Me thinks GWR▸ really need to know fairly soon what / if they'll be providing in just under 8 months ... under "DA3". And, yes, many ideas have been put forward ...
Here we are in November 2019 ... just four and a half months to go in the current operating agreement, and no announcement about what the First group will be doing in "GWR"land from 1st April 2020.
A two or four year management contract would seem - my reading of the tealeaves - "probable". But what will it include? Will it be for a continuation of services as they are today for a further 24 or 48 months? Will there be a token enhancement such as there was on Cross Country with (I think I have this right) one extra 4 carriage train? Or will some of the long sought, long researched, much needed service enhancements across services other than those which run to or from the magic station of Paddington, or in the far South West, be included?
GWR's future service and timetable planners must, surely, be looking at future services and timetable changes for May 2020 and December 2020 by now, with December 2019 moved on from their desks into the operational planning departments. So - what could we be looking forward to in changes next year?
* Severn Beach services up to every 30 minutes
* Hourly or better service from Lawrence Hill and Stapleton Road to Bristol Parkway
* Extending Bristol Parkway (or Filton Abbey Wood!) terminators to Yate
* Joining Swindon - Westbury, Westbury - Warminster and Salisbury - Romsey to a single service
* Extending the Bristol - Westbury service routinely each hour to Frome and Yeovil
* Improved calling pattern for Ivybridge
Quick calculation - I believe that I have added 2 diagrams (perhaps 3 depending on how certain things are done), and I have saved one. On of the diagrams is on "the Beach" until the trains from there run on beyond Temple Meads.
Outside DA3 (different operator) but within our area ...
*Additional calls on Exeter to Manchester services at Bridgwater and at Worcestershire Parkway
What have I overlooked?
