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

[whole diary]

[nickswift99]

Thanks. So I can see how it's possible to do more with the same amount of resources.

But does the impact of set non-availability become worse after December 15 as each diagram has additional services, compared to the current timetable. From a service level perspective the percentage of services impacted might not change but the actual number of services impacted will go up (and customers care about the service they intend to use, not an overall performance figure).

[IndustryInsider]

The same number of daily units for the IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) diagrams are required for the December timetable change as are required now as a result of Graham's comments regarding the diagrams.  Maintenance is higher now that it will be in December in an attempt to improve availability for the December change.  We all await with interest as to whether that's the case or not, if it's a 'not' then there will indeed be more short formations as the average diagram has more trips on it.

Many Paddington/Reading/Oxford 387 drivers also sign 80x, so will be able to redeploy to a certain extent, depending on the routes they sign.

I note JourneyCheck is once again all over the place today.  It lists these as a 5-car when they are actually a 9-car (800307):

1A02   BrstlTM   05:30   Padton    07:17         
1G11   Padton    07:36   Chltnhm   09:52         
1L50   Chltnhm   10:36   Padton    12:44         
1G38   Padton    13:36   Chltnhm   15:52         
1L80   Chltnhm   16:20   Padton    18:38         
1B81   Padton    19:15   Swansea   22:20

It lists these as a 5-car, when they are actually a 10-car (802007/011):

1C04   Padton    07:30   Penznce   13:13         
1A93   Penznce   14:00   Padton    19:20
1C96   Padton    20:03   Plymth    23:36         

[hoover50]

Can someone explain how GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) propose to introduce a reliable new timetable in December given that rolling stock availability isn’t meeting their existing service needs?

I reckon they will do this by running more trains with 5 carriages rather than the 9 or 10 that they should have,

[IndustryInsider]

Can someone explain how GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) propose to introduce a reliable new timetable in December given that rolling stock availability isn’t meeting their existing service needs?

I reckon they will do this by running more trains with 5 carriages rather than the 9 or 10 that they should have,

Well, that's what they're doing now. 

It has long been known that more 'booked' 5-car services will be operating from December (and more again when the extra Bristol trains complete the jigsaw next year) as a result of the big frequency increases, though I've not seen any retraction yet to an initial pledge that nothing into London in the morning peak or out in the evening peak will be less than 9-cars.  If the fleet requirements are the same number from December and most sets are used more intensively/efficiently then that means more seats - a big increase on when the HST^▸ (High Speed Train) fleet provided the service - though of course they might not get all the allocations spot on first time around and some routes will benefit to a larger degree than others.

If anything booked for a 9 or 10-car is shortformed then it should appear on JourneyCheck as it should do now.  I, and others, will know what is what and attempt to keep an eye on it given JourneyCheck's lack of accuracy.

[bobm]

It was mentioned at last night's GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) panel meeting in Plymouth that a software upgrade for the IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) will start to be rolled out across the fleet from this weekend.  It will cover a number of engine management issues and more obvious things like seat reservations.   

[broadgage]

I suspect that the new timetable will contain a lot more 5 car formations, not short formations, but booked to be 5 car.
I suspect some wiggle room will be found to justify 5 car units in the rush hour, this of course wont be a retraction of the earlier promise that all peak hour services to/from London will be full length.

Re-brand 5 cars as being "in line with demand" or "actually an increase in capacity due to the increased service"

[IndustryInsider]

I suspect that the new timetable will contain a lot more 5 car formations, not short formations, but booked to be 5 car.

As I said in my previous post, it has been a stated given for many years that more trains will run off-peak, or contra peak, booked as 5-car trains when the timetable is fully implemented, so no need to suspect anything, as that is what is happening.  The key will be to making sure as far as possible that the booked 5-car trains are suitable for 5-car trains (of which there are plenty), and those booked for 9/10-cars are very rarely shortformed due to availability issues.

Do you still suspect that hardly any changes will be made to the timetable in December as you confidently predicted a few months ago? 

I thought not! 

[IndustryInsider]

I note JourneyCheck is once again all over the place today.  It lists these as a 5-car when they are actually a 9-car (800307):

1A02   BrstlTM   05:30   Padton    07:17         
1G11   Padton    07:36   Chltnhm   09:52         
1L50   Chltnhm   10:36   Padton    12:44         
1G38   Padton    13:36   Chltnhm   15:52         
1L80   Chltnhm   16:20   Padton    18:38         
1B81   Padton    19:15   Swansea   22:20

It lists these as a 5-car, when they are actually a 10-car (802007/011):

1C04   Padton    07:30   Penznce   13:13         
1A93   Penznce   14:00   Padton    19:20
1C96   Padton    20:03   Plymth    23:36         

16:15 Paddington to Swansea also now a 9-car (800314).

[IndustryInsider]

It was mentioned at last night's GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) panel meeting in Plymouth that a software upgrade for the IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) will start to be rolled out across the fleet from this weekend.  It will cover a number of engine management issues and more obvious things like seat reservations.   

Yes, several improvements.  Though a heavy delay was incurred today when two units running different software versions were coupled together in service.  It shouldn’t have happened but did!

In better news LNER^» (London North Eastern Railway - about)’s 9-car Azuma^▸ (Brand name for Class 80x trains on LNER) fleet will be modified in the new year to provide extra luggage stacks by removing some of the seats with no view.  Hopefully similar modifications will take place to GWR sets?  Especially the 802s working the WoE duties.

[rower40]

Yes, several improvements.  Though a heavy delay was incurred today when two units running different software versions were coupled together in service.  It shouldn’t have happened but did!

In these days of auto-updating software, one would have imagined that the unit with the older software would request an update from the other unit as soon as they were coupled together.   Isn't that what happens when one plugs one's car/phone/iPad/shaver in to be charged? 

[onthecushions]

In the (good) old days we just used to paint black triangles etc on the ends of units.

There'll always be a real world beyond the virtual one of software.

OTC

[grahame]

In these days of auto-updating software, one would have imagined that the unit with the older software would request an update from the other unit as soon as they were coupled together.   Isn't that what happens when one plugs one's car/phone/iPad/shaver in to be charged? 

It probably did try - but asked for credit card details so the upgrade could be charged for. 

[broadgage]

"hello, I am calling from Microsoft technical support. We have detected a problem with your new train. If you could just give me your password and a few other details I can fix this remotely for you"

[1st fan]

"hello, I am calling from Microsoft technical support. We have detected a problem with your new train. If you could just give me your password and a few other details I can fix this remotely for you"

Do you use this train for banking by any chance as we would need to elimminate that from our enquiries.

[JayMac]

"hello, I am calling from Microsoft technical support. We have detected a problem with your new train. If you could just give me your password and a few other details I can fix this remotely for you"

Do you use this train for banking by any chance as we would need to elimminate that from our enquiries.

Locomotives tend to be used for banking, rather than entire trains.