Great Western Coffee Shop

What a day. Quite a few cancellations, but no real stinkers, except 1.

Trains canned included:

17.05 WSB-SWI and RTN
20.29 WSB-SOU ex CDF
20.39 WSB-BRI ex BTN.

Firstly, at 19.40 the 19.33 WSB-PLY rolled in, platform 2 vice 1

BUT, the riot was with this 20.29/39 saga:

The 20.29 pulled in as a 3 car 158798, to terminate at Westbury. It arrived and terminated at 20.33. Passengers at the same time (around 75) were getting off of our 20.25 Padd, booked to connect with this Southampton.

So, the guard/driver cleared the 3car and shut it up. Then the rush of passengers wondering what was happening commenced. At the same time, the local chavs turned up to cause problems in the P1 waiting room.

So, back OT, the 20.39 Bristol was planned to join on to 798. The join happened eventually after the driver of 745 basically left the driver of 798 to sort it out. Then after a while, they joined. So, they were coupled ready to go, BUT no guard!

After phoneing control, the driver of 798 was given 2 options.

Couple the Cardiff up on the back - no chance of a 7car
Detatch 798, run DOO and put the 21.01 Caridff on the back of 745.

They were suggested, but both caused problems as the Cardiff had allready rolled in on P1!!!!

So, 798 detatched with passengers being put back on 745, before the unit detatched and 798 went.

745, was picked up by the guard/driver of the 21.01, sent on a 'permissive' move to Westbury south and on to the back of the 21.01 Cardiff. By 21.15, they were coupled and ready to go.

Meanwhile, the 21.00 Portsmouth had squezed about 5 cars of passengers on to a 2car unit!

So, the question is, why wouldn't control let 798 go forword ECS, passengers on to 21.01 Cardiff and then put 745 on to the Pompey. Commen Sense!!!!

One of the messy problems about DMUs is that have to refuelled at regular intervals so are diagrammed to get to a refuelling point hopefully before running out of fuel.

With the decline in fuelling points is there still one at Fratton? Maybe 745 wouldn't have got back from Pompey without running out of fuel.

EMUs are much better. Put up more wires.

There is indeed a fueling point at Fratton. I would expect all the FGW fleet that stable there overnight to get juiced up - as the SWT units that stable there definately do.

Out of curiosity it would be intersting to find out if FGW units refuel at Fratton.

They do indeed refuel at Fratton, I've seen it being done at about 5am this morning.