Great Western Coffee Shop

Is going to run.

Example scenario - I am doing weekend cover for 48 hours.  Tomorrow I am in the office and need to get home on either the 1652 or the 1822 (PAD - Worcester).  Both are advertised as 180s - which is fine.

but, 50% of the time the advertised 180s get replaced by 165 crap heaps - which are no fun for 2.5 hours.

I want to get the 1652 but if it is a 165 I'd rather wait for the 1822 - no odds to me what time I get home as I'm working straight regardless.  how can I find out in enough time to make the decision.

Try the link ;-

http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/LiveUpdateList.aspx


If the 180 is replaced by a 165 the above page just might report the service as short formed with 2 (or 3) carriages.

Not guaranteeing it though.

I think it does depend on who is in control of the srevice incidents at any one time as to whats gets written but I have seen incidents saying:
"This train will run short formed with 2/3 carriages."
"This train will be formed of a 2/3 car turbo."
"This train is 5 vice 2/3 car."
Any of those mean its a 165/6 but not all are listed.

This is what I feared  - Tuesday the 1922 was alledgedly ok - until I asked the man in the booth what the 1922 was going to be - and found it was a turbo

:-(

I can understand you wanting to avoid travelling back to Worcester on a 165/166 as they are not suited to long distance travel and are no subsitute for an 'Intercity' service. Some would say they aren't much cop for short distance travel either.

They are crap! especially compared to 158's.

No comparisson. I'd even go as far as to say that 158s are better than 170/172s and dare I say Voyagers as well  :o Which would lead me to say why not build more 158s/159s instead of the tin cans that are built today?

Sorry Mookiemoo for going a bit off topic here  :-X

166's are meant to be the equvilant of a 158. ??? 158's are the best DMU i have travelled on execpt 180.

qprrule..158 are far better than a 180.......Adelante....Spanish for pile of Shite

I can just about cope with a 166 - atleast I get a full size table to work on.

Its the 165's that I dont like - but in my experience, you only get a 166 when its scheduled to be a turbo - if it replaces a 180 it is invariably a 165

:-(

No worries....I'm not a worshipper of on topic/off topic - sometimes conversations just evolve

I dont know what a 158/170/172 is .......... I'm merely a passenger.

I know 165/166 because I look for the number as it tells me whether I can have a productive two hours or have sit back and think of england

I know a 180

I know a voyager, a pendaline, a HST - because these I use often.

The only other trains I use are arriva on the south wales - machester line (I pick it up at ludlow which is where I live) and occasionally central on worc - cheltenham or kiddie - brum or brum - liverpool.  I dont like central much.  I have once done chiltern kiddie to marylebone (never again).

If any of these are 158/172 etc etc I can comment - I just dont know them by number

As I didn't do spanish at school, I shall take your word for it  ;D

I've only ever travelled on a 180 once and it was much better than any 158. Buffet,more seats, faster. And the spanish for Adelante is speed and reliabilty. Reliabilty LOL.

Well i've decided....

I'll go to pad and see whats running.  If its a 165 turbo, i'll get the next train to newport and then up to ludlow

Would rahter oay the 45+upgrade that sit for two hours+ (actually closer to 2.40 when you factor in the inevitable delays) in one of those cattle cars.

Hope its an HST or 180 for you so you end the day travelling in style.