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Some grim scenes being reported with many PAX left behind and severe overcrowding evident too. Sadly GWR have been caught out badly by this event and its conclusion.

Not sure how this was handled. Surely a better service could have be provided though.

The Red Arrows at Falmouth also was a PR failure too. Queues of up to 120mins at Falmouth Town.  The lack of BTP presence was notable on Wed, frustrations were very vocal.

From GWR  Other train service updates

13:04 Newquay to Plymouth due 15:11
13:04 Newquay to Plymouth due 15:11 will no longer call at Par, Lostwithiel, Bodmin Parkway and Liskeard.
This is due to overcrowding because of an event.
Last Updated:14/08/2017 12:54

3 Other Train Service Updates
11:32 Paignton to London Paddington due 14:54 
15:15 Plymouth to London Paddington due 18:34
An additional train service has been planned to operate as shown 15:15 Plymouth to London Paddington due 18:34.
Last Updated:14/08/2017 14:02
Due   Station   Status
15:15   Plymouth   15:15
16:18   Exeter St Davids   16:18
18:05   Reading   18:05
18:34   London Paddington   18:34

I was on the 1044 from Plymouth to Paddington (started from PNZ), fortunately in 1st class. The platform was several deep 10 minutes before departure and customers were being held in the tunnel at Plymouth to prevent more getting onto the platform. Many unable to board and standard class was about as rammed as I have ever seen on an HST.

Platforms similarly packed at Exeter & not many managed to get on. Train staff were advising people to get off and wait for the next one if they were uncomfortable but few were falling for that one.....we ended up with Mother's having to change baby's nappies on the floor of the 1st class carriage which had been declassified. Truly awful experience and another PR disaster for GWR. It's already being widely covered in the media.

Why are GWR incapable of making the connection between huge events, advertised months in advance & the inevitable greatly increased demand?

Because the HSTs are fully utilised in the AM peak? And with insufficient time to get them bacjk to PLY for 1035.....the organisers ought to put on coach transport rather than relying on a few trains

Passing the buck to the organisers isn't on. If tickets have been sold then provision of extra trains and if necessary coaches is the responsibility of the transport operator. GWR have admitted that over 5,000 tickets reasonably expected to be used today from NQY were sold. The grim weather in Cornwall today hasn't helped.

Reports of poor staffing at Newquay too are unacceptable. GWR have been thoroughly caught out by this.

Absolutely correct.

However, the festival organisers is a well-run festival usually discuss transport issues with the providers *well before* putting tickets on sale. This was obviously not done, and just an assumption made.

However, I do realise that this isn't thr first year of this festival, but maybe the numbers have increased substantially?

http://www.boardmasters.co.uk/tickets/coach-travel-car-share

As you can see the organisers had thought ahead *well before* and arranged coaches from numerous locations and encouraged liftshare and carshare schemes - perhaps it's you that's making the assumptions Chris?

This situation was entirely predictable for GWR simply by looking at ticket sales - in contrast to the organisers, GWR seem to have made little or no additional provision at all.

ok, fair point.

The 10:47 from Penzance is in effect an additional train in that it is formed by an HST and runs through to Paddington in the high summer rather than a two car unit as far as Plymouth.

I was in the proceeding 10:00 and first class was declassified in that and arrangements made to put luggage in both power cars as well as the catering supplies after the Pullman service was cancelled.

That train is always heavily loaded on a Monday in any event.

Articles that TaplowGreen was referring to:
http://www.cornwalllive.com/thousands-stranded-at-newquay-train-station-after-boardmasters-due-to-lack-of-trains/story-30481207-detail/story.html

http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/thousands-stuck-at-station-after-boardmasters-due-to-lack-of-trains/story-30481213-detail/story.html

It wasn't just the rails that were struggling according the BBC:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-england-devon-40851273

The M5 appeared to be three lanes of very slow moving traffic northbound as my train passed Cullompton.

I'm sure lessons will be learned for next year both by GWR and the organisers. By then there should be a few spare HSTs to hand to help as the 800s will be coming on stream at quite a pace by then.

I certainly think it would be good for a common pool of say 5 or so full length HSTs to be made available to operators to cover big events such as this one once the 800s are in full service on GWR and East Coast. Two or three car DMUs are no use in situations like this.

I can already here ChrisB say 'whooossse gonna pay for it?'  ;)  ;D

Wholly agree about the pooled vehicle idea, as for who pays, the TOCs of course, they're taking the fares and offering what should be an acceptable service in return.

Logic might suggest that passengers travelling on the trains ...  ;D

BBC Spotlight reported on the road and rail problems for fans leaving the event.  They also mentioned concerns about crowd control and safety during the weekend.

Meanwhile at almost the same time BBC Points West were reporting on a lack of buses to get people home from the Bristol Balloon Fiesta.

Gwr had 2000 extra seats from  Newquay this morning. The long single line means little can be done to increase frequency with just one platform at Newquay.
They also had a fleet of coaches direct  running from Newquay to Exeter St Davids. (I imagine quicker than the trains)
The line doesn't have the capacity for several thousand all turning up at once and there is very little gwr can do no matter what they do or plan in advance

It's not for GWR to build but a second operational platform at Newquay would make a significant difference. 

......didn't someone once mention something about "Building a Greater West"?  ::)

Is there not a similar problem with coaches being fully utilised in the peak too?  (maybe not in the school holidays)

Not in the school holidays....

Totally impractical, cost-wise, for infrastructure enhancements for something once a year. Frankly, 50,000 leaving any town/city all at once will cause problems anywhere in the UK.

Especially in Cornwall which is already full of holidaymakers.

50,000 was the total attendance. GWR would only have been expected to move a percentage of that number. No more than 1/3 I'd estimate.

GWR manage tens of thousands at Castle Cary every year for Mr Eavis' little shindig.  Bar the odd fallow year at Worthy Farm.

Yes, doubtless easier at a main line station compared to a terminus on a long branch, but it's not impossible to provide Newquay with strengthened services consisting of HSTs.

GWR need to be more proactive when it comes to events where large numbers can be expected to travel by train using their network. They do a sterling job with Glastonbury and Reading Festivals, have improved their efforts with events in Cardiff and Newbury racecourse. But elsewhere there is much more they could and should do. When properly planned and organised the railways are excellent at moving large crowds to and from events. And yes, CrossCountry should have pitched in too.

I agree the organisers of Boardmasters should also have done more. Particularly when their website for 2017 says this about train travel:



That really is shockingly poor, and hugely out out of date, information. Virgin and Wales & West in Cornwall in 2017? And a link to thetrainline? National Rail Enquiries would be much more appropriate.

 

Indeed they did.... :-) The planned expansion of Newquay, much of which is alongside the branch line, could be a source of further patronage of the line - especially if a halt were constructed in the Trencreek area, providing fast access to the town centre. However, the service would need to be a bit more frequent, which is impossible without a second platform at Newquay.   
https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/media/3629939/A0-plan-CS4-.pdf

The "Masterplan" actually provides for the construction of a halt.

https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/media/3629940/Panel-4-MASTERPLAN-FOR-NEWQUAY-GROWTH-AREA.pdf

How did they manage that (the 2,000 extra seats)?

Is the passing loop at Goonbarrow still operational.  And if it is, is it long enough to enable trains of meaningful length to pass.

The Newquay line does appear to be a missed opportunity to serve adequately a market that would benefit from an improved service. There were plans floated a few years ago to reopen the short section of line from St Dennis Jn to the Parkandillack branch.  This would have linked Newquay with St Austell, enabled a faster service to the main line, and more frequent services to operate with one unit.  Sadly nothing came of it, possibly (as well as cost) because the plans would undermine the existing route to Par, and the thorny question of whether to close that route or have the additional costs of a second route was too difficult. 

An HST shuttled between Newquay and Plymouth 3 times, with normal stopping services replaced by buses, so in total it probably was 2000 extra seats across the day rather than just the morning.



I don't see how an extra platform would help much, it's the single line that is the constraint

The passing loop at Goonbarrow is very much operational and easily allows two HSTs to pass.

A second platform would help a little bit as long distance trains must have a 40 minute turnaround at terminal stations. It could allow an additional train to arrive before heading back out.

The problem with the Newquay branch is that it is at the end of a long line that serves relatively small places along it's route. Local trains can do the branch in 50 minutes with HSTs taking slightly longer. It doesn't compare favourably when put next to the Penzance route which takes only 10 minutes longer but serves much bigger places. Putting a HST on the branch for 2.5 hours just for Newquay's benefit isn't economically sensible. The weekday HST to Newquay runs almost empty past Par usually.

Obviously Boardmasters is a different issue. GWR did run additional HSTs as well as coaches from Newquay but the infrastructure on the branch just isn't up to transporting 0000s of additional people. The best you could get out of the branch would be an hourly service but that requires all incoming trains to be locally sourced (to allow 5 minute turnarounds)

When the UEFA cup final was held in Cardiff recently GWR hired in a loco and coaches to cover the Weymouth Wizard whilst the usual HST provided additional Paddington - Cardiff capacity.

For this event why couldn't GWR ;

1.  hire in that set or equivalent again with locos at each end and work as a push- pull set calling at all stations on the line with passengers at wayside stations boarding and leaving the train through the guard/train managers door only;

2.  startback the last HST off Laira depot for the daily Plymouth - London diagrams at Newquay;

3.  have the hired in loco and coaches run to Goonbarrow Loop and wait for the 2 above to clear the single line Newquay to Goonbarrow;

4.  run the loco and coaches Goonbarrow - Newquay, embark passengers and return to Par;

5.  return the loco and coaches to Newquay, embark passengers and return to Par, thence Plymouth passing 6 below at Goonbarrow;

6.  divert the 1st or 2nd London - Penzance service of the day to Newquay with passengers transferring at Par to the unit that would normally provide the Newquay service but on this occasion would be spare. This unit would also provide the return working of the diverted Penzance service from Penzance to Par/Plymouth;

7.  return 6 above from Newquay passing the daily London - Newquay at Goonbarrow and then to London;

8.  Return the daily Newquay - London as normal;

9.  return the loco and coaches from Plymouth to Par and thence Newquay using this set to cover the Newquay diagram until about 1800 hrs when the normal unit which would cover the Newquay diagram should be back at Par from Plymouth and thus available for the usual Newquay diagram.

Easy with a bit of thought.

The problem with re-instating a 2nd platform at Newquay is the single line. Network Rail would have to install a single line token instrument at Newquay, plus a ground frame unlocked by the single line staff and operated by a train crew member.

The last time I travelled to Newquay the infrastrusture still had a number of coach stabling sidngs which contained stock used on local services and two rakes of coaches which were for the Summer Saturdays only services terminating at Newquay and stabled there until the next Saturday, local services still ran from Newquay to Goonhaven, Perranporth, St. Agnes thence either Chacewater to Truro or Scorrier, Redruth and onto Penzance but Beeching put paid to all that local traffic.                                                                                                                     

How many additional seats, on top of the 2000 or so extra ones GWR provided anyway, would your plan have provided, martyjon?  Also, are there any restrictions on top and tailed locomotives hauled trains on the branch?

If the railways can't cope with this type of event, then they must limit ticket sales instead of just irresponsibly continuing to sell tickets for capacity which doesn't exist.

GWR are happy to continue to take the money whenever these events occur irrespective of the extreme overcrowding, discomfort, danger, delays etc which occur.

If you sell a ticket for a product or service, people have every right to expect it to be provided. If you are unable to provide it in an acceptable, reasonable and timely manner, don't sell it - manage expectations up front about what will be provided and sell tickets accordingly.

How do you limit ticket sales made on the day, bearing in mind they will be being made at stations, TVMs and on trains up and down the country?

Martyjon, great ideas but not feasible due to the line capacity. Regarding diverting Penzance services, these are also carrying far too many passengers for a unit.
The most obvious is extending Plymouth terminator but that would require at least 3 additional hst sets to be magic up.

Realistically, maximum capacity is one train every 80 minutes from Newquay, which would have added one or two extras onto what ran. A couple of the runners were times as 15x units, so overall the "extra 2000 seats" advertised could perhaps have risen perhaps to "extra 3000 seats".   

I note from the realtime trains timings that the "rules of the road" for Newquay, hinted at being a turn around of just over half an hour there for long distance trains were adhered to.  Typically such rules are sensible in order to avoid early delays carrying on all day and "reflecting" between directions.   You really don't want passengers to be stuck on a train at Goonbarrow for too long.

Stock?  For Cheltenham and for Glastonbury, the Paddington to Cardiff 2nd service in the hour is sometimes canned ...

GWR did "quite a bit" ... didn't just leave the normal service in place.  I don't know how much more would have been worth doing to get that extra 1,000 seats, nor how easy it was / would have been to know at what particular time they were needed (bearing in mind issues like weather changing people's travel plans).

When I posted last night on this topic I only originally intended to suggest that GWR could have hired in a top and tailed rake of coaches for use on the Newquay diagram on Monday but got carried away as my nightcap, the level beer in the bottle went down and the displaced beer gradually entered my system.

I was surprised to see that a number of members commented on that post so if they read this post please feel free to comment on my suggestion as above.

As stated in my post the last time I visited Newquay was also the first time. It was in the late 60's and was the destination of a Mystery Tour from Bristol on a summer Sunday behind a class 47.

As regards the branch being capable of supporting a top 'n tail movement, what is an HST set to Newquay but a top 'n tailed working although engine weights may differ engineering trains on the branch are, as a matter of course, top 'n tailed and there have been enthusiast specials on the line in recent years, steam one end diesel the other.

Just finished tonight's beer nightcap so I'll finish now before I get carried away again.

Uts been reported this morning that amidst this passenger chaos an alleged rape of a 15yr old girl happened on a train leaving the festival. 

Now revised to a 17 year old. Fortunately for the young lady in question, not raped but touched inappropriately, still nasty enough though and probably quite scary.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-41001782 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-41001782)

I think that the service concerned was the 20.45 (Sat) Newquay to Plymouth unit.

   If it was a unit then video evidence should be available?

Just to say on Boardmasters, that I saw a piece in the local paper talking about the thankfully few Police issues to do with the festival that there were 10,000 extra people there this year.

For the Champions League final in Cardiff earlier in the year GWR made all Cardiff bound passengers require a reservation. Sure it was a pain, but they did it. And no reason why they couldn't have done that here too (hell it would have probably been easier than Cardiff due to the nature of it being a branch line).

I am not sure if that would actually help or not, but it certainly isn't impossible as you seem to suggest.

That's a fair point,but I think it is recognised that the logistical preparation (and nod out cost) for the Champions League final was beyond exceptional. The publicity was widespread too so other passengers were warned to avoid services on that day.