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

[whole diary]

[chrisr_75]

I would not be at all surprised if these long-distance (HST^▸ (High Speed Train)) services end up with compulsory reservation, in some form.

I vaguely recall from many years ago that Virgin trains proposed this and it was rejected outright after a rather public backlash in the press. My memory might be completely wrong, so happy to stand corrected on this if anyone has any other info!

I suspect such a proposal wouldn't go down terribly well. Especially with the Reading commuters...

[stuving]

I would not be at all surprised if these long-distance (HST^▸ (High Speed Train)) services end up with compulsory reservation, in some form.

I vaguely recall from many years ago that Virgin trains proposed this and it was rejected outright after a rather public backlash in the press. My memory might be completely wrong, so happy to stand corrected on this if anyone has any other info!

I suspect such a proposal wouldn't go down terribly well. Especially with the Reading commuters...

Really? Currently the first train even from Exeter gets into Paddington at 08:38, and the next at 09:44. So not a lot us use to commuters. The evening is a bit more difficult to manage, for several reasons, but again only a minority of  trains - 2 per hour or so - are involved.

It's all going to depend on the capacity balance - how many new commuters, less those that use Crossrail, against the outer suburban/semifast service plus some space in SETs^▸ (Super Express Train (now IET)).

[chrisr_75]

I would not be at all surprised if these long-distance (HST^▸ (High Speed Train)) services end up with compulsory reservation, in some form.

I vaguely recall from many years ago that Virgin trains proposed this and it was rejected outright after a rather public backlash in the press. My memory might be completely wrong, so happy to stand corrected on this if anyone has any other info!

I suspect such a proposal wouldn't go down terribly well. Especially with the Reading commuters...

Really? Currently the first train even from Exeter gets into Paddington at 08:38, and the next at 09:44. So not a lot us use to commuters. The evening is a bit more difficult to manage, for several reasons, but again only a minority of  trains - 2 per hour or so - are involved.

It's all going to depend on the capacity balance - how many new commuters, less those that use Crossrail, against the outer suburban/semifast service plus some space in SETs^▸ (Super Express Train (now IET)).

I used to use S.Wales services arriving at PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) typically at 10.32 and on return those departing from PAD at 18:45, 19:15, 20:15 or 21:15, which have picked up/dropped off significant numbers of people at Reading and most of which are well outside 'conventional' working hours, so I would expect the services you mention are likely quite heavily used, as you could easily be at most locations in zone 1 by 9.30-10am. There seem to be a goodly proportion of Reading commuters who think the world ends at Tilehurst (or Reading West) and any meddling with 'their' fast services seems to be met with some outrage.

[4064ReadingAbbey]

There seem to be a goodly proportion of Reading commuters who think the world ends at Tilehurst (or Reading West) and any meddling with 'their' fast services seems to be met with some outrage.

Well it does, doesn't it?

[chrisr_75]

There seem to be a goodly proportion of Reading commuters who think the world ends at Tilehurst (or Reading West) and any meddling with 'their' fast services seems to be met with some outrage.

Well it does, doesn't it?

I can actually confirm that I have successfully travelled beyond Tilehurst on a number of occasions, and I have made it back again! 

However, I've not yet dared to see what happens after passing through Reading West...

[TaplowGreen]

There seem to be a goodly proportion of Reading commuters who think the world ends at Tilehurst (or Reading West) and any meddling with 'their' fast services seems to be met with some outrage.

Well it does, doesn't it?

I can actually confirm that I have successfully travelled beyond Tilehurst on a number of occasions, and I have made it back again! 

However, I've not yet dared to see what happens after passing through Reading West...

If you're not careful you may end up in Swindon! 

[NickB]

Question: is there such a thing as First Class on a turbo service any longer? (Was there ever some might wonder). I ask as I caught an earlier than usual service today and although I wanted to sit in First I've ended up in a reclassified section.

Given the lack of trolley, cafe, free paper or even the proclaimed 'warm welcome on board' (the driver hasn't even told us where we're going), all I have is a seat. So my standard class ticket holders around me have the same benefits as I would as a First class holder ie. None except more legroom.

So, should all turbos give up the pretext and be 100% standard? That would surely please Ashok and his blinkered view of the world.
Also, should I be entitled to a refund of the First class ticket for this journey because I am for all intents and purposes seated in Standard.

[Oxonhutch]

The biggest game for premium ticket holder on Turbos is guessing which end contains their seats.  It isn't helped by the false flagging that continues to be displayed by some of the previously double-ended sets which still sport a yellow strip over their declassified seats.  From observation over the past four years, occupation of (genuine) premium seating is rarely policed, and I do wonder how FGW^▸ (First Great Western) can be justified in charging a premium of over 100% for the privilege of using this (frankly) second-rate accommodation.

[Jason]

Question: is there such a thing as First Class on a turbo service any longer?

It depends
When the Reading to Basingstoke line switched from Turbo's to 150's on Weekdays then this was driven by a capacity increase at the expense of first class.
I got a partial refund on my season ticket at the time.
Turbo's still regularly run this service (probably because the 150's need to be driven into a landfill site) which causes a degree of uncertainty amongst passengers.
Sometimes the train manager will point out that the service is declassified but usually not.

[didcotdean]

Historically quite a few of the Thames Valley stopping services didn't offer first class accommodation. On some routes it was only available in peak time (as maybe a through train from a branch), or even every other service. The rest were second (or third!) class only. The turbo fleet finally put paid to this as the stock became much more standardised rather than being comprised of a greater variety of 'heritage' dmus and coaches. As elsewhere not enough were bought exacerbated by demand had been to some extent suppressed by the worn out nature of some of the older trains. The turbos increased usage by over 10% in a year, before the subsequent general rise in rail usage.

[NickB]

From Newbury Today, an update on Alok Sharma MP^▸ (Member of Parliament)'s meeting with Mark Hopwood (MD, FGW^▸ (First Great Western)) and Claire Perry MP (Transport Minister):

Commuters to benefit from 3,000 extra seats

Passengers on crowded trains travelling through West Berkshire are set to benefit from extra seating.[/b
The conversion of all trains with two-and-a-half first-class carriages to one-and-a-half first-class carriages has already been completed.

Thought I'd check this evening to be sure and I was right. The 17.48 to Worcester is still a full sized 2.5 carriage section, so thats a lie. And guess what? There's loads of seats in standard too. On a Friday. In rush hour. 😀

[IndustryInsider]

Thought I'd check this evening to be sure and I was right. The 17.48 to Worcester is still a full sized 2.5 carriage section, so thats a lie. And guess what? There's loads of seats in standard too. On a Friday. In rush hour. 😀

That's a bit odd - the rostered rake of coaches (LA05) is listed as 2 first class and 6 standard class?

[NickB]

Definitely a 2.5.
Wouldn't all future computations of First class need to be x +.5 as the buffet car contains the refitted first class seats?

[broadgage]

Definitely a 2.5.
Wouldn't all future computations of First class need to be x +.5 as the buffet car contains the refitted first class seats?

At present yes, but in the longer term I expect that the first class seats in the buffet will be replaced with steerage seats and the vehicle put in the train the other way round so as to give one full first class coach.

[Rhydgaled]

The conversion of all trains with two-and-a-half first-class carriages to one-and-a-half first-class carriages has already been completed.

So all the full-buffet sets are now fully formed with 1x FO, 1x buffet first 5x TSO^▸ (The Stationary Office (now OPSI)) and 1x TGS now, with no odd formations or short-formed sets? But some micro-buffet sets still with 2x FO and/or odd formations?

The 17.48 to Worcester is still a full sized 2.5 carriage section, so thats a lie. And guess what?

There's at least one photo, dated early January, showing a full 2+8 set with 2.5 first class in the Feburary Modern Railways too.

Wouldn't all future computations of First class need to be x +.5 as the buffet car contains the refitted first class seats?

Not for that reason, since the micro-buffet coaches I believe will continue to be standard-class only. However, the 2x FO coaches in those sets are being replaced by 1x FO and a composite coach, so once the composite coaches arrive the norm will be 1.5 coaches of first class on all sets.