Key Weston-Cardiff Service Class 153 Operated? (12/03/2008)

[whole diary]

[Lee]

That could have been a tight squeeze, I would imagine :

07:33 Weston-Super-Mare to Cardiff Central due 09:24
This train has been revised.

Service formed of 1 Carriage.

[mada]

Same 153 worked Cardiff to BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)) at peak earlier. I had to wait for them to strap a 150 to it at BTM.   

[John R]

The 0840 from Weston was also a 153 today (and earlier this week). Even at that time will be cosy by the time it arrives at TM^‡(resolve).

[Timmer]

Would I be right in saying that a 153 was covering a diagram in place of a poorly 143 today?

[Lee]

The 0840 from Weston was also a 153 today (and earlier this week). Even at that time will be cosy by the time it arrives at TM^‡(resolve).

I'd be interested to know what the average number of passengers currently using the 0733 and 0840 services is, and how many get on and off at each station.

[John R]

Hmmm, that's a tricky one. I never get the 0733 (0752 from Nailsea) as it's just behind the HST^▸ (High Speed Train). If for any reason it's ahead of the HST running late then I don't even bother to get it because it will be crush capacity on arrival, and no-one can get on.

It's purpose has been diluted somewhat since the HSTs started stopping at Worle, leaving only Milton, Bedminster and Parson St as calling points not served by the earlier train.

The 0840 from Weston used to be very busy after departing from Nailsea, and if a 143 would often be full and standing. However, the Voyager stops at Yatton and Nailsea have helped keep it less busy (but not, presumably, if it's a 153).

It's worth noting that since the infamous Dec 06 timetable change which introduced the additional HST arrival at around 0822, this service is now just about full on arrival, yet 15 months ago it didn't exist (and it was additional to existing services, not a replacement). In the early months it was quite quiet, but now there are about as many (60-70) waiting at Nailsea for it as for the earlier HST arrival just before 0800.  And there's a steady custom building up for the Voyager service, which means that is now standing room only north of Nailsea (except without fail I always find one person in an aisle seat with luggage on the window seat despite many standing..... )       

[Chris from Nailsea]

This evening, the 1753 BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)) to Nailsea was a one car 153 - the St Ives Bay Belle, slightly bizarrely!

I checked the live departure board before leaving the office, and it was reported as on time from Cardiff - but was 'overdue' at STJ^▸ (Severn Tunnel Junction railway station). By the time I'd walked down to BTM, it was 'delayed' on the screens - always an ominous sign! In fact, rather than turning up on platform 8, it appeared from the opposite direction on platform 4!

Apparently, according to Phil, the excellent station announcer at BTM, services east of Bristol were being disrupted by a passenger being taken ill on a train at Stapleton Road, awaiting an ambulance.

And yes, it was rather cosy for us on that 153 this evening, John R!   

[John R]

Ouch! Glad I got the 1718. How many got left behind?

[Chris from Nailsea]

Actually, that was another slightly bizarre part of the experience this evening!  I think we got just about everyone on board - unless some poor souls were left still standing about hopefully on platform 8, not aware that the 1753 had sneaked up behind them on platform 4???

 

[John R]

The 0840 from Weston was also a 153 today (and earlier this week). Even at that time will be cosy by the time it arrives at TM^‡(resolve).

I'd be interested to know what the average number of passengers currently using the 0733 and 0840 services is, and how many get on and off at each station.

So yesterday the 0733 arrived 12 mins late into Nailsea as a result of running on one engine. Twas a Cl143. At "right time" 6 people + me were waiting. Some may have delayed their arrival at the station knowing it was late (as I would have done if I wasn't researching the numbers). By the time it arrived around 20 got on, but some of those would have been early arrivals for the 0811.

8 got on and 3 off at Parson St.
7 on at Bedminster. Could tell how many got off.
Train was around 80% full on arrival, (so maybe 80 pax) but I'm guessing that was more than usual because of picking up early arrivals for the following service. 

[Lee]

The 0840 from Weston was also a 153 today (and earlier this week). Even at that time will be cosy by the time it arrives at TM^‡(resolve).

I'd be interested to know what the average number of passengers currently using the 0733 and 0840 services is, and how many get on and off at each station.

So yesterday the 0733 arrived 12 mins late into Nailsea as a result of running on one engine. Twas a Cl143. At "right time" 6 people + me were waiting. Some may have delayed their arrival at the station knowing it was late (as I would have done if I wasn't researching the numbers). By the time it arrived around 20 got on, but some of those would have been early arrivals for the 0811.

8 got on and 3 off at Parson St.
7 on at Bedminster. Could tell how many got off.
Train was around 80% full on arrival, (so maybe 80 pax) but I'm guessing that was more than usual because of picking up early arrivals for the following service. 

Thanks John.

[dog box]

lots of 143s seem to be poorly at the moment

[Chris from Nailsea]

Would I be right in saying that a 153 was covering a diagram in place of a poorly 143 today?

You may well be right there, Timmer.

I was chatting with someone from FGW^▸ (First Great Western) recently, and he said the 143s are all pretty dire at present, due to them not having had much money spent on them for years. According to one of his chums who works in St Philip's Marsh, the door mechanisms are completely worn out, for example, and it's apparently taking 2 fitters a whole day to get one pair of doors working correctly!

From my experience on the Nailsea to BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)) commute, I've occasionally seen the train staff have to give a door some 'friendly encouragement' to close properly, before we can depart!

 

[John R]

Sort of "Mike Tyson" friendly encouragement in my experience.

[Timmer]

The 142s seem to be doing better than the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) 143s at the moment. Maybe SPM^▸ (St Philip's Marsh (Bristol depot)) should send them down to Exeter for repair as the crew down there seem to be getting the most out of the 142s they were given.

It just goes to show how stretched the FGW local fleet is when a couple of sets are out of service short formed services become common as has been the case this pass week on cross Bristol services. Better than no service at all, but no fun if you end up travelling on the service that's short formed in the morning or evening peak.