A bit like TG i've long given up on believing in manana manana but I did have a vague hope that the service would stop getting worse which is what seems to be currently happening. Short formed train going in today from Twyford to Paddington and this evening two of the very few fast services home to Twyford cancelled.
Are we seeing the consequences of earlier forum discussions about
GWR▸ having to relinquish rolling stock before delayed cascaded stock replaces them?
Yes we are seeing the consequences of stock being given up before the replacements are available for use in sufficient numbers.
I foretold this some years ago, via my now famous crystal ball. My forecasts were widely criticised as being unduly pessimistic, and answered with a variety of facts and figures that "proved" that all would be well.
I based my forecast not on any detailed analysis of the rolling stock situation, but simply on prior experience.
I have been the victim of at least two major rolling stock replacement programmes that went wrong.
Firstly, Waterloo to Exeter services were downgraded from full length loco hauled trains to 3 car
DMUs▸ . As soon as a few new DMUs had arrived, the old stock was rapidly withdrawn. 3 car instead of 8 on rush hours trains, two and a half car on the late evening service, many services turned round at Basingstoke and so on.
Although I don't think much of the DMUs, they would have done the job if available in sufficient numbers BEFORE the withdrawal of the old trains.
In southeast London the old slam door
DC▸ EMUs▸ were replaced by shiny new networkers, again as soon as SOME of the new trains were introduced, the old ones were scrapped.
As a result rush hour trains were regularly half length, the
BTP▸ had to attend to rioting commuters, and off peak services were sometimes 2 car.
I got a seat on the old 8 car trains, but had to stand on the new shorter ones.
The new half length cross country trains were also not a complete success, did not a princess turn into a pumpkin, or something.
We were told that "this time it would be different" but to me it all looks very familiar.
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