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31  Sideshoots - associated subjects / The Lighter Side / Re: Taken in November, but where? on: November 29, 2015, 16:59:52
7 Didcot Parkway?
32  Journey by Journey / TransWilts line / Re: Swindon Station Parking on: November 06, 2015, 11:25:57
The Oxford scheme was put in at the behest of the Council to stop non rail users from parking there (it was apparently a planning condition that the car park was for rail users only). The result is the car park is about half full most days, GWR (Great Western Railway) has lost money, and the citizens of Oxfordshire have been forced onto park and rides. But at least the Council is happy.

It will be interesting to see what effect the new Chiltern service has on car park usage at Oxford Station!
33  All across the Great Western territory / The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom / Re: Would you give up your seat ... on: November 01, 2015, 18:17:36
I recently spent a couple of weeks going up to London everyday and I was appalled at the bad manners and lack of respect shown on the tube. Families with kids occupying seats when adults, some quite senior were left to stand. The parents showed absolutely no thought that maybe they should teach their kids to be mindful of others.
34  All across the Great Western territory / Fare's Fair / Re: What happens if train delay causes customer to miss last train home? on: October 27, 2015, 14:51:27
I used to deal with this sort of thing when I was  Duty Manager at Reading. In general, when the railway is at fault and the last connection is missed, its up to whoever is representing the railway to sort out an arrangement which is agreeable to the customer. In most cases, this will be a taxi to the final destination (the longest I ever arranged was Reading to Bodmin), or accommodation and onward travel by train the next day.

It should not have been necessary to have your ticket endorsed by someone at a Thameslink station. When you get to Paddington, you ask to see the Duty Manager. He/she will ask to see your tickets and check that you have a valid journey plan. He/she will then ring the Control of the ToC responsible for the delay. Control can confirm that there was indeed a cancellation/delay and that its company is therefore responsible. Usually Control authorises a taxi which is arranged by the DM and the cost is subsequently cross charged to the ToC that caused the delay. If it is a long journey, then a hotel may be offered. Again the DM would book and arrange the cross charge. Finally, the DM will endorse the tickets for travel the next day if required.

Working nights at Reading, I would probably arrange taxis on average maybe six times a week? Some weeks were better than others. You could find yourself talking to ToC controls all over the country to chase down the root cause of a delay to a customer. The only time I can recall being refused authority by a ToC was after a rugby match at Twickenham and some 20 fans from Taunton missed their last train, after the train from Twickenham was delayed. SWT (South West Trains) declared that it would not be responsible for delays caused by major sporting events - and it is probably not alone in that respect. I sent the fans on to Bristol, and a very nice DM there said he would take care of them!
35  All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Infrastructure problems in Thames Valley causing disruption elsewhere - ongoing, since Oct 2014 on: October 23, 2015, 23:34:01
Whichever way you try to spin it, it's appalling, as those of us who have to put up with it on a daily basis will testify.

I do not do spin. I attempted to explain where this number may have come from. Its a perfect example of uninformed journalism which, on this forum, we are pretty good at recognising. Your experiences may indeed be appalling, but fuelling a debate with accusations of spin will not help.
36  All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Infrastructure problems in Thames Valley causing disruption elsewhere - ongoing, since Oct 2014 on: October 23, 2015, 10:54:08
If this headline figure (40637 mins) is the standard NR» (Network Rail - home page) measurement of delays caused by infrastructure faults in the Thames Valley (and I can't think it will be anything else), then every delay to every train of more than two minutes will have been counted. Every train means all TOCs (Train Operating Company) and FOCs (Freight Operating Company), so freight train delays as well. It will also include knock on delays outside of the Thames Valley. So a late train from the Thames Valley might delay a freight service in Wales which then delays a passenger service in the Midlands etc. All of those delays will be attributed to the root cause - the infrastructure fault, and will added up to give the headline figure.
37  All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: First Great Western rebrands to Great Western Railway and related department changes on: October 04, 2015, 11:39:58
Noticed yesterday that the large FGW (First Great Western) sign on the Adelante shed at Old Oak was being replaced by a GWR (Great Western Railway) sign.
38  All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Communicating suicides on the railway on: September 28, 2015, 23:55:27
I always found that honesty was the best policy. Unspecific talk about an "incident" says nothing to a passenger.

Tell them that somebody has been hit by a train, and there is an immediate understanding of what is going on (in most cases).
39  All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: First Great Western rebrands to Great Western Railway and related department changes on: September 14, 2015, 23:10:09
Surely you mean " ewn soodh"
40  All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: First Great Western - industrial action in 2015 - merged topic on: August 31, 2015, 17:22:44
Just to elaborate on Plymothian's post, FGW (First Great Western) will have trained up a great many managers to do the safety critical functions of a guard, in order to maintain services during the strike. Many will have already had some safety critical training (eg Station Managers with dispatch competency). The training will have consisted of classroom sessions followed by practical training under the supervision of a competence manager. The trainee would then have to "learn the route", essentially by travelling up and down the route with a route learning guide, and observing tunnels, junctions, stations etc. Finally, the trainee would have to sit a competency exam, pass a practical test, and demonstrate in depth route knowledge. If he or she passed, they would be issued with a Scwid card which allowed them to act as a guard on the traction and routes on which they had been assessed. I went through this process a few years ago (before I retired) during another dispute which (I am glad to say) did not result in a strike.

Amongst all this (and keeping up with the day job), it would not be felt necessary to put them through the retail course that would allow them to check and issue tickets. From memory, I think this was a three week training course.

In the circumstances, I think it is churlish to complain about a lack of ticket checks. FGW are only able to operate such a good service during these strikes because there are enough managers who are prepared to step up to the plate and put the customers first. They deserve our full support. And FGW should be congratulated on having taken the steps necessary to maintain the service.

41  All across the Great Western territory / Looking forward - after Coronavirus to 2045 / Re: GWML Electrification - getting the electric into the wires above the trains on: August 10, 2015, 23:51:16
I noticed at Pangbourne a few days ago that some dangly bits had been fixed to some of the masts there. Only seen from the road under the Whitchurch Road bridge, so no idea how much has been achieved.
42  All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Great Western Railway: on-board catering, buffets, Travelling Chef, Pullman - ongoing discussion on: July 24, 2015, 12:19:37
Story from the Beeb today:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-33650226

"A campaign has been set up to save buffet cars on First Great Western (FGW (First Great Western)) trains as dispute talks over the introduction of new trains continue."

All those in favour of buffets can now register on a Facebook group!
43  Journey by Journey / London to the Cotswolds / Re: They re-doubled the wrong section... on: July 20, 2015, 19:09:50
As part of the enhancement projects at Oxford (in conjunction with the redoubling), the down goods loop was upgraded for passenger use. This allowed a down Cotswold train to clear the platform at Oxford and wait in the loop for the single line to clear. This was immediately very useful and continues to be so, AIU.

I believe that there was a subsequent project to extend the down loop further towards Wolvercote Junction, which would further reduce delays. Has this been completed?

Converting the loop to passenger use was cheaper than doubling Wolvercote junction with much the same result.
44  All across the Great Western territory / Introductions and chat / Re: Head codes ? Why?! on: July 03, 2015, 10:40:26
The TLA (three letter acronym) for a Wiki is surely GoT (Glossary of Terms)!
45  All across the Great Western territory / Who's who on Western railways / Re: Ian Allan OBE. Passed away 28th June 2015. on: June 29, 2015, 23:40:00
I still have some of my ABCs from the 60s.

A generation of railway enthusiasts owe a debt of gratitude to this man.

Thank you Mr Allan, and RIP.

Edited to correct spelling.
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