Great Western Coffee Shop

Observing Cornwall to London services (both in real life in Cornwall and on the Saltash Railcam) it looks like the vast majority are now formed of 9 car IETs.
Occasionally a 9 car service will be 2x5 car IETs instead, which presumably effects reservations (although is better than short forming)?

Yes, the resumption of the normal timetable after Covid reduced the number of 5+5 car sets (often with associated couple/uncouple moves at Plymouth) and largely replaced them with 9-car formations instead.

Much better, even if the odd 5-car set substitutes at times.

The new sidings at Ponsandane will make the stabling arrangements much easier as well.

By chance a friend of mine sent me a couple of photos of the work near Long Rock - but then a siding is a siding.

(https://www.mbob.co.uk/rforum/pons1.jpg)

(https://www.mbob.co.uk/rforum/pons2.jpg)

Thanks, Bob.  Coming along nicely…

I still do not think much much of IETs, but it must be said that a 9 car is far preferable to a 5 car, and somewhat preferable to a 5+5 train.

You really don’t need to keep telling us. ;)

Yes I do. Otherwise my praise of 9 car units to/from Cornwall could be taken as a sign that I now liked the nasty things.

It wouldn’t, mate.  It really wouldn’t!

These sidings seem to be taking a long while or is one man and a JCB or no rush; not needed until the timetable change in December.

I read that there was an "issue" in the planning of the work which means that it is stalled until a mast can be moved.