Cotswold Line journeys operated by Turbos - planned and HST substitutions

[whole diary]

[IndustryInsider]

To add to that, the 15:51 from Paddington is 30 mins late (again, due to signalling problems), so it'll do it's 'combine-with-the-halts-train' routine which is already showing as cancelled.  The reliability of the line has started to dip considerably in the last month or so - rarely FGW^▸ (First Great Western)'s fault, but it won't be long before the murmurings of unrest start to be heard!

[inspector_blakey]

Isn't this thread currently an eight-page murmuring of unrest...?!

[IndustryInsider]

Isn't this thread currently an eight-page murmuring of unrest...?!

True!

Looks like the strange practice of running the HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) in the Turbo's path and removing the stops at Combe, Finstock and Shipton but not Ascott is taking place again.  Given that Shipton has the longest platform of the lot, is off of the single line, and probably edges the other three in terms of passenger numbers, I'm at a bit of a loss to explain the logic!

[IanL]

Isn't this thread currently an eight-page murmuring of unrest...?!

Almost every time I see a FGW^▸ (First Great Western) manager (Theresa?) at Charlbury, somebody is commenting about overcrowdig on shortformed trains and delays, six months ago it was to comment on improved performance and how good it was to be able to rely on timetables again.

[JayMac]

Off Peak Return (SVR) tickets to Hanborough and beyond are valid on all services from London and Reading. It is the Off Peak Day (CDS^▸ (Off Peak Day Single [ticket type] (formerly 'Cheap Day'))/CDR^▸ (Off Peak Day Return [ticket type] (formerly 'Cheap Day'))) and 1st Class Off Peak Return (FSR^▸ (First Scot Rail)) that are barred between 1600 and 1915.

EDIT: Having said that, regarding the SVR..... yet again NFM^▸ (National Fares Manual) 06 and certain Online Journey Planners disagree. Avantix^▸ (Ticket Issuing System used on board trains) WebTIS based sites (East Coast, London Midland, redspottedhanky.com) bar use of the SVR to Cotswold Line stations on the 1750 and 1822, potentially overcharging passengers by nearly ^20.

Revisiting this issue, I notice that retailers using Avantix WebTIS are still barring bookings using the SVR on the 1750 and 1822. I've checked post 5th September as well to see whether the update would coincide with the new NFM, but no. I know Cotswold Line regulars are aware that they can return on the (scheduled!!) HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) at 1750 and 1822, it's the irregular travellers that may be overcharged.

Despite a call to East Coast Web Support and an email to ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies see - here) (for which I recieved no reply) nothing has been changed.

[Worcester_Passenger]

Later on (at 21:12):

18:49 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington due 21:29
    This train has been cancelled.This is due to an earlier train fault.
    Last Updated: 31/08/2010 16:49

21:00 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington due 23:37
    This train will be formed of 3 coaches instead of 8.
    Last Updated: 31/08/2010 19:45

[willc]

Given that Shipton has the longest platform of the lot, is off of the single line, and probably edges the other three in terms of passenger numbers, I'm at a bit of a loss to explain the logic!

The only 'logic' that I can think of - and why they have suddenly started doing this in the past two weeks goodness knows - is that someone at Swindon has got it into their head that since Shipton is served by the 17.50 then people can wait to catch that train instead. Why they think anyone would wait 80 minutes (or more, given that the 17.50 has been stuck up the loop line at Oxford until 19.20 on Friday and again yesterday) to get to Shipton escapes me but the reasoning behind many of the decisions made by control often escapes me. Though someone did have the presence of mind to arrange for the 19.27 from Worcester to run through to Paddington instead of ending at Oxford.

it won't be long before the murmurings of unrest start to be heard!

Already have been. The CLPG^» (Cotswold Line Promotion Group - about) has been asking questions about recent weeks' events and I am getting pretty hacked off with being stuck just outside Oxford immediately after leaving the station, then sneaking into Moreton-in-Marsh just in time to prevent me claiming a refund.

[ChrisB]

3 HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) have been stuck in Old Oak with Engine failures. The parts were arriving this week and should be back in service soon, if not already.