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31
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Journey by Journey / London to Didcot, Oxford and Banbury / Re: Just another cancellation....
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on: July 31, 2021, 00:59:19
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Unfortunately I don't know the answer to that one, all I can see is what you're aware of already in that the freight train was late and a decision was made to put the stopper on the up main. If I was guessing, I would say the decision would've been based on some sort of expectation as to how the freight was going to perform.
If you're contacting customer relations, maybe they'll be able to dig into it a bit more for you.
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32
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Journey by Journey / London to Didcot, Oxford and Banbury / Re: Just another cancellation....
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on: July 30, 2021, 12:34:01
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I think that the “late running freight train” story was perhaps a product of the railway industry’s Random Excuse Generator, and that the real reason was that 2P42 was wrongly routed at Didcot East, maybe as a result of manual intervention for the preceding 4046. I’ve seen similar examples around Didcot when trains are running out of course. Would the Driver of 2P42 have queried the route? Maybe not, before now I’ve been on a stopper from P4 out on to the UM at Didcot East and then back on to the UR at Moreton. It’s a regular move from P3 of course. Presumably there are relevant instruction in the SA.
If a driver was given a route that would prevent them from doing their booked calling pattern, they should query it where possible to do so. In this case however, the cancellation of the Pangbourne stop was done before the train had left Didcot (advertised at 1100). So the train was not wrong routed as the decision to use UM vice UR was done in advance of the trains departure from Didcot and would've been communicated to the driver before they left as they'd have had to have been given a not to call order for Pangbourne. |
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33
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All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Shortage of train crews on Great Western Railway since September 2017 - ongoing discussion
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on: July 09, 2021, 21:43:08
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Couldn't you just put a customized sat nav in each drivers cab to show where you are, where you are going, what speed you should be doing, where the next signal is, where the next station is, how long it will take to reach them at your current speed plus any other relevant information? Problem solved. No route knowledge needed. Oh, maybe not. I've just remembered it's the railway. It would come in way over budget and never work as it was supposed to eventually being scrapped before introduction.  Sorry to say, but it wouldn't be particularly realistic on its own. That screen would need a lot of info displayed at once to be realistic in matching what a driver and train manager learns as part of the route knowledge. To give some examples. Line speed on a display and how far to next station and signal is all well and good, but if I'm doing 125mph, I want to know the route, I want to know where appropriate places are to start braking for the next station, taking into account various speeds I may be doing if I'd been on restrictive signals. What if the sat nav loses signal, I'm approaching a signal in an area I've not signed, is the signal giving the correct indication for the route I need to be taking. Will it give enough notice that I'm going to go over a junction where I need to get the speed down to 40mph? Yes for this sort of thing there are indications the signal can give you, but it's the route knowledge that defines what you do with information that the signal presents. Don't want to take this too off topic so won't keep listing reasons for route knowledge being important, but give me a train that is crewed up with staff that have learned the route over a train with staff and a customised sat nav any day. Closest you will get to what you describe is places like the Thameslink core or some underground routes which have automatic operation, but even then, someone is required on board still, and they need the appropriate knowledge to be able to take control. |
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35
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Journey by Journey / London to Didcot, Oxford and Banbury / Re: Trimode cl 769 to operate Reading to Oxford and Gatwick.
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on: March 18, 2021, 17:42:06
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Reported elsewhere by GWR▸ sources that a 769 is due a trip from Reading Train Care Depot onto the mainline on Wednesday 24th March. Didn't specify which year, but let's be optimistic and assume they meant 2021  Will beleive it when it happens. And in reply to GWR 158, yes, it is proposed that they'll be used on the Reading-Basingstoke line as well as the Twyford and Windsor branches and the North Downs Line. Should indeed be next week for testing to start. Once in passenger service, they will initially be for the Gatwick route. Certainly potential for other branches later on, but nothing confirmed. I'd say (personal opinion) that Windsor is highly unlikely as that will create crew issues as Paddington and Reading drivers both cover the Windsor route. |
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36
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Journey by Journey / Thames Valley Branches / Re: Signalling the Reading to Basingstoke Line?
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on: February 26, 2021, 16:24:21
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Are all the Thames Valley Branch lines monitered by Swindon Control or just TVSC» ?
There is a differential there, I think. The Swindon Control Centre is run by the train operating company "Great Western Railway" - still a marketing name for First Great Western Ltd, and it looks after all the trains the company operates, but not all the trains on the lines. In places, they're the only operator or just about so - just the occasional works train. The lines they use include most of the branches in the Thames Valley. Just to add to this point, the control centre in Swindon is in a Network Rail building and is an integrated control centre for both Network Rail and GWR. |
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38
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Journey by Journey / London to the West / Re: Night Riveria Sleeper Carriages Suspended again
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on: December 07, 2020, 01:19:10
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When over Christmas are you looking at? From what I remember the sleeper always stops running over Christmas. This year it's not running from 24th December to 2nd January.
If it's before the 24th December, you should still be able to book over the phone via an amended booking system that's been put in place due to an issue with the existing system (so can't be done online or ticket offices at the moment).
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All across the Great Western territory / Diary - what's happening when? / Final Furlong Rail Tour - Saturday 28th March 2020
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on: February 27, 2020, 20:08:15
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I've not seen this mentioned or on the calendar, so figured it's worth a share... On Saturday 28th March 2020 GWR▸ will say goodbye to the two Class 150/0s by operating “The Final Furlong” Railtour. A limited number of tickets are available for this trip with all profits going to First Groups chosen charity, Action For Children. Tickets for this Railtour also include unlimited travel on GWR services on Saturday 28th March 2020. The provisional timings for the tour are below: 1Z47 public timings: Westbury depart: 10:30. Trowbridge pickup: 10:38. (3 minute dwell.) Bath Spa pickup: 10:58. (3 minute dwell.) (Then via Bath West reversal.) Swindon pickup: 11:50. (3 minute dwell.) (Then via Foxhall Curve.) Oxford arrive: 12:50. Passengers get off. 5Z47 arrives Oxford UCS 12+55, 5Z48 departs Oxford UCS 14+17. 1 hour 22 minute gap. 1Z48 public timings: Oxford depart: 14:23. (Then via Reading West Curve). Passengers re-join. Basingstoke arrive: 15:15. 1Z49 public timings: Basingstoke depart: 15:25. (Via Reading plt. 15 and Kennet Bridge Loop reversal.) Reading arrive: 16:15. 1Z50 public timings: Reading depart: 16:25. (Via Hawkeridge Curve.) Trowbridge set down: 17:30. (3 minute dwell.) Bath Spa set down: 18:00. (3 minute dwell.) (Then via Rhubarb Loop and Lawrence Hill reversal.) Bristol Temple Meads arrive: 18:35. The T&Cs need to be displayed at point of purchase, they also need to feature somewhere on the ticket: T&Cs: This is a charity charter and as such there will be NO railcard discounts and only tickets issued from this website along with supported photographic ID will be accepted on the entirety of this charter. Tickets for the charter do NOT qualify under any circumstances for GWRs Delay Repay scheme. The tickets for the charter train will also be valid for unlimited travel on scheduled GWR services all day on Saturday 28th March 2020. This is to ensure attendees can travel to and from the charter at no additional cost. A gentle reminder that any forms of antisocial behaviour and disregard for railway byelaws on GWR services or/and the Railway Network in general will not be tolerated. If individuals are found to have carried out such acts, they WILL NOT be permitted on-board The Final Furlong and WILL NOT receive a refund. It should also be made clear that any individuals caught may be subject to further criminal investigations and potential prosecution. Adult tickets: https://www.gwrsouvenirs.co.uk/index.php/shop/gwr135-adult-16-final-furlong.htmlChild tickets: https://www.gwrsouvenirs.co.uk/index.php/shop/gwr136-child-0-15-final-furlong-30-75.htmlEdit to add - link to calendar - Grahame |
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Journey by Journey / London to Kennet Valley / Re: But all Newbury trains USED to stop at Theale!
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on: February 16, 2020, 20:06:55
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Or getting on a GWR▸ train at Ealing Broadway expecting it to stop at Southall, finding out next stop Hayes.
This has happened to quite a few people, despite all the announcements
One of the reasons I wait a bit at Ealing on the down and Hayes on the up and if dwell time, replay announcement or make a manual one. Often at least 1 person that darts back to the platform again. |
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