Train GraphicClick on the map to explore geographics
 
I need help
FAQ
Emergency
About .
Travel & transport from BBC stories as at 04:55 11 Jan 2025
 
- Two million discounted tickets up for grabs in rail sale
Read about the forum [here].
Register [here] - it's free.
What do I gain from registering? [here]
 14/01/25 - Rail Sale starts
24/01/25 - Westbury Station reopens
24/01/25 - LTP4 Wilts / Consultation end
24/01/25 - Bristol Rail Campaign AGM 2025

On this day
11th Jan (2012)
TVM - a fair weather facility? (link)

Train RunningCancelled
11:50 London Paddington to Hereford
Short Run
05:40 Penzance to Cardiff Central
07:43 Great Malvern to London Paddington
15:14 Hereford to London Paddington
PollsThere are no open or recent polls
Abbreviation pageAcronymns and abbreviations
Stn ComparatorStation Comparator
Rail newsNews Now - live rail news feed
Site Style 1 2 3 4
Next departures • Bristol Temple MeadsBath SpaChippenhamSwindonDidcot ParkwayReadingLondon PaddingtonMelksham
Exeter St DavidsTauntonWestburyTrowbridgeBristol ParkwayCardiff CentralOxfordCheltenham SpaBirmingham New Street
January 11, 2025, 04:59:12 *
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Forgotten your username or password? - get a reminder
Most recently liked subjects
[109] Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsew...
[96] Westminster Hall debate : Railway services to South West
[59] Ryanair sues 'unruly' passenger over flight diversion
[53] Mick Lynch announces retirement as head of RMT
[49] 'Railway 200' events and commemorations 2025
[38] GWR Advance Purchase sale - January 2025
 
News: A forum for passengers ... with input from rail professionals welcomed too
 
   Home   Help Search Calendar Login Register  
Pages: [1] 2 3 4
  Print  
Author Topic: Weekend First & Volo  (Read 17385 times)
old original
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 901


View Profile
« on: April 23, 2011, 19:40:10 »

RANT..... Angry

The facility to prebook Weekend First (with non advance tickets) is being withdrawn but you will be able to pre purchase your Volo supplements instead... oh woopie doo..

What the ^&^ are they playing at?HuhAngry
Logged

8 Billion people on a wet rock - of course we're not happy
ChrisB
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 13034


View Profile Email
« Reply #1 on: April 23, 2011, 20:23:21 »

Ensuring 1st class doesnt get overbooked? Buy onboard is still available
Logged
Sleepy
Sr. Member
****
Posts: 151


View Profile
« Reply #2 on: April 24, 2011, 22:44:32 »

How can it be overbooked if seat reservations are provided ? Surely this was one of the benefits for groups of up to 6 wanting to sit together and avoid standard class "tombstone" barrier seats !  Seems FGW (First Great Western) want to push more into Advance 1st class tickets instead (or stop no show seat booking, as one of the good things with Weekend First is they are valid on any train that day if your plans change)
Logged
ChrisB
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 13034


View Profile Email
« Reply #3 on: April 25, 2011, 00:14:33 »

First Class ticket holders fon't generally reserve their seat, knowing they can usually get a seat regardless. My suggestion is that too many are buying in advance & travelling on the popular services, leaving some occasions where 1st class ticket holders have found all seats taken on boarding.

Making Weekend First only availablr on-train, FGW (First Great Western) can ensure their premium fare payers are guaranteed a 1st class seat on whichever service they wish to travel on, without forcing them to reserve in advance, thus retaining complete flexibilty.

I see nothing wrong with this policy. You can either buy advance or turn up in good time to claim an empty 1st class seat, which I reckon will still be available, except on a very few very popular services.
Logged
Mookiemoo
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 3117


View Profile Email
« Reply #4 on: April 25, 2011, 06:36:30 »

I heard they are doing away with the complimentaries for weekend first upgraders
Logged

Ditched former sig - now I need to think of something amusing - brain hurts -I'll steal from the master himself - Einstein:

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."

"Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love"
ChrisB
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 13034


View Profile Email
« Reply #5 on: April 25, 2011, 08:07:04 »

I will ask the question....
Logged
Timmer
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 6556


View Profile
« Reply #6 on: April 25, 2011, 10:26:36 »

I heard they are doing away with the complimentaries for weekend first upgraders
I'd be surprised if FGW (First Great Western) would do that. If they do, I would hope that they would reduce the price. Can't see that happening though unless FGW have seen a reduction in revenue since they introduced the zonal pricing system a couple of years back. Let's see what Chris can find out.
Logged
devon_metro
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 5175



View Profile
« Reply #7 on: April 25, 2011, 17:44:40 »

Very much doubt it, the revenue they must make on some of the West Country trains must be substaintially greater than when it was ^10 a head!
Logged
Sleepy
Sr. Member
****
Posts: 151


View Profile
« Reply #8 on: April 26, 2011, 21:14:58 »

Just looked at NFM (National Fares Manual) 09 (from 22nd May) and no mention of any changes to FGW (First Great Western) weekend first upgrades ??
Logged
ChrisB
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 13034


View Profile Email
« Reply #9 on: April 26, 2011, 21:26:41 »

THere are no changes, except that you can't buy in advance. THe NFM (National Fares Manual) doesn't cover that condition. And if the complimentary refreshments are being withdrawn, which somehow I doubt, those aren't covered in the NFM either.

btw - I won't get a definitive answer this week, as the two people that know for sure are both on leave.
Logged
JayMac
Data Manager
Hero Member
******
Posts: 19245



View Profile
« Reply #10 on: April 26, 2011, 21:44:26 »

I see little point in withdrawing the facility to pre-book Weekend First. I don't really understand the argument about lack of seats for full fare 1st Class passengers.

Who in their right mind buys a full fare 1st Class ticket for travel at the weekend?
Logged

"A clear conscience laughs at a false accusation."
"Treat everyone the same until you find out they're an idiot."
"Moral indignation is a technique used to endow the idiot with dignity."
ChrisB
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 13034


View Profile Email
« Reply #11 on: April 26, 2011, 21:45:56 »

Advance tickets?
Logged
Mookiemoo
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 3117


View Profile Email
« Reply #12 on: April 26, 2011, 21:47:10 »

I see little point in withdrawing the facility to pre-book Weekend First. I don't really understand the argument about lack of seats for full fare 1st Class passengers.

Who in their right mind buys a full fare 1st Class ticket for travel at the weekend?

I did once on Virgin by accident - I was drunk at Euston station trying to get home to brum

Forgot it was saturday morning and not still friday night
Logged

Ditched former sig - now I need to think of something amusing - brain hurts -I'll steal from the master himself - Einstein:

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."

"Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love"
JayMac
Data Manager
Hero Member
******
Posts: 19245



View Profile
« Reply #13 on: April 26, 2011, 21:54:54 »

Advance tickets?

Which already have a seat reservation.

If when you enquire to book a WF in advance of travel with your Standard walk-up tickets and there are no bookable seats available in 1st Class then, fair enough, don't sell the upgrade and advise the passenger to check for space whilst on board.

If seats are available then who loses out if one of them is booked? Probably only the Train Manager......

..... aah. Perhaps TMs(resolve) were complaining they were losing out on the commission. Now that would make sense.
Logged

"A clear conscience laughs at a false accusation."
"Treat everyone the same until you find out they're an idiot."
"Moral indignation is a technique used to endow the idiot with dignity."
ChrisB
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 13034


View Profile Email
« Reply #14 on: April 26, 2011, 21:58:04 »

Advance can be booked up to 6pm the day before.

Every Weekend First booked before that deadline (if a reserved seat) means one fewer 1st Advance able to be sold, doesn't it?

And what about those that are bought without reservation in advance? If they then sell out of 1st Advance on any train, and a Weekend First then turns up too.....! (small chance, but I bet it's happened)
Logged
Do you have something you would like to add to this thread, or would you like to raise a new question at the Coffee Shop? Please [register] (it is free) if you have not done so before, or login (at the top of this page) if you already have an account - we would love to read what you have to say!

You can find out more about how this forum works [here] - that will link you to a copy of the forum agreement that you can read before you join, and tell you very much more about how we operate. We are an independent forum, provided and run by customers of Great Western Railway, for customers of Great Western Railway and we welcome railway professionals as members too, in either a personal or official capacity. Views expressed in posts are not necessarily the views of the operators of the forum.

As well as posting messages onto existing threads, and starting new subjects, members can communicate with each other through personal messages if they wish. And once members have made a certain number of posts, they will automatically be admitted to the "frequent posters club", where subjects not-for-public-domain are discussed; anything from the occasional rant to meetups we may be having ...

 
Pages: [1] 2 3 4
  Print  
 
Jump to:  

Powered by MySQL Powered by PHP Powered by SMF 1.1.2 | SMF © 2006-2007, Simple Machines LLC Valid XHTML 1.0! Valid CSS!
This forum is provided by customers of Great Western Railway (formerly First Great Western), and the views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that the content provided by one of our posters contravenes our posting rules (email link to report). Forum hosted by Well House Consultants

Jump to top of pageJump to Forum Home Page