Cut-down HSTs on Cardiff - Taunton?

[whole diary]

[Phantom]

2C79 broke down at Nailsea & Backwell this afternoon.  Caused a fair bit of disruption to other westbound services.

Was an understatement, we had to wait for the service to come back into Temple Meads (arrived back 1630) as it was returning up the down line
Was unit 43155

Same again today.  This time 2C71 broke down at Yatton.  And again a 2-car 150/2 substituted for the evening peak. 

On both days, two consecutive Taunton to Weston services have been lost - the return working of the train that broke down, and the following delayed service that skipped stations after Highbridge & Burnham to Bristol to make up time.

That would explain why a 3 car set was back on the service this morning

[Adrian]

Same again today.  This time 2C71 broke down at Yatton.  And again a 2-car 150/2 substituted for the evening peak. 

On both days, two consecutive Taunton to Weston services have been lost - the return working of the train that broke down, and the following delayed service that skipped stations after Highbridge & Burnham to Bristol to make up time.

That would explain why a 3 car set was back on the service this morning

According to CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) one of the diagrams was an 8-coach HST^▸ (High Speed Train) for the first part of the day, but it got substituted for a cut-down set - I think at Temple Meads on 2C79.

I wonder whether they cut right back on the maintenance of the power cars and coaches they're not planning to get refurbished, not anticipating them being pushed back into service albeit as a stopgap measure.  Any sign of the next couple of sliding door sets arriving from Wabtec any time soon?

[LiskeardRich]

2C79 broke down at Nailsea & Backwell this afternoon.  Caused a fair bit of disruption to other westbound services.

Was an understatement, we had to wait for the service to come back into Temple Meads (arrived back 1630) as it was returning up the down line
Was unit 43155

Same again today.  This time 2C71 broke down at Yatton.  And again a 2-car 150/2 substituted for the evening peak. 

On both days, two consecutive Taunton to Weston services have been lost - the return working of the train that broke down, and the following delayed service that skipped stations after Highbridge & Burnham to Bristol to make up time.

That would explain why a 3 car set was back on the service this morning

150001 was on a 2+4 yesterday, sadly Involved in a fatality yesterday evening.

[bobm]

There’s a nine car IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) out in place of a 2+4 today.

[Phantom]

Travelled on one from Weston to Bristol this morning (0841) I forgot how slow these things are at pulling away etc.
Left Weston on time but got to BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)) 6 minutes late with all the flapping around with the doors

[phile]

There’s a nine car IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) out in place of a 2+4 today.

2C43 0624 Bristol Parkway to Penzance

[PhilWakely]

There’s a nine car IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) out in place of a 2+4 today.

2C43 0624 Bristol Parkway to Penzance

followed by (assuming it covers the whole diagram)
2A86 1141 Penzance to Newton Abbot;
2P90 1450 Newton Abbot to Plymouth;
2C48 1556 Plymouth to Penzance;
2P95 1914 Penzance to Plymouth;
5P95 2134 Plymouth to Laira T.& R.S.M.D.

<edit>  2P90 1450 Newton Abbot to Plymouth currently showing as cancelled - 'More trains than usual requiring repairs at the same time' - so it'll probably not cover the whole diagram!

[Adrian]

Several weeks on, and the reliability is better than I had at first feared.  Although the slam door stock has lengthened average station dwell times by at least a minute, this has been largely offset by faster running between stations - especially between Weston and Taunton, and between Patchway and Newport, where these trains quickly reach maximum line speed. 

The section where they tend to lose time is between Temple Meads and Weston Super Mare, especially 2C81 and 2C83 which call at all 6 intermediate stations, and need to clear the Weston loop before 2U24 and 2U26 coming in the opposite direction.  Typically they are losing 5 to 10 minutes here.  The trains can't be re-timed to pass at Weston station instead because the turnaround at Taunton is already very tight.  A few minutes delay to these services soon becomes 20 or 30 minutes as conflicting faster services are given priority.

Maybe some adjustments will come with the December timetable changes, but by then hopefully all the slam doors will have been replaced by sliding doors and extended station stops will no longer be an issue.  Another thing that might help is a reminder over the PA^▸ (Public Address) system that it helps the train to run on time if they close the doors - even if it might seem patronising to some.  Too many people these days seem oblivious to the fact that slam doors don't close themselves.

[Phantom]

Several weeks on, and the reliability is better than I had at first feared.  Although the slam door stock has lengthened average station dwell times by at least a minute, this has been largely offset by faster running between stations - especially between Weston and Taunton, and between Patchway and Newport, where these trains quickly reach maximum line speed. 

The section where they tend to lose time is between Temple Meads and Weston Super Mare, especially 2C81 and 2C83 which call at all 6 intermediate stations, and need to clear the Weston loop before 2U24 and 2U26 coming in the opposite direction.  Typically they are losing 5 to 10 minutes here.  The trains can't be re-timed to pass at Weston station instead because the turnaround at Taunton is already very tight.  A few minutes delay to these services soon becomes 20 or 30 minutes as conflicting faster services are given priority.

Maybe some adjustments will come with the December timetable changes, but by then hopefully all the slam doors will have been replaced by sliding doors and extended station stops will no longer be an issue.  Another thing that might help is a reminder over the PA^▸ (Public Address) system that it helps the train to run on time if they close the doors - even if it might seem patronising to some.  Too many people these days seem oblivious to the fact that slam doors don't close themselves.

Part of the problem is how long it takes the train manager to despatch these services, they are only opening 2/3 doors but walk the whole set when clearly nobody attempted to leave from the other doors

The odd thing this wasn't a problem in the past?

[grahame]

Part of the problem is how long it takes the train manager to despatch these services, they are only opening 2/3 doors but walk the whole set when clearly nobody attempted to leave from the other doors

The odd thing this wasn't a problem in the past?

Noting your "?".

The peak HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) that called at numerous stations between Westbury and Reading always used to feel incredibly slow - due both to the dwell times at each station while the train manager checked all (released) doors and the very gentle acceleration of a 2+8, but the timetable did / does allow for this.  ... 81 minutes Westbury to Reading with 8 stops versus 46 minutes non-stop.   The 81 minutes - if I'm reading it right - to 67 in December 2019, that giving a flavour of the difference the change to IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) can make.

The Bristol area HST schedules that make 3 stops between  Bristol and Weston are allowed (in the current timetable) 4 or 5 minutes longer than unit train schedules making the same stops.  I suspect current time loss issues are due to classic HST units on unit train schedules. Some will be made up over a 2+8 schedule due to the train's "GTi" nature, but they will still feel frustratingly slow with long station stops.

[Adrian]

The Bristol area HST^▸ (High Speed Train) schedules that make 3 stops between  Bristol and Weston are allowed (in the current timetable) 4 or 5 minutes longer than unit train schedules making the same stops.  I suspect current time loss issues are due to classic HST units on unit train schedules. Some will be made up over a 2+8 schedule due to the train's "GTi" nature, but they will still feel frustratingly slow with long station stops.

Looking at the WTT^▸ (Working Time-Table) timings of 2C81, it's only allocated 30 second stops at Bedminster, Parson Street, Yatton and Weston Milton, 1 minute at Nailsea and Worle, and 2 minutes at Temple Meads and Weston.  The slam door trains are averaging 2 minutes per station, apart from Temple Meads where it's more like 4.  So, over that section, they are stopped at stations for 18 minutes compared with the timetabled 8 minutes.  The better acceleration can't make up that sort of difference. 

[DaveHarries]

I have been to Plymouth for work a couple of times recently and have had 2+4 HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) between Plymouth and St. Budeaux. Not on a Gunnislake service but, on that point, I wonder if they have tried them out on that line yet.

Not had a Mini HST from Cardiff to Bristol TM^‡(resolve) yet though.

Dave

[grahame]

I have been to Plymouth for work a couple of times recently and have had 2+4 HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) between Plymouth and St. Budeaux. Not on a Gunnislake service but, on that point, I wonder if they have tried them out on that line yet.

Not had a Mini HST from Cardiff to Bristol TM^‡(resolve) yet though.

Dave

I would be very surprised indeed if 2+4s turn up on Gunnislake or Looe ... on the other hand they may be logical on Newquay on peak days.   Can we have one for Weymouth on Summer Sundays please 

[LiskeardRich]

I have been to Plymouth for work a couple of times recently and have had 2+4 HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) between Plymouth and St. Budeaux. Not on a Gunnislake service but, on that point, I wonder if they have tried them out on that line yet.

Not had a Mini HST from Cardiff to Bristol TM^‡(resolve) yet though.

Dave

I would be very surprised indeed if 2+4s turn up on Gunnislake or Looe ... on the other hand they may be logical on Newquay on peak days.   Can we have one for Weymouth on Summer Sundays please 

They were tested for Newquay and appropriate stop boards put out not long ago. I’ve heard there is a Saturday Newton Abbot to Newquay diagram starting next month.
Like wise an IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) was tested.
Both caused havoc at Quintrell Downs level crossing as both tests were fouling the crossing for 5+ minutes!

[phile]

I have been to Plymouth for work a couple of times recently and have had 2+4 HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) between Plymouth and St. Budeaux. Not on a Gunnislake service but, on that point, I wonder if they have tried them out on that line yet.

Not had a Mini HST from Cardiff to Bristol TM^‡(resolve) yet though.

Dave

I would be very surprised indeed if 2+4s turn up on Gunnislake or Looe ... on the other hand they may be logical on Newquay on peak days.   Can we have one for Weymouth on Summer Sundays please 

They would be overkill on the Gunnislake or Looe Branches for that matter