The December 2019 timetable enhancements are largely about the inter-city trains to London but there are some improvements to the service on the Severn Beach Line.
From December 15th Severn Beach will see a more frequent service with trains running through from Avonmouth later into the evening. This is a year round extension of the summer-only Sunday service.
Here are the departures from Severn Beach on Sunday 8th December:
compared to departures from Severn Beach on Sunday 15th December:
This change is long overdue as Severn Beach had suffered a (frankly) appalling winter Sunday timetable for years. FOSBR requested the Sunday service improvement (as part of our wishlist) at timetable meetings with GWR in spring 2019 but credit must be given to Keith Walton of Severnside Community Rail Partnership who has tenaciously fought for the Summer Sunday service to be extended to throughout the year.
Avonmouth also benefits as the last Sunday service from Bristol Temple Meads (20.53) that previously terminated at Clifton Down now continues to Avonmouth.
FOSBR will continue to campaign for a ½ hour service on the Severn Beach Line and other local stations ahead of the introduction of MetroWest Phase 1a. Our “Half-hour train petition” can be found here:
https://www.change.org/p/half-hourly-train-services-to-all-west-of-england-railway-stations
The December 2019 London service improvements are extensive. GWR will be providing an extra train service an hour at peak times from both Bristol Temple Meads and Bristol Parkway, extending into the off-peak during 2020. GWR’s Intercity Express Trains (IETs), will take advantage of infrastructure improvements to run to a fully electric timetable for the first time. Customers will see journey times into London, non-stop from Bristol Parkway, cut to just 1 hour 7 minutes. The fastest journey times from Bristol Temple Meads will be cut to 1 hour 19 minutes.
For full details of December 2019 timetable changes visit: