Train to Windsor this month

Nigel, is that the train I'm taking to Windsor/Eton? Will it be back to normal in April? I'm planning to head there with the kids on April 4.

Thanks for the update!

Nigel: what are your thoughts on the Reading Bus/London Line/702 from Victoria to Windsor? I have had a lot of luck with that in the past - boarded along Kensington High Street and got to Windsor in a hour or so for 2 quid.

https://www.reading-buses.co.uk/services/RBUS/702

Still an option, in your opinion? It’s been over a year since I’ve taken that route.

Hi - I don't do buses. Stuart does buses. I actually have no experience with that bus, I presume it would would work, A bit slow, but very inexpensive in these days of belt tightening (and then extra holes in the belt so it can be tightened further)..

Not to be flippant but truly the last time I rode buses between towns was the old Green Line between the south coast and London sometimes instead of the old red buses 77a and 103 between South Croydon and Trafalgar Square. That was back when cavemen were still decorating their caves with paintings of animals.

As far as Mardee's question, I'm fairly sure I suggested the GWR train from Paddington (for the good view) and not the SWR from Waterloo, so you wouldn't be affected.

Tomorrow, 23 March, there are also issues out of Paddington to Windsor. The first train out of Paddington to Windsor is at 0947 due to early engineering work then a reduced Paddington to Reading via Slough service all day due to only 2 of 4 lines being open.
The advice is worded badly by GWR as it also relates to engineering work at Swindon and an M4 closure in the Bristol area- but GWR advice is not to travel on that route tomorrow. I believe that relates to Bristol, not Reading to London, but you can read it either way.

Some people may do London to Windsor on the bus to save money (It's £2.50, I believe, now- Reading Buses split the difference when the fares rose to £3). But for me it's for the experience and the different views (and the views are great). And it is a good journey, on quality modern deckers which is well used by local commuters which should imply something. Same as the Heathrow or Slough to Windsor bus. I would never say to take London bus #81 to Slough (for Windsor) for speed, convenience or low cost but for the route.

When the SWR rail route is open you get some very different but equally great views and, in my view, better quality trains.

I've not looked closely at the SWR rail substitute buses, but there are times elsewhere in the country where it is worth taking such services for the different route and sometimes for the vehicles. I saw a video yesterday of someone in Washington DC who used a rail substitute bus route specifically for the vehicle (a vintage coach-bus from Denver if anyone is interested).

I still remember when we had the exploding guards vans on the C2C (LTS as it was then) route. Southend Transport started a competing bus route to London which became the most frequent coach-bus in Europe for several years running on peak 5 minute headways with some departures having up to 20 duplicates. Vehicles from across the UK were used to resource the route- but it showed that people will use the bus even if it is slower- if what is offered is right.

Nigel, is that the train I'm taking to Windsor/Eton? Will it be back to normal in April? I'm planning to head there with the kids on April 4.

I think Nigel may have missed your question, but my speculative answer is that those in charge of works will be aiming to have everything done in the advertised time. Disruption like this costs the train operators lots of money. It's a busy line for commuters.

Nigel or Stuart will probably give a more informed answer when they see your question.

There are 4 trains an hour from Paddington to Slough tomorrow (Sunday) for the shuttle to Windsor - 2 non stop operated by GWR (final destination Reading or Didcot) and 2 Elizabeth line (final destination Reading). Plenty of capacity providing service starts at the scheduled time.

Further westwards the line is a bit of a mess.

To directly answer Mardee - if the engineering work due to last a week over runs a week it will be a serious situation, not least because buses won't have been chartered. So 4 April should be fine, as things stand.

The replacement bus this week runs twice an hour from Staines, and takes 24 minutes towards Windsor, 29 minutes towards Staines as the eastbound bus has a 5 minute built in 'engineering allowance'- they mean traffic congestion allowance to ensure rail connections are maintained.

But the normal service bus #8 from Heathrow T5 to Slough has Staines to Windsor in it's route- every 30 minutes, Anyway there are many worse places to get stuck than Staines, beside the River Thames.
French Brothers even used to run a boat from Hampton Court to Windsor via Staines but that now sees to be Maidenhead to Windsor only. Maidenhead being on the GWR/Elizabeth Line between Paddington and Reading.

Thanks, Nigel, Gerry and Stuart! I can rest a bit easier now. :-)