Class 387 coming to Thames Valley - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[Electric train]

I just missed the 07.33 MAI^▸ (Maidenhead station) to PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) and so was on the 07.42 this morning, on the same EMU^▸ (Electric Multiple Unit).
I thought the seats were quite hard and upright, perhaps with a few more bums on seats they may soften.... .
Wouldn't like to come in from Didcot on one though, my arms got numb on the hand-rests.
Acceleration and braking were good, despite having to crawl along following a stopper.
Trouble with the build quality though, one of the panels on the toilet was oscillating really badly and certainly didn't contribute to the passenger experience, making a heck of a noise for a new vehicle. How something like this left the works is puzzling, perhaps they weren't tested on the gwml and somewhere rather smoother.. 
W.E

Re Seats - They are to the standard 387 softness the reference standard is a church pew 
Re Acceleration and braking - that is the big benefit of electric traction with regen braking
Re Build quality - try a journey of a Southern Route the GWML^▸ (Great Western Main Line) is a bowling green in comparison.

[johoare]

Wow!  You mean you could even breathe in - as well as out? 

Yes.. I'd forgotten what that's like 

[TaplowGreen]

1742 from Paddington to Maidenhead shortformed (only 4 carriages), 10 minutes late departing (no announcements from driver) and once again missed out Burnham.....seems to be becoming a pattern for some reason. 

[johoare]

The 7.33am MAI^▸ (Maidenhead station) to PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) was 4 carriages instead of 8 this morning but not too much of an issue whilst people still don't know about it and the 7.08 madness (you need to see it to believe it - the panicked look in people's eyes as they realise they've still got a chance of getting on it and don't mind who they knock down in their bid to run up the stairs to the platform) continues 

[TaplowGreen]

Well the 1742 to Maidenhead is continuing to disappoint......cancelled tonight, just disappeared from the boards, no announcements, nothing.

[patch38]

Apparently many delays this evening: person hit by train somewhere. Currently on other 17:42 to Cheltenham crawling along behind delayed 17:30.

[TaplowGreen]

That was between Taunton & Tiverton, don't think it would impact Paddington-Maidenhead electric services, but yeah there's been a bit of everything today......

[patch38]

TM^‡(resolve) on our service said that had affected much of the inbound traffic to PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) hence knock-on delays to outbound. But you are right - shouldn't affect local services unless the pathing is now up the creek.

[TaplowGreen]

TM^‡(resolve) on our service said that had affected much of the inbound traffic to PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) hence knock-on delays to outbound. But you are right - shouldn't affect local services unless the pathing is now up the creek.

Everything's up the Creek tonight mate.....apart the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) staff service disruption disappearing act which worked superbly at Paddington! 

[johoare]

Realtime trains said the 17.42 was cancelled due to an issue with the train crew.. but yes no announcements.. it just vanished as TaplowGreen said..

[TaplowGreen]

Realtime trains said the 17.42 was cancelled due to an issue with the train crew.. but yes no announcements.. it just vanished as TaplowGreen said..

15 minutes late at Maidenhead tonight, so all the Marlow branch customers missed their connection. For a service launched with so many fanfares, it's proving rather a disappointment.

[IndustryInsider]

Certainly a poor week so far.  The 17:14 and 19:12 were cancelled from Paddington.  Can't remember too many fanfares though - I think it was deliberately quite a low key soft launch.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Hmm. 

Their press release, sent to me by e-mail on 22 May 2017 by Great Western Railway, seemed to be fairly high key:

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) launches electric train services to Maidenhead

Another major step forward for London and Thames Valley passengers
 
GWR has taken another significant step today with new eight carriage Electrostar services now running between Paddington and Maidenhead.
 
As part of the biggest fleet upgrade in a generation, GWR is introducing the new electric trains between Maidenhead and London Paddington. By the Autumn this will increase seating capacity in the Thames Valley by 40%. In early 2018, electric services will extend to Reading and Didcot Parkway.
 
As well as replacing older diesel stock in London and the Thames Valley, these brand new electric trains will provide more peak capacity between Maidenhead and London Paddington, offering a better spread of seats where they are most needed.
 
A further three eight carriage Electrostar trains will come into service just two months later in July, for the same London Paddington to Maidenhead route.
 
GWR Managing Director Mark Hopwood said: “The Thames Valley is one of the most popular rail corridors in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom). We have promised the current fleet would be upgraded to provide much needed additional capacity and more comfortable, quieter journeys. We started to run our first new electric trains between Paddington and Hayes & Harlington in September and increased this to a half hourly frequency at the start of the year. Today, I am delighted to announce that we have now extended these services to Maidenhead.”
 
The new trains will bolster GWR services in London and the Thames Valley, and in July the train operator will also be able to improve Bristol area services by using London rolling stock to provide more carriages, first on the Severn Beach Line, and then more widely.
 
As a result of Network Rail’s electrification work of the Great Western main line, the Marlow to Maidenhead branch now becomes a self-contained shuttle with a direct connection to the improved mainline services and the new GWR Electrostar trains. An extra 0906 Marlow to Maidenhead service will also run to improve connections to London for passengers.
 
Over 3 years a team of 800 Network Rail staff installed 1400 overhead structures and 225km of new wiring over the 12 mile stretch.
 
As well as the masts and wires, Network Rail had to completely re-signal the area, complete 12 track lowers, demolish and rebuild 5 bridges including 2 major road bridges, divert a 132kV electricity supply from overhead pylons through a new 1.5km bored tunnel under the railway plus a mass of ancillary works all on an incredibly busy part of the network.
 
Recognising the importance of our suburban branch lines, GWR are also improving the service frequency between Henley-on-Thames and Twyford to half-hourly throughout the day, closing a gap in our service during off peak hours.
 
New Electrostar trains will deliver consistent, high quality travel for customers across the Thames Valley, offering at-seat power sockets, air conditioning, extra luggage space and free WiFi for customers.
 
The move is part of the biggest fleet upgrade in a generation on the Great Western network, helping to drive improved journey times, increased capacity and greater comfort.
 
Further improvements will be seen across the Thames Valley as the Electrostar trains gradually replace the diesel Turbo trains currently in use in the region, as Network Rail continues work to electrify the Great Western Mainline. Electrostar services are expected to run between Paddington and Didcot from January 2018.

The first two eight carriage Electrostar trains were introduced in September and provided an additional 1,400 seats between Hayes & Harlington and London Paddington at the busiest times every day for commuters. Today sees the introduction of further six of what will eventually be a total of 45 new four-carriage sets which will operate in eight carriage, and soon to be 12 carriage formations.

Existing diesel Turbo trains will be cascaded to other parts of the GWR network, providing additional capacity where it is needed most.

Along with the introduction of new Intercity Express Trains for long distance routes later this year, these new trains mark the biggest fleet upgrade in a generation, and will help transform the Great Western from having one of the oldest fleets of rolling stock, to one of the newest operating in the UK.
 

I didn't post details at the time (simply due to having limited time at my disposal), but some of the claims in that press release do now sound rather hollow ... 

[TaplowGreen]

https://www.gwr.com/about-us/building-on-our-heritage

[IndustryInsider]

Whilst taking your point(s), I'd describe 'high key' and 'big fanfare' as large amounts of press coverage, appearances by the SoS for transport, NR^» (Network Rail - home page) Chairman/Chief Exec, local MP^▸ (Member of Parliament)'s (though one of them might have been a little busy!), not to mention bunting on the station, free cake, a brass band and so on. 

Not sure how many of those happened, but the press coverage certainly seemed very muted, and there was little in the way of staff briefings and so on.

It seems a lot of people don't even know that some of the new trains exist judging by Jo's post of a couple of days ago.