Great Western Coffee Shop

FGW link.
http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/NewsItem.aspx?id=587

The subject should say 'Extra Trains For The Cheltenham Festival but passengers between Paddington and Cardiff should check their train times carefully!'

From Tuesday 11 until Friday 14 March inclusive the following alterations will apply in in order to provide extra train services to Cheltenham Spa, due to the capacity crowd expected for the Cheltenham Festival.

Westbound services

0815 Paddington to Cardiff Central will not run.
 
0915 Paddington to Cardiff Central will not run.
 
1515 Paddington to Cardiff Central terminate Swindon.
 
1615 Paddington to Swansea terminate Newport.

Eastbound services
 
1055 Cardiff Central to Paddington start Swindon.
 
1155 Cardiff Central to Paddington start Swindon.
 
1755 Cardiff Central to Paddington will not run.
 
1929 Swansea to Paddington will not run.


Couldn't FGW run the 'rugby specials' stock back and forth between Swindon and Cheltenham and keep the normal services going?

Shame they have got rid of the 180s- they could be useful- if only to provide a shuttle from Swindon to Cardiff!

I Work For FGW Blog links, including info on extra London Midland services from Worcester-Cheltenham.
http://www.iworkforfgw.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=55&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

http://www.iworkforfgw.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=56&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

Hmm, let me see, rail firm with lousy reputation makes thousands of race-goers change trains half-way to their destination during one of the biggest sporting events in the country. How would that play in the pages of certain national newspapers?

Look, we are talking about an opportunity to fill pretty much every seat on the HSTs involved. I doubt you could say the same about most of the Cardiff trains.

This is an opportunity for four days every year for FGW to show what they and the rail industry can do, make some money and keep cars off clogged roads around Cheltenham. Plus spare paths out of Paddington (eg private charters to Cheltenham during this week often run to and from London Victoria) and spare trains don't grow on trees.

The reason charters run to London Victoria is more due to availability of long platforms for tours, the platforming at Victoria is written to allow train platforming changes for a charter to be in the platform on the far east of Victoria Eastern. Paddington is a bit more difficult to get a platform for 45 minutes.

wow, good on London Midland to provide the extra trains to Chelt Spa for the festival. Would be nice if they did this on a regular basis though, like a 1 tp 2 h Worcester-Gloucester to provide a hourly overall service.. ;)

Yes, LM should switch some of their Nottingham/Birmingham to Hereford trains to go to Gloucester (including Ashchurch). The service to Hereford could be switched to a 150 shuttle (and would become more reliable).

I think that this route (the Worcester to Ashchurch stretch and beyond) is underused by TOCs.

Of interest, just posted on the Rail Regulator website is a new track access agreement dated 27/2 that permits FGW to run Class 67 + Mk 2 or 3s for special events, with the two events listed being the Cheltenham Festival and the forthcoming Rugby matches in Cardiff. For the Cardiff services the route from Westbury is cleared, which is curious because they've already run those each time there's a match on at the Millennium.

So you may well see the "Rugby set" at Cheltenham next week. I guess it also explains why Network Rail refused FGW permission to run the sets on Taunton-Cardiff locals last December, as there was no track access agreement agreed by the regulator.   

I "think" the 09:40 Paddington to Cheltenham will be the Class 67 + Mk 2 or 3s

Ollie, the TAC modification allows FGW to run specials with the class 67 under their sub-sector on "the system" - the reason why the Weymouth 67s had issues. All rugby specials as yet are operated in EWSs sector.

I understand that the Chippenham shuttle 67s had special dispensation from Network Rail in order for ORCATS to work properly without manual intervention.

OK, I was just saying that I believe the set normally on the rugby special will be used on the 09:40..

Just clarifying the situation for everyone.

http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.212 is the relevant ORR page.

"TAC" is a new acronym on me .. and I don't think you meant TOC.  "Telecomms Appreciation course" was what Google came up with ...

Help ... I'm sure I'm not the only one who doesn't understand  :-\

Track Access Contract I believe between NR and FGW.   

Yep - track access contract.

The Cheltenham festival will get off to a storm-battered start tomorrow as gale force winds and driving rain look set to make the going heavy (links below.)
http://thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=231771&command=displayContent&sourceNode=231754&home=yes&more_nodeId1=231776&contentPK=20112068

http://thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=231771&command=displayContent&sourceNode=231754&home=yes&more_nodeId1=231776&contentPK=20110351

More in the links below.
http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=231771&command=displayContent&sourceNode=231774&contentPK=20115126&folderPk=108867&pNodeId=231888

http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=231771&command=displayContent&sourceNode=231774&contentPK=20115125&folderPk=108867&pNodeId=231888

BBC Breakfast News - Cheltenham Race Meeting abandoned today, to be rescheduled for later on this week.

It just proves that HM Governement has MORE control on Britains Railways today than when BR ran the system, BR just had a Budget and was told to get on with it.

More in the links below.
http://thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=144913&command=displayContent&sourceNode=231190&home=yes&more_nodeId1=144922&contentPK=20128692

http://thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=231771&command=displayContent&sourceNode=231754&home=yes&more_nodeId1=231776&contentPK=20128642

An official Cheltenham statement issued to PA Sport read:

To give FGW some credit, they plastered the ticket office and machines at BTM with notices advising of the cancellation, also the gatelines. And at the bottom of the notice it read "FGW apologise for any inconvenience caused". I don't think even their sternest critics would balme them for the cancellation of a race meeting. 

To be fair, I dont think that anyone has.

No, but it was curious that they were apologising for it on their notice.

This is true, but I guess they would see it as standard practice to apologise for any inconvenience to passengers intending to travel in these particular kinds of circumstances. It certainly wouldnt have done them any harm PR-wise.

Quote from the link below :
http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=2268

The 07:48 Paddington to Cheltenham Spa tomorrow, will have it's restriction eased, so Cheltenham passengers can use saver tickets :)