More dangerous overcrowding to the Westcountry

[whole diary]

[broadgage]

And presumably no one could have foreseen the need for training, and planned for it? It sounds nearly as bad as Easter arriving each year without warning.

And presumably broadly similar events will occur when the far West services are downgraded from HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) to the new shorter units? 5 car on the "Golden Hind" on a Thursday night whilst training takes place?

And yes, outside of these forums the new units are generally considered to be a downgrade. It is not just me who thinks that long distance trains should be full length, gangwayed throughout, have mainly facing seats at tables, and a buffet.
At least they don't smell like voyagers though.

[grahame]

And yes, outside of these forums the new units are generally considered to be a downgrade. It is not just me who thinks that long distance trains should be full length, gangwayed throughout, have mainly facing seats at tables, and a buffet

Sadly, I have to agree with that - for long distance train journeys.   

By "mainly facing seats", I guess you are meaning seats facing each other across a table, rather than old tram-style toast rack seats that can be reversed at the end of a journey (but, heck, why not?).  And personally I prefer a table as it allows that little more space / laptop capability and able to carry on a meeting ... current thinking is that many lone travellers, especially ladies, prefer airline style.

BUT what proportion of GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) passenger mileage (and what proportion of GWR passengers) are "long distance".  I would love to see journey length stats for passengers on 125 m.p.h. capable trains on GWR, and see how they have changed since - well, since the first 125 m.p.h. trains arrived.   I suspect that a "what's important to YOU" survey would reveal a different balance in its results if you look at passengers on the "ignore Wiltshire" run from London to Plymouth and beyond, and compare them to passengers travelling from Swindon and Chippenham into Bath and Bristol.

[grahame]

Trains have been temporarily split in order to provide more units for driver training. Training is running behind schedule due to late delivery of trains so splitting them is a temporary solution to help get drivers trained up.

The DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) have instructed GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) to do this as well as cancel some services to provide paths and units for training.

17:30 London Paddington to Taunton due 20:31
Facilities on the 17:30 London Paddington to Taunton due 20:31.
Will be formed of 5 coaches instead of 10.
Further Information
Train is formed of fewer coaches than planned today due to cancellations to train services yesterday which resulted in trains finishing their day at the wrong depot.

17:45 London Paddington to Swansea due 20:52
Facilities on the 17:45 London Paddington to Swansea due 20:52.
Will be formed of 5 coaches instead of 10.
Further Information
Train is formed of fewer coaches than planned today due to cancellations to train services yesterday which resulted in trains finishing their day at the wrong depot.

[Timmer]

Trains have been temporarily split in order to provide more units for driver training. Training is running behind schedule due to late delivery of trains so splitting them is a temporary solution to help get drivers trained up.

The DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) have instructed GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) to do this as well as cancel some services to provide paths and units for training.

Okay fair enough, so why don’t GWR come out and say the reason for short formed IC^▸ (Inter City) services at the moment is because...

A fair few listed again today. I really hope they don’t do this Friday when people are getting away for the bank holiday.

[IndustryInsider]

At least GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) can claim that no trains are running around with 5-cars locked out of use anymore and get the press off their backs! 

[Timmer]

At least GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) can claim that no trains are running around with 5-cars locked out of use anymore and get the press off their backs! 

Yup, makes it slightly less frustrating when you knew there were five empty carriages behind you.

[Phantom]

Trains have been temporarily split in order to provide more units for driver training. Training is running behind schedule due to late delivery of trains so splitting them is a temporary solution to help get drivers trained up.

The DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) have instructed GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) to do this as well as cancel some services to provide paths and units for training.

17:30 London Paddington to Taunton due 20:31
Facilities on the 17:30 London Paddington to Taunton due 20:31.
Will be formed of 5 coaches instead of 10.
Further Information
Train is formed of fewer coaches than planned today due to cancellations to train services yesterday which resulted in trains finishing their day at the wrong depot.

17:45 London Paddington to Swansea due 20:52
Facilities on the 17:45 London Paddington to Swansea due 20:52.
Will be formed of 5 coaches instead of 10.
Further Information
Train is formed of fewer coaches than planned today due to cancellations to train services yesterday which resulted in trains finishing their day at the wrong depot.

One for those ITK on here but I find that amazing that 17 hours + whatever from the day before and the trains are still in the "wrong place"
Any reason why they can't be put in the right place ? and if so why does it take so long?

[Southernman]

In deepest South Somerset we await the first diversion of either a 5 (0r 10) or a 9 car IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train). Wonder if the powers that be will be arranging a gauging test before July just in case?

The single curved line between platforms 1 and 2 at Yeovil Pen Mill is banned to certain steam locos although the HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) are OK. New carriages are a little longer so possibly worth checking before the inevitable diversion happens at short notice.

Incidentally Tuesday 12 - Thursday 14 June sees Whiteball Tunnel closed so 'could' be the final sight of HSTs in regular service up the Southern line from Exeter.

[TaplowGreen]

The consequences of an earlier cancellation due to a lack of train drivers.....another long, uncomfortable journey for many....bet the 1903 was cosy!



15:03 London Paddington to Penzance due 20:40 will no longer call at Pewsey.
It has been delayed at Reading and is now 25 minutes late.
This is due to overcrowding.

[stuving]

In deepest South Somerset we await the first diversion of either a 5 (0r 10) or a 9 car IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train). Wonder if the powers that be will be arranging a gauging test before July just in case?

The single curved line between platforms 1 and 2 at Yeovil Pen Mill is banned to certain steam locos although the HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) are OK. New carriages are a little longer so possibly worth checking before the inevitable diversion happens at short notice.

The whole route "Castle Cary to Exeter St Davids via Yeovil Pen Mill and Yeovil Junction" was on the "List of Routes" for the IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) project. This was in the Train Infrastructure Interface Specification (TIIS^▸ (Train Infrastructure Interface Program)), which had the purpose: "to provide information concerning the Network Rail infrastructure on which the Intercity Express Programme (IEP) trains will operate from the date of their introduction."

The requirement for gauging was very comprehensive : "The description of the routes includes all running lines in signalled direction, including Fast/Main, low/Relief and loops, all crossovers and connections between them and all tracks serving all platform faces including bay platforms). The routes exclude sidings, depots and crossovers/connections between the running lines and those sidings and depots."

[grahame]

15:03 London Paddington to Penzance due 20:40 will no longer call at Pewsey.

Never mind ... there's another one scheduled an hour and three quarters later 

[grahame]

15:03 London Paddington to Penzance due 20:40 will no longer call at Pewsey.

Never mind ... there's another one scheduled an hour and three quarters later 

Funny old service has Pewsey .... like London buses ... nothing for hours then 2 at the same time!
WTT^▸ (Working Time-Table)   1936   1947¼   London Paddington   1   1J93   GW^▸ (Great Western)   Frome   1937   1949¾
WTT   1943   1953¾   London Paddington   1   1C93   GW   Plymouth   1944   1955½

[TaplowGreen]

Interesting eyewitness account;

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/standing-joke-something-really-really-needs-done-state-trains/?utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#link_time=1528013684

[tomL]

Interesting eyewitness account;

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/standing-joke-something-really-really-needs-done-state-trains/?utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#link_time=1528013684

Looks like an interesting read. Sneaky with the paywall though. 

[GBM]

Looks like an interesting read. Sneaky with the paywall though. 

Not prepared to sign up, so will miss out on this one!