Update from Ollie (link below.)
http://www.iworkforfgw.com/blog/

Done. You can find the further three posts in the link below.
http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=754.msg2844#msg2844

Is that a request to move the thread to another board (eg Bristol Commuters?) If so , I will gladly do this , as I may have inadvertently veered off topic. Mind you , I am not the first , and I am sure that I wont be the last....

Regarding expanding on this further , basically Keith Walton sent an e-mail to anybody who is anybody in Bristol , blasting Julie Boston of FOSBR^▸ (Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways) for their negative attitude. Andrew Griffiths also sent one to Julie along the same lines saying that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) were prepared to work with FOSBR "if they are positive."

Also , I think that it is important to point out the difference between More Train , Less Strain (MTLS^▸ (More Train Less Strain)) and Friends Of Suburban Bristol Railways (FOSBR) , for the benefit of new forum readers :

MTLS were set up originally as a "direct action" group to protest against the effects of the December 2006 Timetable and the associated rolling stock reductions , but who now have wider aims. The RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) are largely supportive of MTLS (not withstanding the example you gave) but FGW would probably rather they didnt exist.

FOSBR are a user / pressure group of longstanding (many years.) RMT policy is to fully support their aims , and FGW actually encourage people to join FOSBR (see notes in Timetable E.) FOSBR are also fully - cooperative members of the Severn Beach Line Working Group , along with FGW , Network Rail , Bristol City Council & others. 

See their website for fuller details of what FOSBR stands for (link below.)
http://www.fosbr.org.uk/

Another criticism raised by Keith Walton in his e-mail was that FOSBR's attitude somehow belittled the efforts of community groups who help maintain Severn Beach Line stations. This is most unfair , as not only have FOSBR publicised these groups efforts , they have also provided volunteers to help them (as KW well knows.)

FOSBR , in fact , passionately promotes the role of local rail in the community. One example is the talk that I am due to give on their behalf at a church in Shirehampton on October 23 2007. I am really looking forward to meeting the members of the congregation , listening to their views , and explaining how I feel that they and FOSBR can work together to maintain / improve things along their local line.

All things considered , I believe that FOSBR have a very positive attitude , and what they do is very much along the lines of what I wanted to do when I became a rail campaigner.

In case anyone is wondering , this doesnt mean that I think that MTLS , or their campaign , are any less worthy.

An inquest into the death of seven people in a Berkshire rail crash is due to resume after nearly three years (link below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/berkshire/7033312.stm

It was delayed while a man , who lost two relatives in the crash , successfully fought for legal aid.

On 6 November 2004 , Brian Drysdale , 48 , parked his car on a level crossing near the village of Ufton Nervet. A train collided with it and derailed.

Mr Drysdale , five passengers , and the train driver , Stanley Martin , 54 , of Torquay in Devon , died in the crash.

After Mr Drysdale , from Reading , parked his car on the level crossing it was hit by a First Great Western high-speed train from London Paddington to Plymouth.

All eight carriages derailed.

The resulting diversion of HST^▸ (High Speed Train) services over the Melksham line , plus the cancellation of virtually all local TransWilts services , has been given as a possible reason for flawed passenger figures (links below.)
http://www.savethetrain.org.uk/reason6.html

http://www.savethetrain.org.uk/melkshamrailway/138_Lies_damned_lies_and_statistics.html

The jury inquest , presided over by Berkshire Coroner Peter Bedford , is being held at The Centre conference venue , in Slough , Berkshire.

A view from a Network Rail employee :

And how (as I believe you have pointed out before , martyjon) will any Class 142 units be "spare" to provide the extra train required for a 40 minute frequency service on the Severn Beach Line from May 2008 , if they are going to "double up" in Devon?

On that note , I am told that Andrew Griffiths & Keith Walton are fed up with FOSBR^▸ (Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways)'s "negative attitude" regarding the constant Severn Beach line cancellations and broken promises regarding provision of the 40 minute frequency service.

Apparently AG & KW are saying that the train crews support their view on this.

Can anyone confirm that this is the case?

From the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) website :

16:30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour due 19:55
This train has been started from Bristol Temple Meads. It will no longer call at: Cardiff Central, Newport South Wales and Filton Abbey Wood. This is due to a member of train crew being unavailable.

10:22 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central due 13:41
This train has been revised. It will additionally call at: Patchway and Severn Tunnel Jn. This is due to train crew having been unavailable earlier.

14:30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour due 17:55
This train has been revised. It will additionally call at: Severn Tunnel Jn and Patchway. This is due to train crew having been unavailable earlier.

12:22 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central due 15:40
This train will be terminated at Bristol Temple Meads. It will no longer call at: Filton Abbey Wood, Newport South Wales and Cardiff Central. This is due to a member of train crew being unavailable.

14:00 Cardiff Central to Weymouth due 17:12
This train will be started from Bristol Temple Meads. It will no longer call at: Cardiff Central, Newport South Wales, Severn Tunnel Jn, Patchway and Filton Abbey Wood. This is due to a member of train crew being unavailable.

08:57 Brighton to Cardiff Central due 13:24
This train will be terminated at Bristol Temple Meads. It will no longer call at: Filton Abbey Wood, Patchway, Severn Tunnel Jn, Newport South Wales and Cardiff Central. This is due to a member of train crew being unavailable.

06/10/2007.

12:22 Severn Beach to Bristol Temple Meads due 13:00
This train has been cancelled. This is due to a member of train crew being unavailable.

11:08 Bristol Temple Meads to Severn Beach due 11:45
This train has been cancelled. This is due to a member of train crew being unavailable.

I also have a report from an FOSBR^▸ (Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways) member :

I needed to be in Exeter today for an event at 1pm. So i thought a train from Shire...

10.37 to BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)), arr 11 am 11.12 Virgin to Exeter, arriving 12.20. Only the 10.37 is cancelled thanks to someone throwing a sickie (or maybe genuinely sick or...) and management not being able to provide cover.

On to the P&R^▸ (Park and Ride) bus which runs to BTM (not run by First!!!) Bus arrives on time at stop. Single to BTM. Sorry, don't go past BTM on Saturdays. You can catch an 8 or 9 to BTM from Hippodrome. Of course i would need to get another ticket for that part as 8&9 are First run.

(I also see the P&R does not run after 18.56 back to Portway, after i was planning to return from Exeter).

So am now considering driving to Exeter or apologising again for not showing up because of the terrible public transport.

I also see that BCC^» (Bristol City Council - about) want to introduce parking fees to park on the road where you live 'to stop commuters parking and walking in'. Trouble is, walking is about the only way to get about this city it seems.

When will this city wake up and get a truly integrated local transport policy with travel cards for train and bus? It will be a long time before i can fulfil my dream of getting rid of our cars.

I have also yet to receive a reply from First about the last cancellation complaint i sent. I suppose complaints only count if you get a reply? Wessex PLEASE come back!!!!!!

I Hate First Great Western blog post (link below.)
http://ihatefirstgreatwestern.blogspot.com/2007/10/tickets-please.html

I see your point. I will be there , and the last train that I can catch back to Portsmouth leaves Westbury at 2159.

Funding for a hi-tech bus route across Bath has been confirmed by a Government minister (links below.)
http://thisisbath.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=163490&command=displayContent&sourceNode=163316&contentPK=18578860&folderPk=89126&pNodeId=163047

http://www.gnn.gov.uk/environment/fullDetail.asp?ReleaseID=319603&NewsAreaID=2&NavigatedFromDepartment=True

Transport minister Jim Fitzpatrick visited the city to give initial approval to a package of measures worth nearly ^51million to improve local bus services.

The Department for Transport will contribute more than ^48.5million once the package is fully approved.

A key element is a new so-called rapid transit bus route running from Newbridge to Lambridge - one section of which will be segregated from other traffic.

It is part of the Bath Public Transport Package , which also relies on the success of plans for a new park and ride facility at Lambridge.

The Government says the package will mean improvements to nine major bus routes into the city.

It also includes:

* expansion of existing park and rides sites at Newbridge , Lansdown and Odd Down to create an extra 2,000 spaces

* an extension of the Bristol to Bath Cycleway path to the city centre

* bus priority measures on other routes , to allow buses to negotiate junctions more quickly and run more smoothly ,

* better bus stops allowing easier access , and new shelters with real time London Underground-style information for passengers.

The decision means that the Bath Public Transport Package has been accepted onto the list of schemes the department expects to fund. Bath and North East Somerset Council will now be able to progress it to the next stage in the approval process.

The Government says the scheme will be subject to further consideration before full approval can be given.

The rapid transit route will include a mile-long segregated section using the disused railway line between Brassmill Lane and Windsor Bridge Road. Elsewhere it will use bus lanes with priority measures at traffic lights , linked with the redevelopment of the Western Riverside and the SouthGate development.

Here are some related articles about the state of Bristol's bus service , with an interesting reader comment calling for more investment in the rail network (link below.)
http://thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=145365&command=displayContent&sourceNode=145191&contentPK=18584661&folderPk=83726&pNodeId=144922

http://thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=145365&command=displayContent&sourceNode=145191&contentPK=18586136&folderPk=83726&pNodeId=144922

Could the meeting not have been given a start time of 1930? One would assume that the West Wiltshire Rail Users Group (strong supporters of the Melksham / TransWilts cause , click on http://www.wwrug.org.uk/Melksham.htm) knew that the only realistic train from Melksham arrived at 1925 , and that a lot of folks from the town would want to attend.

Its National Customer Service week (link below.)
http://www.theticketcollector.co.uk/wordpress/2007/10/03/fcc-national-customer-service-week/

Link from the Save The Train Forum.
http://www.savethetrain.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=4327.msg8035#msg8035

Quote from the RAIL article :

"It's not all FGW^▸ (First Great Western)'s fault, of course. Yes, it needs to make sure that the farcical shenanigans over fares, overcrowding, rolling stock shortages and the appalling neglect and jaw-droppingly crass management of the west country branch lines (which previous operator National express "Wessex" had re-juvinated) are never repeated."

From the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Website :

Following detailed negotiations to cater for the Rugby World Cup Quarter Final late kick off on Saturday 6th October, First Great Western confirms that it will run three special Rugby trains to fans back to London from South Wales.

The trains will consist of locomotive hauled carriages that have been hired in. They will be leaving Cardiff at 2230, 2240, and 2300 on Saturday and arriving in London Paddington after 0100 on Sunday morning.

The trains will have up to 12 carriages and make stops en route.
 
As with most sporting fixtures, a controlled boarding system will operate to cater for the large numbers expected and to ensure their safety.

Given the length of the journey, the trains will be for seated travel only.

Train details:
^ Cardiff leaves at 2230 - arrives Paddington 0101 calls at Newport, Bristol Parkway, Swindon & Reading.

^ Cardiff leaves at 2240 - arrives Paddington 0118 calls at Newport, Bristol Parkway, Swindon, Didcot Parkway & Reading .

^ Cardiff leaves at 2300 - arrives Paddington 0131 calls at Newport, Bristol Parkway, Swindon & Reading.

Existing open return tickets will be honoured.

Customers wishing to travel are advised to arrive at the station as soon as possible in order to minimise delays and receive boarding cards.

First Great Western is also strengthening its local and regional services to add capacity for the event. This includes more carriages to the match and, back-up services to complement demand after the match - serving Swansea and Bristol Temple Meads.