What do you get when you cross...

[whole diary]

[Timmer]

It shouldn't have to be this way if FGW^▸ (First Great Western) had enough rolling stock but because they don't, I encourage passengers who are travelling Bath-Bristol to use the HST^▸ (High Speed Train) services to free up the local two car stock for passengers travelling from Wilts/further south, Oldfield Park and Keynsham.

FGW have put posters up at stations showing what rolling stock operates on peak services between Bath-Bristol and vice versa.

Timmer you really are a little unfair. Whilst I agree that there is a shortage of rolling stock this isn't a new thing. I can remember on countless occasions finding it hard both in the morning and evening peaks to board trains at Oldfield Park when that part of the franchise was run by Wessex Trains. I do wish that some people would remember this!

Oh I do remember this 12hours and frequently point this out when tallking about overcrowding on West services. One example shown is the following post:
http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=1534.30

Once again I do say that overcrowding happened on this line under the Wales and West and Wessex Trains franchises but thats why Wessex made some of their fleet of 158s three carriages to help relieve the problem.

I am in total agreement with you that overcrowding and shortage of stock is not a new thing, even going back to BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) days.

What I will stand by is my strength of feeling towards DFT^▸ (Department for Transport)/FGW for reducing the length of Cardiff-Portmouth trains from three back down to two carriages and all the problems that has caused. Its not right that time and time again passengers are left behind at stations having to wait another hour for a service that they may not even be able to get on that one either which is happening all too often on this line.

[miniman]

So this happened again tonight. 2 trains were sent out of Temple Meads at pretty much bang on 5:30 - the 5:30 Paddington HST^▸ (High Speed Train) (just on time) and the slightly delayed Portsmouth Harbour service. The HST was put behind the stopping train and thus we were running 15 late by the time we got to Bath Spa.

Don't platform staff press a button to set the signals to send the trains out? If so, why didn't someone think it through? (Or is this too much abuse of "frontline staff" to make such a comment?). If not, surely either the controllers should have enough sense not to do something so daft, or surely someone at Temple Meads could contact them and get them to send the HST out first?

[devon_metro]

And the unit was 2v4!!

Staff press the 'TRTS^▸ (Train Ready To Start. A plunger/switch pressed by platform dispatch staff that informs the signaller that a train is ready to depart.)' button which tells the signaller that the train is ready to start.

[miniman]

And the unit was 2v4!!

Staff press the 'TRTS^▸ (Train Ready To Start. A plunger/switch pressed by platform dispatch staff that informs the signaller that a train is ready to depart.)' button which tells the signaller that the train is ready to start.

Bingo! (as an aside, I just worked out what TRTS means!)

So, is it fair to say that what happened this evening was an avoidable delay?

[devon_metro]

Most definatly.

[devon_metro]

Same thing happened an hour earlier.

1622 departed 1630
1630 HST^▸ (High Speed Train) departed 1630 although was given the path.

[devon_metro]

And the unit was 2v4!!

Staff press the 'TRTS^▸ (Train Ready To Start. A plunger/switch pressed by platform dispatch staff that informs the signaller that a train is ready to depart.)' button which tells the signaller that the train is ready to start.

Bingo! (as an aside, I just worked out what TRTS means!)

So, is it fair to say that what happened this evening was an avoidable delay?

As a matter of fact the delay was justified, the unit departed at 1726 so it would be silly holding the unit for the HST^▸ (High Speed Train) at 1730

[tramway]

There was a lot of very nifty footwork at BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)) this evening, was very impressed, considering it could have been a complete disaster not so long ago.

I'll need some correction here if I've some details wrong.

The 1622 FIT WEY arrived FIT 1640 and was a 143, was sent to platform 1 at BTM, I think it terminated there. 150/1 brought to platform 3 to continue the journey(?)

The 158 running the Parkway/Westbury came and went plarform 9, I waited for the 1722.

1710 BTM/Parkway arrived on Platfrom 11, consist of refurb 153, 150/2 and 158. 158 uncoupled and left to make the 1722 4 car. Platform staff and announcements excellent, making sure everyone knew what was happening. 1710 left a bit late so things had to clear before the Portsmouth arrived 1720 approx.

Very little time to couple up and load before we left at 1726 in front of Miniman. We were held briefly on the way out, not sure why before we got the clear.

Doesn't bear thinking about if that had continued as 2 car, full and standing as a 4, cleared a bit after Trowbridge.

So sorry you were a bit delayed there miniman, but we were late into Trowbridge as well, at least we were able to get on the train. I had thought we would be held to let you through, but we were just inside the limit I think when we left, as I say cracking work by the staff.

[Graz]

The 1622 FIT WEY arrived FIT 1640 and was a 143, was sent to platform 1 at BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)), I think it terminated there. 150/1 brought to platform 3 to continue the journey(?)

You're right as my WMN^» (Warminster - next trains) - GMV train passed it at Westbury, where they're due to depart there at the same time. I was surprised a 150/1 was going that far to be honest, but it didn't look overcrowded at all and everyone seemed happy.

Just for reference, the GMV service was a nice comfy TPX 158 again!

EDIT: It's also worth saying that someone bought a ticket to Worcester Fgt St, good to see that people are going much further afield than Bristol

[Lee]

You realise that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) doesn't control signalling right?

If a stopper is let go first then that is down to the controlling signaller..

Yeah I'm aware of that. Genuine question - if FGW requested that signallers give priority to their HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) vs their local trains, would they get anywhere? Strikes me this is another problem with a national rail network operated by a huge range of disparate organisations, none of whom really care about the others.

I see that you have posted on your blog regarding this, miniman (link below.)
http://thirdratewestern.blogspot.com/2008/02/that-stopping-train-again.html

By the way, many thanks for the plug and the Save The Train/Coffee Shop links

[miniman]

Seems like the 1726 was on time then and got held outside the station for a bit. Anyay, unfortunately even if it is on time, the 1730 gets caught behind it by the time it gets to Oldfield Park. The obvious answer to the layman would be to timetable the stopping train out of BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) at 1736 or something, but no doubt this would clash elsewhere (perhaps crossing in front of a down service at Bathampton Junction).

I suppose the best solution is 4 tracks all the way from Swindon to Bristol.  A new Box Tunnel might be a challenge though 

[Jez]

I remember once when I was catching an ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) service from Port Talbot to Cardiff - the one that stops at the small stations like Pyle - it was is due to leave Port Talbot about 13 minutes before the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) but was quite late and the FGW was just behind it. So it pulled over onto another track somewhere between Port Talbot and Pyle to let the High Speed train go past it to prevent that being late also.

[Graz]

^ Something similar used to happen to me before. About 2 years ago I used to get the Wessex local services from Cheltenham Spa-Bristol, and occasionally we'd stop near Westerleigh junction, a late Voyager would go roaring past on the other track.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Likewise west of Bristol, where local units sometimes left BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)) on time, but were then held at Bedminster for up to 5 minutes until a delayed Voyager hammered past in the outside lane, so to speak!

 

[John R]

I don't really object to that. Makes sense not to delay the Voyager even further, for the sake of a few minutes on a local service. Mind you, if they reinstated the down relief to just beyond Parson St it would make the holding of services at Bedminster much less frequent. (And at the same time, make the diverge onto the up relief just prior to Parson St, rather than after the station. Have you noticed how if the up train is going to be switched onto the relief after Parson St, it loses a minute because of the approach controlling, so it has to slow almost to a stop, then accelerate, then stop at Parson St, and only then switch onto the relief. )