suspect that level crossing work will delay the service starting....

The ORR has approved GWR's bid to run two-hourly Weekday and Saturday services from Bristol to Oxford.

However, Network Rail has to implement risk measures at 13 level crossings before any GWR services can start

This only for a trial period - to end 2027 & ORR is quite clear that a "strong presumption of continuation of rights does NOT apply"

However on the 13th June (a Saturday) there are trips from Bristol to Oxford and back.

10:18 Bristol Temple Meads to Oxford due 11:27

10:18 Bristol Temple Meads to Oxford due 11:27 will be reinstated.

This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.

Will be formed of 2 coaches instead of 5. First class not available. Catering is not available. There are no reservations on this service.

10:18 Bristol Temple Meads to Oxford due 11:27
12:02 Oxford to Bristol Temple Meads due 13:13

12:02 Oxford to Bristol Temple Meads due 13:13 will be reinstated and will now run as scheduled.
Last Updated:11/04/2026 08:23

Given some of the five car London Paddington-Oxford services have a lengthy layover at Oxford I was wondering if there is some scope for inter-working. 

I assume it’s not possible to arrive and go back from Oxford without the time consuming trip to the sidings and return.

With what stock, I wonder?

Interesting coz one of the reasons for turning down additional services on that stretch between Swindon & Didcot West was lack of pathing. They've already to find room for the West Wales - Paddington open access

With what stock, I wonder?

The latest Oxford Clarion newsletter reports that GWR have applied to the ORR to introduce a full Oxford–Bristol service. Every two hours from May 2026, increasing to every hour from May 2027.

..............not too much sympathy though 

https://www.firstgroupplc.com/investors/results-centre.aspx

Correct. Talk to your MP.

Sympathy for GWR. Their budget is still shrinking year-on-year

To answer on behalf of Ollie, yes that’s correct.  Non-HSS drivers sign Turbos, IETs, and 387s.

Ollie - are you saying that the same PAD non-HSS drivers drive 166s AND 800s? And the HSS drivers also drive just 800s?

Money.

All the abilities you are suggesting with flexibility cost money. And if the DfT don't want the flexibility, they won't pay GWR for it. GWR have NO choice, but do the DfT bidding.

Different depot.  Different traction.  Different route.

Graham knows this....

Nine coaches on today's services in place of the usual five (or the three which did last Saturday's first round trip).

Well....some might have preferred to take longer but easier with lifts and go via Reading?

As I came through Didcot, I noticed that helpful announcements were being made directing people off the train from Oxford to go through the subway and turn left up to platform 1 to head west. 

As I came through Didcot, I noticed that helpful announcements were being made directing people off the train from Oxford to go through the subway and turn left up to platform 1 to head west.    Only those of us in the know would have carried on through the barrier's wide gate, right, around the outside, up the slope and then back in through the sloped wide gate.   One couple were trying it but struggling for at least 5 minutes with the barrier which was unstaffed, closed, and by the looks of things reusing their ticket.  I know there was probably a help point / button they probably weren't aware of.  What a wonderful way to encourage custom.

Chippenham to Oxford this morning was fine bus ...

Real time trains blames a planning error.

15:18 Bristol Temple Meads to Oxford due 16:29
17:12 Oxford to Bristol Temple Meads due 18:23

17:12 Oxford to Bristol Temple Meads due 18:23 will be cancelled.
This is due to a short-notice change to the timetable.

From this Saturday, 20th September 2025, the Saturday through train from Chippenham to Oxford returns.  Connection at 10:09 from Melksham, 10:44 from Chippenham, arrive at Oxford at 11:27.  Return service direct to Chippenham from Oxford at 17:12, or return to Melkshan at 16:30, 18:02 or 20:05, changing at Didcot and Swindon.

Day return fare - £21.80 each, or £14.50 each with a railcard or in a group of 3. Same fare also applies if you want to go on from Oxford to Bicester Village, and it's the same fare from Melksham or Chippenham.

Tickets can be purchased prior to departure at the ticket machines at Melksham or at Chippenham Station, or from the ticket office in Chippenham or if you are paying in cash on the train from Melksham.

Hardly ever in these days of bargain advance first class fares.  First class occupancy, percentage of seats wise, is often the same or even more than standard class on many trains.