| Late November and Christmas closure of Paddington & alternative travel options Posted by grahame at 19:39, 30th October 2026 |     |
Receive from GWR and NR this afternoon, shared as per their request to help them maximise reach
Dear Graham
We wanted to make you aware of upcoming railway upgrade work in the Thames Valley which will affect all journeys to and from London Paddington in November and over the Christmas period.
Dolphin Junction in Slough carries more than 400 trains and 10,000 passengers every day, making it critical to the railway network in the Thames Valley and beyond. On Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 November, and between Sunday 27 December and Sunday 3 January, we’ll be replacing the eastern side of the junction, installing track in a new layout using state-of-the-art components to support more reliable journeys to and from London Paddington.
During these periods, we’ll be keeping people moving, but passengers should plan ahead, allow extra time and check journey planners before travelling. When London Paddington is unavailable, passengers will still be able to get where they need to go, with alternative routes via London Euston, London Waterloo and London Marylebone, alongside TfL services across London and the Thames Valley. However, we are encouraging all passengers to plan ahead, allow extra time and check journey planners before travelling. Full details are available at GWR.com/Upgrade.
The majority of GWR services will start and finish at Reading, with long-distance services from South Wales and the West of England (Bristol area) diverted to London Euston. GWR’s Thames Valley branch line services will continue to operate, with the exception of the Greenford branch. Connections to central London will also be available via SWR services to London Waterloo and Chiltern Railways services to London Marylebone respectively.
Elizabeth line and Heathrow Express services are also affected, starting again from New Year’s Eve. GWR services to and from London Paddington will resume as normal from Monday 4 January.
Journey planners are now up to date with travel information through to 4 January, allowing passengers to plan their Christmas and New Year journeys in advance.
Given the scale of the work, we would appreciate any help you can give to share this information with your networks, particularly the alternative routes available. Further information can be found at GWR.com/Upgrade and nationalrail.co.uk/dolphinjunction.
Thank you for your patience while we complete this important work to improve the reliability of the railway. Please do let us know if there’s anything else you need.
Best wishes,
Olivia & Heledd
Olivia Willett | Deputy Head of Public Affairs | Great Western Railway
Heledd Iolo | Senior Public Affairs Manager | Network Rail
We wanted to make you aware of upcoming railway upgrade work in the Thames Valley which will affect all journeys to and from London Paddington in November and over the Christmas period.
Dolphin Junction in Slough carries more than 400 trains and 10,000 passengers every day, making it critical to the railway network in the Thames Valley and beyond. On Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 November, and between Sunday 27 December and Sunday 3 January, we’ll be replacing the eastern side of the junction, installing track in a new layout using state-of-the-art components to support more reliable journeys to and from London Paddington.
During these periods, we’ll be keeping people moving, but passengers should plan ahead, allow extra time and check journey planners before travelling. When London Paddington is unavailable, passengers will still be able to get where they need to go, with alternative routes via London Euston, London Waterloo and London Marylebone, alongside TfL services across London and the Thames Valley. However, we are encouraging all passengers to plan ahead, allow extra time and check journey planners before travelling. Full details are available at GWR.com/Upgrade.
The majority of GWR services will start and finish at Reading, with long-distance services from South Wales and the West of England (Bristol area) diverted to London Euston. GWR’s Thames Valley branch line services will continue to operate, with the exception of the Greenford branch. Connections to central London will also be available via SWR services to London Waterloo and Chiltern Railways services to London Marylebone respectively.
Elizabeth line and Heathrow Express services are also affected, starting again from New Year’s Eve. GWR services to and from London Paddington will resume as normal from Monday 4 January.
Journey planners are now up to date with travel information through to 4 January, allowing passengers to plan their Christmas and New Year journeys in advance.
Given the scale of the work, we would appreciate any help you can give to share this information with your networks, particularly the alternative routes available. Further information can be found at GWR.com/Upgrade and nationalrail.co.uk/dolphinjunction.
Thank you for your patience while we complete this important work to improve the reliability of the railway. Please do let us know if there’s anything else you need.
Best wishes,
Olivia & Heledd
Olivia Willett | Deputy Head of Public Affairs | Great Western Railway
Heledd Iolo | Senior Public Affairs Manager | Network Rail
As seems to be standard for these communications, received on a Friday afternoon - POETS day. Past experience suggests that letting them know if there's anything else we need, as per the invite, may (or may not) be heeded. Being kind to Olivia and Heledd, they may make use of inputs so received, but certainly don't rely on hearing back is you email them; they have not promised a response.
| Re: Late November and Christmas closure of Paddington & alternative travel options Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 20:26, 30th October 2026 | |
I share your disappointment, grahame.
That does seem to have become something of a habit for both of those senior 'Public Affairs' staff, Olivia & Heledd - sending out such e-mails on a Friday afternoon, just as they leave their respective offices for the weekend.
CfN.
| Re: Late November and Christmas closure of Paddington & alternative travel options Posted by Ralph Ayres at 20:37, 30th October 2026 | |
The earliest date involved is a month away so is it really a problem if they won't see any responses until Monday? Sending that sort of comms out is very much the type of task I would have finished on a Friday to avoid overlooking it after a weekend off.
| Re: Late November and Christmas closure of Paddington & alternative travel options Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 20:55, 30th October 2026 | |
No, that's not a problem in itself, Ralph Ayres.
However, it perhaps demonstrates a rather cynical attitude from senior staff in 'public affairs' roles.
When grahame previously responded, with constructive comments and suggestions, after the weekend (and indeed after several more weekends), he received no response whatever.
If the Great Western Railway and Network Rail 'Public Affairs' departments don't want the answer, why do they ask the question?
CfN.
| Re: Late November and Christmas closure of Paddington & alternative travel options Posted by grahame at 21:06, 30th October 2026 | |
The earliest date involved is a month away so is it really a problem if they won't see any responses until Monday? Sending that sort of comms out is very much the type of task I would have finished on a Friday to avoid overlooking it after a weekend off.
It gives news that may be bad time to settle and fade. From https://davebusiek.substack.com/p/beware-the-friday-news-dump
The online Political Dictionary says, “By releasing significant information on a Friday, individuals or organizations hope that the news will receive limited media coverage and public attention, allowing controversial or unfavorable news to go relatively unnoticed or fade quickly.”
I learned this lesson early in my reporting career ...
I learned this lesson early in my reporting career ...
And indeed I too have "got stuff out before the weekend". Where the "Public Affairs" teams do this regularly, and fail to follow up even with people who write in the following week, I get to an uneasy feeling that it may be being done to try to minimised any need to deal with incoming consequential questions.
| Re: Late November and Christmas closure of Paddington & alternative travel options Posted by TaplowGreen at 22:17, 30th October 2026 | |
The earliest date involved is a month away so is it really a problem if they won't see any responses until Monday? Sending that sort of comms out is very much the type of task I would have finished on a Friday to avoid overlooking it after a weekend off.
It gives news that may be bad time to settle and fade. From https://davebusiek.substack.com/p/beware-the-friday-news-dump
The online Political Dictionary says, “By releasing significant information on a Friday, individuals or organizations hope that the news will receive limited media coverage and public attention, allowing controversial or unfavorable news to go relatively unnoticed or fade quickly.”
I learned this lesson early in my reporting career ...
I learned this lesson early in my reporting career ...
And indeed I too have "got stuff out before the weekend". Where the "Public Affairs" teams do this regularly, and fail to follow up even with people who write in the following week, I get to an uneasy feeling that it may be being done to try to minimised any need to deal with incoming consequential questions.
Also known as "fire & forget"
