Rugby World Cup - underestimated number of fans

[whole diary]

[stuving]

Quite possibly not....but sensible planning, nonetheless

Really? So having told people to plan ahead, and then said "no trains to south Wales after the match", you run a couple of trains for idiots who didn't take any notice. That way you seriously hack off anyone who made very difficult or expensive other arrangements, or decided they couldn't go to the match at all.

And next time there a similar event, there will be loads of people saying "ignore what the website says - there will be trains they don't announce in advance". Brilliant as PR^▸ (Public Relations) and planning.

Or you could call it moral hazard.

[IndustryInsider]

It's a short notice chance, if it's going to happen, as the STP train crew diagrams still have the train going to Bristol.

[grahame]

From the Western Daily Press

The West was plunged into transport chaos yesterday ^ and there's more to come today ^ as the Rugby World Cup, train problems, a series of crashes and even a bomb scare combined on a Black Friday for travel.

Great Western Railway last night defended their handling of the Rugby World Cup - and issued extra urgent advice after a series of problems at virtually every game so far in Cardiff, Gloucester, Exeter and London so far.

[LiskeardRich]

From the Western Daily Press

The West was plunged into transport chaos yesterday ^ and there's more to come today ^ as the Rugby World Cup, train problems, a series of crashes and even a bomb scare combined on a Black Friday for travel.

Great Western Railway last night defended their handling of the Rugby World Cup - and issued extra urgent advice after a series of problems at virtually every game so far in Cardiff, Gloucester, Exeter and London so far.

The western daily press appears to have a crystal ball or psychic powers. There has not been a game at Exeter yet. First Exeter game is Tuesday 29th.

[TaplowGreen]

realtime trains is showing two late services from Paddington to Cardiff via Kemble on Saturday
23.30 IC36
23.59 1Z37
 

According to FGW^▸ (First Great Western) this morning, the 2330 is only going as far as Bristol.

My last word on this subject, and yes I am biased because I am a rugby player/fan for well over 30 years.

The failure of FGW to provide transport back to Wales after this match, which has been years in the planning, as well as other capacity issues so far in the tournament has been woeful...this is the 3rd biggest sporting event on the planet, all other agencies (so far) have pulled together and risen to the occasion, as so often it is the railways who are letting the side down.

To tell people "get a room and stay in London" says a lot about the culture and attitude to customer service of FGW which has no comprehension of the fact that those organisations which excel generally do so because they fit around the needs of their customers.

It takes more than a coat of paint and a new name for an organisation to change. The sneering attitude of some of the posters on here regarding this issue is unfortunate too.

Brunel proud? I somehow doubt it.

I wish all those attending the match at Twickenham tonight an enjoyable experience and a safe journey home, and also those enjoying the FGW jolly at Newbury racecourse, for which I'm relieved to see trains have been found from somewhere.

[didcotdean]

The organisers have to take the blame for scheduling the game at 20:00 on a Saturday at a ground with relatively poor public transport links compared with their other London options. If it had been in the afternoon there wouldn't have been any significant problem. Money talks, but they didn't seem to direct much in the direction of transport.

[IndustryInsider]

Yes, why on earth didn't they plan for an afternoon kick-off, or even early evening at 6/7pm so that it'd be easier to arrange additional services or use existing ones? 

Finding trains isn't an issue of course at that time of night, but finding the crew to work additional shifts that will take them well into the early hours of Sunday might well be, as might weaving around engineering possessions.  I'm surprised more hasn't been done though - the Olympics showed how the railway industry (including FGW^▸ (First Great Western)) can plan for these events - remember all the late evening specials - so why not for the rugby - even though it's a much smaller event.

[didcotdean]

The organisers seem to have put their public transport faith in National Express for this game. I can see this to a certain extent as travelling back to Paddington from Twickenham takes about 45 mins normally without considering the walk to the station - effectively travelling in the wrong direction. It would only be an hour on the train to Reading.

For the Olympics the last train to Cardiff ran at 01:00 typically. If it takes 2 hours to clear the queue at Twickenham, then someone towards the back would barely make a train at that time if there were one.

[PhilWakely]

Journeycheck is now showing the 23:30 diverted to Cardiff; an additional 23:59 to Cardiff and an additional 00:15 Reading to Bristol TM^‡(resolve) (presumably to replace the diverted 23:30).

[grahame]

Journeycheck is now showing the 23:30 diverted to Cardiff; an additional 23:59 to Cardiff and an additional 00:15 Reading to Bristol TM^‡(resolve) (presumably to replace the diverted 23:30).

Just spotted this on Journey Check

00:37 London Paddington to Cardiff Central due 02:39
This train will be cancelled.
This is due to overcrowding because of a sporting event.
Last Updated:26/09/2015 12:05

[BandHcommuter]

There appears to be confusion arising regarding this evening's service at the GWRhelp twitter office

https://twitter.com/GWRHelp/status/647740656954273793

[a-driver]

Network Rail are closing the Severn Tunnel for engineering works and wouldn't postpone the works. 

[phile]

Network Rail are closing the Severn Tunnel for engineering works and wouldn't postpone the works. 

Running (If - with the confusion) via Gloucester.

[stuving]

Well, I'm now totally confused as to what GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) will run, and the evidence suggests so are they. So is RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) - or its feed source - according to which 1C36 (the 23:30) is now a Schr^dinger's train. It is shown as going to both Cardiff and Bristol, so we will have to wait until is has been observed to find out which train is real and which (along with all its passengers) was only an unrealised possibility.

[TaplowGreen]

Twitter still saying last one is "currently" at 10pm (note "currently"), I think it depends on who you ask to be honest......complete shambles.

...........meanwhile elsewhere;

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/rugby-world-cup-2015-welsh-10138899