Reading West railway station 1579629 206554227 2008-04-18T19:45:51Z Anywikiuser 5914699 /* Services */ Corrected link {{Infobox UK station | name = Reading West | image = [[Image:Reading West railway station 1.jpg|250px]] | caption = The northern end of Reading West Station. Beyond the end of the platforms is Oxford Road Junction, and the upper level of Reading TMD. | manager = [[First Great Western]] | locale = [[Reading, Berkshire|Reading]] | borough = [[Reading, Berkshire|Borough of Reading]] | usage0405 = 0.152| usage0506 = 0.153| platforms = 2 | start = [[1 July]] [[1906]] | }} '''Reading West''' is a [[railway station]] in [[Reading, Berkshire|Reading]] in [[England]]. It is situated in [[West Reading, Berkshire|West Reading]], to the west of the town centre, about one mile from the main retail and commercial areas. The station is served by local services operated by [[First Great Western]]. ==History== The line through Reading West station opened on [[December 21]], [[1847]], as part of the route from Reading to [[Newbury, Berkshire|Newbury]]. However the station did not open until [[July 1]], [[1906]], originally to serve trains from the north of England to the south coast which could thus avoid a reversal at [[Reading railway station|Reading station]].<ref>[http://web.ukonline.co.uk/cj.tolley/cjt-brhm.htm Basingstoke's Railway History in Maps]</ref><ref>Book ''Rail Centres: Reading'', ISBN 0-7110-1937-1, by Lawrence Waters, published by Ian Allan Ltd, 1990.</ref> ==Description== The station consists of two platforms connected by a footbridge. Small canopies provide some shelter on each platform. A ticket office is situated on the Reading bound platform but is only open in the morning. Access to the station is from Oxford Road and Tilehurst Road. Immediately to the north of the platforms there is a bridge over the Oxford Road, followed by a double track junction (Oxford Road Junction) which is the southern apex of a triangle of tracks. The tracks to the west curve round to join the original Great Western main line towards Bristol at Reading West Junction, and are largely used by [[freight train]]s between [[Southampton Docks]] and points to the north. The tracks to the east lead to Reading station and are mostly used by passenger sevices. [[Reading TMD|Reading Traction Maintenance Depot]] (TMD) is situated inside the triangle on two levels. The upper level provides stabling for the [[British Rail Class 165|Class 165]] and [[British Rail Class 166|Class 166]] [[diesel multiple units]] used on First Great Western's local routes. The lower level originally provided shed space for locomotives, but is now principally used for stabling and maintaining [[Maintenance of way|track maintenance equipment]]. To the south of the station the line enters a cutting, crossed by high level bridges carrying the Tilehurst Road and, further to the south, the [[A4 road|Bath Road]]. Beyond the cutting is Southcote Junction, where the line to Basingstoke diverges from that to Newbury. ==Services== The station is served by local services operated by [[First Great Western]] between Reading and [[Basingstoke]] or [[Newbury, Berkshire|Newbury]]. During weekday daytime the station is served by two trains an hour on the Basingstoke route, plus one on the Newbury route. Trains are less frequent on Sundays and in the evenings. A single commuter service each weekday morning runs through to [[London Paddington station|London Paddington]], having started its journey at [[Frome]]. Trains take some 3 minutes to reach Reading, 20 minutes to reach Basingstoke, 25 minutes to reach Newbury and just over 30 minutes to reach London.<ref name="fgwtt">{{cite web | url = http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=3 | title = Train Times | publisher = First Great Western | accessdate = 2008-03-06}}</ref> Passenger services on First Great Western's route to the [[West Country]] via [[Taunton]], on [[CrossCountry]] services from the [[North of England]] to [[Southampton]] and [[Bournemouth]], and on some local services, pass through the station without stopping. {{rail start}} {{rail line|previous=[[Reading railway station|Reading]]|next=[[Theale railway station|Theale]]|route=[[First Great Western]]<br><small>Reading to Newbury<br>Local services<br>[[Reading to Plymouth Line]]</small>|col=001385}} {{rail line|previous=[[Reading railway station|Reading]]|next=[[Mortimer railway station|Mortimer]]|route=[[First Great Western]]<br><small>Local services<br>[[Reading to Basingstoke line|Basingstoke branch]]</small>|col=001385}} {{s-note|text=From December 2008}} {{rail line|previous=[[Reading railway station|Reading]]|route=[[First Great Western]]<br><small>[[Reading to Basingstoke Line]]|next=[[Green Park (Reading) railway station|Reading GreenPark]]|col=001385}} {{end box}} ==References== <div class="references-small"> <references /> </div> == External links == {{stn art lnk|RDW|RG301AA}} <BR> {{coord|51.455142|-0.990516|type:landmark_region:GB|display=title}} [[Category:Railway stations in Berkshire]] [[Category:Buildings and structures in Reading, Berkshire]] [[Category:Railway stations opened in 1906]] [[Category:Railway stations served by First Great Western]]