May 2013 Timetables

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

None available in Paddington, Reading or Taunton today.

Haven't asked at Bristol Temple Meads yet. Past experience tells me they'll probably have them, but for some reason BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) ticket office treat them like the crown jewels. Under lock and key any time a Manager or Senior Supervisor is not around. Which is most of the time.

[Timmer]

What you have been waiting for (or perhaps not)
GB^▸ (Great Britain) Summer timetable has been posted on Network Rail's website ... you need to look for the bottom two entries.

Link
http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/3828.aspx

Good luck finding the errors etc!

Hopefully you should have quite a job finding errors as a group of volunteers have been assisting the Network Rail Timetable publications team over the past few months in proofing the timetables to produce a more accurate timetable book/pdfs.

Can never guarantee the publication would ever be error free but it's a start in improving the accuracy of a publication that is still valued by many today even in the digital age in which we live in. If there was no market for the complete printed timetable then you can be sure TSO^▸ (The Stationary Office (now OPSI), or, possibly Trailer Standard Open (carriage), depending on context) and Middleton Press would stop printing it.

[Brucey]

I checked the racks at Paddington this morning, no sign of new timetables (although I wasn't very thorough as I was too busy eyeing up the steam loco).  In terms of other TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company), Waterloo, Victoria and Gatwick Airport do not have the new timetables yet either.

Edited to add: appears bignosemac was at Paddington today.  Probably crossed paths at some stage.

[bobm]

None available in Paddington, Reading or Taunton today.

Haven't asked at Bristol Temple Meads yet. Past experience tells me they'll probably have them, but for some reason BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) ticket office treat them like the crown jewels. Under lock and key any time a Manager or Senior Supervisor is not around. Which is most of the time.

Rare beasts though they are apt to be - they have been spotted at Swindon.

[JayMac]

Swindon apparently leading the way again with the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Network Timetable. Handy knowing someone who lives near the station. One for use and one for the library on their way to me.  

Thanks, bobm.

Edited to add: appears bignosemac was at Paddington today.  Probably crossed paths at some stage.

Came in on the up Sleeper Brucey. Out again before 0700. Won't say to where as locations may crop up in a picture quiz. 

[Timmer]

I checked the racks at Paddington this morning, no sign of new timetables (although I wasn't very thorough as I was too busy eyeing up the steam loco).  In terms of other TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company), Waterloo, Victoria and Gatwick Airport do not have the new timetables yet either.

Based on past experience both at Paddington and Bath Spa, FGW^▸ (First Great Western) don't change the timetables in the racks until mid Saturday afternoon the day before the timetable is due to start on a Sunday. I suspect other TOCs are similar in not changing them over until the end of the validity of the current timetable.

[ChrisB]

Various problems with pax picking up post-dated Tts and not realising they weren't current & complaining when services shown didn't run!

So if you want them in advance, ask at the info points or ticket office or consult the website. Most TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) are doing this now

[anthony215]

Arriva Trains Wales have filled thr racks with the new timetables at a few of their stations during the last week or two

[Timmer]

Various problems with pax picking up post-dated Tts and not realising they weren't current & complaining when services shown didn't run!

I seem to recall at Bristol Temple Meads travel centre that they used to display old and forthcoming timetables with it clearly displayed which section of racks contained the new timetables.

[ChrisB]

They still do - in evidence as I looked through the closed doors yesterday.

I picked up the all-route FGW^▸ (First Great Western) TT book at BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) ticket office yesterday. THey're unbelievably under lock & key of the supervisor, so only accessible if that person is in the ticket office.

They don't trust the sellers not to give them away apparently.

[Chris from Nailsea]

... indeed, a rather bizarre situation, as described by bignosemac in post number 15 above ... 

[ChrisB]

Appears to be the only item retailed that isn't linked through the ticket machines, so a manual audit trail is required....so this will be the case wherever they are sold, not just at BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains)

[JayMac]

I believe it is the case wherever they are sold. A manual process as a sundry item on the ticket office retail system. However, most ticket office staff are trusted to retail them correctly, with a simple crib sheet explaining the procedure.

It's only Bristol Temple Meads where they are kept locked away. A supervisor has to be on hand. They can only be obtained on the first Thursday of the month between 0900 and 1100. You need to give the correct password. Photographic and biometric identification must be provided. There will be a retina scan. You must swear that you are not, and never have been, a member of the Communist Party.

Do all that and then you can have one. Unless the supervisor is on a fag break.

[bobm]

Ironically if you do manage to get a copy of the new book it contains a page outlining FGW^▸ (First Great Western)'s attempts to be "green" and move away from printed timetables with more reliance on electronic forms of the timetable and is asking for comments via email.

I, for one, value the book and it is very useful when on a train with no mobile signal - or wifi.

[JayMac]

And I value it because signal or no signal, internet or no internet, it is quicker to leaf through than dial up a web page, enter search criteria, get that wrong, curse your spelling, try again, click on the warning that you're happy to accept the .pdf despite it possibly harming your computer.....

My thumbs can find the relevant page in the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Network Timetable far quicker than my index fingers can click and/or type to bring up the required information online.