What does this actually mean?

[whole diary]

[bobm]

This is where the computerised system with pre-chosen phrases lets itself down.

From the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) website

13:50 Truro to Falmouth Docks due 14:14
This train has been cancelled.This is due to an unusually large passenger flow.

Last Updated: 15/10/2011 13:47
14:20 Falmouth Docks to Truro due 14:48
This train has been cancelled.This is due to an unusually large passenger flow.

Last Updated: 15/10/2011 13:48

[readytostart]

From what I can see 2F79 (1320 TRU-FAL) was late due to passenger loadings, as was the return working, it seems they have cancelled one return trip in an effort to 'reboot' the service into right time. How this will be affected by increased passenger flow caused by the cancellation is anyone's guess! 

[chrisoates]

Was an odd day at Truro because of the Truro to St Austell blockade - passengers for Falmouth were arriving in lumps as buses brought them down from St Austell.
The branch was a 153 in either direction - I went down in the morning and it was rammed - coming back at tea time was well loaded and 6 minutes down again - it's also Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) week at Falmouth & the town was buzzing.
The cancellation was covered by a Bus.

The TRU PNZ shuttle was a mixture of 150+153 and HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) running hourly - the 17:13 I caught was an HST and rammed - next weekend is half-term and blockaded again - I will probably be travelling by Bus.

[phile]

Yes.   Unusually large passenger flow does seem difficult to colprehend at times.   Yesterday, for example, a Cardiff to Portsmouth started from Newport allegedly due to this reason but completely difficult to fathom out.   It appears that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have a standard list of delays but this one can be rather vague ad I think should be more explicit.     I appreciate that the Branch was being worked by 2 single 153s today, but should it be 2 coaches on each diagram rather than 1 x 153 on one and 2 X 153 on the other.    If there was 2 single 153s today and this was perhaps delaying the trains due to passengers trying to squeeze into reduced accomodation, the cancellation of a trip could have made the position worse but I accept the logic, i.e. to "catch up" of the circumstances.

[LiskeardRich]

surely they'd need to cancel the same timings in the opposite direction, other wise both units will of been in the same end of the branch!

[insider]

   It appears that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have a standard list of delays but this one can be rather vague ad I think should be more explicit.    .

The reasons used are preset but not by FGW, they are decided by ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies See - here) and are the only "reasons" the industry are allowed to use.

[phile]

There has been interesting debate on another Forum recently about the ambiguity of reasons of delay which at times can seem meaningless and used as excuses to cover something else.

[bobm]

I can remember my aged mother being most concerned when told her service would not call at Totnes "due to a fault on the train" - she was convinced it was because the brakes weren't working!! 

[Phil]

I initially misread that as "delays due to an unusually large passenger fellow", and thought it terribly un-PC

[phile]

It's a wonder they haven't referred to it as customer flow.   The word passenger is going out of fashion as a result of people who want to change the dictionary

[eightf48544]

In the old days the railways prided themselves on being able to cope with unusually large passenger flows.

But Beeching started the rot by pointing out 6000 coaches moved less than 18 times a year.

Now the "Bean Counters" only let you have 2*153s for the Falmoth branch even though the traffic has grown quite dramatically.

Of course where you'd get extra stock is another matter every TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) seems to be short of stock particularly DMUs^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit).

[slippy]

The problem this day was both trains being formed of a single 153 with the Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) Festival on in Falmouth. Even though *most* trains weren't full say around 50 passengers, the problem is the time it takes to get them out of two narrow doors at each end of the coach, then get a similar number of people back on, especially add a couple buggies and bikes. A 150 however has nice wide doors in the centre part of the carriage. Apparently the Falmouth is to be run by x2 class 150 from December.

[thetrout]

I initially misread that as "delays due to an unusually large passenger fellow", and thought it terribly un-PC

I'm sorry, but my inner child has been tickled by that comment

Would you like your coat Phil??

[Phil]

I had my coat taken from me some while ago for continually misbehaving, trout mate