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Great Western Coffee Shop > All across the Great Western territory > Meet the Manager (Data Manager: Bryony) > Qn.6 for Mark Hopwood: Finally: Three wishes!
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Author Topic: Qn.6 for Mark Hopwood: Finally: Three wishes!  (Read 10458 times)
Red Squirrel
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« on: August 05, 2019, 17:51:10 »
If I had a magic wand and could grant GWR▸ (Great Western Railway) three wishes, what would they be and why?
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MarkHopwood
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« Reply #1 on: August 05, 2019, 17:52:42 »
1. I’d like a long term (25 year) investment strategy for our network.
2. I'd like our government, colleagues, customers and society as a whole to think of railway as they do in Switzerland and Japan.
3. I'd like mild weather all year and I would also like to eliminate some of the difficult external events we face, like fatalities. 
4. I would like to exercise my prerogative as MD to add a fourth wish, which is to have a Class 50 and a rake of suitable carriages in the fleet for special occasions!
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Robin Summerhill
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« Reply #2 on: August 05, 2019, 17:55:18 »
Quote from: MarkHopwood on August 05, 2019, 17:52:42
4. I would like to exercise my prerogative as MD to add a fourth wish, which is to have a Class 50 and a rake of suitable carriages in the fleet for special occasions!

I'm sure that could be accomplished pretty quickly by negotiating with those who currently own them!
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rogerw
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« Reply #3 on: August 05, 2019, 17:55:56 »
I particularly like the last wish.  Perhaps that could be used to provide much needed capacity on the Weymouth service on summer Saturdays
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MarkHopwood
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« Reply #4 on: August 05, 2019, 18:00:11 »
Quote from: Robin Summerhill on August 05, 2019, 17:55:18
Quote from: MarkHopwood on August 05, 2019, 17:52:42
4. I would like to exercise my prerogative as MD to add a fourth wish, which is to have a Class 50 and a rake of suitable carriages in the fleet for special occasions!

I'm sure that could be accomplished pretty quickly by negotiating with those who currently own them!

I have to keep business and pleasure separate!
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grahame
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« Reply #5 on: August 05, 2019, 18:07:14 »
Quote from: MarkHopwood on August 05, 2019, 17:52:42
1. I’d like a long term (25 year) investment strategy for our network.
2. I'd like our government, colleagues, customers and society as a whole to think of railway as they do in Switzerland and Japan.
3. I'd like mild weather all year and I would also like to eliminate some of the difficult external events we face, like fatalities. 
4. I would like to exercise my prerogative as MD to add a fourth wish, which is to have a Class 50 and a rake of suitable carriages in the fleet for special occasions!


That is wonderful .. no 1, no 2 and no 3 are, I suspect, totally supported by just about all of our members .. no 4, of course, it should be a Class 33  Grin Grin but we'll agree on 98% and have one or the other.
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« Reply #6 on: August 05, 2019, 18:08:50 »
Love a Hoover but yes with Graham on a class 33. Happy memories of them on Cardiff-Portsmouth/Weymouth line.
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MarkHopwood
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« Reply #7 on: August 05, 2019, 18:11:19 »
I am still traumatised by my days waiting at Sherborne for a Class 50 only to hear a nasty shredding sound as a Class 33 rounded the corner. In the interests of diversity I do allow the odd Class 33 enthusiast to be employed at GWR▸ (Great Western Railway) but their use on GWR trains would be a resigning matter!
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broadgage
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« Reply #8 on: August 05, 2019, 18:11:28 »
Quote from: Robin Summerhill on August 05, 2019, 17:55:18
Quote from: MarkHopwood on August 05, 2019, 17:52:42
4. I would like to exercise my prerogative as MD to add a fourth wish, which is to have a Class 50 and a rake of suitable carriages in the fleet for special occasions!

I'm sure that could be accomplished pretty quickly by negotiating with those who currently own them!

Sounds a splendid idea and could be chartered for special occasions. Could even have a buffet car, and a van for surfboards, bicycles, and holiday luggage.
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A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
Red Squirrel
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« Reply #9 on: August 05, 2019, 18:12:53 »
37. Just sayin'.
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broadgage
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« Reply #10 on: August 05, 2019, 18:31:07 »
Quote from: Red Squirrel on August 05, 2019, 18:12:53
37. Just sayin'.

Enough of these old diesels, what about something newer such as Tornado  Smiley
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A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
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