Please join the rear train only for the 19.50 service....

[whole diary]

[johoare]

I saw/heard this announcement today for the 19.50 departure from Paddington, first stop Slough not that long before it was due to leave..  Since I had a couple of minutes to spare I did go to the platform to take a look at this situation and see if I could work out how it was likely to work in the real world.. As I expected there was just one three carriage (I think) train there and nothing in front to prevent it leaving.. Phew.. that set my mind at rest...

[Chris from Nailsea]

Hmm. 

Was that a pre-recorded, or a manual announcement, Jo?

Either way, it does seem very odd, whether it was 'the system' or a human being that apparently became so confused?

[johoare]

It was on the departure board for that train and then announced (although I think it was pre-recorded).. it was strange enough to make me go and have a look.. Just incase they really did try and make that work 

[Southern Stag]

Probably because the 1942 Reading train would have been the front train at Platform 11 when the service was first announced and the message just wasn't taken off before departure.

[thetrout]

The one that really confuses people is the announcement "First Class is at the Front/Rear" and people don't take into account (possibly because they don't know) said train may reverse direction at the station. Making First Class at the front on arrival, at the rear on departure.

Infact... That exact issue has caught me out a couple of times too....!

[johoare]

Probably because the 1942 Reading train would have been the front train at Platform 11 when the service was first announced and the message just wasn't taken off before departure.

Thank you.. That would make sense.. Some trains were a bit delayed including the 19.50 so assuming the 19.42 had gone already (since the 19.50 was announced very late) it makes a bit more sense now :-).. I am guessing they aren't THAT short of platforms that time of night btw.. just that it was one longer train split into two?

[Southern Stag]

I presume they arrive together at 19:31 from Oxford and split to form both services.

[Southern Stag]

The one that really confuses people is the announcement "First Class is at the Front/Rear" and people don't take into account (possibly because they don't know) said train may reverse direction at the station. Making First Class at the front on arrival, at the rear on departure.

Infact... That exact issue has caught me out a couple of times too....!

That should be taken into account by the automatic announcements. They can say that First Class is on the front/rear on arrival, please note this will be the rear/front upon departure. That's what's announced for the London-Cheltenham services at Gloucester, but not sure if it is announced elsewhere.

[BerkshireBugsy]

[
That should be taken into account by the automatic announcements. They can say that First Class is on the front/rear on arrival, please note this will be the rear/front upon departure. That's what's announced for the London-Cheltenham services at Gloucester, but not sure if it is announced elsewhere.

To be fair the announcements for XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) arrivals and departures at reading do include the "on arrival..." But for some reason sometimes it seems to be wrong or omitted. Having said that sometimes it is omitted.

Whilst I appreciate that XC services are not long (in terms of length of physical train) I do accept this could be an sue for less able passengers

[thetrout]

XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) with the First Class Carriages is a nightmare. Often at Bristol Temple Meads I would be told by the CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) that First Class was at the Front. When actually it was at the rear.

AIUI^▸ (as I understand it) it's up to other TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) to update the CIS as the train passes through the network. But depending on how good those members of staff are, determines how accurate this information is. (That's not me slagging off anyone, just how I understand the matter)  XC Services are most prone to reserving mid journey based on the large distances they have to travel. So whilst 1st may have been at the front at York, doesn't mean it will be by the time it gets to Cheltenham. If someone doesn't tell the CIS that. It's up to the passenger to look for "The Yellow Bar" or "The Absent Yellow BAr" which obviously not many passengers are going to know about...!!

[grahame]

XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) with the First Class Carriages is a nightmare.

Uniquely (?), XC is the only franchised TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) that doesn't operate any stations?  Could that mean that when one of their trains is the wrong way round, station staff don't feel it's their job to helpfully enter the change into the system? All to easy for this to happen  prior to 2006, there was a certain station run by the then-smaller FGW^▸ (First Great Western) but with guest appearances from Wessex trains ... and there was a noticable habit (of both the staff and the signage) to direct people towards First services even Wessex were leaving earlier and ran direct.

[LiskeardRich]

there was a certain station run by the then-smaller FGW^▸ (First Great Western) but with guest appearances from Wessex trains ... and there was a noticable habit (of both the staff and the signage) to direct people towards First services even Wessex were leaving earlier and ran direct.

What difference would this have made, as income to the TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) is irrelevant which TOC you travel with, but dependent which route!

[Southern Stag]

XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) First Class locations have got a lot better over the last couple of weeks, and the length of trains is now also shown on the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) and announced, whereas it wasn't previously. The only incorrect one I've heard recently was a train formed of 2 voyagers which were dividing at Bristol Temple Meads, one part terminating there, the other part continuing on to Plymouth. The CIS just said it was formed of 4 carriages and said First Class was at the front. First Class was in the middle and the train was 8 carriages.

[thetrout]

The 19:44 by any chance?

[Southern Stag]

Indeed it was, but I boarded at Parkway. The staff had made clear manual announcements for passengers beyond Bristol to join the front 4 coaches though, so all was clear.