Running express train out of Paddington is rather akin to spraying bullets out of a gun - to (or towards) Hereford, Cheltenham Spa, Swansea, Weston-super-Mare and Penzance. Local east - west trains must nip in smartish behind a bullet and get out of the way before the next bullet hits. Local north - south trains must dodge bullets as they come flying past, nipping in and out where they can.
Come 15th December, the rate of fire of bullets is to be stepped up, and the bullets are going to travel faster too. It's the biggest timetable change since 1976, and virtually every bullet will be retimed. Money has been invested in making the trains faster and more frequent, and London is the target. Once the bullets were timetabled clock face and fast, the schedulers had the job of fitting in the second class trains as best they can to (a) avoid clashing with the new bullet times, (b) plan acceptably to Network Rail (c) meet their government contract (d) work in such a way that freight trains can get through and their own trains can get to servicing points as necessary (e) do all of the preceding in the best economic way for their shareholders and (f) provide a service tuned to customer needs. It's a tall order and I have a huge respect for the transport planners and timetablers who have been working on this for years!
As I write (prior to the changes) there are a number of strange-looking trains around. Some are the result of history and fulfil little purpose, others have developed over many years and meet specific requirements. And a number of those trains have developed a regular and faithful customer base - "provide it and people will use it" has oft been said, and unless it's really weird, if it's been provided people have built up and used the service. Come 15th December, much of this local tuning is being swept away ... plans were to sweep even cleaner, but consultation with a number of informed community members on Monday to Friday services (only) has resulted in the majority - but not all - of our concerns being addressed better than they were in the first draft. Saturday and Sunday, we have to take what we're given (and, oh dear, there are some fixes needed)
So, great from mid December it will be great for anyone travelling to or from London. For those at the outer reaches of the bullets – where they have thinned out - there are some notable improvements. In between, we're getting what can be fitted in, on an increasingly crowded railway. Where it mains poorly timed trains, missed connections, and even trains stopping one station short of major interchange, that's happening. Concentration has been on a clean run for the bullets and train planners have had limited time (and low priority) to fix other issues for passengers.
Service improvements many come incrementally, but at times they come in leaps. We do have the opportunity for December 2020 to take some steps forward once we see how the new services bed in, and with the train planners work load on the expresses being reduced for the next cycle. And with "DA3" - the next franchise period due to start on 1st April 2020 - there is a chance that the spec has been altered to be more suitable for the future. We know that First put a bid in in June, and they're waiting to hear from the Department for Transport whether it's being accepted or negotiated. Yes, I know they've had it for 5 months and there's just 4 months to go.
So – summary – we get what we're given in local services from 15th December. Not ideal, some steps backward, some forward. Far better than it might have been and was originally proposed. And looking forward to the next cycle which may offer the opportunity to put train planner resources into amending the times and requesting the government spec for the mutual benefit of passengers, of the train operators, and the taxpayer.
Please excuse the awful graphic .... another story!For Coffee Shop regulars - little new above - bringing the story together for new readers!
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