IETs into passenger service from 16 Oct 2017 and subsequent performance issues

[whole diary]

[Timmer]

Attracting some media attention this morning......seems like a group of journalists got left behind on the platform when their short formed train rolled in packed to the gunwales & they were unable to board.

Yeah you can see the headlines now 8 carriage trains replaced by 5 carriage trains.

[trainer]

This is very depressing from every angle. I noted some time ago that the commuters from Yatton would not be pleased that their 'increased capacity' would in fact turn out to be decreased.  Others on the forum thought it didn't matter as there wouldn't be that many people travelling between Weston and Bristol.  That's not been my experience.  Six months into the 'brave new world' of better trains and exhortations to be patient as things settle down is a long time for the daily commuter to be passive. 

I am anticipating using one of these services soon as the first train on my 'rover week' and wasn't sure if it would be an IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train).  The knowledge that it might be a short formed IET does not bode well for a pleasant start.  I wonder if anyone here is monitoring the daily shortfall in supplying working IET units for the diagrams planned (and promised)?

My decision to spend most of the week in Scotland could be a good one although they have their own electric train shortage issues of a different nature up there.

[stuving]

The NPxxx numbers are the allocated train diagrams for the day.  So, out of 36 available sets, only 26 are actually in service today.

On a technicality: "available" has a specific meaning in the franchise agreement and the MARA^▸ (Master Availability and Reliability Agreement), where 32 units are to be available to GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway). I presume (not having seen it written anywhere) that Hitachi could add extras to their fleet if reliability isn't good enough, so 36 is the minimum supplier's fleet size.

Since one unit is in GWR service though not carrying passengers, and five units are shown against a depot name,  I expect that means these are available to GWR (making the total of 32 as required) but have not been called up.

[SandTEngineer]

Thanks STUVING.  I have asked elsewhere if the IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) Diagrams are published anywhere.  I have seen the Winter 2017-2018 ones.

[Jason]

My evening SMS informs me that the 17:30 will be 5 not 10. One to avoid.

[broadgage]

Attracting some media attention this morning......seems like a group of journalists got left behind on the platform when their short formed train rolled in packed to the gunwales & they were unable to board.

Yeah you can see the headlines now 8 carriage trains replaced by 5 carriage trains.

As predicted by my crystal ball. I based this prediction not on any detailed study of fleet size or demand, but simply on previous introductions of new trains.

So what, in simple terms is behind the failure to run full length trains ?
Have Hitachi failed to provide what they promised ? In which case are they paying the price for this failure ? or is there some wiggle room ?

Or are GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) failing to utilise the trains fully and leaving them in the depots ? If so why ? It cant be lack of drivers because if a driver is available for a half length train, they presumably could drive a full length train.
It does not look like lack of duplicate train managers, since that has previously resulted in a full train but with half locked out of use.

[Thatcham Crossing]

On a more positive note, chat (stolen from) elsewhere suggests 9-car IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) entered service in the Cotswolds yesterday.

(click on the below to make it more legible!)

[Jason]

Cool. 1W02 is my usual evening service, I look forward to seeing how a 9-car unit operates.

[ChrisB]

On a more positive note, chat (stolen from) elsewhere suggests 9-car IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) entered service in the Cotswolds yesterday.

800304 formed the 1722 up the North Cotswolds yesterday as noted in the NC thread, yes.

There are many reasons in the supply contract with Hitachi why a set may get rejected by GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway), or Hitachi can fail to have enough sets ready. GWR get compensated for fewer sets than agreed being available/fully prepped.

[TaplowGreen]

A busy (and overcrowded!_Friday for "Famous Fives" everywhere...…………

04:33 Bristol Parkway to London Paddington due 06:26
06:00 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central due 09:42
06:48 Weston-Super-Mare to London Paddington due 09:12
07:15 London Paddington to Cardiff Central due 09:20
07:30 Carmarthen to London Paddington due 11:32
07:59 Swansea to London Paddington due 11:00
09:56 Cardiff Central to London Paddington due 12:00
10:00 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads due 11:43
10:30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour due 13:52
12:00 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads due 13:44
12:15 London Paddington to Cardiff Central due 14:21
12:30 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads due 14:08
12:30 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington due 14:14
14:30 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington due 16:14
14:45 London Paddington to Swansea due 17:42
14:56 Cardiff Central to London Paddington due 17:02
15:00 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington due 16:40
16:45 London Paddington to Swansea due 19:46
17:15 London Paddington to Carmarthen due 21:20
17:30 London Paddington to Taunton due 20:31
18:29 Swansea to London Paddington due 21:31
20:29 Swansea to London Paddington due 23:37
21:28 Taunton to London Paddington due 00:31
22:15 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads due 00:03

[Timmer]

All I can say after looking at that list thank goodness no IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) are diagrammed on routes to the SW yet with the busy summer season now upon us. Hopefully they will start with 9 carriage IETs and not 5 carriage. Sadly I don't think that will be the case. Hope I'm wrong.

[trainer]

Just a small point.  If the trains from Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour listed above are composed of 5 coaches then this is actually an increase over the previous norm of 3. Further, if they are IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train), this would be an upgrade on the promised Turbos.

On the other hand if that's a list of cancellations, I would consider it a downgrade.

[Adelante_CCT]

I believe its just simply a list of short forms in general, Taplow Green was purely highlighting the IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) short forms from that list.

[FarWestJohn]

With the experiences I have had with 800s I am dreading the 802s coming to the south west. I can see there being riots at Plymouth if a 5 car turns up from Penzance and there is no crew for the 5 car waiting at Plymouth and it has to go forward with 2 units and 5 cars empty. How easy and quick is it to couple and uncouple a pair of 802s as I have not seen any mention of this and how reliable is it? The coupling of two five car 444s at Bournemouth is very slick even with corridor connections somehow I don't expect GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) to equal this.

[ray951]

800305, looking very bright and shiny,  was working the 1421 Paddington to Worcester today.
It looked her long and took up the whole length of platform 4 at Oxford. Are they longer than an 8 coach HST^▸ (High Speed Train)?