Great Western Coffee Shop

I understand Andrew Griffiths was held up on the Monday, with local MP John Penrose. Tee, hee!

The Bath Chronicle reports on the first working day of the new FGW timetable:

http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=180730&command=displayContent&sourceNode=227209&contentPK=19224526&folderPk=106757&pNodeId=227220

What right have FGW had to invent a new verb- "platformed?"

Will it be added to the OED?

(my spell checker is going mad as I speak!)

"platformed" has been a railway word for donkeys years.

Reliability is on the way up!!!!!!

... unlike "punctual" and "reliable" ...  ;D

That's because 'fluke' and 'luck' are in the dictionary!! ;)

FGW staff seem to know nothing of any Redoubling plans between Worle Jnc. & Milton.  I would love a clear "Is it or Isn't it" going to happen answer on this subject!

If Worle Jnc to Milton was redoubled then that would provide relief for services waiting to enter the line to Weston but if the current single line was to be redoubled, I still couldn't see any room for extra capacity, more trains from BTM to Weston as the line from Parson Street to Worle, currently 2 tracks is currently at or near capacity anyway.

The London to South West & South Wales Multi-Modal Study (SWARMMS) recommended the provision of passing loop facilities at a location between Worle and Nailsea.  http://www.swarmms.org.uk/documents/PLANBris-Exev2.pdf

The London to South West & South Wales Multi-Modal Study (SWARMMS) recommended the provision of passing loop facilities at a location between Worle and Nailsea.  http://www.swarmms.org.uk/documents/PLANBris-Exev2.pdf

And nearer Bristol,  if an up fast service is breathing down the neck of a stopping service then the latter will be routed onto the relief lines after Parson St. The result is that (although it is due to stop at Parson St) the signalling almost brings it to a halt short of Parson St and slows it by around a minute before it even calls at the station. Only then, after the station call can it switch onto the relief line. Result, even further delay for (usually) the XC service.  A fast turn out before Parson St would remove this, but it all costs more money, years of planning, and will never be done.         

Lee, apologies but the link you posted is incomplete.

http://www.politics.co.uk/news//opinion-former-index/transport/calls-rail-investment-prevent-motorway-hell-$1260607.htm (http://www.politics.co.uk/news//opinion-former-index/transport/calls-rail-investment-prevent-motorway-hell-$1260607.htm)

Surely a Tory MP complaining about the shortfall in railway provision is a bit like King Herod bemoaning the lack of firstborn children.

When is the average backwoods politico going to realise that it's not just a matter of popping down to 'Carriages R Us'?  Or am I being naive in not recognising this as a clumsy and transparent attention grabber?

Do half hourly hsts ( in general) at peak time not provide enough capacity?

Local MP John Penrose has expressed his concern over Government plans to electrify the Paddington to Bristol main rail line which could mean a cut in vital commuter services between Weston-super-Mare and Bristol.
The Government is currently assessing the viability of electrifying the Great Western main line. Mr Penrose is a strong supporter of electrification, but he^s concerned that if the line to Weston isn't included in the plans then the intercity High Speed Trains (HST) which currently serve the town may no longer be able to reach it as they would be limited to the new electric lines only. The rush hour HSTs are an essential component in reducing overcrowding on Weston's commuter rail services and have made a real difference since they were introduced after extensive lobbying of First Great Western by Mr Penrose and others 18 months ago.
The Weston MP has now written to Lord Adonis, the Secretary of State for Transport, demanding to know whether Weston will be included in the Government's electrification plans and that the Minister consider the impact of his decision on Weston-super-Mare. He has also sought reassurances that, if Weston^s track isn^t electrified, steps are taken to preserve and improve current levels of services. He has said that this will be crucial for the future of the town, especially if the Government pushes ahead with its plan to impose 12,000 new houses on the sea-side town which will potentially add to Weston^s 20,000 commuters.
John said: ^Over the last few years we^ve managed to make significant progress in introducing more high capacity diesel intercity trains at rush hour to help relieve the overcrowded commuter services.
^But if the main line is electrified and doesn^t include the track to Weston, those trains won't be able to reach us because they will only run on the new electric lines. This could mean a massive cut to our current levels of service and would be a giant step backwards. We would return to unacceptable levels of overcrowding and would end up pushing people off the train and back into their cars, adding to the already-overcrowded M5.
^It^s crucial that the Government realises the effects that part electrification of the line could have on Weston. That^s why I^ve written to the Minister responsible and urged him to look at the impact of his plans. If the Government decides that electrification is not viable for Weston then they need to ensure that the current service levels are maintained, and must be willing to improve them in future too to relieve the ever increasing congestion on our roads and motorway.^

Commuter services between Weston and Bristol would not be affected by changes to the line between Weston and London.

Weston-super-Mare MP John Penrose is demanding that the Government provides extra rail carriages for services to and from the sea-side town to provide relief to over-crowded commuter services. The move comes after track improvements between Weston and Worle were shelved.

In a letter to the Secretary of State for Transport, Lord Adonis, the local MP has demanded that alternative measures to increase capacity and provide relief to over-crowded commuter services must be taken now that the track improvements have been dropped. The MP has already pushed the Government on First Great Western^s bid for an extra twelve carriages for the region, as these would increase the capacity of at least two peak time services from Weston to Bristol. But he is now also calling for the Government to provide the carriages to lengthen a further four of Weston^s peak time services, which should provide the necessary capacity for commuters until 2019.

John Penrose said: ^These extra carriages are crucial if Weston is to have a reliable and comfortable train service which can be used by commuters and tourists alike and provide a viable alternative to using our roads and avoiding the chaos at Junction 21.

^ve spoken to Network Rail chiefs and they tell me that these extra carriages can provide the same advantages as the Weston and Worle track improvements which is welcome news. But it^s only the Government who can guarantee the new carriages and funding required.

^It^s vital that we provide Weston with the train service it deserves. That^s why I^ve written to the Minister responsible and will continue to push the Government until they deliver the extra carriages we need.^

Although the line does clearly need longer trains at peak times,

Which services are overcrowded these days? The only one I can think of is the 1753(2?) ex Bristol in the evening. The HST's soak up the commuters in the morning.

Train service disappointment

Train services in Weston could deteriorate if the Government 'doesn't get its act sorted' - according to the town's MP.

John Penrose has hit out at the Government's plan to electrify the track between London and Bristol, resulting in it scrapping plans to provide additional diesel carriages for the area to First Great Western.

Under the plans announced last year the rail giant could have received an additional 44 carriages for the South West region.

Mr Penrose has today written to rail minister Lord Adonis demanding to know how the Government will fulfil its capacity targets to 2014 now that it will not provide the region with the carriages it needs.

He says in addition the Government has still not reached agreement on carriage leases from across the country.

At present, they are due to lapse in the middle of next year, meaning the South West could lose 24 of its existing carriages, reducing capacity and service levels further.

Mr Penrose said: "This is a double blow for Weston rail users.

"The new carriages would have improved the service significantly, giving Weston's hard-pressed commuters an alternative to using their cars.

"Weston deserves a first-class train service, but if the Government doesn't get its act sorted, we'll end up with a second-rate one.

"That's why I'm pushing it to come clean on how it's going to increase capacity as it promised.

Waiting to alight at Nailsea on the 2145 Paddington to Exeter last night the TM mentioned that consideration is benig given to stopping this short at Temple Meads from next May.

Does anyone know if there is any truth in this, and if so, is the service specified under the franchise?

Isn't the set used for the 2145 used the following day for the 0546 Exeter-Padd? If so what would happen to this service?

Its essentially a glorified ECS past Bristol.

So that would still have to take place at some point during the night or a set come from Laira?

Said HST is cleaned in Riverside yard afaik. I've certainly seen it there whilst attempting to sleep on the "beds" with lots of customary wheelflats!  :(

It's Exeter Crew that work it, so one assumes it would go ECS back to Exeter.  There is a stopper (2200 Cardiff-Exeter) which goes ahead of the current HST, but I am sure it could be re-timed to run as a 4-car behind the ECS HST.