August 2019 / Welcome to "Meet the Managing Director"

[whole diary]

[PhilWakely]

I accept that we can not live in the past and understand that a certain amount of downgrading is unavoidable when new trains are introduced. IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) however contain so many backward steps.

....... the whole thing feel like a regional DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) and not an inter-city train.

The IETs (as designed for GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)) seem to have been designed specifically for the London to Bristol corridor (i.e as a middle-distance commuter train) with little, or no consideration, for the longer distance traveller.

[CMRail]

I accept that we can not live in the past and understand that a certain amount of downgrading is unavoidable when new trains are introduced. IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) however contain so many backward steps.

....... the whole thing feel like a regional DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) and not an inter-city train.

The IETs (as designed for GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)) seem to have been designed specifically for the London to Bristol corridor (i.e as a middle-distance commuter train) with little, or no consideration, for the longer distance traveller.

I disagree with that. Whether travelling only as far as Swindon or the entire journey to Paddington, I feel that my experience should remain the same and that the trains are built for a variety of journeys. Many people do travel from Paddington all the way to Penzance/Swansea, however, these trains also carry passengers travelling to and from intermediate stations.

I am a great fan of the HST^▸ (High Speed Train) and will miss them. However, should we be defining Intercity travel in the same way we did 40 years ago?

[broadgage]

I am a great fan of the HST^▸ (High Speed Train) and will miss them. However, should we be defining Intercity travel in the same way we did 40 years ago?

In my view, yes we should be defining intercity travel in broadly the same way as 40 years ago. Not EXACTLY the same, but generally similar as regards comfort and facilities.

It seems unlikely that rail be will ever be as cheap as driving or as quick as flying, so rail should be competing on comfort and facilities.

[the void]

Challenge for Broadgage - can you go a day without mentioning 'Buffet', 'DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit)' or 'Proper Intercity Train'?

[Rhydgaled]

Remember the original plan was to have a lot of electric only units, with bi-mode for those services which extended beyond Swansea, Bristol, or on the Cotswold Lines.  That made sense at the time, and it's only because Network Fail completely cocked up the electrification for reasons that are outside this discussion that we have ended up with an all bi-mode stock.

There is actually a silver lining to the very black cloud of the electrification failure, which is that the 9-car class 800s sets got plenty of diesel engines instead of only one (ALL the 9-car 800s on the GW^▸ (Great Western) were ordered as class 801s). If that hadn't happened, diversions of South Wales services via Gloucester (for example) would have been stuck with 5-car units, as all the bi-modes would have been 5-car.

The argument that locomotives take up platform space and hence you get less capacity is true, but less so for intercity trains than for regional and suburban units. I think a 5-car Turbo or 158 would be slightly shorter than a 2+4 HST^▸ (High Speed Train) GTI, for example. Once you add crumple zones to exceed 110mph, and a kitchen, the numbers change. If I recall correctly, the difference in seating capacity between a 9-car IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) and a 2x5-car formation is three seats. Running intercity multiple units in multiple is almost as wasteful of platform space as an IC125. TPE^▸ (Trans Pennine Express)'s mark 5a sets (and Greater Anglia's class 90 rakes if Porterbrook's proposal to fit seats in the DVTs^‡(resolve) had gone ahead) have less deadspace in the formation than a pair of 800s.

[broadgage]

Challenge for Broadgage - can you go a day without mentioning 'Buffet', 'DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit)' or 'Proper Intercity Train'?

Yes, and I have done so.
The absence of criticism should however not be taken as an indication that I am converted to liking IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train). 

[TaplowGreen]

Can we see the questions (and preferably some answers!) that didn't make the cut for this session please?

We're almost a month on, and were advised that they would be addressed.

Thanks

[TaplowGreen]

………..another week goes by without questions, answers, or even an acknowledgement - I'm sure some of those who organised/moderated this event are aware, and I would hope they would at least have the courtesy to respond, unless of course the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) model of communication/customer service is being followed in the spirit of the MD's participation?   

[grahame]

………..another week goes by without questions, answers, or even an acknowledgement - I'm sure some of those who organised/moderated this event are aware, and I would hope they would at least have the courtesy to respond, unless of course the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) model of communication/customer service is being followed in the spirit of the MD's participation?   

The issues - and an apology - are due from the Coffee Shop end in this case.  Significant follow up - my estimate - during next week.   Currently with the moderator team;  some of us are widespread and on icky connections at the moment (personal story from me on that tomorrow morning) but still volunteering to run this place well above our unpay grade

[TaplowGreen]

Many thanks for the update Graham.

[chuffed]

The last person who should be apologising is Graham. If anyone deserves the holiday of a lifetime, it's him. He should be switching off from the coffee shop completely for a few weeks !

[bobm]

He should be switching off from the coffee shop completely for a few weeks !

Agreed - but pretty hard when it is part of your family.

[chuffed]

Rather like the prodigal son he should   be spending this holiday on wine, wife and song.....when he comes back we can kill the fatted calf ( no,not you,broadgage) and celebrate his return

[grahame]

The last person who should be apologising is Graham. If anyone deserves the holiday of a lifetime, it's him. He should be switching off from the coffee shop completely for a few weeks !

He should be switching off from the coffee shop completely for a few weeks !

Agreed - but pretty hard when it is part of your family.

Rather like the prodigal son he should   be spending this holiday on wine, wife and song.....when he comes back we can kill the fatted calf ( no,not you,broadgage) and celebrate his return

Going off topic here ... but all pretty much noted and very much appreciated.   You'll see how close I've got to some elements of the suggestion at http://www.passenger.chat/22179 and I'll follow up in the morning (3.5 hours behind your mornings!) with a few more comments.

[broadgage]

Please ensure that the fatted calf is killed in an EU^» (European Union - about) approved slaughterhouse, that the ear tag numbers are correctly recorded, and that proper hygiene procedures are followed regarding meat handling and cooking.
Consider also the carbon emissions of transporting the live animal, the carcass, and of the cooking process.

On animal welfare grounds, a free range fatted calf is preferable to one reared in a pen. The calf should only be moderately fat if the meat is to be enjoyable.