Great Western Coffee Shop

A battle of words has developed between campaigners , MP's and FGW (link below.)
http://thisisbath.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=163490&command=displayContent&sourceNode=163316&contentPK=17632206&folderPk=89126&pNodeId=163047

Quotes from Andrew Murrison :

"My constituents are fed up with being packed into train carriages like sardines."

"Although there's been a slight improvement locally recently, it's not surprising that people have been writing in to say that they've given up and are taking the car instead."

Bit of difference of opinion it would appear. Things have got better since December/January but they couldnt have got much worse than they did at the time but thats no license for FGW to start harping on how much better things are when all thats been done is go some way to restoring services pre the December timetable change. They havent reversed the policy of returning the 158s back to two cars on the Cardiff-Portsmouth route. I could never understand why they only took one 3 car 158 from TPX and not a small fleet of them, it just doesnt make sense to have only one set of a particular DMU formation.

As for the condition of the units, I was surprised nothing was mentioned about this in the article along with overcrowding and the high price of fares. But I guess if you have to stand everyday it doesn't make much difference what state the carriage is in. As I currently understand it there is still a lot of bargaining going on as to what stock FGW are going to keep or give away which isnt helping in getting the refurbishment process underway.

David Redgewell of Transport 2000 enters the fray , saying 90 per cent of services in the area are NOT overcrowded (link below.)
http://thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=145365&command=displayContent&sourceNode=145191&contentPK=17640076&folderPk=83726&pNodeId=144922

He also says the Government is being lobbied for the green light to run four carriages on the Cardiff to Portsmouth line rather than two , and calls for extra carriages on the Bristol - Weymouth line.

He is worried the 12 extra trains that were supplied by First Great Western this year to ease overcrowding could end up moving to a northern operator at the end of the year.

He said: "The Government wants to relocate these trains to Northern Rail. Our biggest fear is that by Christmas, these trains will go North."

A spokesman for First Great Western said: "Obviously, some commuter services are full but that is how it is in many cities. Our 2007/8 service is under review and that might involve an increase in capacity."

Would be great if this would happen, a real boost to this important line. The stock that could revolutionize this line would be the Class 180 Adelantes and bring first class back to the route which I think would be used by passengers travelling on business between Cardiff-Bristol-Southampton rather than using their company cars down the A36. A good opportunity for FGW to give this undervalued line a huge boost. Will they take and will the Dft allow them?

This is still a major concern hanging over the regions rail network and I still dont think its been finalized as to what is going/staying. Still theres always the 142s that Northern have just put into storage. Imagine the press coverage if FGW swapped our 150s/158s with Northern for their clapped out 142s  :o

The 180s won't happen unless they are willing to loose services at some principal stations, and south of Southampton! The ideal thing would be perhaps strengthening of services all the way from Cardiff-Portsmouth.

I don't knows what pax numbers are like at Portsmouth but I boared a Cardiff train at Southampton and it was empty. On leaving Southampton we were full and standing...

I use these trains and they are consistently 60 - 80% loaded between Portsmouth - Southampton , which means that you wont be seeing the back of us any time soon.....

Most the peak hours ones are full as well, 1702 of Soton is 1 of the worst