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johoare
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« on: December 16, 2012, 00:18:33 » |
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This train was so packed last night that the driver ( DOO▸ obviously) was having to tell people to wait for the next train (the 00.20 is first stop Slough though.. not sure people would want to wait ten minutes for one that stops everywhere and so get back a lot later... but FGW▸ obviously think it's ok)... At Slough where I had to get off (as that train doesn't stop at Maidenhead) there must have been more than 100 people in the taxi queue... Which raises a couple of questions 1.. What were all the other FGW carriages doing on a Friday night to make this train only 3 carriages (especially bearing in mind that the next day was Saturday so no rush hour to contend with train wise).. I was on a similar timed train on a Saturday evening a few weeks ago and it was the same.. so sounds like it's the norm with FGW.. 0 2..Where were all these people in the taxi queue going (hypothetical question  ? If it's Maidenhead perhaps it might be worth having a better late night service there (altho the Slough Taxi drivers must love it....not so sure about the Maidenhead ones though).. |
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IndustryInsider
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« Reply #1 on: December 16, 2012, 11:43:27 » |
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Write in and let them know how busy it was. There are plenty of carriages about that time of night - even if three of them only went as far as Reading, a 6-car should be easy to resource. Late evening services are so busy these days, and in the run up to Christmas especially there really should be more carriages provided. Over the years there have been some improvements to the late evening trains - extra stops at Maidenhead, the Fridays only 23:42 train are two examples - but FGW▸ haven't kept up with demand as they should have done, and at a time of day when there are no shortage of carriages available it is unacceptable that they haven't.
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To view my GWML▸ Electrification cab video 'before and after' video comparison, as well as other videos of the new layout at Reading and 'before and after' comparisons of the Cotswold Line Redoubling scheme, see: http://www.dailymotion.com/user/IndustryInsider/ |
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Southern Stag
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« Reply #3 on: December 16, 2012, 19:18:08 » |
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It's not just an FGW▸ problem. I had the misfortune of catching a late train from Clapham Junction a couple of Saturdays ago on SWT▸ . Every train came in as four carriages, and every time there were people left behind.
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EBrown
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« Reply #4 on: December 16, 2012, 21:52:27 » |
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In my experience writing in will not get extra carriages.. but I could almost tell you what the reply will be (which will include the cut and paste bit about not being able to find extra carriages from nowhere as they won't read the time of the train properly)... It will with South Eastern High Speed - but that's a whole different thing. |
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« Last Edit: March 03, 2013, 19:13:26 by EBrown »
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I am no longer an active member of this website.
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IndustryInsider
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« Reply #5 on: December 17, 2012, 11:08:58 » |
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In my experience writing in will not get extra carriages.. but I could almost tell you what the reply will be (which will include the cut and paste bit about not being able to find extra carriages from nowhere as they won't read the time of the train properly)... The specifics about each complaint all get logged, and the more complaints about overcrowding on late night trains, the more prominence that gets and the more likely something would be done about it. Granted, one letter isn't going to change anything, but the more letters sent in, the more chance something will get done. |
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To view my GWML▸ Electrification cab video 'before and after' video comparison, as well as other videos of the new layout at Reading and 'before and after' comparisons of the Cotswold Line Redoubling scheme, see: http://www.dailymotion.com/user/IndustryInsider/ |
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Super Guard
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« Reply #6 on: December 17, 2012, 12:12:04 » |
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I remember during the Olympics, I worked the 00:30 additional PAD» -EXD» on a Friday night, and we had additional stop-orders for Slough and Maidenhead. The DSM at Paddington told me that they had arranged the additional stops on the HST▸ set, as the 2 stopper units leaving at a similar time were both short-formed due to train faults and earlier set swaps, so clearly there's some issue even at that time on a Friday.
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Any opinions made on this forum are purely personal and my own. I am in no way speaking for, or offering the views of First Great Western or First Group.
If my employer feels I have broken any aspect of the Social Media Policy, please PM me immediately, so I can rectify without delay.
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IndustryInsider
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« Reply #7 on: December 17, 2012, 12:16:02 » |
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The 23:00 Paddington to Oxford on a Saturday night was recently extended as it was getting silly with a 3-Car. Much more could/should be done though.
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To view my GWML▸ Electrification cab video 'before and after' video comparison, as well as other videos of the new layout at Reading and 'before and after' comparisons of the Cotswold Line Redoubling scheme, see: http://www.dailymotion.com/user/IndustryInsider/ |
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swrural
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« Reply #8 on: December 17, 2012, 12:34:47 » |
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How about sending in the link to this thread, as part of your complaint, to emphasise the point??
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NickB
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« Reply #9 on: December 17, 2012, 15:12:04 » |
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I was on the very same train as the OP▸ on Friday night and can confirm that it was absolutely mental.
I hopped off at Slough and joined the Maidenhead cab queue. Fortunately we didn't have to wait too long as we cab shared with some strangers.
Its not just the Friday night trains that are silly - I caught a late night train last Thursday and could barely breathe it was so crowded.
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johoare
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« Reply #10 on: December 17, 2012, 21:44:31 » |
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In my experience writing in will not get extra carriages.. but I could almost tell you what the reply will be (which will include the cut and paste bit about not being able to find extra carriages from nowhere as they won't read the time of the train properly)... The specifics about each complaint all get logged, and the more complaints about overcrowding on late night trains, the more prominence that gets and the more likely something would be done about it. Granted, one letter isn't going to change anything, but the more letters sent in, the more chance something will get done. But specifics in my experience, as I said, just get standard cut and paste replies as they don't notice train times.. Don't worry I've been travelling and giving feedback to FGW▸ for many many years.. Nothing has changed really...  |
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johoare
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« Reply #11 on: December 17, 2012, 21:45:53 » |
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I was on the very same train as the OP▸ on Friday night and can confirm that it was absolutely mental.
I hopped off at Slough and joined the Maidenhead cab queue. Fortunately we didn't have to wait too long as we cab shared with some strangers.
Its not just the Friday night trains that are silly - I caught a late night train last Thursday and could barely breathe it was so crowded.
I guess you weren't someone I shared a cab with then? I shared with a couple and another female... Bit of a tour of Maidenhead.. |
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JayMac
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« Reply #12 on: December 17, 2012, 22:14:00 » |
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Out of my area so no comment on the topic at hand, save to say welcome to the forum NickB.  |
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"Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for the rest of the day. Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."
- Sir Terry Pratchett.
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johoare
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« Reply #13 on: December 17, 2012, 22:17:24 » |
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oops.. good point... welcome from me too! Sorry I didn't say that before NickB
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thetrout
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« Reply #14 on: December 17, 2012, 23:45:36 » |
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<tounge in cheek> FGW▸ seem to only notice exact train times when Compensation could be/is due  </tounge in cheek> |
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