Great Western Coffee Shop

This discussion was triggered by a comment from First Great Western that there are some recent topics on the forum which may not be totally accurate, and it was set up as an opportunity to allow such matters to be raised.  Four of our members have raised points, and we've had an interesting discussion but - over to you Ben - is there anything else that you wanted to comment on from the forum that's not been raised?   I'm very conscious that we've not had questions on the electrification schedule, whether it will be completed all the way to Swansea (from Cardiff) to Oxford (from Didcot) and to Newbury (from Reading) nor on the current timing of that electrification and the knock on effect on cascades and their scope, nor on how current industrial issues can be resolved in a industry where - surely - everyone should be working together for everyone's benefit - company, managers, staff, and - please - the passengers and wannabe passengers

Are there any areas you would like to add comment?

I have just had the domestic authorities sneak in a question to me ...


Totally unfair to expect an answer, but I wonder how many more wonder the same thing?

There are loads of topics we could discuss. I guess the one I expected to be asked about was our proposals for the operation of SETs, the operation of the doors and the suggestion that the trains might operate without a Train Manager in disruption. This is a key issue in the current dispute with RMT that caused last week's strikes.

The main messages I would like to get across about this is:

1) We absolutely get that customers want helpful, highly trained staff on board. That is why we have said we will always plan to have a Train Manager on an SET. Even those that replace journeys currently operated by Turbos. That is why we will be recruiting 25 extra TMs to operate SETs.

2) The SET comes with equipment that means there are benefits in the driver operating the doors. These benefits are around journey times. Getting the driver to operate the doors is faster. On a congested railway in the Thames Valley the time saving will help to make the service run smoother. There are also safety benefits of the driver using the CCTV. He will always be able to see all the doors along the train during the dispatch process.

3) We have proposed that the train operates without a Train Manager if one cannot be found immediately. This does happen sometimes during disruption. Despite what people have suggested having additional standby turns does not completely solve this. We have added a number over the past 2 years. Sod's Law says they are never where you need them to be when things go wrong. At the moment if we are short of a Train Manager at Paddington during disruption we either cancel the train or we put people on a Turbo and take them to (say) Reading where we start the HST. If SET can be operated with just the Driver why would we not want to let customers stay on the SET and pick the TM up at Reading if the alternative is a cancelled train or an overcrowded journey on a DOO Turbo?

4) Despite what people have suggested this is NOT the thin end of the wedge with on train staffing. Our customers want staff on board our long distance services. We would have lots of unhappy customers if we started taking them away. However, in times of serious disruption customers main priority is that there train just runs to get them home.

We will be implementing the new branding in a way that minimises the incremental cost of doing it. SETs will have to be painted in one colour or another, so we will be painting them in green.

This railway has the greatest heritage of any railway in the world. Our customers and staff feel a great affinity for GWR and there is benefit for us as a company and for the industry in tapping into this.

However, in times of serious disruption customers main priority is that there train just runs to get them home.

CRINGE!

However, in times of serious disruption customers' main priority is that THEIR train just runs to get them home.

Sorry about that!

I must admit I did a double take of a buffet on one of the sleeper sets the other day; it looked black but upon closer inspection it was dark green.  The old GWR does have the greatest heritage affinity value of any of the old lines, whether it was the great way round or the holiday line of bucket and spades. Just like British Racing Green in the automotive world, there are some colours which look best, green is perhaps a better one.
Is it wasteful?: perhaps, but when repaints are required every few years anyway, glad to hear the new SETs will be green!