Great Western Coffee Shop

An update on the progress or should that be lack of progress on the new servicing depot for FGW's 'West' fleet:

http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=144913&command=displayContent&sourceNode=231190&home=yes&more_nodeId1=144922&contentPK=19303057

Archive FGW link from October 2006.
http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/NewsItem.aspx?id=401

It probably accounts for a lot of the graffiti that has started to appear on the unit's aswell!

I'm so glad they put this part :D

So am I as it goes to show what can be achieved. I only wish that SWT would take over FGW's local services and right now I suspect that FGW wish they would too!

SWT are the beez-neez of DMU's. Cleanest and more than likely the most reliable.

You mean the award they've run pretty much every year for the past 5 I think ...

Would be nice if they did the bristol > waterloo services more often (ie hourly) as im sure there are lots of people who'd rather go in a nice comfy 159 than some of the hst's

That would be good though they need to speed them up a bit to make it a real alternative to FGW London services.

Agreed, however the increase from 3 to 4 trains a day is certainly a step in the right direction!

Absolutely no chance. SWT do not have enough units to do this as well as their franchise commitments. At the moment, they have 24 class 159 units required for service every day, and currently 5 158s.

In order to meet franchise commitments, 9 158s will need to be in use, or, more likely 8 and one 158 diagram substituted to 159. So 25 159s and 8 158s. There are 30 159s and in order to have a good maintenance and keep up the work they are doing currently, there is a maintenance requirement of 4 units at any time. Therefore, there is one unit remaining however I believe that using this on additional Bristol services could potentially compound maintenance schedules in disruption, as well as this being the only 'spare'. I'm not sure whether SWT could release another unit without completely ruining their maintenance regime and therefore resulting in awful reliability.

We can always dream  :P

Yes

I think a more likely proposition would be an hourly Westbury return or I am currently investigating pathing availabilities for a 1tp2h service to Chippenham.

That quote is likely to worry FGW high command, because it is by David Redgewell of Campaign For Better Transport, a commentator known for giving First Great Western the benefit of the doubt.

Scotrail seem to keep most of their units in good nick aswell.

Indeed, Scotrail do it extremely well what with their current unit shortage (yes, not as bad as FGW but they have quite a major one for the peaks).