A Happy FGW Customer

[whole diary]

[Lee]

Comment from "DC^▸ (Direct Current)" on the I Hate First Great Western Blog (link below.)
http://ihatefirstgreatwestern.blogspot.com/2008/02/becoming-blogless.html

I read all your comments and i find it hard to believe this happens. I have Travelled with FGW^▸ (First Great Western) for 2 years now 3 - 4 times a week (Swindon - Paddington) and i have never had any problems, Sure there has been the odd late train but what do you expect when a train is travelling 300 miles across the country.

yesterday my train had to stop at didcot because the power plant was smoking like crazy and you could barely see the track, i hardly see this as FGW fault for being late to Paddington.

FGW are clean trains, there is always inspectors and they have first class. If you really want to see a bad train service take a look at South Eastern, ^19 for 20 miles and dirty trains without inspectors being constantly harrased by gangs.

FGW are a joy to travel on compared, I feel safe and their ticket prices are fair for the amount of miles they travel (a car costs morein petrol and usage)

So there you go.

[grahame]

Let's remember - some services are excellent, and what's important for one customer isn't for another - so we should give credit where it is due.  Heck - if I had an express service every 15 minutes from my local station to London and I travelled in an area of the train which wasn't overcrowded and wasn't on a tight budget, I would be limited to minor niggles.

But I don't have an express every 15 minutes - I have 2 trains a DAY scheduled and they are very, very often cancelled. OK; so my town isn't the size of Swindon and can't justify the frequency ... give me a train every two or three hours - sensible times for the traffic  flows rather than in the middle of the night  - that actually runs and you'll find me a lot happier    .... might limit me to minor niggles too!

[Graz]

Also, HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) are generally much better, more reliable, faster, comfortable and less busy than the ex-Wessex fleet!

[Btline]

And Reading. How many expresses per hour does it get? 7???

[Phil]

Also, a thumbs up for the 1st Class service on FGW^▸ (First Great Western).

I travel around other regions fairly regularly, and usually all you get for the extra money is a bit more space and somewhere to plug your laptop in. No "free" teas, coffees, newspapers or snacks, as you do on FGW HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)).

Mind you, the silver service on the old Midland Mainline trains from Sheffield to St Pancras takes some beating...

[Shazz]

<Faulty Towers>

A Satisfied customer Sybil? We should have him stuffed.

</Faulty Towers>


 

[swlines]

Also, a thumbs up for the 1st Class service on FGW^▸ (First Great Western).

I travel around other regions fairly regularly, and usually all you get for the extra money is a bit more space and somewhere to plug your laptop in. No "free" teas, coffees, newspapers or snacks, as you do on FGW HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)).

Mind you, the silver service on the old Midland Mainline trains from Sheffield to St Pancras takes some beating...

Which regions are those? Bear in mind a lot of regions are "commuter" or "regional". Only on "intercity" services do you get a full First Class service - I'd say Virgin West Coast take a lot of beating. Free food!

[Shazz]

Also, a thumbs up for the 1st Class service on FGW^▸ (First Great Western).

I travel around other regions fairly regularly, and usually all you get for the extra money is a bit more space and somewhere to plug your laptop in. No "free" teas, coffees, newspapers or snacks, as you do on FGW HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)).

Mind you, the silver service on the old Midland Mainline trains from Sheffield to St Pancras takes some beating...

Which regions are those? Bear in mind a lot of regions are "commuter" or "regional". Only on "intercity" services do you get a full First Class service - I'd say Virgin West Coast take a lot of beating. Free food!

Don't forget the free bar either.

[Doctor Gideon Ceefax]

A fairer comparison with South Eastern, would be the Greenford branch or Paddington - Reading stoppers, than the Intercity service. I have no idea how bad they are, but some of the turbos look fairly dirty and subject to heavy vandalism (window etching / graffiti, burn marks on seat backs). I'd also imagine those local trains are also populated by similar types of tossers.

[devonian]

Or compare HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) with SouthEastern's High Speed 1 run on the CTRL^▸ (Channel Tunnel Rail Link, or possibly 'Control', depending on context) line.

I regularly go to Ashford and the average journey time from London will be 36 mins instead of 86!!!

Still to see the prices yet mind and it is St Pancras rather than Charing X.

[Doctor Gideon Ceefax]

Or compare HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) with SouthEastern's High Speed 1 run on the CTRL^▸ (Channel Tunnel Rail Link, or possibly 'Control', depending on context) line.

I regularly go to Ashford and the average journey time from London will be 36 mins instead of 86!!!

Still to see the prices yet mind and it is St Pancras rather than Charing X.

Although it will have no first class, and passengers (thankfully) don't have to pay a premium to travel on the HST!