Shortage of rolling stock since September 2017 - ongoing problems, and subsequent discussion

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Lots like this today ...

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
Short formation due to alterations yesterday which prevented trains ending yesterday at the correct depot last night for today's service.
Last Updated:03/05/2018 05:10

Three diagrams running as 5 cars not 10 all day?

No leeway in servicing trains if they come back into wrong depot?  ("That's not one of OURS - we're not touching it?" or lack of capacity?) No way of catching up during the day?

[TaplowGreen]

Here's an example of all that extra capacity in action........

[lordgoata]

The 1740 from Maidenhead to Oxford was a 5 car turbo tonight, rather than 6 car like usual. I think they maybe dragged it back from the scrap heap - the CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) was informing passengers travelling over Christmas of works being done at Reading (I think) and Cardiff, informing us to visit gwr.com/christmas2016 for info!

As I was leaving the train I noticed one of the adverts by the door was for something Christmas related too! All very odd!

[broadgage]

Obviously, this was accidently released from the top secret hidden reserve in Box tunnel, without being prepared for service.
This USED to contain a hidden reserve of steamers, for use in case of war or national disaster. Steamers are now less useful in an emergency as few railway depots have coaling or watering facilities, and fewer staff are familiar with steam.

It now contains a hidden reserve of turbos, TWO units each bear the same number, one in use and one in the secret store. They are secretly swapped over every couple of years, and are MEANT to be checked for things like out of date adverts and messages.

Google "secret strategic reserve locos" for more details, though most of the results will refer to steam and not to slightly more modern DMUs^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit).

HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) are also stored, some years ago a c0ck up occurred and BOTH trains with same number were accidently put into traffic at the same time, and photographed next to each other ! The government tried to keep it secret, but the picture was published !

 

[paul7575]

I expect there is also a Government controlled secret underground store where they keep all the space, legroom, and tables not fitted to modern units...

Paul

[grahame]

I expect there is also a Government controlled secret underground store where they keep all the space, legroom, and tables not fitted to modern units...

Paul

What's the collective name for a group of buffet cars??

[Western Pathfinder]

A Banquet?.

[Jason]

A buffoon ?

[ChrisB]

Lots like this today ...

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
Short formation due to alterations yesterday which prevented trains ending yesterday at the correct depot last night for today's service.
Last Updated:03/05/2018 05:10

Three diagrams running as 5 cars not 10 all day?

No leeway in servicing trains if they come back into wrong depot?  ("That's not one of OURS - we're not touching it?" or lack of capacity?) No way of catching up during the day?

Those IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) beling to Hitachi, don't you forget.
Only servicable by them & likely have to be joined at specified locations....

[broadgage]

The ongoing IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) fiasco is being discussed in more detail elsewhere on these forums, but meanwhile and perhaps eclipsed by the IETs, short formations on the West country branch lines and secondary routes seem to be getting worse.

Very poor indeed with the holiday season now underway. Most days feature several dozen short formations, and also significant numbers of part cancellations.

Was not the idea to move to the West significant numbers of Turbos from the Thames valley routes, these being displaced by the new EMUs^▸ (Electric Multiple Unit).

So what has gone wrong ? new EMUs not yet working in sufficient numbers to release enough Turbos ?
Or the Turbos have been transferred but are not working reliably or in sufficient numbers ?

[grahame]

So what has gone wrong ?
* New EMUs^▸ (Electric Multiple Unit) not yet working in sufficient numbers to release enough Turbos ?
* Or the Turbos have been transferred but are not working reliably or in sufficient numbers ?

I suspect multiple reasons coming together a bit of each of those, and I would also speculate additionally on
* more turbos that planned on Oxford / North Cotswold services at present than were planned. (HST^▸ (High Speed Train) and 802 paths)
* delay in Castle program - there should be 4 or 5 of them around by now, I think?

[JayMac]

Cancellations today between Bristol and Portsmouth Harbour due to 'more trains than usual needing repairs'.

Seems that its just one diagram affected. So all that was needed to prevent this happening was one additional DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) being available for traffic.

So what the hell are GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) doing hiring out a Class 158 to Arriva Trains Wales today?

Madness.

[phile]

Cancellations today between Bristol and Portsmouth Harbour due to 'more trains than usual needing repairs'.

Seems that its just one diagram affected. So all that was needed to prevent this happening was one additional DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) being available for traffic.

So what the hell are GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) doing hiring out a Class 158 to Arriva Trains Wales today?

Madness.

It was trapped at Canton due to Engineering Work

[JayMac]

Not trapped at all. The line through Chepstow was open yesterday and this morning. Then there's cause and effect. Being 'trapped' didn't lead to the spot hire. A lack of will and seeing the £££ signs for a spot hire are far more likely reasons for GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway). With a misplaced hope that they would be able to wing it with the already stretched stock they had in Bristol.

If route knowledge was an issue (it wasn't last Friday when a GWR DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) was 'rescued' from Canton) then it wouldn't have been too much effort to arrange with ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) to rescue the set to Gloucester, either ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) or attached to a service train.

But no. GWR would rather help another TOCs passengers than ensure their own aren't inconvenienced. Tells you all you need to know about current GWR thinking.

[a-driver]

Not trapped at all. The line through Chepstow was open yesterday and this morning. Then there's cause and effect. Being 'trapped' didn't lead to the spot hire. A lack of will and seeing the £££ signs for a spot hire are far more likely reasons for GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway). With a misplaced hope that they would be able to wing it with the already stretched stock they had in Bristol.

If route knowledge was an issue (it wasn't last Friday when a GWR DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) was 'rescued' from Canton) then it wouldn't have been too much effort to arrange with ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) to rescue the set to Gloucester, either ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) or attached to a service train.

But no. GWR would rather help another TOCs passengers than ensure their own aren't inconvenienced. Tells you all you need to know about current GWR thinking.

It’s not that simple. If the unit is left on Canton depot ATW will charge GWR for stabling on depot.  It might be the case those charges will be waived and ATW will carry out an exam on the unit so no £££ may have changed hands.
There’s also a very limited number of paths available to get the unit back to Bristol..... plus they’ll also need to return the unit back to Canton. I don’t know whether GWR drivers sign Canton so it may require a ATW driver to prepare the unit and then bring it off the depot for starters.  In short, a lot of resources are needed and they need to all come together at the right time.  As for attaching and detaching to a ATW service, that’ll cause delay.