Restriction on pre-announcement boarding at Paddington

[whole diary]

[BandHcommuter]

I was on the 1945 Paddington to Westbury last night, and before boarding there was a reasonable crowd forming by the Platform 10 gateline at about 1925 (before the platform had been announced), where the gates had been set to exit only. I guess that regular passengers get to know which platforms their trains are likely to depart from, and position themselves accordingly.

Regarding platform numbers on mobile apps, I had a look at the live departures on the National Rail app once I had boarded the train, and noticed that the platform had not yet shown up, so it may be that platform numbers are already being held back from these devices.

Regarding the 1806 departure, I often use this train, and find that unless I arrive before 1755 I have little chance of getting a seat, at least until the Twyford exodus. Since I am travelling west of Reading, my usual strategy is to jump on the 1803 Penzance train (which usually has plenty of spare seats) and transfer at Reading to the 1806. This doesn't work on Fridays (officially) when the 1803 does not carry Paddington to Reading passengers. I heard that another reason for the overcrowding on the 1806 is that it is one of the few evening peak trains on which off-peak tickets to Reading are valid, although I have not checked whether or not this is true.

[ChrisB]

correct

[bobm]

I heard that another reason for the overcrowding on the 1806 is that it is one of the few evening peak trains on which off-peak tickets to Reading are valid, although I have not checked whether or not this is true.

It is one of the few HST^▸ (High Speed Train)-worked services in the evening rush on which off-peak tickets are valid - however you can use them on the slower (and quite often equally well packed) Turbo worked trains.

[Jonty]

Is it the only one that allows off-peak Reading between 4 and 7.15?

[ChrisB]

All the Oxfords/Herefords do too

Seems to be in place already for all HST^▸ (High Speed Train) services at least. Only two turbo local services plus Heathrow services on apps outside usual boarding times at 1600.

Btw- the 1615 to Swansea usually leaves from Pl 9....nice to get choice of all seats at 1555 :-)

[Southern Stag]

Not all the Oxford/Hereford trains allow Off-Peak Reading-Paddington returns in the evening peak, in fact most don't. Between 1559 and 1916 the fast trains you can take are the 1618 Bedwyn, 1622 Hereford, 1706 Bristol Temple Meads, 1806 Frome and the Fridays only 1912 Oxford. There are also semi-fast train you can take: 1718 Oxford, 1735 Oxford and the 1818 Oxford.

[Worcester_Passenger]

Not all the Oxford/Hereford trains allow Off-Peak Reading-Paddington returns in the evening peak, in fact most don't. Between 1559 and 1916 the fast trains you can take are the 1618 Bedwyn, 1622 Hereford, 1706 Bristol Temple Meads, 1806 Frome and the Fridays only 1912 Oxford. There are also semi-fast train you can take: 1718 Oxford, 1735 Oxford and the 1818 Oxford.

Surely the 16:22 only goes to Oxford.
Anyway, I'd've thought that most Reading passengers at this time were using seasons - and presumably there's no restrictions on them.

[ChrisB]

Rumour has it that the 1622 will shortly be forming the extended-back 1715-ex Didcot Cotswold stopper. Again, we shall see, but you read it here first

[Southern Stag]

That was originally speculated to be happening when the 180s were first reintroduced, indeed the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) all network timetable even showed it as a future service, but obviously it never came to fruition, with the service instead being formed by the inbound Great Malvern-Didcot working. If the 1551 became an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) again it would be possible for the 180 to instead work a 1622 Paddington-Oxford-Cotswold. The 180 off the Great Malvern-Didcot could instead then work to Paddington and form the 1750.

[ChrisB]

Yup - if the conversation I had with that Worcester guard is just rumour - it does indeed all add up. Someone has worked really hard a constructing it - or it isn't a rumour. I starting to believe the latter.

[lbraine]

From the original post:

The staff member at the top of the stairs said this was because too many passengers were using phone apps to find out the platforms before they were announced and it was making it difficult for staff to clean the train and put reserved seating cards out.  He also said there are plans to remove platforms from phone apps to stop this problem.

This kind of holder than thou (or Mother Knows best) diatribe really aggravates me. The arrogance from those 'in command/control' beggars believe.

Has any one at FGW^▸ (First Great Western) or DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) thought 'why are these passengers resorting to such 'extraordinary' means to secure a seat/perch/place in these trains? Could it because that the capacity they are providing is so woefully inadequate for the demand ?

Whether people are using mobile apps, calculating biorhythms, gazing at the stars, or reading the entrails of some poor unfortunate beast who is now road/rail kill - don't slam the poor passenger for resorting to such 'unholy acts' in some desperate attempt to cling onto the last vestige of human dignity, while they attempt the basic act of moving from A to B on the abhorrence that is the service on the GW^▸ (Great Western).

If you want to change the way people are a acting - you need to fully understand and accept what the root cause and motivation is that is causing the behaviour - and then fix the problem.

Oh, and removing 1 first class section per a Turbo and thus adding a miserly 16 seats per train is not accepting or understanding the root cause. And clearly is not fixing the problem.

[Kernow Otter]

Has any one at FGW^▸ (First Great Western) or DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) thought 'why are these passengers resorting to such 'extraordinary' means to secure a seat/perch/place in these trains? Could it because that the capacity they are providing is so woefully inadequate for the demand ?

Whether people are using mobile apps, calculating biorhythms, gazing at the stars, or reading the entrails of some poor unfortunate beast who is now road/rail kill - don't slam the poor passenger for resorting to such 'unholy acts' in some desperate attempt to cling onto the last vestige of human dignity, while they attempt the basic act of moving from A to B on the abhorrence that is the service on the GW^▸ (Great Western).

So, survival of the fittest then ?

[grahame]

If you want to change the way people are a acting - you need to fully understand and accept what the root cause and motivation is that is causing the behaviour - and then fix the problem.

So, survival of the fittest then ?

I find it interesting that the minimum connection time at Paddington is 15 minutes, and that's heavily advertised - and yet trains are not announced until just a few minutes before they leave.   One rule for the passenger, and another one for the train operator.  Perhaps platform numbers should be available at least the minimum connecting time at all stations, even if the train hasn't arrived, to allow people to make their connection in comfort?

I was standing, waiting for a Cheltenham Spa service, near platform 11.   It was announced, very late indeed, and even as I reached the first (First) carriages of the train whistles were blowing.  Survival of the fittest?  Yes.   Encouragement of me with a standard class ticket to get in and walk through First ...

[lbraine]

I find it interesting that the minimum connection time at Paddington is 15 minutes, and that's heavily advertised - and yet trains are not announced until just a few minutes before they leave

While I am in cynical mode ....

Maybe this is the latest great idea by FGW^▸ (First Great Western) to reduce overcrowding on their trains ?! Give passengers no more than a few minutes to board it before departure.

Survival of the fittest it is then - and the Gazelles win !

[broadgage]

Late anouncing of the departure platform might well be a ruse to reduce overcrowding on certain services.

If the platform for say the overcrowded XX-15 is not anounced until the last minute, then it is probable that some customers might instead use the less crowded XX-09 if this be announced in plenty of time.

However the ingenoius methods that passengers have to use in order to get a seat, or even standing room, is indeed symptomatic of lack of capacity, and an apparent lack of urgency in addressing this.

As I have posted elswhere on these forums, I am not convinced that new shorter trains are going to help.
Experience of other TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) and new rolling stock suggests that as soon as new stock is delivered, that the old will suddenly become "dangerous" or "non compliant" and be withdrawn, rather than useing to new stock to supplement the old and increase capacity.