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18331
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Journey by Journey / London to Didcot, Oxford and Banbury / Re: Demand that improving Oxford to Didcot line 'should be priority'
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on: March 16, 2018, 11:47:07
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They could make a simple start by restoring all services to 3 carriages; since the start of the year most services (80%?) have been formed of 2 carriage units. Any way to better use the stock? 15 to 17 minute run time leads to a very inefficient use of stock for Didcot - Oxford shuttles. I'm sure this was carefully considered before electrification was cut back to Didcot. 30 minutes run time Oxford to Banbury local also a bit of a downer on efficiency. Other local problems include Swindon to Oxford journeys with appalling connections at Didcot, and problems of an hourly TransWilts into Swindon giving mahooosive turn around times / stock wastage there in order to avoid trains timetabled to pass each other on the single line between Chippenham and Trowbridge. With some joining up, trains can have less lay-over time and be running longer, carrying more passengers. So some of the three cars now based at St Phillip Marsh run to Oxford, and the 1 x 2 car second train per hour becomes 1 x 2+2 car. Elephant in the room? The Swindon to Oxford service will build up such traffic that all the extra capacity you want back from that third carriage will already be full as the train comes into Didcot from Swindon! |
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18332
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Journey by Journey / TransWilts line / Re: 2018 cancellation and amendment log
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on: March 16, 2018, 09:27:53
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Major problems - engineering work overruns and a swathe of cancellations this morning. Unclear what GWR▸ are doing to carry the passengers who are expecting a train service this morning. Engineering works overrunning are not new, so there will be a contingency plan, right??
If theres nothing arranged & you need to be somewhere jump in a cab and send in a claim to GWR.....remember they can't hide behind not paying for consequential losses any more. My emphasis - I think you need to take reasonable steps to check that nothing HAS been arranged. You also need to limit your extra costs / be prudent in spending GWR's money. |
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18333
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Journey by Journey / TransWilts line / Re: Weekend service
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on: March 16, 2018, 09:17:18
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Got you string meter handy?
Yes - and thanks for that. Absolutely nothing in there about "at not exceeding the price that would normally be paid for such a journey at such a time.", so putting the price up to limit the need for provision for "reasonably foreseeable demand" is within the rules. Yuk. I note the requirement to have a contingency in place for overruns. |
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18334
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Journey by Journey / TransWilts line / Re: 2018 cancellation and amendment log
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on: March 16, 2018, 08:52:17
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Chiltern Railways and Virgin West Coast are accepting tickets by any reasonable route.
That is a familiar message posted when disruptions occur at other locations on the GWR▸ network.
As there is no other operator in this neck of the woods that could provide a reasonable alternative route at a time of disruption I as a holder of a ticket via Melksham would travel via Bath and if I was asked to pay an excess I would refuse and would argue my case in court citing the duty of the rail operator to get me to my destination in times of disruption as set out in the T & C's.
Not sure where that message came from - I took a look and couldn't see it. Having been on the periphery of customer information provision, I can appreciate the issues the team has to get correct information and complete information out quickly - indeed you'll find me sometimes posting here to at least says something, and then editing to refine. I suspect the GWR team do the same - though they will have far more tools at their hand to do i quicker and more accurately than we could. In total agreement that TOCs▸ should be required to get you there during interruptions - either "on the day" stuff or during planned engineering - with reasonable efficiency and without charging you more for their failure to provide normally timetabled service. |
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18335
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Journey by Journey / London to Kennet Valley / Re: 2018 Full line closure Newbury line
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on: March 16, 2018, 07:58:09
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Alterations to services between Westbury and Pewsey
Due to engineering works not being finished on time between Westbury and Pewsey all lines are blocked.
Train services running through these stations may be delayed or diverted. Pewsey will not be served. Disruption is expected until 13:00 16/03.
Customer Advice
Owing to the engineering work, which has been ongoing since Monday, not being completed on time we are unable to operate train services on the route to / from Westbury via Pewsey.
Train services between London Paddington and the West Country, and return, will be diverted via alternative routes. As a result Westbury and Castle Cary will have a reduced frequency of train service to / from the West Country and Newbury and Pewsey will have no direct train service to / from the West Country. Newbury will still be served by local train services to / from Reading where customers may change for diverted train services. Limited road transport will serve Pewsey and operate to / from Swindon to connect with train services there.
Further Information
An update will follow within the next 2 hours.
Last Updated:16/03/2018 07:38 To note - also effected, TransWilts services - all but the first morning service each way cancelled. My information on the reason isn't quite what they say - engineering works did finish on time, but the engineers / engineering train managed to damage some infrastructure which they're now having to fix. |
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18336
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Journey by Journey / TransWilts line / Re: Weekend service
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on: March 16, 2018, 07:34:41
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Goodness me.
Taking the 08:26 on Saturday as an example, it would be quicker for me to take the 55 bus from Chippenham Station (with a 10 minute connection). Despite going round the houses it would drop me closer to home and I’d be back around 10 minutes earlier after avoiding the walk home from Swindon Station!
It's what appears to be crass / thoughtless timetabling of connections during engineering works. But then there may be reasons. They cynical one is the suggestion made that the services provided meet the franchise requirement, and cost money to run. It's commercially more attractive to suppress demand so that only one bus has to be run rather than two, and a great way to do that within the rules is to make people wait 45 minutes in the middle of what would normally be a 29 minute journey. I really hope that is NOT the reason, by the way. Other suggestions as to why would be very welcome. |
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18338
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Journey by Journey / TransWilts line / Re: 2018 cancellation and amendment log
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on: March 16, 2018, 06:55:52
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@GWRHelp - Most trains cancelled from Trowbridge to Chippenham, and Melksham calls. What alternatives are you offering? Ticket acceptance via Bath and /or buses? Alterations to services between Westbury and Pewsey
Due to engineering works not being finished on time between Westbury and Pewsey all lines are blocked.
Train services running through these stations may be diverted. Disruption is expected until 13:00 16/03.
Further Information
An update will follow within the next 2 hours.
Last Updated:16/03/2018 05:27 Noting not a word about disruption between Westbury and Swindon. However, today's cancellations listed: 07:33 Westbury to Swindon due 08:19
08:49 Swindon to Westbury due 09:42
09:48 Westbury to Swindon due 10:33
09:56 Cardiff Central to London Paddington due 12:00
10:47 Swindon to Westbury due 11:31
11:47 Westbury to Swindon due 12:34
12:30 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads due 14:07
12:47 Swindon to Frome due 13:41 Sample full entry 08:49 Swindon to Westbury due 09:42
08:49 Swindon to Westbury due 09:42 will be cancelled.
This is due to engineering works not being finished on time.
Last Updated:16/03/2018 04:24 As I'm writing ... reply to my tweet Hi there. Swindon to Melksham services will be cancelled. Up & Down services diverted via Melksham to call additionally at Swindon. We have mini buses on standby to run from Melksham when required. Rachel No answer on ticket acceptance via Bath Spa / on what people to / from Trowbridge should do. But then Twitter has its limits and I'm sure that Rachel has rather a lot on her plate today. |
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18339
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Journey by Journey / TransWilts line / Re: 2018 cancellation and amendment log
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on: March 16, 2018, 06:47:41
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Major problems - engineering work overruns and a swathe of cancellations this morning. Unclear what GWR▸ are doing to carry the passengers who are expecting a train service this morning. Engineering works overrunning are not new, so there will be a contingency plan, right??
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18340
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Journey by Journey / TransWilts line / Weekend service
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on: March 15, 2018, 19:52:59
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Melksham to Swindon and back. Saturday - train to Chippenham, bus to Swindon. 45 minute waited to / from the hourly bus at Chippenham. Absurd. Should take 50 minutes versus normal 29. Acyually takes 86 to 93. Is the cafe at Chippenham station on commission?  How it should connect - bus to bus at Chippenham, about 10 minutes ... journey time 70 minutes.  |
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18345
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Journey by Journey / London to the West / Re: Flooding between Taunton and Exeter - 15 March 2018
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on: March 15, 2018, 10:46:10
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Mutual ticket acceptance is in place with Crosscountry trains.
At times I pull my hair out ... it really shouldn't be necessary for there to be major disruption for tickets to be accepted across operators ... and even where a ticket is train specific, if that train doesn't run / failed to connect the automatic fallback should be to a train operated by any company! Joe Public understands "this train only". He understands "Any train at certain times of day". He had more trouble with "Green ones or blue ones, but not grey ones or white ones, unless the white one has a crew in a green uniform running it". |
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