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

[whole diary]

[IndustryInsider]

Several services to/from Bedwyn are today formed of 3 car Turbos instead of 5 car IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train). "due to a shortage of IETs"
So much for the new fleet being ample.

On of the two Bedwyn diagrams is indeed a Turbo.  There appears to have been a PA^▸ (Public Address) fault on an earlier service which I think was an IET which came off North Pole an hour late and as a result led to the 09:07 PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)-BDW and return being cancelled.  Though, later in the day, it looks like it's actually due to a crew shortage - Turbos can run DOO^▸ (Driver-Only Operation (that is, trains which operate without carrying a guard)) to Bedwyn whilst IETs need a guard.

[CMRail]

Why is it that people are continually so obsessive about these trains being so terrible because there are faults? Either HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) were faultless, or, they were never discussed so regularly as they were the norm and such an iconic train..

[broadgage]

Why is it that people are continually so obsessive about these trains being so terrible because there are faults? Either HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) were faultless, or, they were never discussed so regularly as they were the norm and such an iconic train..

Several reasons.
1) Many people consider the IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) to be a very poor quality replacement for the proper inter-city trains used previously, a position worsened when they are half length.

2) HSTs undoubtedly failed, but such failures usually resulted in either a spare HST or a full length loco hauled set being used instead. These days we get a half length train.

3) IETs are hugely expensive, and for all this expense we were promised "Japanese levels of reliability"

4) Previous promises have not been kept "all trains that need to be full length, will be full length"
"much improved trolley service"  "hot food in cattle class"
Therefore many people don't believe promises about future improvements and suspect that we stuck with uncomfortable trains, often reduced in length, with minimal catering, for the next 26 years.

I, and I suspect many others, would forgive the underfloor engines if the trains had proper buffets, padded seats, working reservations, more tables, reliable toilets, proper luggage space for holidaymakers, and were reliably 9 or 10 car with gangways throughout.

[rogerw]

Travelled today on 1456 CPM^» (Chippenham - next trains) -PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) on set 800034, middle coach(813034). No reservations posted, just a sea of green lights.

Assuming that middle coach was coach J then that carriage was unreserved so a sea of green is what you should have seen.

No, it was coach C where my reservation should have been

[IndustryInsider]

Fair enough, obviously an error with the reservations there then as C was heavily reserved.  It’s unusual for that to happen - usually the TM^‡(resolve)/driver can correct it if the reservations have loaded (which they must have done for the green lights to have been on) but the formation wrong, unless the previous train had stuck in the system?  Did you notice whether the internal/external displays were showing the correct information, or what reservation information was being displayed in other carriages?

Reservations are generally much better now, but still not as reliable as they should be.

[didcotdean]

Why is it that people are continually so obsessive about these trains being so terrible because there are faults? Either HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) were faultless, or, they were never discussed so regularly as they were the norm and such an iconic train..

The operational faults of the HST were made somewhat more invisible in recent years on the main services than they might have been by the practice of a failed one being covered if possible by reallocating one scheduled to run on the Cotswolds or Oxfords. This was in turn covered by a turbo often dividing a 2+3 formation from elsewhere. So whilst those on the main lines still got their HST and were blissfully unaware of what was going on, others got a 3 carriage turbo instead of an HST, and a 2 carriage turbo instead of a 5. Next to suffer might be Cheltenham, with a through HST cancelled in favour of a shuttle from Swindon.

Of course this couldn't happen every time depending on where and when the failure occurred, but it certainly had an effect.

[Incider]

Why is it that people are continually so obsessive about these trains being so terrible because there are faults? Either HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) were faultless, or, they were never discussed so regularly as they were the norm and such an iconic train..

2) HSTs undoubtedly failed, but such failures usually resulted in either a spare HST or a full length loco hauled set being used instead. These days we get a half length train.

There was rarely a spare HST set (and if there was, it was inevitably in the wrong place) and I’d love to know how many years ago (if it ever happened) that a failed HST was usually replaced by a full length loco hailed set.....

[broadgage]

Decades ago when the HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) were new and less reliable, it was common to substitute a full length loco hauled set.
In more recent years it was the norm to take an HST from a lower priority service, in order to avoid cancelling an important express.

[IndustryInsider]

I remember 2-car Turbos being sent out several times instead of a HST^▸ (High Speed Train) on a ‘low priority’ but bloody busy Sunday Paddington to Hereford diagram.  Rather more of an inconvenience than replacing a 9-car with a 5-car IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train), even if the latter is still regrettable.

[broadgage]

The operational faults of the HST^▸ (High Speed Train) were made somewhat more invisible in recent years on the main services than they might have been by the practice of a failed one being covered if possible by reallocating one scheduled to run on the Cotswolds or Oxfords. This was in turn covered by a turbo often dividing a 2+3 formation from elsewhere. So whilst those on the main lines still got their HST and were blissfully unaware of what was going on, others got a 3 carriage turbo instead of an HST, and a 2 carriage turbo instead of a 5. Next to suffer might be Cheltenham, with a through HST cancelled in favour of a shuttle from Swindon.
Of course this couldn't happen every time depending on where and when the failure occurred, but it certainly had an effect.

Yes, but that is of little consolation to the long distance passengers who used to always get a full length HST, but now have a lottery as to train length.

[didcotdean]

Indeed it means sharing out the pain more rather than one section of customers being constantly pampered over another as in the past - and seemingly not realising it.

Wonder if when electrification is completed to Cardiff the 387s will cover it

[IndustryInsider]

Worth mentioning there were very few shortforms today anyway.  Indeed I noted at least one Cornish service running as 10 vice 5 throughout.

I certainly acknowledge that reliability (and therefore availability) needs to improve though.  The list of diesel only units had crept up to 20 yesterday - not much of a problem now, but will be in December!

[Trowres]

A 9 coach IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) turned up on one of the W-S-M air show extra workings yesterday.

I survived the seat for 30 minutes, but was loaned a scarf by Mrs T in order to cope with the icy breeze emanating from the air con system. I haven't tried sufficient IETs to know whether this is an isolated case, specific to the seat where I was (approx. the middle of the coach) or more widespread. Has anyone else noticed this problem now that the cooling season has arrived? (Not that Saturday was particularly hot...)

[IndustryInsider]

I can't say I've noticed it particularly. 

Having experienced the Class 180 air-con which really did make your teeth chatter on occasions if you were in the wrong spot (on other occasions it was about 30 degrees in the carriage!) it seems to be working reasonably well with the temperature sensors generally reading between 20 and 23 degrees whenever I've looked.  There will always be the odd exception though.

[didcotdean]

I certainly acknowledge that reliability (and therefore availability) needs to improve though.  The list of diesel only units had crept up to 20 yesterday - not much of a problem now, but will be in December!

The bi-mode capability seemed at first to give the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about)/NR^» (Network Rail - home page) a get out of jail free card with the electrification mess-up, but increasingly it seems to be Agility Trains/Hitachi that is the beneficiary at the moment.