Great Western Coffee Shop

From the FGW website :

16:22 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central due 19:41
This train will run short formed with 2 carriages.This is due to an earlier train fault.

Why is that interesting?

Because I have been keeping an eye out for services on which FGW are deploying 3-coach Class 158 conversions, and I am trying to keep up with how the overall process is going. In that context, short-formed Portsmouth-Cardiff services are of interest to me.

But that is a booked 4car...

As I said, Jim, I am looking at the overall process, and in addition to that I am also studying what FGW may or may not be looking to do rolling stock deployment-wise in the future.

From my perspective, its something that can be referred back to if required in that respect.

Few complaints about the 0643 Frome - Cardiff this morning as it was 5 cars, 3 car 158 with a 143 on the rear, loads of room to rattle around in.  ;D

Service somewhat let down by poor passenger info as to which section was going to be going onwards to Cardiff from BTM, guard announcement on the train was it was going to be the 143 so we duly got off only to see the 143 passengers heading in our direction, some general milling about until it was confirmed the 158 WAS the Cardiff train after all.

Also interesting that the 143 forming the 0929 service from Nailsea to BTM this morning was towing another 'apparently' broken down 143 (it was LOOU, anyway).

 ???