Well would you believe it PART 2

[whole diary]

[Shazz]

Oh, and it was Blaenau Gwent council who proposed, and funded a large part of the ebbw vale service. Vote for someone better next time you have your local council elections

I don't really think that is a fair thing to say considering the state of the Labour Gmt.

You might not, but if it wasnt for them, this whole thing might never have happened.

So its a perfectly valid point.

Oh, and you have what, 52 (?) "new" unites en route in the near future. Whereas, Wales is to get none.

So i think its fair game that you don't get atws stock, and sit and wait for just another year or so.

[r james]

AH i never realised that it was because FGW^▸ (First Great Western) forgot to renew their 150s that they lost them!!!!!  I thought it was the DFT^▸ (Department for Transport) who simply re-alocated them.

I still do not think that 150s are the answer to FGWs stock problem - its 158s and similar that they need.  Infact they need NEW trains, which I think its time the first group considered funding towards??  

[dog box]

The bottom line shazz is most people who read this site couldnt give two hoots if people are riding on the roof on the valley lines. only that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) increase the capacity on the Cardiff /Portsmouth by getting hold of additional stock

[Shazz]

AH i never realised that it was because FGW^▸ (First Great Western) forgot to renew their 150s that they lost them!!!!!  I thought it was the DFT^▸ (Department for Transport) who simply re-alocated them.

I still do not think that 150s are the answer to FGWs stock problem - its 158s and similar that they need.  Infact they need NEW trains, which I think its time the first group considered funding towards?? 

Oh its not like first group have money luying around*








*its not like they're making near a ^229.7m a year in profits, honest

The bottom line shazz is most people who read this site couldnt give two hoots if people are riding on the roof on the valley lines. only that FGW increase the capacity on the Cardiff /Portsmouth by getting hold of additional stock

I know, i'm just pointing out the pit falls/ many many reasons they're more than likely not to get stock from across the severn, especially as i believe it was the daft/nrs idea to extend the platforms and send extra stock atws way

[devon_metro]

The DafT specified how many units the franchise needed in their greatest hour of wisdom and therefore it was not necessary for FGW^▸ (First Great Western) to renew the lease on 8 150s...

I'd say as nice as more 158s would be, we aren't going to get any wheras we were going to get some 150s but apparantly not until 2010 so we will continue to suffer. 

Why should FGW buy new trains anyway when they will loose the franchise in a few years time anyway. If the DafT really cared they wouldn't simply throw around stupid insult at FGW when THEY ARE the problem, instead they would tackle the route problem and build some bloody trains and not stand around chatting about it all bloody year 

[Shazz]

The DafT specified how many units the franchise needed in their greatest hour of wisdom and therefore it was not necessary for FGW^▸ (First Great Western) to renew the lease on 8 150s...

I'd say as nice as more 158s would be, we aren't going to get any wheras we were going to get some 150s but apparantly not until 2010 so we will continue to suffer. 

Why should FGW buy new trains anyway when they will loose the franchise in a few years time anyway. If the DafT really cared they wouldn't simply throw around stupid insult at FGW when THEY ARE the problem, instead they would tackle the route problem and build some bloody trains and not stand around chatting about it all bloody year 

Other TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) have, and do...

It's not like first have 3 franchises that could use new stock if they decided to become a rosco as well, and buy there own stock. And could even lease them to whoever gets the franchise come the end of the current one. And i'm sure the competition comission would welcome another rosco to sort out the stupidly high prices some trains cost to lease.

[r james]

Its no different to how FGW^▸ (First Great Western) own some of their HST^▸ (High Speed Train) powercars. 

ANyway, who has said nothing wll be going to FGW until 2010 in terms of 150s???  I haven;t read this anywhere??  Can you confirm this? 

[Shazz]

Its no different to how FGW^▸ (First Great Western) own some of their HST^▸ (High Speed Train) powercars. 

ANyway, who has said nothing wll be going to FGW until 2010 in terms of 150s???  I haven;t read this anywhere??  Can you confirm this? 

Thats when the remainder ( 8 ) of the 150's from EMT^» (East Midlands Trains - about) will arrive at the very latest

Before, the rest cascade fgw's way sometime later

[r james]

Do you mean London Midland?  I didnt think EMT^» (East Midlands Trains - about) has 150s?

[Shazz]

Do you mean London Midland?  I didnt think EMT^» (East Midlands Trains - about) has 150s?

...yes i did!

[r james]

When you say the rest transfer, what do you mean???  I didn't realise that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) wee to get every single other 150.  I would presume some would go to Northern and ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) also?

[Shazz]

When you say the rest transfer, what do you mean???  I didn't realise that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) wee to get every single other 150.  I would presume some would go to Northern and ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) also?

midland are replacing all of there 150's with turbo stars.

As far as i'm aware they are to be allocated to fgw as part of the "1000 extra carriages" thing

[Timmer]

This is why FGW^▸ (First Great Western) need these extra 150s:

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=1847.0

Something that happens every weekend on the Cardiff-Portsmouth line

[Btline]

What about the Adelantes, are they coming as well?

[DanielP]

I wouldn't go getting too jealous of the Ebbw Vale area- it has pretty close to zero employment prospects and bad road links, so railway access is literally a godsend. Now people with pretty much no opportunities can get out to find better jobs etc. As for the Valley lines, did I mention that the reason that six car trains will be run is that there has been a massive station extension project including 42 stations- this isn't just using existing platforms, it is major construction and investment the like of which isn't happening in England at the moment. That is why the extra units are needed.

I can understand why folks are getting upset, but as a Welsh rail user, I mustn't forget the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) situation, but also FGW campaigners should be looking at what is happening in our area and taking notes about what CAN be made to happen. Luckily, the Welsh Assembly (up to a point) put their money where their mouth is. Having said that, our system is being done cheaply- they should really have done a Chiltern style total route modernisation (Turbostars and all!), but they couldn't come up with the money. Of course, Cardiff is a capital city, which helps, but WAG^» (Welsh Assembly Government - about) have also been carrying out improvements on the Cambrian line (more passing loops) etc.

I bet there is a hell of a lot of bargaining and politics going on behind this rolling stock and I bet Mr Haines is earning his ^ in the process too. I think by the end of it, if FGW don't get extra stock immediately, it will be clear to EVERYONE (not just those in the know) that the issues are totally the DaFT^» (Department for Transport - critical sounding abbreviation I discourage - about)'s fault.

Not much consolation if you are left stranded on a platform, but i (and many others) have been there too in Wales!!

Daniel