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Newbury News Ltd. Print-Digital-Social
Newbury News Ltd. Print-Digital-Social
Wed, 12 Dec 2018
THE introduction of new trains that will stop between Newbury and Great Bedwyn has been delayed.
The bi-mode Intercity Express Trains (IET) were set to roll out in January, but now require CCTV to be installed on them.
Great Western Railway said the new cameras were needed to enable drivers to see when doors could be closed safely.
The company said that the modification was essential, owing to smaller stations being unstaffed and the services being operated without a guard.
Network Rail has electrified the line to Newbury and the new trains will switch to diesel power through to Hungerford and Bedwyn.
GWR said that it did not know the cost of the CCTV or when it was expected to be installed.
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Article comments
NewburyDenizen
12/12/2018 - 09:09
How is this not standard equipment at this point? Shocking..
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NewburyLad
12/12/2018 - 09:09
So we have had to put up with 2-3 years of disrupted service, a few weeks with no trains at all, and bus replacements most evenings, sometimes even unexpectedly, for no real apparent gain? When you look at the timetable for January, only 11 of the stopping trains from Reading to Newbury are going to be these new Electrostars, the rest of the time they will be our usual cramped Turbo trains. Now the Bedwyn-London trains are going to remain as 2 or if lucky, 3 car Turbos, you have to question what was the point of wasting all the money on electrification to Newbury and putting up with years of disruption. Is Newbury ever going to get a regular, clockfaced timetabled electric service from the early hours in the morning until gone midnight, or are we going to remain as the runt end of the prospering Thames Valley, with no early Sunday trains, long gaps between trains in the evening, odd e shuttle trains between Newbury & Bedwyn and so on?
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