At about 20:00 I was on the bus to Worcester Foregate Street station. We don't have many evening buses in Worcester midweek, and I did not want to risk anything later. In any case, if I was going to be travelling and waiting overnight, a visit to the comfortable waiting room (others will know it by the name, "The Postal Order") where I was able to get word to other friends that I am not going to be around. I caught the last London train from Worcester at 22:34, planning to change at Reading, wait there 4 hours, and catch the 04:40ish train to Gatwick.
The train was nearly empty (8 carriages, 2 passengers a driver and a train manager) to Oxford, but a few more joined us there at about midnight. Next stop Didcot. Here we waited an hour while a broken-down train from Penzance was pushed in so that we could take their pasengers London-ward. No problem for me, my wait at Reading would now be only 3 hours.
At Reading I located the waiting room, which was open! The seats were a bit hard, but servicable.
A member of staff informed me that First Great Western had arranged onward taxis for all their delayed passengers (as they are obliged to do if last connections are missed). Even though i was no way affected, I was persuaded to take advantage of the offer, but regretted it - 4 in a VW Golf was a crush as I was not able to secure the front seat. The poor girl who was unlucky enough to be in the middle in the rear had to put her feet on the transmission tunnel. In considerable discomfort we spent about an hour driving to Gatwick, where we arrived at about 03:00.