Dawlish Avoiding Line - ongoing discussion, merged topic

[whole diary]

[chrisoates]

Something's not right.....

"Units have also been stopped due to waves breaking over the sea wall at Dawlish in storm conditions, inundating the resistor banks and causing the control software to shut down the whole train. This problem was fixed by a software upgrade to the control software."

Is there a new problem or are AXC^» (Arriva Cross Country - about) just trying it on - is it something like "we won't run where we don't sell the tickets" ?? 

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

Easy money isn't it how much fuel do they save at high tide... They don't supply replacement road transport

[Brucey]

If a TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) doesn't operate a service (e.g. because of the sea at Dawlish), do they still receive their usual cut of the revenue for ticket sales or would this be reduced accordingly?  I.e. are XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) still being paid to run this service even when they aren't?

[devon_metro]

Hopefully, and on top of that have to compensate pi$$ed off passengers!!

[Super Guard]

If a TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) doesn't operate a service (e.g. because of the sea at Dawlish), do they still receive their usual cut of the revenue for ticket sales or would this be reduced accordingly?  I.e. are XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) still being paid to run this service even when they aren't?

Because of the complex way it's calculated, i'm sure they still get paid.   

Whenever there is a problem west of Bristol, XC are always trying to terminate at Bristol and let FGW^▸ (First Great Western) sort "their" passengers out.

A recent fatality outside of Exeter left XC terminating everything at Bristol and expecting FGW to transfer all XC passengers up on units as no London services run via Bristol during the afternoon.

I have been told that FGW management have noted XC taking the pish in these sorts of circumstances, and their continued selfishness during times of disruption.

I used to have a reasonably high opinion of Virgin customer service (from a railway pov) but this has been eroded in a very short space of time!

[TerminalJunkie]

I have been told that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) management have noted XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) taking the pish in these sorts of circumstances, and their continued selfishness during times of disruption.

I used to have a reasonably high opinion of Virgin customer service (from a railway pov) but this has been eroded in a very short space of time!

Virgin stopped running XC in November 2007...

[Super Guard]

I have been told that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) management have noted XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) taking the pish in these sorts of circumstances, and their continued selfishness during times of disruption.

I used to have a reasonably high opinion of Virgin customer service (from a railway pov) but this has been eroded in a very short space of time!

Virgin stopped running XC in November 2007...

Funnily enough, I know.  Perhaps I should have inserted "by Arriva" at the end of the sentence.  I apologise for assuming everyone would have understood I was contrasting the change from Virgin to Arriva.

 

[eightf48544]

Whenever there is a problem west of Bristol, XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) are always trying to terminate at Bristol and let FGW^▸ (First Great Western) sort "their" passengers out.

A recent fatality outside of Exeter left XC terminating everything at Bristol and expecting FGW to transfer all XC passengers up on units as no London services run via Bristol during the afternoon.

In this case one assummes that XC weren't penalised for terminating trains at Bristol becuase it was a problem outside the rail industries control.

Does anyione know if  XC are penalised if they terminate at Exter due to high tide at Dawlish which is an "Act of God".

[woody]

Heard that Arriva are no longer going to stable Voyagers overnight at Long Rock,Penzance from December 2010.Has anyone else heard this and if true what are the implications for Arrivas Penzance sevices.

[JayMac]

If there are problems further west that prevent XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) travelling beyond Exeter, why do they not terminate at EXD^» (Exeter St Davids - next trains) or Taunton? At least by travelling beyond Cogload Junction they give pax better onward connection oppportunites with fast FGW^▸ (First Great Western) services, rather than dumping them onto DMUs^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) at Temple Meads. It cannot be beyond the realms of possibility to stable a Vomiter at EXD or TAU^» (Taunton - next trains) until it's scheduled 'northbound' diagram. Traincrew issues are easily resolved by transporting them to the stabling point on FGW services.

I suspect it is operationally convenient rather than passenger friendly to turn round at BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) rather than TAU or EXD

[devon_metro]

Lack of platform space at Taunton, trains can only arrived into plats 2 + 3 so either need to shunt into 4/5/6 or block the platform till next working.

The main reason is down to the fact that XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) management seem hell bent on cutting costs, so any excuse to save some fuel money!

[Super Guard]

If there are problems further west that prevent XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) travelling beyond Exeter, why do they not terminate at EXD^» (Exeter St Davids - next trains) or Taunton? At least by travelling beyond Cogload Junction they give pax better onward connection oppportunites with fast FGW^▸ (First Great Western) services, rather than dumping them onto DMUs^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) at Temple Meads. It cannot be beyond the realms of possibility to stable a Vomiter at EXD or TAU^» (Taunton - next trains) until it's scheduled 'northbound' diagram. Traincrew issues are easily resolved by transporting them to the stabling point on FGW services.

I suspect it is operationally convenient rather than passenger friendly to turn round at BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) rather than TAU or EXD

Your last line answers your question 

Arrangements can be made to stable voyagers at Riverside Yard at Exeter (although I don't think there is Shore Supply), as South West Trains use New Yard.

Lack of platform space at Taunton, trains can only arrived into plats 2 + 3 so either need to shunt into 4/5/6 or block the platform till next working.

The main reason is down to the fact that XC management seem hell bent on cutting costs, so any excuse to save some fuel money!

Correct again 

[JayMac]

Lack of platform space at Taunton, trains can only arrived into plats 2 + 3 so either need to shunt into 4/5/6 or block the platform till next working.

My thinking was indeed to shunt into 6 at Taunton. Or maybe Fairwater Yard.

[woody]

Lack of platform space at Taunton, trains can only arrived into plats 2 + 3 so either need to shunt into 4/5/6 or block the platform till next working.

The main reason is down to the fact that XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) management seem hell bent on cutting costs, so any excuse to save some fuel money!

As far as I know X country just like National Express East Coast before them dont have the luxury of the "Cap and Collar" in their franchise agreement to protect them against falling passenger growth in the current economic downturn unlike FGW^▸ (First Great Western).So while FGW have the taxpayer bailing them as projected franchise revenues have fallen X country have to find savings as best they can.
  Over the next few years even FGWs franchise premium payement will start going through the roof.ie ^20million in the currently year jumping to ^111million next year finally topping off at ^400+ million in year 10 of the the current franchise.

[John R]

XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) do have a cap and collar but typically they don't apply for the first couple of years, so theirs hasn't kicked in yet. The franchises that were stuffed when the recession hit were the most recent ones, as they were too new to benefit for C&C.