Swindon - facilities, improvements, signalling, events and incidents, including GWR history - merged posts

[whole diary]

[LiskeardRich]

When Exeter city made the play off final a few years ago they ended up drafting in buses from as far away as North Wales, due to engineering works on the railway at the time.

[LiskeardRich]

Also Ive noticed in the rugby Bath look almost certainly to have a home premiership playoff secured for that weekend. Will be a busy weekend for rail replacement,

[TaplowGreen]

Congratulations and good luck Swindon! On the "shorter journeys in Devon" thread you will see details of similar playoff  problems faced by Plymouth Argyle fans.

[TaplowGreen]

http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/12944678.First_Great_Western_creating_Wembley_contingency_plan_while_police_say_post_match_arrests_are_possible/?ref=mr&lp=5

...........common sense may yet prevail!!!

[Timmer]

Short of cancelling the works over the BH weekend, I don't see what else can be done. You also have to bear in mind that many Advance tickets have been purchased for the services which are running via different routes and different times than a normal weekend.

Network Rail do a pretty good job of planning work to avoid major events, but you can't expect them not to arrange work in case a football team make it to the play off finals.

[TaplowGreen]

Short of cancelling the works over the BH weekend, I don't see what else can be done. You also have to bear in mind that many Advance tickets have been purchased for the services which are running via different routes and different times than a normal weekend.

Network Rail do a pretty good job of planning work to avoid major events, but you can't expect them not to arrange work in case a football team make it to the play off finals.

I wouldn't necessarily argue with that, but by the sound of it discussions are taking place - there probably aren't enough coaches in the South of England to provide an adequate replacement service - any business needs a degree of flexibility/contingency in case of unexpected events.

[Timmer]

I wouldn't necessarily argue with that, but by the sound of it discussions are taking place - there probably aren't enough coaches in the South of England to provide an adequate replacement service - any business needs a degree of flexibility/contingency in case of unexpected events.

That's the problem not enough coaches to go round. As a local operator do you a)accept a contract from FGW^▸ (First Great Western)/NR^» (Network Rail - home page) to use your entire fleet over the weekend b)say no to FGW/NR in case one of the local football teams makes it to Wembley?

My theory will be that FGW will lay on extra coaches (from somewhere) to take fans all the way to London rather than just to Reading.

[TaplowGreen]

I wouldn't necessarily argue with that, but by the sound of it discussions are taking place - there probably aren't enough coaches in the South of England to provide an adequate replacement service - any business needs a degree of flexibility/contingency in case of unexpected events.

That's the problem not enough coaches to go round. As a local operator do you a)accept a contract from FGW^▸ (First Great Western)/NR^» (Network Rail - home page) to use your entire fleet over the weekend b)say no to FGW/NR in case one of the local football teams makes it to Wembley?

My theory will be that FGW will lay on extra coaches (from somewhere) to take fans all the way to London rather than just to Reading.

Once again I'm not arguing with you but you're talking about shifting thousands of people in and out of London by coach, they'd need dozens, but I guess the same will apply to get them as far as Reading anyway? I'd be interested in what FGW are obliged to provide in terms of coach capacity when bustitution is in place?

[bobm]

Short of cancelling the works over the BH weekend, I don't see what else can be done. You also have to bear in mind that many Advance tickets have been purchased for the services which are running via different routes and different times than a normal weekend.

Network Rail do a pretty good job of planning work to avoid major events, but you can't expect them not to arrange work in case a football team make it to the play off finals.

The engineering works have been in a state of flux since the decision not to transfer signalling from Swindon to the TVSC^» (Thames Valley Signalling Centre - about) at Didcot over the bank holiday weekend as originally planned.

Clearly there will be some other work going on, much of it in connection with the preparatory work on the signalling move.  Whether there is a window to give up the necessary possessions for one day of the weekend I don't know.

With the work at Box and Bath over the summer, it seems Swindon will not now close until the end of the year apparently.

[grahame]

The engineering works have been in a state of flux since the decision not to transfer signalling from Swindon to the TVSC^» (Thames Valley Signalling Centre - about) at Didcot over the bank holiday weekend as originally planned.

but in the Swindon Advertiser

Network Rail say the works have been planned months in advance and the tracks are empty during this period.

A Network Rail spokesperson, said: "The work we undertake over public holidays is planned many months and frequently years in advance.

Yes, it usually is ... (and was in this case) ... but I think those comments are conveniently simplified in this case.  Had the original works gone ahead, I agree it would have been pretty hard to run anything.  But now there's a seed of doubt in my mind wondering if this "long way ahead so unchangeable" line is accurate or a just a bit convenient.

[Timmer]

Could it be that the work is completed by Sunday lunchtime so services could be resumed by then, even if it's just East of Swindon?

Mind you if Network Rail staff are on strike over the Bank Holiday weekend no one will be going anywhere by train. If I was a Swindon fan heading to Wembley I would rule out using the railway, too much uncertainty right now.

[Western Pathfinder]

On this evenings BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Points West it was stated that there would be no Trains from Swindon just a coach service to Reading good luck to all of those wishing to travel .WP

[CLPGMS]

A report on BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) South Today suggested that some supporters may decide to drive to Didcot Parkway to catch a train. Good luck to them, as most of the normal service will have been diverted away from there.  To be fair, the BBC did report that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) would be laying on road transport between Swindon and Reading.

[TaplowGreen]

A report on BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) South Today suggested that some supporters may decide to drive to Didcot Parkway to catch a train. Good luck to them, as most of the normal service will have been diverted away from there.  To be fair, the BBC did report that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) would be laying on road transport between Swindon and Reading.

.......I think the challenge will be sourcing sufficient road transport, but they do seem to be pulling out all the stops.

[didcotdean]

Indeed there is a measly one fast train and one slow per hour to London on that day from Oxford. Half what is generally provided when trains can't come from Swindon. There may be some DID^» (Didcot Parkway - next trains)-RDG^‡(resolve)-PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) shuttles added.