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

[whole diary]

[IndustryInsider]

Several further changes:

17:30 Paddington to Taunton now 10-cars, together with return 21:28 Taunton to Paddington.
17:45 Paddington to Swansea now a 9-car.

But, 17:15 Paddington to Carmarthen and 17:42 Paddington to Cheltenham now 5-cars.

None of those changes have been made on JourneyCheck! 

IW906
1P07   Herefrd   04:47   Padton    07:52         
1K04   Padton    08:06   Newbury   09:08         
1K11   Newbury   09:23   Padton    10:21         
1C89   Padton    16:33   Taunton   18:44         
1A98   ExetrSD   19:56   Padton    22:37   

NP128
1C01   Padton    05:07   Swansea   08:58         
1L48   Swansea   09:29   Padton    12:30         
1C15   Padton    13:00   BrstlTM   14:43         
1A23   BrstlTM   15:30   Padton    17:12         
1B69   Padton    17:45   Swansea   20:46               Now a 9-car

IW910
1A72   Plymth    05:53   Padton    09:02         
1D20   Padton    09:50   Oxfd    10:49         
1P26   Oxfd    12:00   Padton    12:59         
1W02   Padton    17:22   Herefrd   20:29         Now 9-car as booked      
1P51   Herefrd   21:51   WorcsSH   22:39                 Now 9-car as booked

IW913
2T04   NAbt    07:06   Paigntn   07:27         
1A12   Paigntn   07:48   Padton    11:39         
1C81       Padton     12:33       Taunton    14:34
1A89       Taunton    15:33       Padton     17:53
1C93       Padton     18:33       ExeterSD  21:12

NP129
1L42   Cmthn    07:30   Padton    11:37         
1B31   Padton    12:15   CrdfCen   14:21         
1L68   CrdfCen   14:56   Padton    17:02         
1C24   Padton    17:30   Taunton   20:31         Now a 10-car
1A37   Taunton   21:28   Padton    00:31                 Now a 10-car

IW963
1A79   Penznce   06:47   Padton    12:21         
1C82   Padton    13:03   Plymth    16:18         Now 10-car as booked
1A96   Plymth    16:57   Padton    20:37         Now 10-car as booked
1C98   Padton    21:03   Plymth    00:40                 Now 10-car as booked

[bobm]

I was told, unofficially, so don't know if it was speculation that some units have had to be stopped to have their wheelsets checked after running through floodwater over the weekend.

[Timmer]

Indeed II it’s frustrating for those of us outside the rail industry that Journeycheck is all we have to go on and not helpful when it’s not correct.

Thank you for keeping us correctly informed throughout the day. Pleased to see long distance SW services and most peak time trains ended up with the correct number of carriages.

[IndustryInsider]

I was told, unofficially, so don't know if it was speculation that some units have had to be stopped to have their wheelsets checked after running through floodwater over the weekend.

Given that there were far fewer shortforms yesterday, and none today (so far) that looks like a distinctly possible explanation.

[grahame]

.... some units have had to be stopped to have their wheelsets checked after running through floodwater over the weekend.

Could have been far worse - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-50323239

[rogerw]

At least 3 short forms today

[broadgage]

At least 3 DIAGRAMS that is, over 20 SERVICES half length again.

[bobm]

Had various text alerts to say six services now back to full length but not reflected on Journeycheck again.

[IndustryInsider]

Had various text alerts to say six services now back to full length but not reflected on Journeycheck again.

Indeed, at least some have been corrected on JourneyCheck now including the 16:45 PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)-SWA^» (Swansea - next trains), the 17:00 PAD-TAU^» (Taunton - next trains), and the 17:18 PAD-OXF^» (Oxford - next trains). 

The 16:22 PAD-GMV is also a 9-car (802114), as is the return 19:42 GMV-PAD but both still showing 5 on JourneyCheck.

That makes no shortforms this evening at all.

[TonyK]

.... some units have had to be stopped to have their wheelsets checked after running through floodwater over the weekend.

Could have been far worse - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-50323239

From that report:

"We aim to restore 100% services [on the line] by the end of the current business year [in March]," Mr Fukasawa said.

Four months to replace 10 trains, each 12-car, and capable of over 200 mph - impressive. Here, it would take longer to arrange the first inquiry into whether they were really needed.

[BBM]

.... some units have had to be stopped to have their wheelsets checked after running through floodwater over the weekend.

Could have been far worse - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-50323239

From that report:

"We aim to restore 100% services [on the line] by the end of the current business year [in March]," Mr Fukasawa said.

Four months to replace 10 trains, each 12-car, and capable of over 200 mph - impressive. Here, it would take longer to arrange the first inquiry into whether they were really needed.

Without going too much off-topic, I understand that the 10 new trains were destined for another line and are nearing completion. The older trains on that other line will therefore have to soldier on for a while longer.

[Oxonhutch]

1A02, the 06:30 IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) from Didcot (ex-BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI))) to Paddington short-formed of 5 cars today for the third day running. A busy train at the best of times particularly as it stops also at Slough on the Up Main. Today also quite delayed, first at Swindon and then Maidenhead where it had ended up behind 1P04, the 0708 up IET. I do hope this degraded service returns to normal PDQ.

[nickswift99]

1A02, the 06:30 IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) from Didcot (ex-BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI))) to Paddington short-formed of 5 cars today for the third day running. A busy train at the best of times particularly as it stops also at Slough on the Up Main. Today also quite delayed, first at Swindon and then Maidenhead where it had ended up behind 1P04, the 0708 up IET. I do hope this degraded service returns to normal PDQ.

I think this will be fixed in December as the 0630 will no longer exist.

[Oxonhutch]

I think this will be fixed in December as the 0630 will no longer exist.

Unfortunately, there is a lot of commuting between now and 15th December 

[IndustryInsider]

1A02, the 06:30 IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) from Didcot (ex-BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI))) to Paddington short-formed of 5 cars today for the third day running. A busy train at the best of times particularly as it stops also at Slough on the Up Main. Today also quite delayed, first at Swindon and then Maidenhead where it had ended up behind 1P04, the 0708 up IET. I do hope this degraded service returns to normal PDQ.

Looks like it was delayed at Swindon detaching the rear portion which was stepped up to work 1G02, 06:40 Swindon to Cheltenham, with 1A02 then proceeding as a 5-car.  Then it looks like it gained a further 5-cars at Paddington for its next working.

Shows both the advantages and disadvantages of the 5-car fleet I suppose?  A shortform of a busy train, thankfully corrected after just the one journey, but the ability to detach a portion at Swindon meaning that the 06:40 diagram could be covered without any cancellations.