Great Western Coffee Shop

Have you notice the are swapping around carriage C with E
why is this? Question to the floor

Simple answer is to allow the Wheelchair space to be more accessible to more platforms by having it positioned as coach C.

A whole process of swapping E & C, relabelling the coaches (removing the E/C from the seat numbers), and then swapping the exterior coach labels is underway and should be complete during May.

In the meantime, where possible keep an eye on CIS, which will normally tell you if the standard class formation is different to normal, e.g. A, B, E, D, C.

There is also a set running round where coach B is currently a First Class coach (on top of the 2 1/2 FC at the front) - but no idea what's going on with that one!

There is a message on the FGW website regarding this.

I saw that set the other day, can't remember the working though... :( I'm lead to believe that the FC Carriage is declassified ;D

On that subject, FGW occasionally declassify coach F when the train is full and standing!

The declassified set was used for 1A81 on Easter Monday - which was not the best idea imo, considering how rammed full it was!

Nasty!

For those of use not in the signal box or without a copy of the WTT, 1A81? Presumably a Padd bound train late in the day.

Also how long does it take to swap coaches in an HST set? I gather uncoupling/coupling  them is a long drawn out process due to the number of jumpers and pipes to be disconnected/reconnected. Do they have to use an 08 shunter or can the power car do the shunt?

Re-marshalling HSTs is definitely a depot job and not the sort of thing that could easily be done in service!

I think (but am ready to be corrected!) that power cars are capable of shifting trailers around, although it may well be that it's an easier process with an 08. Having said that, HST trailers do not have buffers which could make shifting them around with an 08 tricky. Are the buckeye couplers on trailers drophead ones like on loco-hauled stock with a conventional drawhook behind, or are they fixed?

It's pretty well hidden, but here's the page from the FGW site explaining the changes:

http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=3843 (http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=3843)

1A81 0842 Penzance - London Paddington

That would explain the train I was on Easter Monday, the whole is this E or C or what question going through people's minds.

Thanks for the answer.
It has confused people miking up the train carriage letters.

Sorry I forget from time to time...  :-[

I see that FGW have finally removed the 180s from their fleet list!

But until all the sets are remarshalled, they have to keep the coach letters as they are, to ensure reservations for disabled passengers are in coach F, wherever it may actually be in the formation.

Spotted another odd set in traffic tonight on the 19.22 London to Hereford, with an FO marked as coach G where coach D should have been.