One less HST stopping at Maidenhead from August 10th - pm?

[whole diary]

[ChrisB]

If you're a regular traveller on Chiltern, you'll also noticve that their aircon hasn't been up to much recently - either cooling like a fridge or not working at all - approx. 50% of the time.

And their silver trains appear to need to go away to have this fixed - so most are going around unfixed for weeks.

[johoare]

I got a reply from FGW^▸ (First Great Western). First they said they were sorry I wasn't happy with their previous reply which was quite interesting as it was their first reply to this particular e-mail 

They said that the alternative when the 7.48pm isn't running is the 7.50pm and change at Slough.. This adds 20 minutes to what is a fast journey usually..

Does anyone know what type of train the 7.50 is I don't mind 20 minutes delay if it's not an oven turbo?

[johoare]

Ha Ha they've got the reference number of the e-mail I have outstanding with them about a really hot and dangerous train (and I was unhappy with their initial reply on that one) but they replied to the one about the 7.48pm. FGW^▸ (First Great Western) customer service never fail to amaze me... Just summoning up the will to live/reply..

[James]

According to the latest FGW^▸ (First Great Western) timetable if my eye's read correctly the 1950 to Banbury is a lovely turbo full of catering, nice staff and nice air conditioning? If only that were true

What FGW should do is if they are really incapable of running a HST^▸ (High Speed Train) is run a Adelante on the 1950 calling also at Maidenhead with no question's asked by anybody please.

Why bother questioning FGW when they don't reply or if they do they give you a nonsense email back.
If they did that to me I would write a whole lot of nonsense back to them, just to let them know you are wasting my time.
And that is said in the nicest possible way. Get your act together FGW!

[johoare]

A turbo.. Oh deep joy.. Thanks FGW^▸ (First Great Western).. totally excelled themselves.

That aside I did start my reply to their e-mail with "I think you're a bit confused".. I guess it'll be another three weeks or so before they reply by which time it'll be too late.. They really need to change their "we aim to reply within 5  days" as well on the automated reply.. Might as well make it more realistic..

[James]

A turbo.. Oh deep joy.. Thanks FGW^▸ (First Great Western).. totally excelled themselves.

That aside I did start my reply to their e-mail with "I think you're a bit confused".. I guess it'll be another three weeks or so before they reply by which time it'll be too late.. They really need to change their "we aim to reply within 5  days" as well on the automated reply.. Might as well make it more realistic..

Indeed. Joys of commuting to london these days, i for one avoid it

[James]

Heres an idea, if they want to only reply within 5 days or longer of receiving the email, then every day they are late, they should pay compensation for all the hassle. However whether that works is a other story..

[NickB]

If FGW^▸ (First Great Western) don't pay out for running trains late they aren't going to pay out for replying to an email late 

From my own experience you get a different level of reply "quality" depending on whether you write in or email them.  Writing in seems to get given to the over-12's to reply to, whereas emails are left to the pre-school kids.  It doesn't necessarily reduce the patronising nature of the reply, but they do seeeeeem to be taken sliiiightly more seriously.  As its freepost I'm happy to cough for the envelope.

PS.  Still no signs at all at Maidenhead station announcing the change, nor at Paddington.  But I was delighted to hear on the 19.06 service that there are engineering works starting in February.  It didn't specify what year.

[johoare]

Aah yes I was going to mention the total lack of communication still.. Maybe on Monday which is two weeks before (I say hopefully)..

The only good thing about the whole thing (for me) is that it will only affect me for the first week as I've got two weeks off commencing August 19th.. Three weeks of being roasted alive in a turbo might just have finished me off 

[Chris from Nailsea]

Apparently, Jo, you are not alone in being at risk of roasting alive: see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-23550182 

Enjoy your holiday - going anywhere cool, by any chance? 

[johoare]

Somewhere warm.. But nowhere near as hot as a turbo even on a coolish day 

[James]

NickB
If FGW^▸ (First Great Western) don't pay out for running trains late they aren't going to pay out for replying to an email late  Grin
Quote from NickB

Thats a true statement, although it's a shame, i really thought it would be an incentive for all the daily issues you have to go through, oh well..

PS.  Still no signs at all at Maidenhead station announcing the change, nor at Paddington.  But I was delighted to hear on the 19.06 service that there are engineering works starting in February.  It didn't specify what year.
Quote from NicKB

Engineering works due to start in February, does that mean that august's engineering work has been called off?
If so why does the 1948 HST^▸ (High Speed Train) service get withdrawn then?
If that statement is not true then i wonder if the 1948 will not only be affected in august but also in february of next year possibly, although as Nick says no year was provided. Hmm it makes you think what is happening sometimes...

 

[NickB]

Engineering works due to start in February, does that mean that august's engineering work has been called off?
If so why does the 1948 HST^▸ (High Speed Train) service get withdrawn then?
If that statement is not true then i wonder if the 1948 will not only be affected in august but also in february of next year possibly, although as Nick says no year was provided. Hmm it makes you think what is happening sometimes...

Sadly not - the announcements on the 19.06 to Henley have been going on for several weeks.  it just amused me that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have an announcement for historic engineering works but haven't got one for the impending works.

Update:  There is a poster at Maidenhead station.  At the top of the stairs to platform 3 (ie. for travellers to Reading, so completely the wrong place).  I took some time to read it this morning and, even knowing what I was looking for, I couldn't find anything about the 19.48 from Paddington.  Skills.

[ChrisB]

James - there are no spare Adelantes at that time of day. Or HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train)

[James]

Hmm that's interesting, just trying to wind up the passengers even more...

I suppose all that First Great Western want you to know is that it will be withdrawn with no replacement train, whilst the 1948 isn't running.

Since FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are so incapable of providing information about planned changes to services, the alternative is the 1950 service from Paddington to Slough but requiring a change of platforms. Hmm i foresee the Maidenhead Advertiser reporting on this very issue sooner or later...