Great Western Coffee Shop

Currently sitting on the 12:09 ex-PAD to Cardiff and it’s a Class 387 !

Outside the mild confusion for passengers staring at the train and wondering, lack of seat reservation indicators it seems to be a GWR branded unit, but unlike the ‘real local 387s’ this one has no route maps above the doors showing the stops between Paddington and Didcot Parkway/Newbury normally done under the wires.

Is this a regular ? The lack of route maps does suggest a Subfleet of 387s for longer distance runs

Apologies - should be 12:13

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:P93792/2022-11-12#allox_id=0

It's become a regular occurrence.

More clues can be seen on the detailed version of the info at RTT:
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:P93792/2022-11-12/detailed#allox_id=0

This one shows it's booked for 387: DOO for part of the journey, booked for 110mph and standard class only.

Ironically it says 'reservations recommended'! I can't remember if it the seats have numbers and slots for labels, but the seating plan in the GWR Facilities Guide doesn't show seat numbers! I do wish the information would separate reservable *seats* and reservable *trains* (for advance ticketing). And in the latter case, recommending reservations is meaningless!

Definately no at seat or above seat reservations.

Train Manager is on-board as we just had a rare ticket check ?
So not even DOO, right ?

A few months  ago on a UK rail forum (which I cannot find the link to now) said all the train leasing companies had inflationary price increases in their contracts (to varying degrees)

I wonder if the occurrence of using 387s and not IEPs is because they are cheaper when ‘on lease’

This service is not rammed with spare seats available in the 8 car unit.

Maybe a better ‘fit’ for the demand ?

Originally, its was suggested that 387s would be cleared to run PAD-CDF so they could be used for crowd-busting for stadium events. So it makes sense that if they went to the trouble of getting them cleared, they would see some more regular use, and it helps with retaining crew and platform staff familiarity with them. And on top of that, keeping running costs down for quieter journeys does make sense.

I wonder if the train is running DOO but the TM happens to be on board anyway, perhaps just on commercial rather than safety duties until Didcot. On the other hand, what RTT says is planned in the timetable isn't necessarily what's actually rostered for that journey on that day (or maybe is a default in the process when 387s are scheduled?). I'm speculating - someone in the know might be able to confirm if they routinely run the PAD-CDF 387s DOO for that part of the journey.

Fortunately, 387s aren't the worst of suburban stock being used on longer journeys. I'm looking at you, Turbos on CDF-PMH...

It's in the timetable as an Electrostar, and has been since last December. Saturday's service is basically hourly Swanseas, and the 387s run (not very often) to Bristol Parkway - this one is extended to Cardiff. There were more of them initially - see this post (http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=25293.msg316235#msg316235).

And yes - the timetable does say reservations recommended, for all of them (CDF and BPW).

DOO only permitted between Paddington and Didcot, a TM or guard is required for the bit between Didcot and Cardiff.

Are those two different roles, or two names for the same role? (Train Manager & Guard).
If one is an 'old' name, which one is the current name?
((DOO only permitted between Paddington and Didcot, a TM or guard is required for the bit between Didcot and Cardiff))

Not sure why anyone should be surprised about 387 covering such a service, elsewhere on the National network EMU's similar to 387's are the standard rolling stock for such distances

But surely the IEPs were ordered to cover South Wales intercity services? Or why order such numbers of units ?

I’m not complaining about the 387 as such - I think they very comfortable units.

Just wondering what Hitachi might do with under-utilised IEP fleet. Might they head elsewhere if GWR reverts to more 387 use ?

We already know that the Castles are being faded out with IETs taking over Cardiff to Penzance diagrams. And Bimode might make sense on South West to Scotland via York services, and indeed on Bristol to Manchester if it ever comes back properly.

In the current timetable, there is one 387 to BPW and back in the morning weekdays, two on Sundays, and three on Saturdays; takes 80-90 minutes. Is that long distance? One of those goes on to CDF and back each day, taking 20 minutes extra. Does that make it long distance? Or is going to Wales "international" enough to make that difference? The point of the exercise is in large part to maintain driver competence in any case, which is why only a few are run.

I think it's the same in the post-December timetable, though the removal of the Electrostar "green flash" symbol makes it harder to tell (you have to use the absence of the "black square" symbol, used for 80xs, saying bike reservations are compulsory and 1st class offered, as a proxy). That change has the odd side effect of denying that 387s have WiFi and power points!

Train Manager is the newer one, but you will still see guards and conductors around. In terms of differences, think it just comes down to where they are based and what routes and traction they cover.

Thank you Ollie  ;D

Onboard train maps (above doors) now show Class 387’s limited services to Cardiff and Bristol.

I find myself gazing into a crystal ball and seeing a high frequency (every 20 minutes?) electric service from Paddington to Cardiff Central operated Driver Only by 8 (or perhaps 4) car 387 electric units with ongoing connections to Swansea and beyond operated by Transport for Wales. Released IETs then migrating to take over remaining Castle diagrams and perhaps starting to appear on Cross Country services.

Are you suggesting no through GWR trains from London to Swansea?   Be interesting given the recent introduction of more through services to Carmarthen from Paddington.

My crystal ball is a bit foggy on that, but I think I saw something like that.  It might have been just that IETs out from Maliphant spend their day in England and return home at night, so there could still be morning peak through services from Swansea to London and back from London to Swansea in the evening.  So that's 1L01 up to 1L10 still running, and 1B28 to 1B38

The ever helpful Reading Buses have train departures on buses heading towards the station. On Saturday morning I noticed one destined for Pemboke Dock, not noticed before. How many of these runa a day?

If I am flexible with my departure times from Bristol Parkway to London,I avoid the trains starting from Cardiff and defo Bristol Parkway.

No first class
no reservations and
no catering 

Think on these things if you join at Swindon,Didcot or Reading

Pembroke Dock is back on Summer Saturdays when there are no rail strikes for the first time since covid.    Let's say it runs 10 times a year, which makes it 0.027 services on an average day.

Was not the original plan that almost all long distance services would be operated by IETs ?
As electrification spread, IETs to be converted into electric trains by removing all but one engine.

Yet now the policy seems to be to use 387s on electrified routes.

387s dont even claim to be inter city trains, with no first class, catering, or reservations. The wretched IETs are at least claimed to be inter city trains, if not very good ones.

On the one hand, this (unhelpfully and totally irrelevantly) puts me in mind of the last years of the GCR, trains only as far as Nottingham, mostly 4 carriage DMU and one seven carriage for good measure.

On the other, I've not travelled very much on the 387s but changing on to one for the first time from an IEP at Reading, despite the 1/3 - 2/3 doors, when it set off we remarked to each other that the impression was of a step-up in comfort and 'Traininess' compared to the train we'd just left. But then, some of the IEPs are pretty rough riding - not sure if it varies by set or by where one's sitting, or both. If it's the former, perhaps we could have forum advice on 'Where best to sit in an IEP'.

Mark

NOT driver only.
Safety first please - complete with train manager and catering (such as it is).

Given that (AIUI) the sawnoff HSTs last day of service is 10 September, presumably the IET & 387 fleet will be spread even more thinly with commuter trains no doubt appearing more regularly on long distance routes?

AIUI a small number of Castles are now staying into next year, but your point is correct, yes.

Indeed

(https://mbob.co.uk/rforum/387now.jpg)

A contrast from their launch in 2016

(https://mbob.co.uk/rforum/387sep16.jpg)

Bodes well for major sporting events in Cardiff.

I'm increasingly finding that I prefer what you might regard as local trains for longer journeys, rather than the purpose-built long distance trains.  Most can now top 100mph and have air-con, the seats are often comfier and the windows bigger.  First Class on all but a few routes is a disappointment for the price anyway and catering is dying out.  I'd much prefer not to have to get my refreshments before I get on the train, but at least the choice is often now far better than it was.  A reservation is no use unless you want to be tied to a specific train (I'd rather trains were long enough not to have absolutely every seat full), and could anyway be offered without too much effort on the 387s if GWR wanted to, ditto catering.

I'd suggest that if one is an off-peak leisure traveller with baggage and a trip of less than 2 hours then something like a 387 is indeed probably going to be more comfortable - plenty of space for baggage, friends & family etc.

As a commuter/business traveller however, an airline seat with a tray table for a laptop and a power point is generally more useful if I'm going to be more than 30 mins

I think what you're saying is that the IETs are better commuter trains and the 387s are better intercity trains?  ;)

fixed it for you. :)