GWR expands its EMU empire when timetables change this month. Elsewhere, Cambridge North station opens and Chiltern withdraws its bubble cars
The Great Western route reaches a significant landmark in the May timetable change with the introduction of electric passenger services as far west as Maidenhead. Great Western Railway continues to receive new Class 387 EMUs from Bombardier, and the energisation of the overhead wires from Stockley Junction at the end of March (p95) enables the ‘387s’ to take over an initial batch of peak hour services. These are in addition to the existing half-hourly EMU shuttles between London Paddington and Hayes & Harlington.
Three eight-car diagrams are to be introduced initially on Mondays to Fridays, with a further three planned to follow on 3 July (covering a further five morning and five evening peak services) and full service in the autumn. The switch means the end of through services between Paddington and Bourne End on the Marlow branch, with the single remaining morning and evening working cut back to Maidenhead; other Marlow branch services are retimed.
As the limit of electrification will be Maidenhead for the time being, the introduction of EMUs requires GWR …
