Great Western Coffee Shop

Firstly, did the Virgin Wrexham service start yesterday?

If so, I wonder what loadings were like on W&S compared to Virgin.

Yes, it is operating. Virgin press release here http://www.virgintrainsmediaroom.com/index.cfm?articleid=1184 (http://www.virgintrainsmediaroom.com/index.cfm?articleid=1184)

Don't think a loading comparison from Wrexham is really relevant, as custom from Shrewsbury and Telford is the key to W&S's fortunes. Virgin pricing from Wrexham appears competitive on advance purchase tickets (and cheaper than journeys from most other Virgin stations in the North West) but anytime open tickets are quite a bit dearer than W&S.

I hope they both do well.

Don't forget that the passenger service and comfort are better with W&S.

I've just been offered a choice of Tickets from Wrexham to London, 07.00 Virgin Train  at  just over ^100 or 07.23 Wrexham & S Train at ^28.00.

Ok Virgin train is 1 & 1/4 hours faster but who earns ^60 an hour around here?

The Virgin service will only appeak to business people who need to be in London by around 10am. Then it's a question of getting the 0700 and getting you employer to shell out, or the 0512 W&S. If I were an employer I wouldn't expect my staff to get up 2 hours earlier to save some money,  especially as they would then probably be tired at whatever meeting they were going to.

So W&S is a great service, but the vast majority of their business income is going to come from Shropshire stations not Wrexham. Leisure, as you imply, is a different matter.

 

(http://www.takeforum.com/forum/images/smiles/wooooooohoooooooo.gif) (http://www.takeforum.com/forum/images/smiles/wooooooohoooooooo.gif) (http://www.takeforum.com/forum/images/smiles/wooooooohoooooooo.gif)

if i did a two hour day i would lol

It is possible if you live "here" and travel to work - currently working in Belfast

Howver I can confirm that W&S were running yesterday but short trains which were rammed to the gills.

Had to travel to Brum internatoinal to pick up a failed car (thats another story) - got the 12:49 AT service to shrewsbury.  waited on the connection from aberystwyth - not even standing room.  In the mean time a very short W&S train went through - I swear there were people hanging from the rafters.

Got he next train to crewe (since london midland seemed to be canceling more trains than they ran) and it was a to car and full on arrival.  Ended up getting to international at 1609.

Why do train companies run short trains on a known very busy day.  ATE were running a single car on some journeys.   LM cancelling.  At least VT managed to get pendolinos onto what should have been voyagers (according to their website)

Apparently LM's new timetable has proved a disaster.

Let's cope it does not spread to the Worcester/Hereford trains and muck up the Cotswold line!

Mookie - how have you been affected by the new Cotswold timetable?

In terms of reliability?

Probably, but lots of cancelations.

And they are scrapping some trains until January.

I've been wondering how they could cope without their full fleet - the full fleet won't be delivered until Summer 09!

They havn't got enough train crew, it is simply impossible to run the service.

I'm not affected at all.

I work in Belfast

Sadly, since I need to check in at 6am I cant go by train as I would wish to since they dont start early enough so am forced to drive to brum airport. 

I fly out BMI baby 7am on Monday and return friday at 630pm

Where I work in NI has no train station so despite my temp apartment being yards from the station, I have to hire a car over there

I have (sadly) noticed one thing - NI rolling stock is about the same level in appearance as northern rail stock

and that does not fill one with enthusiasm