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All across the Great Western territory => Across the West => Topic started by: didcotdean on March 20, 2020, 07:21:41



Title: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: didcotdean on March 20, 2020, 07:21:41
Great Western Railway reduces trains (Herald Series) (https://www.heraldseries.co.uk/news/18320554.coronavirus-great-western-railway-reduces-trains/)
Quote
Great Western Railway is reducing its service due to coronavirus.

In a statement this morning, it said it aims to work with government guidelines against non-essential travel, but make sure certain routes are maintained to help key workers get to work.

The new timetable will take effect from Monday.

Services between London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads and London Paddington and South Wales will continue to run every hour.

Local services will be reduced.

Full details will appear shortly at gwr.com
Thought this deserved it's own thread even though details are not yet available.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: grahame on March 20, 2020, 07:47:34
Great Western Railway reduces trains (Herald Series) (https://www.heraldseries.co.uk/news/18320554.coronavirus-great-western-railway-reduces-trains/)
Quote
Great Western Railway is reducing its service due to coronavirus.

In a statement this morning, it said it aims to work with government guidelines against non-essential travel, but make sure certain routes are maintained to help key workers get to work.

The new timetable will take effect from Monday.

Services between London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads and London Paddington and South Wales will continue to run every hour.

Local services will be reduced.

Full details will appear shortly at gwr.com
Thought this deserved it's own thread even though details are not yet available.

Thank you, yes - correctly a new thread.

Reports of traffic / income down by 33%, 50% and 70% from various sources (some GWR data in there) so this reduction is not unexpected;  I privately speculated what services might/should  look like soon via a personal message (but don't want to start a speculation thread) - but it did include cutting main line expresses west of Didcot to 2 per hour. Every 30 minutes alternating Swansea and Bristol would make sense, but considering how long timetable planning usually takes, I suspect a short cut of running to existing paths.

Trains will be cut quickly and some rough edges on the new timetables. I fear they won't come back to new-appropriate levels as the country comes through to a new future with anything like that speed of action, and indeed we may well find ourselves in "campaigning country" to get back what we loose very soon.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: IndustryInsider on March 20, 2020, 08:40:34
It’ll be very interesting to see what the medium and long term future holds, but for now there’s no doubt a much reduced timetable is required.  Numbers of passengers are still dropping and from the many long distance trains I’ve seen over the last 24 hours, I would say numbers are now at 10-20% of what you would usually expect.  That’s not 10-20% less, but in total.  Shorter distance services slightly, but only slightly, better.

Handouts Financial support will be needed very soon to keep operators afloat, and I think there’s a real possibility the DfT will have to temporarily take over all services if the situation lasts well into the summer.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: grahame on March 20, 2020, 09:11:03
Government (nationwide) announcement:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/reduced-rail-timetable-agreed-to-protect-train-services-and-staff

Quote
The government and the UK rail industry have agreed a plan that will see a gradual reduction in train services across the country to reflect lower passenger demand, while keeping vital rail services running.

Operators will continue to run core services ensuring people remain able to get to work, can travel to access medical appointments and the flow of goods continues across the UK.

The move reflects a decrease in passenger demand as people stop all unnecessary travel and decrease non-essential social contact in line with government advice to help stop the spread of the virus. Running reduced services will also help protect the welfare of frontline railway staff essential for day-to-day operations.

Rail services will be reduced from Monday 23rd March and kept under review, with operators providing clear communications to ensure passengers who need to travel are well-informed of the changes.

There will be a gradual move towards introducing reduced service levels on wide parts of the network over the longer term. To minimise disruption, services will be reduced progressively across the network over the coming days.

The plan will also ensure key freight services can continue to move around the country, allowing vital goods to continue to be shipped where needed.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: IndustryInsider on March 20, 2020, 09:48:11
Based on more observations today, I reckon I can reduce my 10-20% figure down to 5% for many long distance services.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: grahame on March 20, 2020, 09:58:14
Email from National Rail

Quote
These are exceptional times. Coronavirus is changing how everyone lives, works and travels. But we know that Britain’s railway is vital to keep the nation connected and we wanted to update you on what is happening to train services.


In order to keep trains running with fewer staff over what may be a prolonged period of disruption for the country, we have worked with government to switch to a reduced timetable from Monday 23 March. It means that essential workers will continue to be able to get to their jobs over the coming weeks and months, and that trains will continue to deliver the goods that keep our supermarket shelves stacked and our power stations running.


There will be around half the number of trains running compared to a normal weekday, with early morning and late evening services where possible to support those doing shift work. New train times will be available from midday Sunday 22 March. Please check National Rail for more information and before you set out.


We are monitoring journeys closely and should it become necessary in the weeks ahead, we will adjust services to ensure they’re being delivered to where they’re needed most. In the meantime, if your journey is essential and you need to travel by train, please follow public health advice.


We would like to thank all customers for their support as we work through this time of extraordinary national challenge. We would also like to thank all our colleagues in the rail industry who, like other key workers, are to be commended for putting the needs of the country first, and whose safety remains front of mind. Together, they are keeping the country connected.


Sincerely,

The team at National Rail-


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: grahame on March 20, 2020, 10:46:37
Circular letter from Matthew Golton in last half hour.  Very much along lines I would have guessed / sensible framework for the sort but indeterminate time.

Quote
Dear Graham
 
You may have seen in this morning’s media that following discussions with government and the wider rail industry, we are reducing services to reflect national advice against non-essential travel, while maintaining services critical to keeping key workers moving during the current situation.    
 
The new timetable will operate from Monday (23 March). There will however also be some changes to advertised services over this weekend. The new timetable will operate until further notice.   
 
The changes prioritise key routes, essential for those people continuing to deliver vital services as the UK responds to the current situation.  We will be operating hourly London services to Bristol Temple Meads, South Wales, Worcester Shrub Hill and Plymouth where customers will be able to connect for Cornwall.  Customers for the South Cotswolds will be able to connect with a two hourly service from Swindon. There will also be significant changes to regional and branch line services. 
 
We are working hard to enter all the changes into online and digital timetables, and these should all be updated in the next seven to ten days. From then individual journeys can be checked on www.gwr.com/travel-updates/check-your-journey.   
 
Until then we will be adding details to a dedicated page on our website gwr.com. This is being updated now and will be available later this morning. 
 
These are difficult times and we acknowledge that some of these changes may be difficult for some customers, but I know you will recognise the need for us to keep services running for those with critical roles and I would be grateful for any help you can give in getting the message out about these changes and why we are making them.
 
Best regards
 
Matthew


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: didcotdean on March 20, 2020, 12:02:19
Full details  (https://www.gwr.com/travel-updates/live-network-updates/disruption-information)now on GWR.com, at least as to the service level as copied below

High Speed Services
On the following long-distance routes there will be 1 train per hour in both directions:
• between London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads
• between London Paddington and Swansea
• between London Paddington and Worcester Foregate Street
• between London Paddington and Plymouth (Services between London Paddington and Plymouth will alternate between a stopping service in the first hour, calling at Newbury, Pewsey, Westbury and Castle Cary and a fast service between London Paddington  – Taunton – Plymouth in the second hour.)

An hourly shuttle service will operate between Penzance and Plymouth with a varying calling pattern to intermediate stations.
A two hourly shuttle will operate between Swindon and Gloucester.

London and Thames Valley
An hourly service will operate on the following routes:
• between Reading and Basingstoke
• between Didcot Parkway and Oxford
• between Reading and Redhill
• between Reading and Newbury / Bedwyn
• between London Paddington and Didcot Parkway

The following branch lines will operate with a reduced service with amended timings:
• West Ealing – Greenford
• Slough – Windsor
• Maidenhead – Marlow/Bourne End
• Twyford – Henley-on-Thames

Bristol regional services
A two hourly service will operate on the following routes:
• between Cardiff Central and Portsmouth Harbour
• between Cardiff Central and Taunton
• Westbury and Weymouth

An hourly service will operate between Bristol Temple Meads and Gloucester/Great Malvern

Bristol Temple Meads – Severn Beach line will continue to operate but with amended times.

Swindon – Melksham – Westbury TransWilts services will continue with minor changes between Swindon and Westbury, calling at the normal intermediate stations.

Devon and Cornwall
An hourly service will operate on the following routes:
• between Exmouth and Paignton
• between Truro and Falmouth Docks
• between Penzance and Plymouth

Services between Barnstaple and St. James’ Park will operate at peak times

Services on the Plymouth – Gunnislake, Liskeard – Looe, Par – Newquay and St Erth – St Ives branch lines will continue to operate with amended times.

Night Riviera Sleeper service
The sleeper service between London Paddington and Penzance will not run until further notice.
Onboard services
Pullman Dining will no longer be available until further notice.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: IndustryInsider on March 20, 2020, 14:03:41
Based on what I’ve seen today, that will be more than enough.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: Sixty3Closure on March 20, 2020, 17:21:03
I think i was the only person on the Carmarthan train last night apart from a handful of people at Cardiff using it as a local service and single digits who got off at Bristol.

Very strange experience.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: rogerw on March 20, 2020, 17:26:51
Correct information still not available on line for next week. "Check your journey" has not been update despite the on line advice to use this.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: broadgage on March 20, 2020, 18:53:37
I think that "everything has all gone to pot" at Brimpsfield :(


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: grahame on March 20, 2020, 19:31:28
100 short term cancellations tomorrow, starting with

Quote
Sat, 21 March 04:48 Swansea to London Paddington due 07:44

21/03/20 04:48 Swansea to London Paddington due 07:44 will be cancelled.

This is due to a short-notice change to the timetable.

Further Information

Following discussions with Government and the wider rail industry, Great Western Railway is reducing services to reflect national advice against non-essential travel, while maintaining services critical to keeping key workers moving during the current situation.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: IndustryInsider on March 20, 2020, 19:46:19
I assume you’ll see the same (though a shorter list) on Sunday before a proper emergency timetable is released and implemented from Monday.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: Noggin on March 21, 2020, 07:36:30
Walking past Temple Meads the last couple of days it looks like the London services are just using a single IET unit rather than the usual pair.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: IndustryInsider on March 21, 2020, 08:02:17
There’s still a few 10-car services running about (as well as 9-car ones) but 5-cars is plenty on all the trains I’ve seen.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: PhilWakely on March 21, 2020, 08:16:40
There’s still a few 10-car services running about (as well as 9-car ones) but 5-cars is plenty on all the trains I’ve seen.

Whilst a 5-car may be plenty in terms of numbers travelling, I believe that consideration is being given to giving pax the space required - in other words, if a particular seat is occupied, don't sit in the seats around them.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: patch38 on March 21, 2020, 12:25:39
I think that "everything has all gone to pot" at Brimpsfield :(

"They don't know whether they are coming or going at Paddington."

Sorry, I couldn't resist folowing broadgage off topic into our favoured world of 70s TV drama  ;)


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: rogerw on March 21, 2020, 20:24:34
Still no details yet about next weeks services


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: stuving on March 21, 2020, 20:53:32
Still no details yet about next weeks services

GWR's page on this (https://www.gwr.com/travel-updates/live-network-updates/disruption-information) says:
Quote
We are working hard to enter all the changes into online and digital timetables, and these should all be updated in the next seven to ten days. From then individual journeys can be checked on www.gwr.com/travel-updates/check-your-journey. 

That page is unfortunately not dated - but as the changes were announced yesterday, they are essentially not promising even to have done that by the day before.

However, there was an e-mail from NRE to railcard holders that said this:
Quote
New train times will be available from midday Sunday 22 March. Please check National Rail for more information and before you set out.

That doesn't say "in the Online Journey Planner", but they do mean that as they do include a link to it.

For reference, here are NRE's own page on COVID-19 generally (https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/coronavirus.aspx?utm_medium=email&utm_source=railcardservice&utm_campaign=timetable), and GWR's updates page (https://www.gwr.com/safety) (which does not cover the timetable itself).


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: grahame on March 22, 2020, 06:30:56
This morning ...

Quote
08:20 Westbury to Swindon due 09:03 will be cancelled.
This is due to a short-notice change to the timetable.
Further Information
Following discussions with Government and the wider rail industry, Great Western Railway is reducing services to reflect national advice against non-essential travel, while maintaining services critical to keeping key workers moving during the current situation.

Also gone ...

Quote
Train Cancellations
08:20 Westbury to Swindon due 09:03
08:30 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington due 10:07
09:01 Bristol Temple Meads to Severn Beach due 09:36
09:12 Swindon to Westbury due 09:52
09:15 Exeter St Davids to Exmouth due 09:50
09:21 London Paddington to Oxford due 10:18
09:29 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads due 11:00
09:30 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington due 11:11
09:31 Gloucester to Taunton due 11:43
09:32 London Paddington to Gloucester due 11:23
09:34 Bristol Temple Meads to Weymouth due 11:54
09:39 Severn Beach to Bristol Temple Meads due 10:15
09:42 Exeter St Davids to Bristol Temple Meads due 11:16
09:50 Exeter St Davids to Exmouth due 10:18
09:55 Exmouth to Paignton due 11:32
10:05 Gloucester to London Paddington due 11:56
10:21 London Paddington to Oxford due 11:19
10:23 Exmouth to Exeter St Davids due 10:56
10:44 Westbury to Swindon due 11:28
10:55 Oxford to London Paddington due 11:54
10:58 Bristol Temple Meads to Severn Beach due 11:33
11:21 London Paddington to Oxford due 12:19
11:30 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington due 13:07
11:32 London Paddington to Gloucester due 13:22
11:37 London Paddington to Newbury due 12:17
11:38 Bristol Temple Meads to Gloucester due 12:28
11:41 Swindon to Westbury due 12:21
11:53 Paignton to Exmouth due 13:19
11:55 Oxford to London Paddington due 12:54
11:55 Severn Beach to Bristol Temple Meads due 12:33
12:04 Taunton to Bristol Temple Meads due 13:08
12:15 Exeter St Davids to Exmouth due 12:50
12:16 Gloucester to London Paddington due 13:59
12:21 London Paddington to Oxford due 13:22
12:27 Newbury to London Paddington due 13:13
12:30 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington due 14:09
12:55 Oxford to London Paddington due 13:57
12:57 Exmouth to Paignton due 14:20
13:15 Bristol Temple Meads to Taunton due 14:13
13:21 London Paddington to Oxford due 14:19
13:23 Bristol Temple Meads to Severn Beach due 13:58
13:24 Exmouth to Exeter St Davids due 13:56
13:29 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads due 14:59
13:30 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington due 15:06
13:32 London Paddington to Gloucester due 15:20
13:37 London Paddington to Newbury due 14:17
13:38 Bristol Temple Meads to Gloucester due 14:28
13:55 Oxford to London Paddington due 14:57
14:08 Weymouth to Bristol Temple Meads due 16:29
14:12 Severn Beach to Bristol Temple Meads due 14:52
14:15 Exeter St Davids to Exmouth due 14:50
14:16 Gloucester to London Paddington due 15:59
14:21 London Paddington to Oxford due 15:19
14:27 Newbury to London Paddington due 15:11
14:29 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads due 16:09
14:30 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington due 16:09
14:50 Westbury to Swindon due 15:34
14:55 Oxford to London Paddington due 15:54
15:00 Paignton to Exmouth due 16:19
15:04 Penzance to Bristol Temple Meads due 19:16
15:15 Taunton to Severn Beach due 16:58
15:21 London Paddington to Oxford due 16:20
15:30 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington due 17:09
15:32 London Paddington to Gloucester due 17:22
15:37 London Paddington to Newbury due 16:17
15:38 Bristol Temple Meads to Gloucester due 16:29
15:46 Swindon to Westbury due 16:26
15:55 Oxford to London Paddington due 16:54
16:15 Gloucester to London Paddington due 17:59
16:20 London Paddington to Oxford due 17:23
16:24 Exmouth to Exeter St Davids due 16:57
16:29 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads due 18:02
16:30 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington due 18:08
16:35 Newbury to London Paddington due 17:28
16:40 Gloucester to Bristol Temple Meads due 17:29
16:55 Oxford to London Paddington due 17:55
17:12 Severn Beach to Bristol Temple Meads due 17:52
17:28 Bristol Temple Meads to Weston-Super-Mare due 18:01
17:30 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington due 19:06
17:32 London Paddington to Gloucester due 19:21
17:38 Bristol Temple Meads to Gloucester due 18:28
17:38 London Paddington to Newbury due 18:17
17:51 Oxford to London Paddington due 18:56
18:15 Gloucester to London Paddington due 19:56
18:16 Weston-Super-Mare to Severn Beach due 19:30
18:21 London Paddington to Oxford due 19:19
18:30 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington due 20:09
18:30 Newbury to London Paddington due 19:15
18:55 Oxford to London Paddington due 19:54
19:29 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads due 21:04
19:30 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington due 21:05
19:32 London Paddington to Gloucester due 21:19
19:42 Severn Beach to Bristol Temple Meads due 20:22
19:55 Oxford to London Paddington due 20:53
20:16 Gloucester to London Paddington due 21:59
20:29 London Paddington to Weston-Super-Mare due 22:44
21:29 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads due 23:01

and reduced in journey ....

Quote
09:07 London Paddington to Bedwyn due 10:23
09:07 London Paddington to Bedwyn due 10:23 will be started from Reading.
It will no longer call at London Paddington and Maidenhead.
This is due to a short-notice change to the timetable.

Quote
Other Train Service Updates
09:07 London Paddington to Bedwyn due 10:23
09:27 Bedwyn to London Paddington due 10:41
09:55 Weston-Super-Mare to London Paddington due 12:09
10:00 London Paddington to Plymouth due 13:43
10:05 London Paddington to Newbury due 11:01
10:29 London Paddington to Weston-Super-Mare due 12:33
10:40 Bedwyn to London Paddington due 11:53
11:07 London Paddington to Bedwyn due 12:12
11:29 London Paddington to Paignton due 15:05
11:53 Newbury to London Paddington due 12:53
12:05 London Paddington to Newbury due 13:02
12:29 London Paddington to Weston-Super-Mare due 14:29
12:38 Bedwyn to London Paddington due 13:50
13:06 London Paddington to Bedwyn due 14:12
13:53 Newbury to London Paddington due 14:51
14:05 London Paddington to Newbury due 15:02
14:39 Bedwyn to London Paddington due 15:50
14:55 Plymouth to London Paddington due 18:38
14:57 Exmouth to Paignton due 16:21
15:07 London Paddington to Bedwyn due 16:12
15:29 London Paddington to Taunton due 18:04
15:46 Newbury to London Paddington due 16:44
16:05 London Paddington to Newbury due 17:02
16:41 Bedwyn to London Paddington due 17:52
17:05 London Paddington to Bedwyn due 18:12
17:29 London Paddington to Weston-Super-Mare due 19:38
18:05 London Paddington to Newbury due 19:02
18:29 London Paddington to Weston-Super-Mare due 20:32
18:58 Taunton to London Paddington due 21:38
19:05 London Paddington to Bedwyn due 20:24


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: froome on March 22, 2020, 12:17:16
And yet, my local station, Oldfield Park, which has an hourly service during the week, which in normal times isn't sufficient, has on Sundays some hours with more than one service (and on others none). One particular anomaly which I've never understood is that we have a 13.18 train and a 13.24 train, both going to Salisbury. One is an SWR service to London Waterloo (none of these stop here during the week), and the other is what would have been a Portsmouth service (again none of these stop here during the week). I assumed one or both would be cancelled today, but lo, both are running.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: grahame on March 22, 2020, 12:55:43
And yet, my local station, Oldfield Park, which has an hourly service during the week, which in normal times isn't sufficient, has on Sundays some hours with more than one service (and on others none). One particular anomaly which I've never understood is that we have a 13.18 train and a 13.24 train, both going to Salisbury. One is an SWR service to London Waterloo (none of these stop here during the week), and the other is what would have been a Portsmouth service (again none of these stop here during the week). I assumed one or both would be cancelled today, but lo, both are running.

There are a number of - err - anomalies about today.  Let's be generous and call them rushed decisions, based I suspect on what's easy to slim out rather than where remaining (and key travelling) customers are.  As from tomorrow morning, all SWR services passing through Oldfield Park on their way to Bristol are withdrawn for the indefinite future, and whether they return soon enough for SWR drivers to be able to drive them without a route refresh or not, I wouldn't like to guess.

My reading is that speed will no longer be the key.  I would be surprised to see any trains that run fast through Reading or Swindon still running, and perhaps Cardiff to Portsmouth will call at just about every station (except Pilning, I'm afraid) to Southampton.  Connection at Westbury off trains every two hours to Weymouth, all stations again. Fantasy suggests those Weymouth trains start back at Swindon are are overtaken at Westbury, offering a tw hourly, two way set of connections.

With the characterisation of fewer and more-stop trains, Keynsham and Oldfield Park at "peak" times might see the London to Bristol service calling too. 

We shall see - I fear that GWR doesn't have the luxury of a big pool of timetablers who have key knowledge of all the various flows, and we may see solutions which priorities getting *something* changed over getting things changed to suit the changed customer flows.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: Marlburian on March 22, 2020, 14:32:00
... We shall see - I fear that GWR doesn't have the luxury of a big pool of timetablers who have key knowledge of all the various flows, and we may see solutions which priorities getting *something* changed over getting things changed to suit the changed customer flows.

How did the railway companies cope in the Second World War with bombs and priority movements of troops and supplies affecting timetables, and with very poor communication systems. (A rhetorical question.)

They seem to have done very well before and at the start of the First World War, using small stations (eg Patney & Chirton, Lavington, Warminster) to move thousands of men and their equipment within a two- or three-day timescale for manoeuvres. Contemporary newspaper reports nearly always commend the efficiency of the industry and local station staf.

Then there were the mobilisations at the start of both wars, Dunkirk and D-Day.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: TaplowGreen on March 22, 2020, 20:03:41
460 cancellations listed, mostly for tomorrow. Looks like a virtual shutdown.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: grahame on March 22, 2020, 20:22:12
460 cancellations listed, mostly for tomorrow. Looks like a virtual shutdown.

Easiest way to see roughly what is still running is to look at the GWR page at https://www.gwr.com/travel-updates/live-network-updates/disruption-information .

460 sounds like a lot ... but how many services a day do GWR normally run?  I think I have seen a figure somewhere over a thousand.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: plymothian on March 22, 2020, 20:38:26
Updated timetable has made it on to GWR's online journey planner but not National Rail.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: grahame on March 22, 2020, 21:09:00
Updated timetable has made it on to GWR's online journey planner but not National Rail.

RealTimeTrains HAS been updated.   As an example here are remaining trains tomorrow at ... you will have guessed ... Melksham


(http://www.wellho.net/pix/mkm_gwr_20200322.jpg)


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: bobm on March 22, 2020, 21:33:36
I’m not sure RTT has been completely updated.  It’s still showing the sleeper for example.

 https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/L97219/2020-03-22/detailed (https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/L97219/2020-03-22/detailed)


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: grahame on March 22, 2020, 21:46:56
I’m not sure RTT has been completely updated.  It’s still showing the sleeper for example.

 https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/L97219/2020-03-22/detailed (https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/L97219/2020-03-22/detailed)

"Read with Caution" at the moment.  I thinks I've seen "updating online for Monday's services" and that sleeper is a Sunday departure.  Is it still shown for Monday night??


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: JayMac on March 22, 2020, 21:49:39
Severn Beach Line times have been updated. Basically it's been shutdown between 1000-1600. Commuter services only.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: IndustryInsider on March 23, 2020, 00:33:37
460 cancellations listed, mostly for tomorrow. Looks like a virtual shutdown.

Easiest way to see roughly what is still running is to look at the GWR page at https://www.gwr.com/travel-updates/live-network-updates/disruption-information .

460 sounds like a lot ... but how many services a day do GWR normally run?  I think I have seen a figure somewhere over a thousand.

At a very rough guess, 30-40% of the normal train service running, supplying demand to 5-10% of the usual passenger numbers.

Some stations do very well (Melksham for example), some do very badly (Tackley, Heyford for example).  Disappointing that exact timings aren't available for all routes still.

Will be reviewed each week and changes made as necessary I understand.

Currently I can't find any information as to what service TfL Rail will be operating into Paddington other than 'from next week until further notice, London Overground, TfL Rail, the DLR and London Trams will run fewer services'.  Very vague, unless TaplowGreen can point us towards something more detailed?  I had the distinct feeling of being sent round in circles navigating the TfL website.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: TaplowGreen on March 23, 2020, 06:01:28
460 cancellations listed, mostly for tomorrow. Looks like a virtual shutdown.

Easiest way to see roughly what is still running is to look at the GWR page at https://www.gwr.com/travel-updates/live-network-updates/disruption-information .

460 sounds like a lot ... but how many services a day do GWR normally run?  I think I have seen a figure somewhere over a thousand.

At a very rough guess, 30-40% of the normal train service running, supplying demand to 5-10% of the usual passenger numbers.

Some stations do very well (Melksham for example), some do very badly (Tackley, Heyford for example).  Disappointing that exact timings aren't available for all routes still.

Will be reviewed each week and changes made as necessary I understand.

Currently I can't find any information as to what service TfL Rail will be operating into Paddington other than 'from next week until further notice, London Overground, TfL Rail, the DLR and London Trams will run fewer services'.  Very vague, unless TaplowGreen can point us towards something more detailed?  I had the distinct feeling of being sent round in circles navigating the TfL website.

TfL services between Reading/Paddington are on National Rail Enquiries.

Service (from Taplow) has been reduced to half hourly (we're used to that from GWR days!) but seems to be running OK.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: IndustryInsider on March 23, 2020, 10:00:37
Thanks for that, so off-peak levels of service all day then?  A shame it’s not clearer on the TfL website.  Between GWR and TfL Rail it’s a pretty reasonable service between Reading and Paddington for the local stations then.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: IndustryInsider on March 23, 2020, 11:28:42
As has happened before when there's an emergency timetable, Appleford and Culham get their best ever service, off-peak at least, with every Oxford<>Didcot shuttle calling at both of them.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: Sixty3Closure on March 23, 2020, 12:18:18
Thanks for that, so off-peak levels of service all day then?  A shame it’s not clearer on the TfL website.  Between GWR and TfL Rail it’s a pretty reasonable service between Reading and Paddington for the local stations then.

Any indications of how busy the trains are on Thames Valley? If they're relatively busy then a taxi might be a better option for social distancing.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: grahame on March 23, 2020, 12:44:40
Following on from earlier discussions in this thread:

Quote
12:42 Salisbury to Cardiff Central due 14:46
12:42 Salisbury to Cardiff Central due 14:46 will call additionally at Avoncliff, Freshford, Oldfield Park and Keynsham.
This is due to a short-notice change to the timetable.

Changes such as this make sense ... longer distance trains filling in for the shorter distance stoppers.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: fintan_stack on March 23, 2020, 14:18:53
Severn Beach Line times have been updated. Basically it's been shutdown between 1000-1600. Commuter services only.
For some reason a 1311 ran BTM to Severn Beach, platform bloke was as surprised as I was.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: IndustryInsider on March 23, 2020, 16:33:11
Any indications of how busy the trains are on Thames Valley? If they're relatively busy then a taxi might be a better option for social distancing.

I haven't had chance to see yet,but will report back when I do.  Anything medium to long distance is practically empty - maybe 5% of what you might expect?

With the frequencies in place, and length of train, on the Thames Valley routes, I would suspect they are also very quiet off-peak.

I reckon the 70% reduction quoted by the DfT was an average over the whole of last week rather than the current situation which must be a bigger reduction than that.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: TaplowGreen on March 23, 2020, 16:45:23
667 cancellations and 199 "updates"

Wow.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: IndustryInsider on March 23, 2020, 16:54:25
Gives you a good perspective of how many trains GWR normally runs.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: grahame on March 23, 2020, 17:03:36
667 cancellations and 199 "updates"

Wow.

Gives you a good perspective of how many trains GWR normally runs.

Bear in mind that's more than a day's worth though ... from now until end of service tomorrow as far as I can see

For tomorrow - 346 cancellations and 118 updates.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: TaplowGreen on March 24, 2020, 07:11:52
667 cancellations and 199 "updates"

Wow.

Gives you a good perspective of how many trains GWR normally runs.

Bear in mind that's more than a day's worth though ... from now until end of service tomorrow as far as I can see

For tomorrow - 346 cancellations and 118 updates.


708/214 as at 0700


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: grahame on March 24, 2020, 08:59:33
708/214 as at 0700

The 214 is not exactly "214 services running short". There are additional trains in there as well as curtailments, often on the same service.    Weymouth to Gloucester / Great Malvern has become Weymouth to Westbury and Bristol Temple Meads to Gloucester, with Westbury to Bristol passengers and intermediate stations covered on the Salisbury - Cardiff service.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: bradshaw on March 24, 2020, 09:05:27
I fear that GWR Journey Check is so overloaded that it puts one off. Compare that with SWR, who have clearly adapted theirs to the new timetable. As a result the few changes there are can be readily seen.
Is this huge number because the new timetable has not been uploaded to their website?


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: grahame on March 24, 2020, 09:20:20
I fear that GWR Journey Check is so overloaded that it puts one off. Compare that with SWR, who have clearly adapted theirs to the new timetable. As a result the few changes there are can be readily seen.
Is this huge number because the new timetable has not been uploaded to their website?

JourneyCheck should switch to reflecting changes from the new 'key person' timetable by the end of the week. This is the text on the GWR page - been saying "7 to 10 days" since it first was published which I think was just before the weekend - the danger of giving a relative rather than an absolute date!

Quote
We are working hard to enter all the changes into online and digital timetables, and these should all be updated in the next seven to ten days. From then individual journeys can be checked on www.gwr.com/travel-updates/check-your-journey. 


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: TaplowGreen on March 24, 2020, 09:34:27
………..so the journey planner isn't currently reliable either?


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: stuving on March 24, 2020, 10:47:44
………..so the journey planner isn't currently reliable either?

Journey planners do know about disruptions - they have access to real-time data about train running. This is on top of the VAR and STP (including VSTP) updates to the timetable itself. This is a bit of the description of that "Webservice" from NRE:
Quote
4.4 Disruptions Webservice

Through this service the Online Journey Planner consolidates the three different sources of disruption information into a single service. The webservice combines contextual information from Knowledgebase, with delay and reason code information from Darwin and the online journey planner. Requests about disruption can be made to the service on a ‘per station’ or ‘line of route’ basis. The enquiry will return an answer regarding any and all the disruptions affecting that station or line of route at the given time.

I think that means that NRE's OJP does know about these disruptions, so it should reflect them in its displays for ordinary users, and the Webservice makes the same information available to other users, potentially including OJPs. Whether and how they use it, or whether they do the same thing for themselves using the industry feeds (Darwin, or its sources) I have no idea.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: Marlburian on March 27, 2020, 14:29:04
Passing Pangbourne Station around 1000 today I popped in to get a copy of Metro and read it in the sun on Platform Four. There were just four cars parked outside the booking-hall and none in the car park. Perhaps some of the cars belonged to the three guys in hi-viz kit on the platform. Two were chatting to each other at close range - no social distancing there.

There was no-one waiting for the Didcot train and when it arrived I saw only one passenger on its eight coaches. When I left to continue my walk, the Reading train was due in ten minutes, with just one passenger awaiting it. The two hi-viz guys were still chatting though, to be fair, it doesn't take me long to read Metro.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: nickswift99 on March 27, 2020, 14:41:28
The empty car park might be because the council run car park by the village hall is now free.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: Electric train on March 27, 2020, 18:36:48
Perhaps some of the cars belonged to the three guys in hi-viz kit on the platform. Two were chatting to each other at close range - no social distancing there.

Front line railway workers are deemed essential workers and is recognised that cannot maintain social distancing to carry out their tasks and therefore putting their health at risk.  An example of when they cannot maintain the 2 metres is travelling in vehicles working on some equipment.

So please don't judge them too harsh


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: Marlburian on March 27, 2020, 19:06:26
But surely no need for them to stand a foot apart chatting to each other face to face for at least seven minutes?


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: sprinterguard on March 28, 2020, 09:01:17
Seems like GWR have given up with the emergency timetable today.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: Electric train on March 28, 2020, 09:22:10
But surely no need for them to stand a foot apart chatting to each other face to face for at least seven minutes?
Agreed and is contrary to NR brief to its staff


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: Gordon the Blue Engine on March 28, 2020, 12:46:00
Passing Pangbourne Station around 1000 today I popped in to get a copy of Metro and read it in the sun on Platform Four.

Platform 4? It's only got a Platform 1 and 2. 


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: froome on March 28, 2020, 13:42:45
Passing Pangbourne Station around 1000 today I popped in to get a copy of Metro and read it in the sun on Platform Four.

Platform 4? It's only got a Platform 1 and 2. 

Self isolation obviously working wonders.  ;D


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: eightonedee on March 28, 2020, 14:27:13
Quote

Insert Quote
Quote from: Gordon the Blue Engine on Today at 12:46:00 pm
Quote from: Marlburian on Yesterday at 02:29:04 pm
Passing Pangbourne Station around 1000 today I popped in to get a copy of Metro and read it in the sun on Platform Four.

Platform 4? It's only got a Platform 1 and 2.

Self isolation obviously working wonders.  Grin
{like}
Posted on: Today at 12:46:00 pm

He's living in a Tilehurst, Goring or Cholsey world, assuming that the platform by the relief up line is 4 like it is elsewhere - and probably as it was before the mainline platforms were removed from Pangbourne in (I think) the 1970s (?)


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: IndustryInsider on March 28, 2020, 15:47:37
Seems like GWR have given up with the emergency timetable today.

From Monday the drivers (and I presume TM's) normal workings have been altered to reflect the emergency timetable with the reduced amount of work needing to be covered consolidated into existing diagrams.  That means only about half of the staff numbers will be needed to cover the revised timetable, which will mean a lot of sickness will be able to be absorbed with no cancellations.  An awful lot of work was required by the planning department to make these short notice changes.

To avoid the scenario we had last week where excess staff were filling up the messrooms, overflowing into emergency messrooms and not doing any work, many that have not been allocated work will be told to stay at home during their shift, but be ready to come into work if needed. 


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: Marlburian on March 28, 2020, 16:34:49
Quote

Insert Quote
Quote from: Gordon the Blue Engine on Today at 12:46:00 pm
Quote from: Marlburian on Yesterday at 02:29:04 pm
Passing Pangbourne Station around 1000 today I popped in to get a copy of Metro and read it in the sun on Platform Four.

Platform 4? It's only got a Platform 1 and 2.

Self isolation obviously working wonders.  Grin
{like}
Posted on: Today at 12:46:00 pm

He's living in a Tilehurst, Goring or Cholsey world, assuming that the platform by the relief up line is 4 like it is elsewhere - and probably as it was before the mainline platforms were removed from Pangbourne in (I think) the 1970s (?)

Tilehurst world!* I forgot that mainline trains can't/don't stop at Pangbourne, hence the minibus services from Tilehurst in the late evening.I do catch local services from Pangbourne, Goring and Cholsey back to Tilehurst occasionally but just wait on the obvious platform.

Incidentally why were the mainline platforms removed? To give a bit more space for fast-running 125s?

* Or perhaps in a time warp, and I had returned to the old days when there were four platforms at Pangbourne. I do retreat to the past now and then, and after a day researching the Great War wrote a cheque dated "1914" - the bank returned it to me. A couple of minutes after the leaving the station, I passed the houses known as the Seven Deadly Sins and wonder if they pre-dated the railway and if they did, then the owners must have been truly peed off by the railway being built. In fact they were erected in 1896. Perhaps not the best location now, with trains speeding past at the back and a busy main road out front.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: eightonedee on March 28, 2020, 17:09:38
Quote
Incidentally why were the mainline platforms removed? To give a bit more space for fast-running 125s?

That's my recollection, when the track was I think "banked" and realigned in anticipation of 125 mph running. If I am wrong, I have no doubt someone on this forum will put me right!


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: IndustryInsider on March 28, 2020, 17:18:40
It's on quite a curve so I expect you're right.  Old picture of Pangbourne showing the four platforms is available here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pangbourne-Railway-Station-Photo-Reading-Goring-Didcot-Line-GWR-22-/252198738228


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: rogerw on March 28, 2020, 19:58:19
It was part of the track improvement works for the introduction of the HSTs.  The curve through Pangbourne was re-aligned partly through the site up the up fast platform.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: SandTEngineer on March 29, 2020, 10:03:58
It was part of the track improvement works for the introduction of the HSTs.  The curve through Pangbourne was re-aligned partly through the site up the up fast platform.

Tut, Tut.  The GWR/WR doesn't do FAST and SLOW LINES. They are MAIN and RELIEF LINES ::)


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: TaplowGreen on March 29, 2020, 10:35:59
It was part of the track improvement works for the introduction of the HSTs.  The curve through Pangbourne was re-aligned partly through the site up the up fast platform.

Tut, Tut.  The GWR/WR doesn't do FAST and SLOW LINES. They are MAIN and RELIEF LINES ::)

……..but both generally pretty slow  ;)


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: rogerw on March 29, 2020, 10:45:37
It was part of the track improvement works for the introduction of the HSTs.  The curve through Pangbourne was re-aligned partly through the site up the up fast platform.

Tut, Tut.  The GWR/WR doesn't do FAST and SLOW LINES. They are MAIN and RELIEF LINES ::)

Oh! Smack my hand.  ;D ;D


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: BBM on March 29, 2020, 10:59:10
Talking of Main and Relief lines, I've noticed in the last week that the remaining semi-fasts from PAD to DID in the evening (first stop MAI, departing at 16.50, 17.51 and 18.49) are all being routed via the Down Relief adding anything up to 15-20 minutes of delay by the time MAI and TWY are reached even though the Main lines seem to be open as normal. Is there a reason for this? I can't see any additional stops appearing in RTT. (It's purely out of curiousity as of course I'm not travelling at the moment but these are my usual evening return trains when I do go to London for work.)


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: stuving on March 29, 2020, 11:06:06
Talking of Main and Relief lines, I've noticed in the last week that the remaining semi-fasts from PAD to DID in the evening (first stop MAI, departing at 16.50, 17.51 and 18.49) are all being routed via the Down Relief adding anything up to 15-20 minutes of delay by the time MAI and TWY are reached even though the Main lines seem to be open as normal. Is there a reason for this? I can't see any additional stops appearing in RTT. (It's purely out of curiousity as of course I'm not travelling at the moment but these are my usual evening return trains when I do go to London for work.)

Guessing - but is the pathing being simplified so as to call for less planning and signalling effort, and so fewer signallers and/or timetablers?


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: SandTEngineer on March 29, 2020, 11:14:09
Talking of Main and Relief lines, I've noticed in the last week that the remaining semi-fasts from PAD to DID in the evening (first stop MAI, departing at 16.50, 17.51 and 18.49) are all being routed via the Down Relief adding anything up to 15-20 minutes of delay by the time MAI and TWY are reached even though the Main lines seem to be open as normal. Is there a reason for this? I can't see any additional stops appearing in RTT. (It's purely out of curiousity as of course I'm not travelling at the moment but these are my usual evening return trains when I do go to London for work.)

Guessing - but is the pathing being simplified so as to call for less planning and signalling effort, and so fewer signallers and/or timetablers?

Wouldn't have thought so as the signalling generally runs in Automatic Route Setting mode so no signaller intervention is required.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: Marlburian on March 29, 2020, 11:46:20
Given what appears to be very few passengers on some services, I wonder how long it will before the emergency timetable is further pruned.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: Gordon the Blue Engine on March 29, 2020, 14:21:16
It's on quite a curve so I expect you're right.  Old picture of Pangbourne showing the four platforms is available here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pangbourne-Railway-Station-Photo-Reading-Goring-Didcot-Line-GWR-22-/252198738228

Here's an even older picture showing Pangbourne with just the 2 original platforms.  Whitchurch Toll Bridge, crossing the Thames (built 1792, before the railway), is in the background.

(https://i.ibb.co/HTSzXft/b3fd6a2f-e7c1-4b91-9963-6a1c0fd8271c.jpg) (https://ibb.co/60MPN7H)


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: BBM on March 29, 2020, 14:48:03
Given what appears to be very few passengers on some services, I wonder how long it will before the emergency timetable is further pruned.

I popped into Twyford at lunchtime do do some food shopping and I briefly stopped by the station. There were just two cars that I could see in the main (non-season ticket) car park, none in the season ticket parking areas and no passengers on the platforms, the automated announcements were speaking to a non-existent audience.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: Zoe on March 30, 2020, 12:22:01
Newbury seems to have lost most direct services to and from London this week.  The GWR site says that the hourly service will alternate between fast Reading to Taunton and calls at Newbury, Pewsey, Westbury and Castle Cary but all of the slow services before the 1504 off Paddington are first stop Pewsey after Reading.  In the up direction there are no calls between 0835 and 1935.  There is however hourly all stations shuttle is running between Reading and Bedwyn, hopefully no-one from Newbury is going to need to travel further west.  Maybe this has been done to try and discourage any non-essential trips to London and also to prevent overcrowding on HSS?


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: IndustryInsider on March 30, 2020, 12:47:19
Maybe this has been done to try and discourage any non-essential trips to London and also to prevent overcrowding on HSS?

I doubt it has been looked into in that much detail - the emergency timetable had to be thrown together over a very short period of time and is catering for a market that is now so tiny it's unlikely to cause any issues either way.  Certainly not with overcrowding anyway - even overcrowding when social distancing measures are being adhered to.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: stuving on March 30, 2020, 20:13:47
Certainly not with overcrowding anyway - even overcrowding when social distancing measures are being adhered to.

We've all had a ringside seat over the last couple of weeks to observe a linguistic phenomenon; how words and phrases suddenly change their meaning when they jump from one user group to another. There ought to be a proper academic name for this sort of semantic jump - it's quite well-known, especially between languages - but I can't find one. It is also common from a regional or professional user group to the wider language, and oviously the media are often involved in that.

Last month "social distancing" was an obscure bit of jargon among epidemiologists and social scientists involved in planning for pandemics. It's a parameter needed in numerical modelling, to account for differences of behaviour, affecting infection rates, between countries and subgroups of the population. In the model it is changed by "non-pharmacological interventions" of various kinds, to predict how a pandemic can be influenced by us altering our collective behaviour.

This is a typical definition, from a paper* fast-published on 16th March 2020, defining one specific form of social distancing they had modelled, complete with numbers:

Social distancing of entire populationAll households reduce contact outside household, school or workplace by 75%. School contact rates unchanged, workplace contact rates reduced by 25%.

So, nothing there about how many metres apart we are spaced out in trains or car-park crocodiles! That's spatial or physical distancing, or just spacing. Or it was last month. In fact, looking at this forum, the shift has happened since last week.

More seriously, if that label has been redefined in common usage, what do we now call this collection of behavioural changes we've adopted to reduce interpersonal contacts in number and usefulness to viruses?

* "Impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to reduce COVID-19 mortality and healthcare demand", Neil Ferguson et al for the Imperial College COVID-19 Response Team


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: Marlburian on March 30, 2020, 21:27:48
"Ramping up" and "furloughing staff" are also frequently being used. "Furlough" as a noun was once a common word when it came to leave for soldiers or British people serving overseas and returning home on long leave, but appears to have become more of an Americanism until now. But "furloughing" as a verb ...

"So" as the first word in a reply made during TV and radio interviews has become more common in the past few years, but its occurrences have become a spate when experts on Coronavirus are responding to questions.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: Celestial on March 30, 2020, 22:10:27
"Ramping up" and "furloughing staff" are also frequently being used. "Furlough" as a noun was once a common word when it came to leave for soldiers or British people serving overseas and returning home on long leave, but appears to have become more of an Americanism until now. But "furloughing" as a verb ...

"So" as the first word in a reply made during TV and radio interviews has become more common in the past few years, but its occurrences have become a spate when experts on Coronavirus are responding to questions.

Contractors are very familiar with a furlough, especially in the run up to holiday periods when they are all asked to take a longer break than maybe they would ideally want. Not complaining though, as it comes with the territory.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: onthecushions on March 30, 2020, 22:19:09

More daytime American TV has confirmed to me the comments of Malburian et al.

One is not impacted by the virus, one is affected by it.

One does not gift food to a food bank, one gives or donates it,

One does not loan, one lends.

One does not envision a pandemic, one imagines it.

One is not conflicted, one is equivocal or ambivalent.

The above comments are not insightful, they are perceptive.

Gated anglophone pedant,

OTC


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: GBM on March 31, 2020, 11:24:44

"So" as the first word in a reply made during TV and radio interviews has become more common in the past few years, but its occurrences have become a spate when experts on Coronavirus are responding to questions.


I queried this with our daughter, as starting a sentence with "so" was a no-no when I wuz hedukated.
Her reply was that commencing with "So" softens then impact, making it less aggressive.

English is slowly changing, perhaps not for the better, but it's evolving.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: Marlburian on March 31, 2020, 11:53:01

"So" as the first word in a reply made during TV and radio interviews has become more common in the past few years, but its occurrences have become a spate when experts on Coronavirus are responding to questions.


I queried this with our daughter, as starting a sentence with "so" was a no-no when I wuz hedukated.
Her reply was that commencing with "So" softens then impact, making it less aggressive.

English is slowly changing, perhaps not for the better, but it's evolving.

Its frequent use, especially several times by the one interviewee, raises my hackles! But I suppose I'll have to get used to it. Before "so", it was "well".

Brings to mind one of my very first experiences of having to put up with someone using a new-fangled mobile on a train. He was ringing a sequence of people about something inconsequential, and several of his captive audience grinned/smirked/sniggered when he lost his signal. It was one side or another of Maidenhead, and I recall there being a stretch of line that goes through a cutting, causing reception problems.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: Marlburian on April 01, 2020, 11:55:15
This morning around 0930 I popped into Tilehurst Station to gingerly extract a Metro from halfway down a pile of 40. Outside there was  a private ambulance replacing the NHS one (which often lurks there for prompt access to emergency calls in the neighbourhood).

The ticket-office was open which, with the very few passengers and a ticket-machine, made me wonder a little. Essential work? I suppose there may be a few tasks for the lady (it's usually a lady on duty) to do around the station?

During my brief sojourn last week on Platform 2 at Pangbourne, I recognised the cleaning lady from Tilehurst who, I can see, has a continuing role in wiping handrails etc. In the absence of the ticket-lady I would have thought that she could have reported any major problem, such as vandalism.

(I wonder if the lift at Goring & Streatley is still in use; if so, that would need regular cleaning.)

I wandered up from the station past the Roebuck (and the WWII gun emplacement on the railway embankment) and saw a sign on the gate in the wall giving access to the path to Purley. It had been tied open, with a sign saying "Covid 19" on it, implying that this was to stop people touching the latch.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: Marlburian on April 01, 2020, 16:59:07
Out of region, but "Woman fined £660 for refusing to tell police why she was out". (https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-woman-fined-650-for-refusing-to-tell-police-why-she-was-out-11966813)

British Transport Police officers at Newcastle Central station received a report from rail staff of a woman loitering between platforms.

Makes me wonder about my having popped into Tilehurst Station to help myself to a Metro. (Theft might be added to other alleged misdemeanours ...)

Or taking the train or bus into Reading to stock up with various pills from Holland & Barrett and/or to go a Boots offering more than my tiny local pharmacy.(PCSOs are patrolling the town centre and asking people why they're there.)

Not that I would use public transport, I would walk.

Does make me wonder why so many (relatively speaking) buses and trains are running with hardly any one on them.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: Surrey 455 on April 02, 2020, 09:19:53
Does make me wonder why so many (relatively speaking) buses and trains are running with hardly any one on them.

My local Arriva bus and Stagecoach rail replacement buses are running around with front displays that alternate to show messages such as "Thank you to the key workers" (Stagecoach Gold) and something to do with the NHS logo and Unity (Arriva). I only noticed as they were approaching me whilst doing my daily walk so didn't have time to see what else there might have been on the display.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: Thatcham Crossing on April 02, 2020, 09:30:10
Quote
Its frequent use, especially several times by the one interviewee, raises my hackles! But I suppose I'll have to get used to it. Before "so", it was "well".

.....and "down under" it was and still is "look", which depending on how it's used could be seen as less-softening.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: johnneyw on April 02, 2020, 12:06:31

"So" as the first word in a reply made during TV and radio interviews has become more common in the past few years, but its occurrences have become a spate when experts on Coronavirus are responding to questions.


I queried this with our daughter, as starting a sentence with "so" was a no-no when I wuz hedukated.
Her reply was that commencing with "So" softens then impact, making it less aggressive.

English is slowly changing, perhaps not for the better, but it's evolving.

I'm usually left with the impression that starting a sentence with "so" means that someone is being in some way evasive.

It's probably due to having seen various PR people use it as an opening device when trying to explain away something  unacceptable.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: grahame on April 02, 2020, 12:31:03
I'm usually left with the impression that starting a sentence with "so" means that someone is being in some way evasive.

To be honest with you, I find it useful at the beginning of  reply as a test piece to make sure that my receiver (a.k.a working ear) is in line with the sound source and there volume is about right.

Frankly, there are other throwaways on the beginning of responses which turn me off much more.

Oops!


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: grahame on April 02, 2020, 14:33:11
From Railway Technology (https://www.railway-technology.com/news/current-uk-rail-timetable-does-not-meet-passenger-demand-says-zipabout/)

Quote
Transport tech firm Zipabout has said that the currently reduced rail timetable in the UK does not meet passenger demand.

The company said that the trimmed services resulted in a 25% increase in the number of passengers who are unable to find suitable rail service.

It noted that the unavailability of preferred railway services increased despite a 38% drop in overall passenger numbers after the lockdown due to the coronavirus (Covid-19).

The data is based on Zipabout’s passenger communication and analytics platform that provides real-time journey updates.

Assessing the data, the company identified Dumfries and Galloway, Leicestershire and Swindon as the most affected regions, which witnessed an average increase of 30% in train cancellations or service reductions.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: IndustryInsider on April 02, 2020, 15:09:33
A 38% drop in passenger numbers?!  Hmm, swap those two numbers and add 10 to get a more realistic figure!

Mind you, I'm all for amending the timetable to meet demand, but that would result in many more cancellations.  For example, trains are running every hour between London and Worcester all day which is way, way, way in excess of any demand - most are completely empty.  Though of course the odd person you might stumble across on board might be a very important worker.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: stuving on April 02, 2020, 15:41:22
Presumably this comes out of the Connect service Zipabout provide via NRE - which I know nothing about. But it's really saying that 25% more (however defined) of user requirements they have logged there are not resulting in "preferred" journey solutions (whatever that means). If the threshold of "preferred" is set up for a normal service, that doesn't surprise me at all. And presumably he's not really calling for a "dial-a-train" on-demand service, just that the pattern adapt to demand as shown by his site. But without knowing more about this Connect feature it's hard to know whether these are all real journey requirements.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: Lee on April 02, 2020, 15:52:40
I'm usually left with the impression that starting a sentence with "so" means that someone is being in some way evasive.

To be honest with you, I find it useful at the beginning of  reply as a test piece to make sure that my receiver (a.k.a working ear) is in line with the sound source and there volume is about right.

Frankly, there are other throwaways on the beginning of responses which turn me off much more.

Oops!

My ex (and others) always used to tell me off for my use of At the end of the day for similar reasons. Apparently, research suggests it turns the listener against you from the start, and I used to ban those I advised (politicians, businesspeople etc) from starting their sentences with it in speeches and presentations as a result.

My dad used to use The proof of the pudding is in the eating in radio interviews because it was a surefire way of getting your piece used as a soundbite.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: ray951 on April 02, 2020, 16:43:41
In the great scheme of things I guess this is a minor issue but does anyone know whether the performance measures for season tickets, etc. are still be measured during this period of reduced services?


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: RailCornwall on April 02, 2020, 20:34:59
Received an interesting survey from GWR tonight

 
In response to COVID-19 and the government’s guidance, we’ve reduced our train services.
 
And with the rail passenger independent watchdog Transport Focus by our side, we want to hear how these changes have impacted your journeys.
 
By sharing your recent experiences and your needs for essential travel with us, we'll better understand where improvements can be made. So please take a few minutes to tell us your thoughts.
 
Don’t forget that your responses are entirely confidential and your personal information is fully protected.


A worthwhile exercise in my view.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: IndustryInsider on April 02, 2020, 21:07:23
In the great scheme of things I guess this is a minor issue but does anyone know whether the performance measures for season tickets, etc. are still be measured during this period of reduced services?

I believe they are.  I’m not sure about last week, but this week I expect it’ll be based on the emergency timetable trains only, so expect very good figures!


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: grahame on April 02, 2020, 21:14:43
Received an interesting survey from GWR tonight

[snip]

A worthwhile exercise in my view.

In my view too (and I have heard a bit of background).  The email contains a personalised link - from a data quality viewpoint that makes sense but it has meant that there's not been a useful link for me to pass on.  If you, member reading this, get a survey request - please do complete it!


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: grahame on April 02, 2020, 21:46:13
Out of region, but "Woman fined £660 for refusing to tell police why she was out". (https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-woman-fined-650-for-refusing-to-tell-police-why-she-was-out-11966813)

British Transport Police officers at Newcastle Central station received a report from rail staff of a woman loitering between platforms.

Makes me wonder about my having popped into Tilehurst Station to help myself to a Metro. (Theft might be added to other alleged misdemeanours ...)

[snip]

The police and courts (let's be generous to them) are at times misunderstanding and overimplementing the law.  From the Independent (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/coronavirus-marie-dinou-lockdown-stay-at-home-loitering-arrest-fine-police-a9444311.html)

Quote
Her conviction is to be quashed after police admitted that the wrong law was used to prosecute her, and the case “shouldn’t have happened”.

The Independent has learned that Ms Dinou was not even in the courtroom when a judge found the offence proven after reading statements from British Transport Police (BTP) on Monday.

a very long analysis and catalogue of issues follows ... finished with:

Quote
“Regardless, we fully accept that this shouldn’t have happened and we apologise. It is highly unusual that a case can pass through a number of controls in the criminal justice process and fail in this way.”

The senior officer added: “BTP and the CPS will undertake a more detailed review of the case to ensure that any lessons to be learned are integrated into our shared justice processes.”

BTP said it has shared official guidance on how to enforce the new laws with officers “to help them interpret the new legislation”.

The only rail case I've come across, but not a unique overimplementation ... Wiltshire police hereabouts have had to "debrief" one of their PCSOs after a "slight misunderstanding" (!!) which involved turning away people who were out for vital supplies and following all the rules.

SO much is new that there will be odd issues ...



Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: Celestial on April 02, 2020, 22:09:23
Received an interesting survey from GWR tonight

[snip]

A worthwhile exercise in my view.

In my view too (and I have heard a bit of background).  The email contains a personalised link - from a data quality viewpoint that makes sense but it has meant that there's not been a useful link for me to pass on.  If you, member reading this, get a survey request - please do complete it!

I'm glad you highlighted that, as I would have ignored it otherwise. 

Edit to clarify quoting


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: rogerw on April 02, 2020, 22:15:06
Survey completed


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: grahame on April 04, 2020, 11:41:43
As we progressively downsize and have reduced our business over the last few years, we have taken back some roles and responsibilities that were delegated - and one of those rolls is doing some of the garden. With the start of the grass growing season, I find that daily exercise can be taken walking up and down pushing a lawmnower in front of me. The semi-mindless task without a keyboard in front of me or a notpad and pen to hand gets me thinking - algorithms and potentially wild ideas too.

I got myself thinking ... "what is a truly skeleton service that still fulfills its purpose" ... found myself coming up with guiding logic and principles.  Then I read ...
Part of my day job over the last 2 and a bit weeks, I along with many other colleges, have been working on the Domes Day scenarios of what to services, lines and stations to prioritise in the event of staff shortages due to Covid-19.

The plan is well developed and is in place now

Ah - I'm going to defer to your expertise here; there are some difficult decisions - and they have already been made.  Thinking from a passenger viewpoint, I came up with minimum service thoughts for key workers and it will be very interesting to see how they fit should Doomsday come.
* "plus 15%, plus 15 minutes" on regular length of journey is fine
* No more than a 2 hour gap between services
* First and last services to be no later / no earlier than normal

So Half an hour can go up to 50 minutes
An hour can go up to an hour and 24 minutes
Two hours can go up to 2 hours and 33 minutes
And three hours can go up to 3 hours and 42 minutes.

-- Nothing there about maintaining through trains - indeed the "plus 15 minutes" specifically allows a change of train. Stroud and Kemble have already dropped back from through London services to a connection at Swindon.  The "plus 15%" allows intermediate stations to be served by trains that would otherise just pass through.

-- Nothing about capacity; as it stands at the moment I believe there is plenty of space even allowing for social distancing, though I think I read that one TOC has gone back up from 4 to 8 carriages on their reduced peak service to add such space.

-- The suggestions apply to buses as well as trains; looking at our Melksham to Bath run, I can actually understand and accept the drop from eight services in the two hour peak (a month ago) to just one. Where I do worry is about the first bus arriving in Bath at 08:20 - nearly an hour later than it has been; in essence the first four buses have all gone. Anyone who works at the RUH (Royal United Hospital) probably can't use the bus to get there now. The final bus back at 19:10 is a far cry from the 23:20; I can be somewhat more forgiving of that cut for the short term because the evening buses lost were primarily returning people home from education, hospitality industry jobs and leisure, all of which are suspended.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: BBM on April 13, 2020, 09:56:02
I've just been browsing RTT and certainly as far as my local station TWY is concerned today's service is the same as for the rest of this week, i.e. there were fast trains to PAD at 0736 and 0807 (and yes they did run according to RTT) with returning services at 1650 and 1751. I can't ever recall there being any sort of fast train services at TWY on public holidays in the past - if there had been, then I would have definitely used them for a day in London!


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: TonyN on April 13, 2020, 15:51:56
There are certainly some strange outcomes from the bus timetable changes. While out for a walk yesterday I saw a Stagecoach X18 arrive in Pershore.
This is the Stratford on Avon to Evesham service and it includes 2 journeys extended to Pershore on a Sunday only.
Needless to say it was empty both ways.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: IndustryInsider on April 30, 2020, 11:14:30
I hear that GWR are planning and expecting to step up services from the current emergency timetable (to an new enhanced emergency timetable) from 18th May.  There's been general talk nationwide of a Saturday type timetable, so we'll see if that's what we end up with.  I imagine that is conditional on lockdown restrictions being eased, as there's no point running anything more at the moment.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: IndustryInsider on August 09, 2020, 13:58:14
As I think is fairly common knowledge, the next major service uplift will be on Monday 14th September.  GWR are planning on reinstating around 94% of weekday services (based on Dec 2019 levels), 90% on Saturday’s and 75% on Sunday’s.

There will be a few minor additions here and there before that, to try and cater for school demand and other areas where the trains are now filling up.


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: grahame on August 09, 2020, 14:14:20
As I think is fairly common knowledge, the next major service uplift will be on Monday 18th September.  GWR are planning on reinstating around 94% of weekday services (based on Dec 2019 levels), 90% on Saturday’s and 75% on Sunday’s.

There will be a few minor additions here and there before that, to try and cater for school demand and other areas where the trains are now filling up.

Monday 14th, I suspect  :D


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: TaplowGreen on August 09, 2020, 16:15:46
As I think is fairly common knowledge, the next major service uplift will be on Monday 18th September.  GWR are planning on reinstating around 94% of weekday services (based on Dec 2019 levels), 90% on Saturday’s and 75% on Sunday’s.

There will be a few minor additions here and there before that, to try and cater for school demand and other areas where the trains are now filling up.

Monday 14th, I suspect  :D

Allowing for this happening, and with a potential rise in passengers, it's likely that there will still be social distancing and other measures in place - how will GWR ensure that these measures are observed and enforced where necessary?


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: IndustryInsider on August 09, 2020, 22:42:03
Allowing for this happening, and with a potential rise in passengers, it's likely that there will still be social distancing and other measures in place - how will GWR ensure that these measures are observed and enforced where necessary?

Perhaps one to ask GWR direct via customer services or Twitter for an official response?

A few points from me though on social distancing on public transport, some of which have been touched on before:

1)  It's very difficult to ensure 100% compliance with social distancing guidelines.  In fact, the way the rail industry operates it's impossible, just as it is in many other industries.
2)  They are only guidelines, not the law.
3)  It's not a problem at the moment on the vast majority of trains, and I personally doubt it will be much of a problem any time soon...
4)  ...but it is sometimes gonna happen.
5)  I have seen a few trains where social distancing is perfectly possible, but people are choosing to sit closely to others and in aisle seats.
6)  Barring serious transgressions, and as with many other places where the public mingle, it is unlikely staff are going to wade in and get too involved.  The police might do, but obviously can't be everywhere at once.
7)  If it was to get too bad, then the risk of an increased infection rate would probably force the government to react...by making rail travel for key workers only again!


Title: Re: Coronavirus: Great Western Railway reduced services
Post by: CyclingSid on August 10, 2020, 06:44:57
On my limited experience it is much more of an issue on SWR on lines to the coast; e.g. Brighton and Bournemouth. Not sure what it is like in similar situations on GWR, as II suggests no great problem in the Reading, Oxford area.



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