FGW 1st Class - ongoing discussion of the benefits and their apparent reduction

[whole diary]

[Umberleigh]

Do many HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) stop at Slough? Only she mention empty 'carriages' rather than compartments in a Thames Turbo.

[bobm]

In the current timetable 22 HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) call M-F - 10 coming out of Paddington.

[Southern Stag]

I caught one of the 5 newly converted ex-buffet carriages today and I can confirm that they are fitted with 8 tables. I presume the carriages converted from First to Standard Class will adopt a similar layout. The extra tables are obviously good as it brings the train as a whole up to a more reasonable number, and there is plenty of back to seating, and subsequent additional luggage space. I think these carriages will deal much, much better with the amounts of luggage people tend to bring. However, I don't believe there were 80 seats in the carriage, the legroom seemed to be worse than in other carriages and the seat-to-window alignment was awful. The carriages with the extra tables are quite easy to spot, I noticed it straight away just looking through the windows. The initial 5 coaches will be numbered 42516-42520 for anybody looking out for them.

[NickB]

The 05:11 Worcester-->Paddington arrived without Coach G today.  I'm hoping that this is a temporary problem although it is indicative of the incoming changes.

I counted 35 First Class passengers standing in Coach H for the final run into Paddington.  I hope they all claim refunds.
A woman collapsed further down the carriage and had to be helped to a chair.
There was no ticket check for my piece of the journey, nor announcement of where Coach G had been left.

Utterly utterly useless.

[broadgage]

Yes, this might have been a one off breakdown, but will soon be the norm as first class is to be downgraded to one and a half coaches only.
Presuming that those standing did in fact have first class tickets, then I also hope that they claim refunds.

Regarding claiming a refund, how does a first class ticket holder prove that they had to stand ? I have only once claimed a refund for standing in first, and the ticket examiner had endorsed my ticket by way of proof.
However in the absence of a ticket check ?

[ChrisB]

The TM^‡(resolve) is never far from 1st class...in my experience. And the buffet person can usually locate / know where they are

[NickB]

Regarding claiming a refund, how does a first class ticket holder prove that they had to stand ? I have only once claimed a refund for standing in first, and the ticket examiner had endorsed my ticket by way of proof.
However in the absence of a ticket check ?

I've had no problem in claiming refunds for having to stand over the past 3 years.  If a train manager ever presented themselves then I can see how their endorsement would be useful but as a) I never see a train manager, and b) I'm not sure how that would work with an annual season ticket(?), it has never been an issue for me.

I just write in to the Customer Services department stating why I wish to claim and back comes a collection of vouchers.  I usually wait until the end of the month before doing this to save the paperwork.

The only issue I've ever had is when Customer Services say I can't claim for having to stand on a Turbo service.  However I believe that I'm correct in saying that the October 2013 passenger charter revised the terms to give refunds on all services so I just point out that they are using an old template and they pay up in the end.

[NickB]

The TM^‡(resolve) is never far from 1st class...in my experience. And the buffet person can usually locate / know where they are

I continually remind FGW^▸ (First Great Western) at the meet the manager sessions that they should be checking tickets on my service because people often have to stand.  As those comments are continually ignored (I estimate 1 check per month on average) I'm not going to queue on the train to remind the manager.

[ChrisB]

Depends whether you want your refund I guess.

[NickB]

Depends whether you want your refund I guess.

As I say above, I haven't had any problems with obtaining a refund in the past.  If that were to change then I may change my approach.

But if I'm going to see the TM^‡(resolve) about the seating then they will be getting reminders about all of the other things that my experience is lacking, like the trolley service/lack of papers/loud conversations in Coach G etc etc, so they may prefer me to stay in my seat.

[BBM]

The 05:11 Worcester-->Paddington arrived without Coach G today.  I'm hoping that this is a temporary problem although it is indicative of the incoming changes.

I counted 35 First Class passengers standing in Coach H for the final run into Paddington.  I hope they all claim refunds.
A woman collapsed further down the carriage and had to be helped to a chair.
There was no ticket check for my piece of the journey, nor announcement of where Coach G had been left.

Utterly utterly useless.

Was that from Maidenhead? I was on the 07.02 Turbo departure which this morning left before the arrival of the connection from Bourne End so I'd guess that all the passengers from the branch train had to squeeze onto yours.

[chrisr_75]

The 05:11 Worcester-->Paddington arrived without Coach G today.  I'm hoping that this is a temporary problem although it is indicative of the incoming changes.

I counted 35 First Class passengers standing in Coach H for the final run into Paddington.  I hope they all claim refunds.
A woman collapsed further down the carriage and had to be helped to a chair.
There was no ticket check for my piece of the journey, nor announcement of where Coach G had been left.

Utterly utterly useless.

This seems to be fairly common place at the moment, so far in 2014 I've been on trains where coach H missing (reservations placed in coach G (which was de-quieted & those reservations for coach G placed in coach F but no information provided); coach H wrongly labelled as the quiet carriage and G with no quiet labels with quiet carriage reservations left in the now not quiet coach G & also a train with a 'defective' coach H cordoned off out of service and everyone rammed into G which was also de-quieted. Various seat reservations either missing entirely from a whole carriage/train and an odd time with most in place, but one or two missing here and there.

Couple of carriages running about over the winter with no heating whatsoever & assorted coaches in formation the 'wrong' way round. All in all a bit chaotic at times over the last few months and I can see it getting worse once the 'improvements' have been made and probably the peak of chaos during the conversion.

Based on my last few months of travelling S.Wales - London & return weekly I am beginning to agree with your final comment!!

[johoare]

The TM^‡(resolve) is never far from 1st class...in my experience. And the buffet person can usually locate / know where they are

I continually remind FGW^▸ (First Great Western) at the meet the manager sessions that they should be checking tickets on my service because people often have to stand.  As those comments are continually ignored (I estimate 1 check per month on average) I'm not going to queue on the train to remind the manager.

Each time I write in to claim my refund for standing in First Class I ask them why they sell First Class tickets yet, due to no ticket checks being made, regularly do NOT provide a First Class service.. They ignore the question each time.

[a-driver]

When it comes to checking tickets its very hard to do so between Oxford and Hereford due to the short platforms at many of the stations.   The short platforms require the TM^‡(resolve) to be at a specific location in the train to operate SDO^▸ (Selective Door Opening) and release the doors.
If they try to do a ticket check they often find themselves in the wrong location, its around about 10 minute run between stations, and end up fighting there way back through the train which in turn causes delays.  Also, if a passenger pays by debit or credit card and there is an issue with the card the TM can not walk away with the customers card to release the doors.
Services between Oxford and Hereford really need an extra member of staff on board who's sole duty is ticket checks.

[John R]

Having asked a few staff, I'm getting a very consistent view that there will be no quiet carriage in first going forward. As someone who always sits in the QC (as do several other regular travellers) I think it's a poor show that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) can't be bothered to even give those of us seeking a bit of piece and quiet half a carriage.

Also today, the configuration of the 0700 BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) to PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) had the buffet divorced from first class as the carriage had been turned around. I don't know whether it was a coincidence but there was no first class trolley service, despite there being a second member of catering crew on board. This evening's TM^‡(resolve) mentioned that turning the smaller buffets round is part of the reconfiguration. I can't work out why that would be necessary.