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

[whole diary]

[stuving]

Not just short forms today but also cancellations on the Bristol line.  When I arrived at Bath this morning I noticed that both the 0913 and 1013 departures to Paddington were showing as cancelled together with the 0924 to Bristol (0802 from Paddington).

According to RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) the 0913 from Bath ran but was diverted from Bristol to run via Badminton - so still a cancellation at Bath and Chippenham

That looks like the same operating logic as has been noted at Maidenhead - "this train is 15 minutes late; it will skip these stations (and use a route that's now about 15 minutes faster, with no BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains) stop) so as to get back into its path from Swindon".

[Incider]

6 units stopped for out of course work today, two collisions, two fatalities, an object strike and ballast damage.  That is unusual for any fleet.  That’s on top of those units planned to be stopped for routine maintenance.

[Class 50]

Is not the real issue , the IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) are good , but not as good as we all imagined Japanese design would be, and GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Needs 4 more 9 car units , to deliver day in day out.
The public (normals who pay high fares and tax) , are just not interested in excuses.
Are agility trains delivering the contract, what sanctions are there.
This underperformance is ruing what could be a fantastic service..

[broadgage]

Is not the real issue , the IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) are good , but not as good as we all imagined Japanese design would be, and GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Needs 4 more 9 car units , to deliver day in day out.
The public (normals who pay high fares and tax) , are just not interested in excuses.
Are agility trains delivering the contract, what sanctions are there.
This underperformance is ruing what could be a fantastic service..

I partially agree, but rather than another four 9 car units (36 vehicles) I would prefer that an extra 4 vehicles be added to 9 of the 5 car units (also 36 vehicles)
Building an additional 36 intermediate vehicles would add more capacity than building extra sets.
36 intermediate vehicles should also be cheaper than 8 driving vehicles and 28 intermediate vehicles.
I can the merit of some 5 car units for some services, but feel that 9 car units should be in the majority.

[IndustryInsider]

Much better so far today.  The few trains listed as 5-car on Journeycheck are actually 10-cars, so at the moment I can’t see any short forms.

[PhilWakely]

Much better so far today.  The few trains listed as 5-car on Journeycheck are actually 10-cars, so at the moment I can’t see any short forms.

I hate to burst your bubble II, but 1C69 (0637 PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)-PNZ) and 1A92 (1415 PNZ to PAD) were both short-formed today. I know, cos I was on both - with the TM^‡(resolve), in each case, apologising for the short form.

I was also very surprised with 1C69 as that is the much-heralded, sub-3 hour, early morning service to Plymouth. I boarded at Exeter and, even though it was only a 5-car today, I had coaches B and C to myself!

[bobm]

1C69 was also five cars on Tuesday.

[grahame]

I was also very surprised with 1C69 as that is the much-heralded, sub-3 hour, early morning service to Plymouth. I boarded at Exeter and, even though it was only a 5-car today, I had coaches B and C to myself!

I wouldn't be surprised ... looking back at the place I used to live (Petts Wood), to catch that train from Paddington I would have to catch the 04:36 and change at Farringdon, or the 04:57 and change at Victoria ... and I think Petts Wood was just 12 miles from the centre.

Run the 06:37 quarter of an hour earlier, stop along the Berks and Hants so it's back on schedule at 08:18 at Taunton, and in a year or so you'll rocket passengers numbers.  Cut the Newton Abbott and Totnes stops out of the 08:04 from Paddington, pushing it back to 08:10, and you'll have a popular sub-3hour train from London, with a much more acceptable time from Petts Wood of around 06:37 (change at London Bridge).  The stops missed both have trains 20 minutes earlier and 20 minutes later ...

[bobm]

Just to cast further doubt on the accuracy of Journeycheck, the screens at Exeter are advertising the 16:15 from Penzance to London Paddington as five coaches.  It should be 10 from Plymouth but no mention on Journeycheck.

[PhilWakely]

Just to cast further doubt on the accuracy of Journeycheck, the screens at Exeter are advertising the 16:15 from Penzance to London Paddington as five coaches.  It should be 10 from Plymouth but no mention on Journeycheck.

Set swap at Plymouth. 802003 (5-car) from Penzance replaced by 802105 (9-car). 

[IndustryInsider]

Much better so far today.  The few trains listed as 5-car on Journeycheck are actually 10-cars, so at the moment I can’t see any short forms.

I hate to burst your bubble II, but 1C69 (0637 PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)-PNZ) and 1A92 (1415 PNZ to PAD) were both short-formed today. I know, cos I was on both - with the TM^‡(resolve), in each case, apologising for the short form.

I was also very surprised with 1C69 as that is the much-heralded, sub-3 hour, early morning service to Plymouth. I boarded at Exeter and, even though it was only a 5-car today, I had coaches B and C to myself!

I don’t mind any bursting of bubbles, Phil.  Any reports of short forms that aren’t listed on JourneyCheck are just as important as correcting the listings of short forms that are incorrect.  There’s no doubt it is a problem that occurs both ways, though the bias is definitely towards wrong listing of short forms than the other way round.

[bobm]

Just to cast further doubt on the accuracy of Journeycheck, the screens at Exeter are advertising the 16:15 from Penzance to London Paddington as five coaches.  It should be 10 from Plymouth but no mention on Journeycheck.

Set swap at Plymouth. 802003 (5-car) from Penzance replaced by 802105 (9-car). 

Screen also said no Pullman.   Wonder if that was wrong too. 

[rogerpatenall]

Run the 06:37 quarter of an hour earlier, stop along the Berks and Hants so it's back on schedule at 08:18 at Taunton, and in a year or so you'll rocket passengers numbers.  Cut the Newton Abbott and Totnes stops out of the 08:04 from Paddington, pushing it back to 08:10, and you'll have a popular sub-3hour train from London, with a much more acceptable time from Petts Wood of around 06:37 (change at London Bridge).  The stops missed both have trains 20 minutes earlier and 20 minutes later ...

That actually makes sense (sensibly). - Perhaps the rest of the GW^▸ (Great Western) timetable needs remodelling to improve connections from Petts Wood. (and, if you've time, Grahame, can you prioritise connections from Westcombe Park too). A job for the long winter evenings. (OK. the rest in jest).

[Timmer]

Lets hope '9 to 5' is not the 'norm' on both the Western and London North Eastern in future.
https://twitter.com/1st_class_pie/status/1224674901031866368

[The Tall Controller]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the 0637 PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)-PNZ is planned as a 5-car throughout. It certainly doesn't warrant any additional capacity from the times I've been on it.