Great Western Coffee Shop

Just downloaded the new timetable booklet B1 (london-devon/cornwall) from FGW and notice that Lostwithiel is no longer listed in the timetable (it skips Bodmin Parkway to Par).  I know that the Night Riviera no longer calls (meaning very early last train and no nights out in Truro etc) but have FGW's HSTs deserted the capital or Cornwall?



Oh hang on I've now found booklet B3.
God this is complicated!

St Germans, Menheniot, Redruth, Camborne and Hayle have also been left out of timetable B1 even though all have direct trains to London.

I don't expect many people travel from Menheniot to Paddington, but isn't Redruth-Camborne Cornwall's largest built up area? Lots of passengers get on and off at both stations, which also serve Helston and the Lizard. If paper's that scarce they might as well just miss out Cornwall altogether.  ;D

Sadly this counts for less than nothing. Swindon to Salisbury via Trowbridge covers Wiltshire's largest built up area, and the train "service" provided has been progressively cut under FGW.

The service cuts were specified I think by the SRA at the time so would likely have gone ahead even if the franchise was not run by FGW.  The SRA also specified many other cuts that FGW were able to prevent, this may not have been this case if the franchise had been won by another company.

We're a bit "out of area" for Cornwall here but I have to clarify that

a) Cuts specified by SRA on the TransWilts as you say
b) DfT asked FGW to submit a non-competitive price to retain a better service (late '05)
c) FGW submitted a high bid
d) DfT rejected it
e) FGW have within the last year quoted a much lower figure

Had FGW submitted a bid in late '05 that was the same as the price they gave in early '08 (and not I have not considered inflation) there is every chance that the TransWilts would be running a service something like the one show at http://www.savethetrain.org.uk/tp.html (and, by the way, this forum wouldn't have existed!)

You may well ask why FGW went to high in late '05 ... we certainly do!

You can get back from Truro to Lostwithiel on the 2130 Falmouth-Plymouth which leaves Truro at 2200, also, does the 2207 XC from Penzance call at Lostwithiel??

I think they did not want to run the risk of losing the franchise so put in a bid that was almost certain to win it.

and now they (First group)are going to have to start paying for such a high franchise bid, of course the poor passenger will pay higher fares and Staff jobs will go.