Festive Turbos and Burnham Sprouts

From Bradshaw, the companion guide to On Our Lines
Festive Turbos and Burnham Sprouts
Date16 December 2023
Start time1000
Start locationLiverpool Street
Required ticketsThames Branches Day Ranger
Bus ticket (PoD)
Cross-London travel
Upcoming Events

Festive Turbos and Burnham Sprouts[edit | edit source]

Saturday 16 December 2023 - 1000 onwards
Liverpool Street Kindertransport memorial statue, or en route


Join us for a pre-Christmas turbo-tastic adventure on the train. For this outing, we'll be exploring the delightful Thames Branches on the way out to Reading. You'll need a Thames Branches Day Ranger and, depending on where you join us, a valid ticket for cross-London travel. We will also be catching a bus during our adventure, for which a further fare will apply.

The day is largely centred around travelling on transport, so should be suitable for everyone. Please dress appropriately for the weather! All are welcome to join, community members new and old, although in line with all On Our Lines events all members aged under 16 must be accompanied by a parent and/or guardian, whilst those aged between 16 and 18 should seek permission from their parent and/or guardian. As always, the even will be bound by the On Our Lines Code of Conduct.

Please do invite any transport-loving friends or family along too - the more the merrier!

Attendees[edit | edit source]

The following community members attended the social.

Ticketing[edit | edit source]

The best ticket for the day is a Thames Branches Day Ranger[1], which is £25, or £16.50 with a Railcard. We will also be catching a bus (£2, pay on board) and, depending on where you join or leave us, you'll need cross-London travel such as an Oyster or contactless card too.

Itinerary[edit | edit source]

We will be meeting at Liverpool Street by the Kindertransport memorial statue (near the main entrance to London Underground from the National Rail concourse) at 0945 to start our journey on the Underground. You are welcome to find us elsewhere on route if that's easier - approximate times are listed below, and we will keep our social media platforms updated throughout the day.

Our departure from Liverpool Street will be at about 1000 on the Central line to Greenford, aiming for the 1130 GWR departure to West Ealing, ticking off our first Thames Branch of the day.

Arriving at approximately 1141, we have an easy, ten minute change onto an Elizabeth line service to head west. Departing at 1151, we make the short journey to Hayes & Harlington arriving at 1158, for another change onto the 1205 service for Maidenhead. This will allow us to diverge to the Marlow branch via Bourne End, departing at 1234 and arriving at 1257. Here, we will find a cosy eatery to enjoy a well earned lunch.

The afternoon continues with our only bus journey of the day, the Arriva 800 from Marlow (departing at 1446 from Foxes Piece) to Henley-on-Thames, arriving at 1512. There's plenty of time to make our next rail connection here, giving time to have a little bit of an exploration around the town before boarding the 1600 service to Twyford, arriving at 1612 and rejoining the mainline.

Now in darkness, we will have the choice about whether to continue exploring the Branches and heading west to Tilehurst or Reading, or returning east towards Slough for our evening gathering. We'll take a group decision, and of course you are always free to choose your own adventure! If we do go west, in the seminal words of the Village People, our plan is to push the bounds of the rover as far as we can, taking the 1637 from Twyford direct to Tilehurst to arrive at 1657. Here we will have around 30 minutes, before taking a train to return east to Slough.

If you are not joining us for the evening event, we will leave you here and the same train will continue through to Paddington for a 1820 arrival, affording connections across London and beyond. However, if you are staying with us, we will transfer across to the branch platform, ready to board the 1810 service to Windsor & Eton Central, arriving at 1816.

Journey log[edit | edit source]

A detailed log of journeys taken can be found below, allowing you to add any relevant information to your own records. The standard On Our Lines logging format is used throughout for consistency.

Reporting number Departure station Departure time Arrival station Arrival time Mileage Traction Notes
243 Liverpool Street 1009 Greenford 1046 12mi 59ch 92219
92170
92132
92227
2G21 Greenford 1105 West Ealing 1116 2mi 40ch 165 124 Additional round trip due to early running
2G22 West Ealing 1117 Greenford 1128 2mi 40ch 165 124
2G23 Greenford 1131 West Ealing 1141 2mi 40ch 165 124
9H30 West Ealing 1151 Hayes & Harlington 1159 4mi 25ch 345 009
9R32 Hayes & Harlington 1205 Maidenhead 1225 13mi 28ch 345 016
2B34 Maidenhead 1234 Marlow via Bourne End 1255 7mi 9ch 165 121
Service 850
trip 3015
Marlow
Foxes Piece
1435 Henley-on-Thames
Hart Street
1502 6mi 64ch 3020 - BD12 DHL Earlier bus due to early finish of lunch
2H45 Henley-on-Thames 1530 Twyford 1540 4mi 47ch 165 119 Earlier service due to early running
2N50 Twyford 1610 Reading 1617 4mi 79ch 387 154
387 159
Choose Your Own Adventure
Tranche A - Goldenarrw
Walk to John Lewis for new shoes, as Tranche B from 1659
Tranche B - Jarley, Zootfish, Lcawte
2J49 Reading 1637 Reading West 1639 0mi 75ch 165 110
2J48 Reading West 1649 Reading 1652 0mi 75ch 165 113
9U45 Reading 1659 Slough 1722 17mi 44ch 345 015
2W71 Slough 1730 Windsor & Eton Central 1735 2mi 63ch 165 125
Tranche C - Thryduulf
As Tranche B from 1637 to 1639
Walk to Reading
Tranche D - dlpb
As Tranche B from 1637 to 1639
2J49 Reading West 1641 Reading Green Park 1644 1mi 67ch 165 110
2J50 Reading Green Park 1712 Reading 1719 2mi 62ch 165 106
Joined by Tranche C
2P61 Reading 1743 Slough 1802 17mi 44ch 387 159
387 154
Service originally quoted was 30 mins earlier, but unit mismatch and timings impossible
2W75 Slough 1810 Windsor & Eton Central 1816 2mi 63ch 165 125

Dress Code[edit | edit source]

Whilst we do not have any formal dress code for On Our Lines social events, we will always encourage you to wear your railway merch or pride swag, in keeping with the ethos of our community! Of course, please ensure first and foremost that you dress for the prevalent weather conditions of the day, and do ensure that any garments do not display any offensive or distasteful slogans or graphics.