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1  All across the Great Western territory / The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom / Should TOC improve its first class offering to subsidise standard class fares? on: September 05, 2018, 23:40:59
As the question says really, Should TOC (Train Operating Company)'s improve its First Class offering and prices, and use the higher revenue to subsidise the lowering standard class rail fares, as airlines do.
2  Journey by Journey / London to Didcot, Oxford and Banbury / Re: Should there be more onboard staff on Thames Valley locals? on: September 05, 2018, 23:36:52
Oh dear bit of a problem here that needn’t be. This is a friendly forum where we all get on even when we don’t always agree with each other.

devonexpress, bignosemac has been a part of this forum for many years, some as a moderator, so is well known to many. He has his viewpoints, sense of humour and is knowledgeable. Just what we want to see here.

Please try not to be offended when being a part of a forum and don’t take everything that gets written personally. Believe me this is a friendly place compared to some forums out there.

I don’t know the contents of PMs between the two of you. Please sort it out between yourselves and start again. Thanks.

Let me get this blinking well clear, I did not say anything about his manhood, I said he was a bully, and a spoilt brat. I don't give a damn how long he's been on the forum, hes rude, arrogant and insulting.  He accused me of being disabled following a typo error, and then turned it around on me when I questioned him on it.   Im not the first one he's done it too i've had several people privately message me about him and his attitude, some have permanently left the forum purely because of him.   I've been a member of this form myself for 2 year with 0 trouble.   But let me get this clear If he messages me, replies to any post of mine on this forum again, I will be have no choice but to walk.    I've already told him of my circumstances in relation to a bereavement, he had show 0 sympathy or compassion and continues to bully me!!!!!
3  Journey by Journey / London to Didcot, Oxford and Banbury / Re: Should there be more onboard staff on Thames Valley locals? on: September 05, 2018, 19:08:20
Last year I was at Paddington. There was a bearded and berobed gentleman - IYKWIM

(Look away devonexpress. You might consider this reply sarcastic and childish Roll Eyes)

I have an idea what you might mean, but could you expand further so we don't have to assume.

Was he one of following uttering prayers? A Buddhist monk? Perhaps a Sikh Granthi? A Haredi Jew? Maybe it was The Right Reverend and Right Honourable The Lord Williams of Oystermouth, former Archbishop of Canterbury.

They all can be, or are, bearded and berobed.

As for DOO (Driver-Only Operation (that is, trains which operate without carrying a guard)). Its been with us for over 30 years. The perceived less safe environment is not borne out by statistics.


I have specifically asked you more than once to stop harassing me, yet you continue to do so, to the point of stalking now!
4  All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Keeping the seat next to you clear on: September 05, 2018, 18:32:49
Personally I just take a bag with me and put it on the seat, if anyone asks if the seats reserved I just say yes. Simples!
5  All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: IETs into passenger service from 16 Oct 2017 and subsequent performance issues on: September 05, 2018, 18:29:50
One improvement over the last couple of months is a reduction in the number of 10-Cars running with 5 locked out of use - I haven’t seen one in ages.  Some might suggest that’s because of the large number of 5-car short forms, but it is nonetheless an improvement.


Or maybe because they've had the chance to train up more staff onto the Class 800/802s? The problem was down to the Dft rushing the 800s into service and giving limited time for GWR (Great Western Railway) to train all its staff. Whilst we now have all the 800 5 car units in service I believe they are still undergoing modification/update work, as I predicted would happen with them effectively being a brand new entire model.  We are still have a limited amount of 9 car 800s running, and only 4 (5 car) Class 802s in service which means juggling the fleet around like they did with the HST (High Speed Train)'s is currently difficult. 

Also a quick question, as I presume its possible for the 800 and 802s to couple up, are they allowed to work a public service together, and since the 800s are banned for taking the public past Newton Abbot to Plymouth, if one was a 800s and the other was an 802s, would it still be banned?

A 5 car 800  (800 012) was out on it's own on the 0730 from Paddington to Penzance & back yesterday (Tuesday 4th)...

Where was the 802s?   I know the 800s are having issues because Hitachi are more interested in having the train perfect than it actually running a service, the main problem with having the manufacturer as the leasing and maintenance company to the TOC (Train Operating Company).  Im surprised no HST was put on the service instead, unless we no longer have enough to cover for this kind of thing.
6  All across the Great Western territory / Looking forward - after Coronavirus to 2045 / Re: Potential new services GWR could start? on: September 05, 2018, 18:26:32
Moving forward, maybe we should change the thread to 'potential new services or improvements to current services GWR (Great Western Railway) could start'
7  Journey by Journey / Portsmouth to Cardiff / Re: 165/166s on this route on: September 05, 2018, 18:05:40
Bear in mind that the 80x's are 26m long vs 23m for a MK3. There was route clearance along the various routes used by HST (High Speed Train) stock (plus a few diversionary routes) as part of the IET (Intercity Express Train) project, but anything else will require that work to be done (assuming that a preliminary analysis doesn't find any big problems), plus potential beefing up of power supplies if you want to run them on third-rail. Then you'd need IET's to be ordered (and Hitachi have a fairly full order book), so it seems a little far-fetched.

There was a suggestion elsewhere that a passenger TOC (Train Operating Company) was in the market for tri-mode locomotives. If that's not platform-end wibble then perhaps someone might fancy the idea of some MK5's and locos for the run?.   

Tri-mode 769's seem to be either one minute happening and the next minute not, almost like the TOC wanting to buy them so im sure they'll fit in perfectly. I do think HST Castle's would be a good short term option, although Network Rail might not be happy having to upgrade the line again as they already did not long ago for the 166s. 

According to Wikipedia the 158/9 Has 207 seats for a 3 car unit, a 166(288+24) or (192) and 165(186) make 474 seats or 402 with a 2x2 seating on a 166 , a 5 car Castle with a small First Class area would be: 372 + 24 using the composite coach, or 328 + 24 with a full buffet car.  So although a slight downgrade in capacity, there would be more comfort and allow for a trolley service for the entire train.

In relation to the Mk3 bogies, HST's including a 8 coach HST have already been to Portsmouth, although as someone mentioned not along the exact route.
8  Journey by Journey / London to Didcot, Oxford and Banbury / Re: Should there be more onboard staff on Thames Valley locals? on: September 05, 2018, 17:43:45
Does everything on this forum have to end up with stupid childish sarky comments?

CCTV (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) doesn't stop anything nor does it prevent it. What's needed is a mix of both onboard staff and BTP (British Transport Police), I personally would rather pay an extra quid or two on my return ticket if it meant having staff on board rather than no staff and potential hazards.

People seem to forget that not only do they check tickets, but they also are required for safety measures such as on train evacuation, medical assistance.  Currently on DOO (Driver-Only Operation (that is, trains which operate without carrying a guard)), the driver would have to stop, deal with the emergency then either move the train to a station or get emergency staff near to the train, with a guard onboard the train could continue to a station and have the services hopefully at the station or a few minutes away.  In relation to power failures what is to stop passengers opening the doors and leaving the train of their own will, nothing. If there was a fire, how many would know what to do or follow instructions, how can the driver on his own evacuate an 8 coach Electrostar if the fire was in the middle?

I know some services already have extra staff onboard so what is to stop them expanding it to all or most services.
9  Journey by Journey / Portsmouth to Cardiff / Re: 165/166s on this route on: September 04, 2018, 07:00:19


Two hypothetical options at present - though goodness only knows what bidders will suggest / offer in future franchise bids.

 
Quote
"we need 3 sets of trains - intercity, regional and local" and run multiple routes from each of the three pools. 
Which we would of had when electrification was completed on time and on budge, oh wait Cheesy ,
Quote
a team of maintenance engineers who are more familiar with less types making them more effective, and the prospect of holding a higher number of fewer types of spare parts - again good for both efficiency and cost. 
On balance I completely agree with you Grahame, but sadly the railways are in more of a mess now then back in 2015 when the GWR (Great Western Railway) brand was rolled out especially rolling stock wise.

Personally I never got why we lost those 150s and 158s during the Wessex Trains era, would it not have been better to send the 153s, 143s away, and get 150 and 158s back, allowing for a common fleet in the West area, then inject a load of money to replace all the pacers in the North and Wales, Instead it's taken another 12 years to get fairly close. Whilst the Castle HST (High Speed Train)'s aren't perfect they do have several things going for them such a reliability, comfort, cleared gauging along the whole route from Cardiff to Portsmouth as far as im aware. In terms of parts everything for them is scratch built and has been for many years now, whilst it has been reported about corrosion issues on the doors it can be fixed, it just depends how much money GWR and the leasing company want to spend.  Effectively, new floor beams, doors, reskin of the roof and body panels, a good interior tidy up, you could make them last another 10 - 15 years maybe longer its all a question of how much money they want to spend and for how long.


Edit just to fix quoting - Grahame
10  Journey by Journey / Portsmouth to Cardiff / Re: 165/166s on this route on: September 04, 2018, 02:23:13
I reckon Portsmouth - Cardiff has 8 trains in the cycle.
For example the 0823 departure gets back from its round trip in time to form the 1623.
 
Paul

That is the number I have seen quoted from official source too - together with a note that you really need 9 units to allow one to be away for heavy maintenance etc.

So a choice of 9 Class 172s or 9 (4 or 5 car) HST (High Speed Train)'s with a small first class, trolley service and plenty of seats, I know what id go for.   I think St Philip Marsh is staying open, so with the current 11 Castle sets planned for Cardiff to Penzance, St Philips Marsh could be a day to day maintenance for both fleets and swapping the Portsmouth HSTs onto Devon services so they can get a full service at Laira?
11  Journey by Journey / Portsmouth to Cardiff / Re: 165/166s on this route on: September 03, 2018, 22:45:14
Personally I would rather see new trains or West Midlands Railway ordering new trains and the Class 172s being transferred to the GWR (Great Western Railway) region.  Ideally though some form of Intercity 4 or 5 car unit is needed on Portsmouth to Cardiff, maybe more Castle Class HSTs (High Speed Train)?



Not enough around, hopefully whoever takes the next franchise will offer to order some new rolling stock, and maybe DfT» (Department for Transport - about) could electrify some more areas.

WMR Have 27 of them, and are gaining all LO units so in total 35 units. From what im aware Cardiff to Portsmouth requires 6 units?  That leaves 29 units, left for other routes. Of course if Intercity style trains where brought onto P-C that would allow the 172s to be used on other routes, such as branchlines around Bristol, or replace all the Class 150s in the Devon/Cornwall region.

Was speaking about the castle sets, my mistake.

It seems like a good short term solution although it would be great to see some new West specific new rolling stock right down to Devon and Cornwall.

Oh right,  Plenty of spare HST coming available from 2020 which could be converted and used on the route.  5 Coaches, with good bicycle spaces, and the buffet car with 30 ish First Class seats.
12  Journey by Journey / Heart of Wessex / Re: Should Heart Of Wessex Transfer To South Western Franchise? on: September 03, 2018, 22:40:02
It would make more sense, it would also allow for a more frequent timetable.
13  Journey by Journey / Portsmouth to Cardiff / Re: 165/166s on this route on: September 03, 2018, 22:31:40
Personally I would rather see new trains or West Midlands Railway ordering new trains and the Class 172s being transferred to the GWR (Great Western Railway) region.  Ideally though some form of Intercity 4 or 5 car unit is needed on Portsmouth to Cardiff, maybe more Castle Class HSTs (High Speed Train)?

Not enough around, hopefully whoever takes the next franchise will offer to order some new rolling stock, and maybe DfT» (Department for Transport - about) could electrify some more areas.

WMR Have 27 of them, and are gaining all LO units so in total 35 units. From what im aware Cardiff to Portsmouth requires 6 units?  That leaves 29 units, left for other routes. Of course if Intercity style trains where brought onto P-C that would allow the 172s to be used on other routes, such as branchlines around Bristol, or replace all the Class 150s in the Devon/Cornwall region.
14  Journey by Journey / Portsmouth to Cardiff / Re: 165/166s on this route on: September 03, 2018, 22:21:17
Personally I would rather see new trains or West Midlands Railway ordering new trains and the Class 172s being transferred to the GWR (Great Western Railway) region.  Ideally though some form of Intercity 4 or 5 car unit is needed on Portsmouth to Cardiff, maybe more Castle Class HSTs (High Speed Train)?
15  Sideshoots - associated subjects / Campaigns for new and improved services / Re: 50 years since Okehampton to Bere Alston closure on: September 03, 2018, 21:26:24
It wouldn't be possible at the moment, but if South Western Railway ordered new trains to replace the Class 158/159 fleet, would it be a good idea to have them run the service to Okehampton and potentially to Plymouth if it ever happened?
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