I was very fortunate then.  I had a good experience with Scotrail: they even held back the last train north when my train from Edinburgh arrived late at Inverness.

It is amazing how just one or journey's, good or bad can colour one's opinion.  Certainly cancelling trains in such remote areas will have major impacts on those that rely on them.

Graham wrote on 27/06/18

Somewhat belatedly, I am able to add a partial explanation to this apparently odd movement that seems daft in isolation. I used the Far North Line last week and the entire crew of the 07:00 from Inverness - Wick swap with the crew from the 08:02 Southbound train at Lairg, so the driver and the catering person would be providing a unit and a trolley for the pax joining from Lairg southward and the driver would bring the northbound unit back for the next service south.  I cannot find any information about whether the pax who had got up even earlier to travel north were turfed off at Lairg as Real Time Trains records accurately that the train runs but not that anyone was on it.  As it happens it is recorded as arriving on time in Inverness.

I am part way through a 1st Class Rail Rover week and am reluctant to try to write on my phone, but I'll have a go.  The first train used was  on Monday from Yatton to Bristol on a 5 coach IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train - the now official name for the replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) with folk standing in the 1st section of the composite because they physically couldn't get into standard. So much for improvement in capacity promised. There were no reservations. The unit was in reverse formation anyway so I would have been uncomfortable if they were.  However, for me  the 1st Class seat in the IET has been by far the worst I've experienced and that's including XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) and Scottish Rail Standard class. I could not cope with that for long. Only my opinion of course, but I fear the days of treating myself to a 1st on GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) have passed. Ironing board? Luxury!

The biggest improvement would be upgrading both overall capacity and ambience of the trains (and I don't mean squeezing more sets into the current stock), but I suspect that's not possible/economically sound within the limits of funding.

If I consult Journey Check on the NR^» (Network Rail - home page) site at this moment on Sunday 1st July (13:50) I see that there is a Good Service.  I feel one could have a semantic discussion at this point as the 14:00 to Bristol is cancelled 'due to an issue with the train crew' (Real Time Trains). So are the 15:00 to Taunton and 15:30 to Bristol.  If management rely on the same information as pax then there's no need to be out on a hot day explaining and the front line staff are left to give the glad tidings.


Edited to include missing word.

Just an ordinary quick visit to a relative today gave me a little insight into the management 'on the ground' of trains when things go wrong. An uneventful trip from Yatton (YAT) to Weston-super-Mare (WSM) was a good start.  However, the return on the 12:09 from WSM to Filton Abbey Wood was not a perfect end.  It was running 15mins late and shown as having three coaches and looked like it had as it pulled in, but because of a fault with the doors on one of the outer coaches (at the Northern end) it had one locked out.

After the fitters had tried and failed to fix the problem at Temple Meads (BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains)) the resulting delay meant that it was looped at Yatton to allow the XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) service to pass resulting in it arriving at almost the same time as the following stopper to Taunton.

Further knock-ons meant the train terminated at BRI and the 13:01 from WSM to Paddington started from BRI.  No doubt the effects were felt for the rest of the day.  However, I was pleased to have a train (with working aircon) as the next stopper was also 30 mins late and the Yatton stop cancelled.

A team worked hard to get us to where we wanted to be: the elderly and infirm, mums and young children, people going about a variety of daily business.  The train staff were there to answer the question I heard put: 'Why can't your company run their trains on time?'  It was then we received the full explanation I have given and that explanation made the lateness, and awkwardness more bearable. 

There was frustration all round with staff and passengers but I felt that each part of the railway involved was trying hard to manage a situation: the fitters, the signallers and the train crew.  However, if I had turned up for the Paddington train 10 minutes later, I may not have been so sanguine and I might be asking the strategic questions other threads here tackle.

On just one of those strategic issues it seems essential for easier recovery that the loop through WSM is re-doubled asap.

I think it'll be XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) to Brum, Virgin to Edinburgh and pick up the Chieftain there. And I can leave 2 hours later with a fall back train if I miss the Chieftain (but without a meal).  I'll decide when I know if seats are available.

At least my income is not dependent on trains being reliable. I am glad you got to Inverness in time Graham. 

I'm 'defensively' re-scheduling my plans for next week's All Line Rover trip (intended to encompass Wick).  Dare I risk missing the Highland Chieftain for Inverness by making an early start from Yatton to Paddington on a (hot) Monday morning in a possibly short formed/non-available IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train - the now official name for the replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan))?  I have already booked seats but the more I am reading the less I like look of the chances of making it. I have to be in Inverness by 21:00 to make the last train North for my paid for accommodation.

I have to consider a number of other options now with companies with more reliable trains and more chance of making connections or even a coach to London the day before (Sunday - so not risking a GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) train) and adding a hotel bill.

I am finding what promised to be a relaxing break turning into a worry and possible disappointment.  How sad that it has come to this.

I remember the good old BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) days when the trains ran on time, they were never in service unless clean, the staff were forever at peace with the management and there was always a window seat so the sunshine on the countryside could be admired.  The fares were never put up to deter people from travelling because there was insufficient stock and lines were never under threat of closure because viaducts needed repairing.  To top it all, the quality of the catering was the talk of the country.

I would say more but my unicorn needs feeding.

2 Bristol Parkway

Apart from a few small changes (like hiring a red carpet carriage for your exclusive use) the site is so far a copy of Virgin East Coast...as one might expect.  They have decided on an economically sensible decision to keep a similar colour scheme.

Can the whole of a huge, international group like First really be dependent on two bus contracts in comparatively small city?  I think there must be an accumulation of issues across a range of their subsidiaries for a complete disintegration. Bristol may think it's the centre of the universe, but ...

Probably best to regard the Chiltern 'service' as a training turn available to passengers. I understand its main purpose (other than a legal one) is to keep route knowledge for drivers up-to-date ready for any diversions.

I wonder if the optimism from the journalists about the wonderful return of trams to Bristol was perhaps as grounded in reality as a return of commercially viable trains to the Heathfield branch?

Graham asks 'Have you tried defensive scheduling?'.  Indeed.  I'm coming back the day before my ticket allows.

I'm not taking a car - driving is not especially relaxing - but, I'm hanging on to some strange idea that rail travel in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) is still the best way to travel where possible.  We know it can be. One way for me to hang on to that notion is not to put myself deliberately at risk of high blood pressure by pretending that the railway industry might deliver what I know that (at present) it will not and then fuming about it.

Staff shortages are only one one piece of the jig-saw of failure.