Do we regard FGW in a different light to Wessex (Re: Catering Facilities)

[whole diary]

[Timmer]

Timmer, I think I have the same problem as you.
First operate nearly all the busses in West Cornwall and they cost a small fortune, they're always late and often don't turn up.
Also about five years ago First cut the bus service past my house from two hourly to not at all. This left me with a two mile walk to another bus stop. This seriously damaged my reputation of them.
Then they start running are local services and they cut are local timetable so there is no destination beyond Plymouth or Exeter directly. Then they nick are branchilne units for Bristol. Then they take away the 158's which allowed people to travel in comfort.

I'm sure many could recount similar experiences and thats why I gave up using the buses in Bath many years ago as I got fed up of waiting by a driverless bus waiting for a driver to show up but more often than not never did on a service that used to run every 10 minutes that now runs every half an hour. Now I either walk or take the car.

[Timmer]

Your Polish must be getting better

Indeed, and its because of First recruiting in Poland that the bus services in Bath have improved somewhat on a few years ago but I still won't use them...besides walking is good exercise 

[Timmer]

(FGW^▸ (First Great Western) also shoot themselves in by sticking "transforming travel" on all of their antimacessars.)

I was only thinking last night that First really do need to come up with a new slogan as transforming travel seems a bit unfortunate with the way they have transformed 'Wessex' services into something that not many people like.

[Conner]

History of NEG from their web site.

http://www.nationalexpress.com/utilities/about.cfm

The trip from Frome to Heathrow is only once a day, first thing in the morning and back late at night so it's probably makes sense to contract out this service. I'll ask a few drivers I know how it works.

National Express contract out nearly all of their coach services. Often a different operator for each part of the journey.

[devon_metro]

Timmer, I think I have the same problem as you.
First operate nearly all the busses in West Cornwall and they cost a small fortune, they're always late and often don't turn up.
Also about five years ago First cut the bus service past my house from two hourly to not at all. This left me with a two mile walk to another bus stop. This seriously damaged my reputation of them.
Then they start running are local services and they cut are local timetable so there is no destination beyond Plymouth or Exeter directly. Then they nick are branchilne units for Bristol. Then they take away the 158's which allowed people to travel in comfort.

150s arent uncomfortable and there is no sustained non stop running in Cornwall, so 150s are well suited.

[Jim]

Timmer, I think I have the same problem as you.
First operate nearly all the busses in West Cornwall and they cost a small fortune, they're always late and often don't turn up.
Also about five years ago First cut the bus service past my house from two hourly to not at all. This left me with a two mile walk to another bus stop. This seriously damaged my reputation of them.
Then they start running are local services and they cut are local timetable so there is no destination beyond Plymouth or Exeter directly. Then they nick are branchilne units for Bristol. Then they take away the 158's which allowed people to travel in comfort.

150s arent uncomfortable and there is no sustained non stop running in Cornwall, so 150s are well suited.

BUT (you don't hear me 'wishing my 158's away') they need luggage space - 150's don't have it!

[vacman]

Casting our minds back to Dec 2005 when the new franchise winner was announced, FGW^▸ (First Great Western) were going to brand their three "sectors" differently, First Great Western Express, First Great Western Link and First Great Western Local but for some reason it never happened? Oh, the "transforming travel" slogan is not actually advertised on any FGW brandings (just as well really I suppose!).

[Lee]

Casting our minds back to Dec 2005 when the new franchise winner was announced, FGW^▸ (First Great Western) were going to brand their three "sectors" differently, First Great Western Express, First Great Western Link and First Great Western Local but for some reason it never happened?

Quote from Wikipedia (link below) :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Great_Western

Originally, First planned to subdivide its services into the following three categories:

First Great Western Express - the original First Great Western route: London Paddington^Bristol^South Wales/Cornwall.

First Great Western Link - former Thames Trains services, that were merged into First Great Western before the Greater Western Franchise started. Local/commuter trains close to London.

First Great Western Local - former Wessex Trains services: regional trains in the south-west in and around Bristol, Bath, Wiltshire, Somerset, Dorset, Devon, and Cornwall.

Following feedback from staff and stakeholders, the decision was taken to re-brand and re-livery all services as just 'First Great Western'

Looking elsewhere within the article, its interesting that the Wikipedia description of "Trans Wilts Line" is incorrect.

[Timmer]

Now each sector of FGW^▸ (First Great Western) is under it's own management I think they should review the decision of having one identity for the whole network.

[gaf71]

Casting our minds back to Dec 2005 when the new franchise winner was announced, FGW^▸ (First Great Western) were going to brand their three "sectors" differently, First Great Western Express, First Great Western Link and First Great Western Local but for some reason it never happened? Oh, the "transforming travel" slogan is not actually advertised on any FGW brandings (just as well really I suppose!).

This is true vacman, but as you work for them you know that this is still in effect internally, where the three 'sectors' are known as HSS^▸ (High Speed Services), West, and Link.

[vacman]

Now each sector of FGW^▸ (First Great Western) is under it's own management I think they should review the decision of having one identity for the whole network.

It's not really, for e.g. Penzance has one traincrew manager who is responsible for both "West" and "HSS^▸ (High Speed Services)" crews, also, rostering and resources are all together (hence the mess!!), and most of the management is now combined, with the company more split into regions that cover both "west" and "HSS" but not sure about LTV^▸ (London [and] Thames Valley)???

[Conner]

Timmer, I think I have the same problem as you.
First operate nearly all the busses in West Cornwall and they cost a small fortune, they're always late and often don't turn up.
Also about five years ago First cut the bus service past my house from two hourly to not at all. This left me with a two mile walk to another bus stop. This seriously damaged my reputation of them.
Then they start running are local services and they cut are local timetable so there is no destination beyond Plymouth or Exeter directly. Then they nick are branchilne units for Bristol. Then they take away the 158's which allowed people to travel in comfort.

150s arent uncomfortable and there is no sustained non stop running in Cornwall, so 150s are well suited.

BUT (you don't hear me 'wishing my 158's away') they need luggage space - 150's don't have it!

AND we have the longest running West service running into the county. Bristol-Penzance so how come that is more often than not a 150(both trains).

[vacman]

AND we have the longest running West service running into the county. Bristol-Penzance so how come that is more often than not a 150(both trains).

Yeah, BUT how many people actually use the service all the way? you don't ever see any long distance tickets on that service, it's basicly 3 local services put into one.

[Conner]

AND we have the longest running West service running into the county. Bristol-Penzance so how come that is more often than not a 150(both trains).

Yeah, BUT how many people actually use the service all the way? you don't ever see any long distance tickets on that service, it's basicly 3 local services put into one.

I know, but when it ran the opposite way, I've used it to Taunton, and was going to use it to Bristol but it got cut in the timetable change. No wonder no-one uses it long distance, its a unit (150 probably), and leaves at 5:50 or 6:30 at Bristol.

[vacman]

AND we have the longest running West service running into the county. Bristol-Penzance so how come that is more often than not a 150(both trains).

Yeah, BUT how many people actually use the service all the way? you don't ever see any long distance tickets on that service, it's basicly 3 local services put into one.

I know, but when it ran the opposite way, I've used it to Taunton, and was going to use it to Bristol but it got cut in the timetable change. No wonder no-one uses it long distance, its a unit (150 probably), and leaves at 5:50 or 6:30 at Bristol.

Well who really wants to travel from Bristol to Cornwall at that time of morning? especially when there is an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) from Bristol at about 0930, when the "up"train did run to Bristol then it was a 158 but theres no need now it only goes to Exeter, and only to Newton Abbot from May. TBH^▸ (to be honest) 150's are far better suited to Cornwall stoppers, there are only two units that actually connect with long distance services and those two aren't that busy anyway, 150's kepp time better due to them having sliding doors rather that plug doors that take ages to close and they're more reliable!