Great Western Coffee Shop

For forum members interesterd the link ;-

http://www.investegate.co.uk/Article.aspx?id=200707121100041314A


gives acces to the statement made to the AGM of First Group at their AGM last Thursday (12/07/2007).

Of note is the comment on the commitment to raise dividends by 10% annually which means only one thing, fares will have to rise in at least the same proportion annually to honour that promise to shareholders.

The same 10% comment was made in last year's report, which went on to list three ways the increase would be achieved.   As I recall, they were:
* Higher passenger numbers per service
* Increased fares
* More bus services to be run

07/11/2007.

First Group have issued a Half Year Trading Statement this morning and for those interested can be found at ;-

http://www.investegate.co.uk/Article.aspx?id=20071107070000P7977

Saw an interview with Moir Lockhead this morning on BBC Breakfast News and all the interviewer talked about with him was the aquistion of the American bus company Laidlaw which seems to be the main focus of Firstgroup at the moment.

Maybe he agreed to do the interview if FGW wasn't mentioned  ;)

However, during the interview they did show some nice shots of the new look FGW HSTs.

I noticed that, and didn't those trains look empty ;)

Something you won't find on the ex-Wessex routes.

He didnt mention that "fiscal first-half profit more than doubled as sales of bus and rail tickets helped offset higher fuel costs" , then? (link below.)
http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2007/11/firstgroup_profit_doubles_on_r.html#more

Did read in one of todays papers that there is a possibilty that the "Greyhound Division" of Laidlaw may be put up for sale. Thats the loss making part of Laidlaw.

Now if that were to happen in the UK I think the former Wessex services would suffer the same fate.

Yes First would just love to get rid of the EX Wessex bit of FGW, but they got what they BID for.

Shame they basically screwed up, be intreresting how things pan out.
 Does my Crstyal Ball see First still having GW in 5 years! Don't see it.

Why not??? They haven't actually breached their franchise agreement!

Yes they have (3 breaches in Appendix 11) :

Yes I know that, but When the Franchise Payments to DfT start to Snowball, where's all that MONEY going to COME FROM, even HIGHER FARES, there is a CUT OFF limit where People will quit using FGW.

Fill trains with cheap fares? That's flogging a DEAD HORSE,

Remember this Mr or Miss Vacman, GNER couldn't do it and how many local trains did GNER run?
Let me think, Answer seems to be LESS than ONE, hope that's a good clue for you.

Keep breathing the Vacuum OLD PAL or MISS OLD PAL

The situation at SPM is not really in the hands of FGW as the contractors went bust, mind you, thats what happens when you use contractors!, and in a way i'm glad that the refresh has been delayed as FGW's initial plans of a refresh were simply new seat covers, at least now they've realised that our units were totally hanging and needed more than just new seat covers! I do think that the unit's should have been branded though, even if they had just put an "F" on the side.

Seems from reply from His Worship Lord and SIR (preharps God is a better term) Fletcher that First Have breached parts of the Franchise. See reply above

More over First have won the Franchise to RUN TRAINS NOTCANCELL THEM.


THAT should be the MOTHER of all breaches of a Franchise agreement.

No offence or anything, but do you ever stop talking crap?

You come across as one of the MTLS propaganda monkeys that post a trail of never ending false information everywhere.

Not sure I am entirely worthy of your words of worship, but thank you anyway.




In reply to another post elsewhere, and wearing my Global Moderator's hat, I would like to say to Smokey that his views and those of others in a similiar situation are more than welcome, but lets try and lower the temperature a tad with the comments.

You can still make your valid point with a slightly less confrontational approach, and that also applies to the fact that we dont know whether Smokey has anything to do with MTLS....

I know it does look like I defend FGW too much but I just tell it as I see it from BOTH sides, the tone of this forum has changed quite a lot since more rail staff have come on board and that is because our inside knowledge has "exposed" the reasons behind what happens when things go wrong and has shown that it's not always the TOC's that are to blame, one thing I really can't defend FGW on though is the utter shambles at rosters/resources which is probably to blame for the vast majority of CANCELLATIONS (for the benefit of smokey! ;)) to be honest, if they sorted this then there wouldn't be too many problems that were FGW's fault!

And you are more than welcome to keep providing those insights, vacman.

Have the agree, the forum has changed very much.

Of course, breaches of the franchise agreement need not necessarily lead to termination - some things are negotiable. Is it possible that FGW agreed to improve the scope and investment of the West fleet improvements to compensate for the failure to meet these committed obligations on time?

First I wont take Offence this time, It strikes me that Mr Fletcher is exceedingly well informed of all things First Great Western, so rightly deserves praise (wonder how good his cake baking is).

I repeat my view that cancelling trains should be looked upon as a Franchise Breach.

How anyone can set targets to RUN LESS than 100% of Trains is a JOKE.
Yes I know that millions of reasons can lead to Trains being cancelled but the TARGET should be to Run 100%

Just where would we be if the NHS had targets to treat 98% of Emergency Admissions.
"Don't Fancy your chances old friend, you are the 99th admission today"

As for posting False Information, what would that be, I'm interested as to what I've posted that you think is false.
Me thinks you must work for FGW, well, if they're as good as you seem to think they are, this coffee shop and other sites like Farce Great Western WOULDN'T exsist.

And as for MTLS, enlighten me please I'm not a member what do they do?

And as I pointed out in an earlier post - FGW can't be to blame for the contractor going bust who was building the depot!

So thats every TOC in the country who could have there franchise revoked within the first day of getting it

Yes, thats really sensible isnt it...

However, for a major project like this it would be reasonable to expect FGW to have had appropriate risk management processes in place to deal with such an eventuality. This would include the necessary mitigation and contingency measures to ensure that the project could continue, and is standard practice in project planning and delivery.

Agreed.

Shazz, You mis-understand me, I know that trains will be cancelled, what I'm saying is that the target for running of Services should always BE 100%

Island Line often Ran 100% of services so it Can be done.

Would you like to be one of the poor people out there who's train to/from work is on the List of FIRST train to be cancalled.

Its perfectly possible, and I didnt suggest that termination would necessarily be the end result.

Mind you, if the DfT were looking to strip FGW of the franchise, they would need to get them on something. As part of my Global Moderator role is research-based, I look out for such things in order to add something new to the debate.

Finally, I cant bake cakes to save my life....

I don't agree Vacman, all your postings are very balanced and it does not look like you are defending FGW all the time. I for one am delighted that we have many more rail staff on board posting to this site otherwise all we would have is the passengers side of things being posted. You all provide great insight as to whats happening and have been able to answer many questions as well which is much appreciated. FGW management if you are reading this you are welcome to post here too  :)

How can comparing a franchise like FGW to Island Line be reasonable? Also Island Line is now part of SWT so there is no longer 100% of services :)

Island line also only has it's self to answer to, it operates and maintains everything together!

The contractors screwed up at Rugby. I don't hear anyone saying "never mind Network Rail, not your fault you chose contractors who weren't up to the job" (or financially sound in FGW's case.)

I'm looking forward to seeing the punctuality and reliability figures for the latest four week period...... 

Any takers ... ?  :P

On the other hand, Insider is back !!!  See http://indefenceoffirstgreatwestern.blogspot.com/2008/01/oh-dear-oh-dear.html  :)

Contractors, give me strength if there were some bad ideas from the consultants who put the Package together to break up BR, passing everything over to Contractors really was a bad idea.

Anybody got a copy of Rail issue 476 dated Dec 10 2003 on page 59, theres a letter that is mind blowing about contractors.
It states it cost the TOC's over ^100 just to get a single light repaired, much more on platforms.

I was at Exeter St David about a year ago and a Painter was painting a door in FGW colours and he was taking time to do a good job, I passed comment that it was UNUSUAL to see such care taken by contractors, his reply was he worked for FGW, so if painters are in house  i think its time for more inhouse work.

I've got photographs of a waiting shelter on a FGW Station where the shelter was replaced with one with lights in it.
To install power Contractors came down and installed a duct from the nearest lampost to the leg of the shelter.
As they had gone to the wrong leg they were sent back to install a 2nd duct from the lampost on the other side of the shelter to the nearest leg.
They came back a 3rd time to install a duct from the lamp post to the correct leg of the shelter (the one with a removable cover).
So by acting the goat the contractors got paid 3 times for the same job.

What about Railtrack, they paid tens of thousands for a fence to be put up, it was a nice job, but a few weeks later the whole fence was nicked, so Railtrack sent the fencing firm back to install the fence again.
Couple of months later the fence was nicked again, this time however Railtrack had installed CCTV and found the installing company had stolen the fence.

Think on this:
For in-house workers the cost of work is kept in the minimun of cost, both Material and Labour.
For contracters the cost of work is as great and takes as long as they can get away with.
In both cases your jobs depend on it!
 

How many people realise that BR was spilt up and the Staff transfered to over 1000 companies, yes a Thousand companies.

Yes I think ive heard that said somewhere before. I know some people have made a lot of money out of the break up of the railways but that could also be said of the NHS, local councils, road network...the list goes on.