Class 142 Pacers in service on Devon branch lines, 2007 to 2011 - merged topic

[whole diary]

[TJ]

In my previous posting reference to Platform 3 at Cental should have been Platform 2 and as regards the number of 142s some others may of course have been out and about.

TJ

[gaf71]

Northern were going to move the 142's in to store but they were forced to give them to FGW^▸ (First Great Western).

3 142's were in service(almost) today. They caused chaos! Numerous cancellations and delays, ask any passenger on the Exmouth line between 8 and 9 this morning. Can't wait til the rest appear from Sunday

[gaf71]

Many thanks for your report on your journey today. Without wishing to draw too many conclusions its not a very good start is it? My sympathies go out to all you who use the Exmouth-Barnstaple-Paignton lines. I have a feeling many stories of travelling woe on these lines are going to appear on this and other sites over the coming months.

Its certainly right that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) haven't raised the fares on these lines.

See my quote in '142's not arriving???'. Sorry don't know how to move it here! Perhaps one of the moderators could?

[grahame]

See my quote in '142's not arriving???'. Sorry don't know how to move it here! Perhaps one of the moderators could?

Yes ... except I'm not totally sure which post you would like quoted!!!

If you hit "reply" in the OTHER thread, grab the text you want into your paste buffer including the quote tags, then cancel out of that post and come back here, and paste the buffer in your reply it should work.

[vacman]

Dire reliabilty so far! wonder how many trains will be caped on monday!

[devon_metro]

Monday, I can see is going to be CHAOS:

Lack of SDO^▸ (Selective Door Opening) training;
142 reliability;
Lack of units in service;

I'm sure there is more!

[Conner]

Anybody been in Devon today seing the effects of fully operational 142 service. Would like to hear any storys of failures or peeved commuters.

[grahame]

For the sake of the commuters and users ... I would hope to here reports of how well it all went  - hopefully better down in Devon than on my local line which has yet to see a weekday passenger train under the new timetable.

[devon_metro]

Sadly I don't get the train to school but Graham i'd much rather have your 143/150 on the 'Devon Metro' 

[vacman]

  http://markthomasdilworth.fotopic.net/p12888574.html

[TJ]

Anybody been in Devon today seing the effects of fully operational 142 service. Would like to hear any storys of failures or peeved commuters.

142 report 10th December 2007

I bought an Exmouth to St Davids season ticket to enable me to ride the Avocet^▸ (Branch line from Exeter to Exmouth) Line this week.

First journey was the 06:05 from Exmouth which turned out to be 153377, in what is now typical lousy internal condition. On arrival at Exeter it took some time to move the unit from Platform 3 to enable 142068 + 142009 to arrive to form the 06:45 back to Exmouth and in consequence departure was 7 minutes late. The floors inside both units were swimming with water and later in the journey the source was detected as water was seen cascading from between roof panels. Coupled with a near lack of heating this was not the best of starts, in fact it was thoroughly miserable. Arrival at Exmouth was 9 down.

Returning from Exmouth on the 07:15 door problems were experienced and so as to keep to my planned schedule I alighted at Polsloe rather than go through to Central as the train was by then 19 minutes late.
The 07:49 from St Davids left Polsloe 7 down, 142062+142030, and maintained that deficit to Exmouth.
The return 08:20 from Exmouth was 7 late leaving but only 3 down at St Davids.

Next trip was the 09:18 from St Davids which left on time with 142030 and was 2 early into Exmouth.  The return 09:50 left on time but dropped 4 minutes to Exeter Central.

The 10:24 from Central with 142067+142029 was 2 down from Central and into Exmouth.

Next leg was to take the return working through to Barnstaple with the 10:50 from Exmouth and this left Exmouth just a minute adrift and arrived 3 late into St Davids, where it terminated as the driver taking the train onto Barnstaple did not sign 142s. 150232 appeared and worked the service onto Barnstaple, leaving 6 late and arriving just a minute adrift. Very comfortable journey.

The return from Barnstaple at 14:29 was late coming in and left 20 late. It was further delayed at Eggesford waiting for the 13:50 from Exmouth (see below) and on arrival at St Davids was terminated in Platform 2. It had recovered to being just20 late.

Final leg for the day was the 16:20 from St Davids to Exmouth, which was just a couple of minutes adrift.
The 13:50 from Exmouth had a BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Spotlight crew on board and did neither itself nor FGW^▸ (First Great Western) any favours by having both door and AWS^▸ (Automatic Warning System) problems, eventually slinking into St Davids about 40 down.  Not good publicity.

All in all a mixed day with the overall standard of reliability leaving something to be desired. In another thread I have already said that the ride quality of the 142s is very much dependent on track quality and so it was today. The interior of the 142s leaves much to be desired but in fairness to FGW they have yet undertake planned refurbishment work. Having four car units on the busier trains was certainly good news.

I fear that FGW are onto a revenue hiding to nothing as apparently on a four car set where there is only one conductor he/she must remain in the rear car. At least some staff feel that it is unfair to be hard on passengers in the rear unit when those in the front one are probably riding for free.

Passenger reaction to the 142s was broadly 8 out of 10 unfavourable.

Next trips planned for Wednesday.

Hope this has been of interest.
TJ.

[devon_metro]

Anybody been in Devon today seing the effects of fully operational 142 service. Would like to hear any storys of failures or peeved commuters.

142 report 10th December 2007

I bought an Exmouth to St Davids season ticket to enable me to ride the Avocet^▸ (Branch line from Exeter to Exmouth) Line this week.

First journey was the 06:05 from Exmouth which turned out to be 153377, in what is now typical lousy internal condition. On arrival at Exeter it took some time to move the unit from Platform 3 to enable 142068 + 142009 to arrive to form the 06:45 back to Exmouth and in consequence departure was 7 minutes late. The floors inside both units were swimming with water and later in the journey the source was detected as water was seen cascading from between roof panels. Coupled with a near lack of heating this was not the best of starts, in fact it was thoroughly miserable. Arrival at Exmouth was 9 down.

Returning from Exmouth on the 07:15 door problems were experienced and so as to keep to my planned schedule I alighted at Polsloe rather than go through to Central as the train was by then 19 minutes late.
The 07:49 from St Davids left Polsloe 7 down, 142062+142030, and maintained that deficit to Exmouth.
The return 08:20 from Exmouth was 7 late leaving but only 3 down at St Davids.

Next trip was the 09:18 from St Davids which left on time with 142030 and was 2 early into Exmouth.  The return 09:50 left on time but dropped 4 minutes to Exeter Central.

The 10:24 from Central with 142067+142029 was 2 down from Central and into Exmouth.

Next leg was to take the return working through to Barnstaple with the 10:50 from Exmouth and this left Exmouth just a minute adrift and arrived 3 late into St Davids, where it terminated as the driver taking the train onto Barnstaple did not sign 142s. 150232 appeared and worked the service onto Barnstaple, leaving 6 late and arriving just a minute adrift. Very comfortable journey.

The return from Barnstaple at 14:29 was late coming in and left 20 late. It was further delayed at Eggesford waiting for the 13:50 from Exmouth (see below) and on arrival at St Davids was terminated in Platform 2. It had recovered to being just20 late.

Final leg for the day was the 16:20 from St Davids to Exmouth, which was just a couple of minutes adrift.
The 13:50 from Exmouth had a BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Spotlight crew on board and did neither itself nor FGW^▸ (First Great Western) any favours by having both door and AWS^▸ (Automatic Warning System) problems, eventually slinking into St Davids about 40 down.  Not good publicity.

All in all a mixed day with the overall standard of reliability leaving something to be desired. In another thread I have already said that the ride quality of the 142s is very much dependent on track quality and so it was today. The interior of the 142s leaves much to be desired but in fairness to FGW they have yet undertake planned refurbishment work. Having four car units on the busier trains was certainly good news.

I fear that FGW are onto a revenue hiding to nothing as apparently on a four car set where there is only one conductor he/she must remain in the rear car. At least some staff feel that it is unfair to be hard on passengers in the rear unit when those in the front one are probably riding for free.

Passenger reaction to the 142s was broadly 8 out of 10 unfavourable.

Next trips planned for Wednesday.

Hope this has been of interest.
TJ.

It was good watching Spotlight last night 

[Conner]

What did they say on spotlight considering there bad experience.

[devon_metro]

Somebody said it was like travelling on a bus. Spot on.

Described as state of the art in the 80s! Sums up the 80s.

Shows the door going bang.

Also some Spotlight reporter 'understanding' what AWS^▸ (Automatic Warning System) was.

[gaf71]

Somebody said it was like travelling on a bus. Spot on.

Described as state of the art in the 80s! Sums up the 80s.

Shows the door going bang.

Also some Spotlight reporter 'understanding' what AWS^▸ (Automatic Warning System) was.

The conductor on the train only started last week.....bet he was praying for a smooth trip!