Title: Taunton- Bristol/Cardiff service Post by: Jez on August 19, 2008, 11:24:06 Travelled on this service yesterday (and apart from the huge overcrowding between BTM and Weston-super-Mare as it was a one carriage 153) the service down to Taunton was fine.
On the 16.05 from Taunton we were told we would have to change trains at BTM even tho the train was scheduled to run to Cardiff. It turned out the one carriage 153 was being used for the 17.10 Bristol Temple Meads to Bristol Parkway service so everyone had to get off and go to the next platform where there was a 150 waiting to continue the journey to Cardiff. I found this quite strange, although they did need a 2 carriage train from BTM to CDF as it was peak travel time then why didnt they just attach another carriage at BTM? Does this happen often as ive never had this before. Also the 150 at Temple Meads appeared to be a new one just out of refurbishment. Looks lovely inside. I do think that they need at least a 2 car on the Taunton-Cardiff service tho, especially peak time. The 9.00am from Cardiff which we caught was quite full between Patchway and Weston-super-Mare. Ideally it should be a 158 but a 150 would be fine. Title: Re: Taunton- Bristol/Cardiff service Post by: bemmy on August 19, 2008, 19:18:29 It's very common for cross Bristol services to be unexpectedly terminated at Temple Meads. It happened to me this morning in fact, on the one due to leave for Parkway at 0946, I don't know if the train failed but some of the doors weren't working at Parson St. They announced it after we'd been at Temple Meads for several minutes.
As I was only going to Lawrence Hill and advised to wait for the 1034 I walked the remainder of my journey. Unfortunately that turned out to be the wettest part of the day. >:( Train failure (and the resulting overcrowding on following services or short formed services) seems to be the biggest problem round here now, and experiences like this must put off hundreds of potential regular customers from using the smaller stations every year. Title: Re: Taunton- Bristol/Cardiff service Post by: Lee on August 19, 2008, 19:25:24 The 17:14 Weston-Super-Mare-Bristol Parkway & 18:11 Bristol Parkway-Weston-Super-Mare services terminated at/restarted from Bristol Temple Meads this evening.
Title: Re: Taunton- Bristol/Cardiff service Post by: bemmy on August 19, 2008, 19:49:07 So that's at least two in one day. I believe the 1811 is the only through train from Stapleton Rd and Lawrence Hill to Bedminster and Parson St (as far as I know). As my meeting finished at 12.30 it wasn't exactly convenient for me, so I walked home via town!
Title: Re: Taunton- Bristol/Cardiff service Post by: Lee on August 20, 2008, 19:09:58 The 17:14 Weston-Super-Mare-Bristol Parkway & 18:11 Bristol Parkway-Weston-Super-Mare services terminated at/restarted from Bristol Temple Meads this evening. And did so this evening as well. Title: Re: Taunton- Bristol/Cardiff service Post by: devon_metro on August 20, 2008, 19:13:17 Failed to mention the signalling problems.
Title: Re: Taunton- Bristol/Cardiff service Post by: smithy on August 20, 2008, 19:17:12 It's very common for cross Bristol services to be unexpectedly terminated at Temple Meads. It happened to me this morning in fact, on the one due to leave for Parkway at 0946, I don't know if the train failed but some of the doors weren't working at Parson St. They announced it after we'd been at Temple Meads for several minutes. As I was only going to Lawrence Hill and advised to wait for the 1034 I walked the remainder of my journey. Unfortunately that turned out to be the wettest part of the day. >:( Train failure (and the resulting overcrowding on following services or short formed services) seems to be the biggest problem round here now, and experiences like this must put off hundreds of potential regular customers from using the smaller stations every year. correct train failed 1 engine not working and no electric to work doors. you could of caught the class 142 london padd service that was running behind Title: Re: Taunton- Bristol/Cardiff service Post by: Lee on August 20, 2008, 19:19:50 Failed to mention the signalling problems. Fair point. I was more making the point that the 17:14 Weston-Super-Mare-Bristol Parkway & 18:11 Bristol Parkway-Weston-Super-Mare services have terminated at/restarted from Bristol Temple Meads two days in a row, rather than apportioning blame for it. Title: Re: Taunton- Bristol/Cardiff service Post by: Jez on August 20, 2008, 20:51:18 On Monday it wasnt down to a fault with the train. There just doesnt seem much logic in terminating that 1605 from Taunton at BTM if the train was being used straight away for the 1710 from BTM to Parkway. Might as well timetable the service at Taunton-Bristol Parkway in that case.
Title: Re: Taunton- Bristol/Cardiff service Post by: Steve44 on August 20, 2008, 21:30:52 Is it a scheduled 1 carriage service normally? Maybe it was a short formation because of an earlier fault?
Title: Re: Taunton- Bristol/Cardiff service Post by: devon_metro on August 20, 2008, 21:35:53 I was in Bristol the other day and the 1321 Bristol - Severn Tunnel Junction (Taunton - Cardiff) was 1v2
Title: Re: Taunton- Bristol/Cardiff service Post by: Jez on August 20, 2008, 23:44:36 Is it a scheduled 1 carriage service normally? Maybe it was a short formation because of an earlier fault? I think the Taunton service is a mix of 1 or 2 carriage trains depending on whether its a 150 or 143/150 running the service. It really should be 2 carriages tho. Title: Re: Taunton- Bristol/Cardiff service Post by: smithy on August 21, 2008, 08:18:50 Is it a scheduled 1 carriage service normally? Maybe it was a short formation because of an earlier fault? booked 2 car but set failiures and shortages sometimes mean running a 153.that way fgw dont get fined as service is not cancelled just overcrowded instead. Title: Re: Taunton- Bristol/Cardiff service Post by: bemmy on August 21, 2008, 09:54:08 A one car train isn't a big deal in the middle of the day, but when it happens anywhere near the peak, that means passengers can't get on the train, which from the unlucky passenger's point of view is exactly the same as a cancellation. Except a bit more annoying as you see the train and have to restrain yourself from shouting at the unfortunate guard who can't let you on.
But of course statistically, the train runs, and statistics are more important than reality these days. >:( Title: Re: Taunton- Bristol/Cardiff service Post by: 6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01 on August 22, 2008, 00:25:32 is it me or are the class 142's now the most reliable?? i suppose they do have the newest engines and they had so many faults at the start of there lifes that the engineers know what to look for
Title: Re: Taunton- Bristol/Cardiff service Post by: smithy on August 22, 2008, 08:44:06 is it me or are the class 142's now the most reliable?? i suppose they do have the newest engines and they had so many faults at the start of there lifes that the engineers know what to look for have the newest engines??? all trains get a new engine when it gets to 500k miles,as for being most reliable i dont think they are it is just more 142 spares available than rest of fleet and they do not do the mileage of 150 and 158 Title: Re: Taunton- Bristol/Cardiff service Post by: Jez on August 22, 2008, 18:19:19 Noticed the 1600 Cardiff-Taunton was a 4 car train today :o (2 x 143's)
Title: Re: Taunton- Bristol/Cardiff service Post by: 6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01 on August 22, 2008, 20:39:49 how are more 142 spares available than other trains... oooo because the design actually worked.... i hate the damn things but admit it cheap to build cheap to run cheap to repair!!
Title: Re: Taunton- Bristol/Cardiff service Post by: Jez on August 22, 2008, 21:00:44 how are more 142 spares available than other trains... oooo because the design actually worked.... i hate the damn things but admit it cheap to build cheap to run cheap to repair!! Ive managed to avoid travelling on a 142 or 143 - ATW tend to use them on valley lines which I dont use. Title: Re: Taunton- Bristol/Cardiff service Post by: willc on August 23, 2008, 01:28:58 Quote is it me or are the class 142's now the most reliable? No! All forms of railbus are consistently at the bottom of the fleet performance tables that Modern Railways publishes every year. Miles per casualty are, I recall, well below 10,000, though there are variations between 142s, 143s and 144s and within the classes, depending on what duties they are on and, it would appear, the maintenance they get from operator to operator. The same variations in reliability also appear from operator to operator with other types of train, eg Silverlink/London Midland 321s get more miles per casualty than NX East Anglia's. In terms of railbuses, the Devon Metro fleet ought to be good performers.They aren't thrashed up and down steep hills all day - apart from Exeter St David's to Central - unlike many of their Welsh and North of England cousins and I'm guessing most, if not all, the FGW sets return home to Exeter depot every night, so the fitters can keep a close eye on them. Some ATW sets overnight at the end of the Valley lines and Northern's sets are outbased all over the place, so visits to main depots are less frequent. Title: Re: Taunton- Bristol/Cardiff service Post by: 6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01 on August 23, 2008, 09:40:02 i used to hate the damn things but have developed a softspot 4 em!
Title: Re: Taunton- Bristol/Cardiff service Post by: smithy on August 23, 2008, 19:18:05 how are more 142 spares available than other trains... oooo because the design actually worked.... i hate the damn things but admit it cheap to build cheap to run cheap to repair!! i dont mean spare parts i mean there are more trains than diagrammes (until october anyway) allowing for failiures to be swapped out.where as the other west fleet has a lot less scope for spare sets. actually they are not cheap to run as replacement parts are expensive i.e getting through lots more wheelsets than bogie vehicles. Title: Re: Taunton- Bristol/Cardiff service Post by: Jez on September 13, 2008, 23:36:54 I noticed a few 158's running on the Cardiff-Taunton services today.
Title: Re: Taunton- Bristol/Cardiff service Post by: John R on September 14, 2008, 10:06:23 You do get a few - even 3 car sets. Hopefully there aren't any 2 car sets on the Portsmouth line at those times.
Title: Re: Taunton- Bristol/Cardiff service Post by: devon_metro on September 14, 2008, 10:58:59 I noticed a few 158's running on the Cardiff-Taunton services today. All Cardiff - Portsmouths were terminating at Warminster, so 158 availability was obviously higher. Title: Re: Taunton- Bristol/Cardiff service Post by: Jez on September 14, 2008, 19:46:48 I noticed a few 158's running on the Cardiff-Taunton services today. All Cardiff - Portsmouths were terminating at Warminster, so 158 availability was obviously higher. So I saw although 158's would surely have also been needed on the Salisbury to Portsmouth services also? Title: Re: Taunton- Bristol/Cardiff service Post by: Jez on September 14, 2008, 19:47:44 You do get a few - even 3 car sets. Hopefully there aren't any 2 car sets on the Portsmouth line at those times. 1630 to Warminster was a 2 car 158 whilst the 1600 to Taunton was a 3 car 158! ;D 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 |