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Title: FGW Reply To Third Rate Western Keynsham HST Query Post by: Lee on December 31, 2007, 12:07:31 Can be found in the link below.
http://thirdratewestern.blogspot.com/2007/12/official-train-crew-are-blind.html Title: Re: FGW Reply To Third Rate Western Keynsham HST Query Post by: miniman on January 12, 2008, 14:52:58 I sent a photo to FGW customer services showing exactly how much space is available. You can see it here.
Of course, if you are "i-hate-whinging-commuters", I wouldn't bother looking :P Title: Re: FGW Reply To Third Rate Western Keynsham HST Query Post by: Lee on January 12, 2008, 15:33:14 I sent a photo to FGW customer services showing exactly how much space is available. You can see it here. Of course, if you are "i-hate-whinging-commuters", I wouldn't bother looking :P You'll be wanting the link to go with that....here is a related one. http://thirdratewestern.blogspot.com/2008/01/theres-space-available.html Title: Re: FGW Reply To Third Rate Western Keynsham HST Query Post by: miniman on January 31, 2008, 21:09:58 Latest response from FGW is here:
http://thirdratewestern.blogspot.com/2008/01/theres-no-legal-limit.html Title: Re: FGW Reply To Third Rate Western Keynsham HST Query Post by: Shazz on January 31, 2008, 21:34:07 Nice to see you're still slating the Frontline staff for things that have nothing to do with them...
Title: Re: FGW Reply To Third Rate Western Keynsham HST Query Post by: Chris from Nailsea on January 31, 2008, 22:26:47 I agree with Shazz here: a very good point has been made, in another thread, on this subject - see
I'm sure that the staff and management are very safety conscious.....which is a very good thing! The only main area which I think compromises safety is the overcrowding of carriages as this results in many passengers standing in the aisles and doorways. There's no such thing as standing room on coaches and aeroplanes. I feel that trains should be the same. You are right that safety is our number one priority when working a train, and FGW are very hot on this, and rightly so. The example you raise of overcrowded trains, is a massive problem which for some reason is not acted upon by the TOC's. There apparently is no law or legislation relating to how many passengers can be crammed into a train, and it is left to the conductor/train managers discretion (normally the conductor, as you rarely see an HST formed of 1 coach!). The only problem is when a single 153 arrives at Bristol TM or Exeter Central at 1720, how does the guard try to stop hundreds of people boarding, who just want to get home from work/college etc? You just try and get as many on as you can, squeeze yourself in, apologise to the passengers left behind, and hope nothing happens on the journey as there is no way you can get through the train! As for the profit first thing, in this scenario, you cannot physically check or sell tickets, so it's probably 'profit second, safety second'!The other option is to refuse to move the train until you feel it is safe to do so, i.e. remove passengers until all of the train is accessible to the guard. This rarely happens as it normally just causes a lot more problems :-\ As Shazz says, please don't give the front line staff stick for doing something they themselves are clearly very unhappy about! Title: Re: FGW Reply To Third Rate Western Keynsham HST Query Post by: miniman on February 01, 2008, 18:21:10 Nice to see you're still slating the Frontline staff for things that have nothing to do with them... Where on earth am I slating frontline staff? I'm saying that the FGW policy is that there's no legal limit so it's left to discretion. My point is that there should be some legislation and that the staff shouldn't be expected to make a judgement call over people's safety. So actually I'm defending the frontline staff. Obviously not very clearly though. The whole point of my blog is that the people running the show are doing a piss poor job of it. Do the frontline staff disagree with this? Title: Re: FGW Reply To Third Rate Western Keynsham HST Query Post by: Shazz on February 01, 2008, 18:27:33 http://thirdratewestern.blogspot.com/2007/12/official-train-crew-are-blind.html
For example Title: Re: FGW Reply To Third Rate Western Keynsham HST Query Post by: miniman on February 01, 2008, 18:33:18 http://thirdratewestern.blogspot.com/2007/12/official-train-crew-are-blind.html Oh come on, get real, does sarcasm go straight over your head?? I said:For example "or possibly the Third Rate Western management know damn well the trains are full because their staff and customers are telling them but they don't care. I wonder which it is." Are you objecting to the "train crew are blind" title? We're clearly never going to agree on this but I'd argue that you're being a touch OTT with your criticism of my writing style (or lack of it, as the case may be). Title: Re: FGW Reply To Third Rate Western Keynsham HST Query Post by: Jim on February 01, 2008, 18:47:43 I think any insults towards the staff are just not right!
Title: Re: FGW Reply To Third Rate Western Keynsham HST Query Post by: devon_metro on February 01, 2008, 18:49:04 Still can't believe this service is a 180 :( ???
Title: Re: FGW Reply To Third Rate Western Keynsham HST Query Post by: miniman on February 01, 2008, 18:57:12 I think any insults towards the staff are just not right! Sorry but the staff aren't all perfect, dedicated employees. For example, the "revenue protection" woman who flatly refused to let my colleague cross the footbridge at Chippenham without a ticket, even though he was heading to the ticket machine to buy one due to the huge queues in the ticket office. That's nothing to do with being disgruntled about having a crappy employer, that's just plain ridiculous, obnoxious and unnecessary. I could list numerous other bad experiences I've had with FGW staff. Certainly it's not fair to criticise all FGW staff as many (most?) of them are decent folk. But it's laughable to think that there's no such thing as a bad employee. FWIW, I already removed virtually all criticism of staff from my blog. If you can't see past tongue-in-cheek, sarcastic comments which are clearly aimed at FGW management, then I guess I'll just have to accept having one less reader of my blog. Title: Re: FGW Reply To Third Rate Western Keynsham HST Query Post by: miniman on February 01, 2008, 18:58:09 Still can't believe this service is a 180 :( ??? Latest claim from FGW customer services is that it will be gone in 2 weeks. Title: Re: FGW Reply To Third Rate Western Keynsham HST Query Post by: Jim on February 01, 2008, 19:32:39 I think any insults towards the staff are just not right! Sorry but the staff aren't all perfect, dedicated employees. For example, the "revenue protection" woman who flatly refused to let my colleague cross the footbridge at Chippenham without a ticket, even though he was heading to the ticket machine to buy one due to the huge queues in the ticket office. That's nothing to do with being disgruntled about having a crappy employer, that's just plain ridiculous, obnoxious and unnecessary. I could list numerous other bad experiences I've had with FGW staff. Daft yes, but also the rules. Railway Bylaws state the station IS NOT a public right of way, and to there knowledge that is what it was being used for, so were right to do that, really. Title: Re: FGW Reply To Third Rate Western Keynsham HST Query Post by: Jim on February 01, 2008, 19:33:19 Still can't believe this service is a 180 :( ??? Latest claim from FGW customer services is that it will be gone in 2 weeks. Title: Re: FGW Reply To Third Rate Western Keynsham HST Query Post by: miniman on February 01, 2008, 19:41:44 Daft yes, but also the rules. Railway Bylaws state the station IS NOT a public right of way, and to there knowledge that is what it was being used for, so were right to do that, really. Yes and by law taxi drivers must ask all passengers if they have small pox or the plague. Obviously none of them do because it's patently nonsense. ALL staff can use discretion, and to be frank this one behaved (and continues to behave, actually) like a little Hitler. It's unnecessary and doesn't do the reputation of FGW staff any favours. My point that not all FGW staff are perfect stands. Title: Re: FGW Reply To Third Rate Western Keynsham HST Query Post by: John R on February 01, 2008, 19:51:19 Still can't believe this service is a 180 :( ??? Latest claim from FGW customer services is that it will be gone in 2 weeks. So from Monday the service which has caused so much angst will be increased from around 220 standard seats to 420. Wonder whether that will get any good publicity? Title: Re: FGW Reply To Third Rate Western Keynsham HST Query Post by: devon_metro on February 01, 2008, 19:57:10 I'm sure they will find something to moan at...!!
Title: Re: FGW Reply To Third Rate Western Keynsham HST Query Post by: miniman on February 01, 2008, 20:00:18 So from Monday the service which has caused so much angst will be increased from around 220 standard seats to 420. Wonder whether that will get any good publicity? Although I've been noisily critical of the Adelante service, and I'll be pleased to get a seat in the near future, I doubt that overall things will be much better. For all their unreliability and overcrowding, the 180s do at least accelerate faster (allowing them to make up time easier), fit onto short platforms better and have power doors speeding up departure from unmanned stations. Stopping HSTs at short stations is a stupid way of getting out of investing properly in the TransWilts service, but whilst it's considered an acceptable solution to capacity problems I think that we will see more overall delays on this service as departure from Keynsham becomes more difficult for the train manager. But at least we'll be sat down! Title: Re: FGW Reply To Third Rate Western Keynsham HST Query Post by: Lee on February 02, 2008, 01:03:49 Still can't believe this service is a 180 :( ??? Latest claim from FGW customer services is that it will be gone in 2 weeks. Good job I travelled when I did : 30/01/2008 : Interior of a Class 180 Adelante unit. http://www.raildocuments.org.uk/jan08photos/300108adelante1.jpg http://www.raildocuments.org.uk/jan08photos/300108adelante2.jpg http://www.raildocuments.org.uk/jan08photos/300108adelante3.jpg http://www.raildocuments.org.uk/jan08photos/300108adelante4.jpg Title: Re: FGW Reply To Third Rate Western Keynsham HST Query Post by: Jim on February 02, 2008, 07:20:46 Still can't believe this service is a 180 :( ??? Latest claim from FGW customer services is that it will be gone in 2 weeks. Good job I travelled when I did : 30/01/2008 : Interior of a Class 180 Adelante unit. http://www.raildocuments.org.uk/jan08photos/300108adelante1.jpg http://www.raildocuments.org.uk/jan08photos/300108adelante2.jpg http://www.raildocuments.org.uk/jan08photos/300108adelante3.jpg http://www.raildocuments.org.uk/jan08photos/300108adelante4.jpg I do like my 180's, they are the best modern DMU's around. For any 'undercover cranks' last run from Exeter is apparently this Friday, 19.53 Exeter - Padd. Last from Bristol is same day, same unit as the 14.00 Bristol-Padd. Title: Re: FGW Reply To Third Rate Western Keynsham HST Query Post by: Conner on February 02, 2008, 09:12:29 I have only ever been on an Adelante once as I live in Cornwall. Were very comfortable though, seemed good enough to me.
Title: Re: FGW Reply To Third Rate Western Keynsham HST Query Post by: devon_metro on February 02, 2008, 21:58:26 This page is printed from the "Coffee Shop" forum at http://gwr.passenger.chat which is provided by a customer of Great Western Railway. Views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that content provided contravenes our posting rules ( see http://railcustomer.info/1761 ). The forum is hosted by Well House Consultants - http://www.wellho.net |