Great Western Coffee Shop

...find a driver!

Well, yesterday it was chaos on Portsmouth - Cardiff, with many services being canxed! Least of all the 2044 & 2124 arrivals in to Cardiff Central. The 2124 ran in ECS, as the guard comes in on that, to guard the 2200 back, which is the service I was going on. Now, as I am sure whistleblower will know, it is a Westbury driver who works the 2200, working in on the 2044 arival. The driver of the 2124 arival then "forms" the shunt driver at SPM, after working ECS back from Cardiff!

Anyway, the guard starts the unit up, as it was 158745, so lost air like anything. So, 2200 turns, no driver, so the guard rings control 7 times before he can get through, then is just told to call back. 2225, ATW dispatcher confirm we are canceled, taxi's ordered. Of course, I had well and truly missed my connection now from Bristol back on the last Westbury!

So, we all stand outside waiting for taxis, at 2245, you will NEVER GUESS WHAT HAPPENED!

"Can you all please make your way up to the platform, the train is reinstated!"

BUT, the unit from the 2144 & 22XX arivals had to be put on the back, as it was the shunt driver driving. The guard rang control and orginised the taxis for people who needed them. After puting the 2 units on, we were of, back to Auntie Alisons High Speed areas (see another thread) SIXTY - FIVE LATE!

Control said the taxi would be there ready and the Duty Manager at BTM would take me over. Guess what didn't happen.v I had to go and see the Duty Manager who knew nothing about it, he didn;t even seem to know it was late!

Got home 72 late in the end!

Yesterdays chaos did have one bonus as the 1709 ex Filton was made up of 5 cars and everyone got a seat at BTM, although the rear 158 seemed to have a problem with one of the central doors as we stood at Oldfield for 10 minutes while the guard had the panel above the door down, with the sound of escaping compressed air coming from it.

These units are so in desperate need of refurbishment its not funny anymore.

And in mid-July, door problems seem to affect about half of the journeys that I make by 158. Minimal maintenance as refurbishment is only a few weeks or months away?