Crowd control measure or change of plan?

[whole diary]

[chemphys]

Hi,

I'm wondering if any of the members on here can shed any light on the 17:45 Paddington to Reading stopping service today. The train is normally 6 carriages but today was just 3. As a result of this, according the tannoy announcements and the electronic displays at Paddington, the train would run fast to West Drayton (missing Ealing, Southall and Hayes) and the driver repeated the change before leaving Paddington, causing some people to swear and get off.

So we left Paddington, with the train with about 90% of the seats occupied and with a few standing. However the train then stopped as usual at Ealing (where it filled right up), Southall and Hayes.

So the question is, was that part of the plan all long, to reduce the numbers on the train prior to arriving at Ealing and avoid people being left behind there (and I have seen some ugly scenes at Ealing when there have been short services before and passengers were left behind, so I wouldn't blame them if this is the case) or did someone have a change of heart and order the train to resume it's normal stopping pattern?

Incidently, would FGW^▸ (First Great Western) been fined if they had missed station stops?

CP

[Ollie]

It is best to make a service pick up only sometimes if it 's going to be grossly overcrowded due to the short formation.
Those going to stations Paddington - Hayes and Harlington would have been able to easily get alternative services 17:48(Greenford), 17:57(Reading) and 18:03(Heathrow)

[eightf48544]

I agree with Ollie making a short formed train pick up only seems a sensible idea.

Even 5 years ago when I was commuting to Taplow I was amazed how many passengers got on at Ealing, many going through to Twyford and Reading.

Another reason why Crossrail is disasterous West of Padd.

[Henry]

 I seem to remember on the Southern out of Waterloo  some services would 'pick-up' only at Clapham Junction.
 Didn't work particularly well, those cagey commuters found out.

[super tm]

Many of them still are

[chemphys]

Thanks for the info

Agree about Crossrail, but I'd be amazed if, in the next 4 years or so, there isn't an announcement about Crossrail being extended to Reading.

Cp