MPs Call For FGW To Be Renationalised

[whole diary]

[smokey]

What would nationalisation bring. We are likely to be soon a conservative governement if this Gordon Brown carry on continues.

Besides, what is it saying about bad stock, don't get me wrong, the pacers are awful, but what other TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) is refurbishing all of their other stock?

Most TOC's are looking at NEW stock, hence you don't waste money doing up the C**p.

It's a simple FACT FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are proving more stock than the franchise requires but THERE ARE LESS SEATS THAN WESSEX PROVIDED.
SO WHO IS TRYING TO SQUEEZE MORE BUMS INTO LESS SEATS

[Shazz]

What would nationalisation bring. We are likely to be soon a conservative governement if this Gordon Brown carry on continues.

Besides, what is it saying about bad stock, don't get me wrong, the pacers are awful, but what other TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) is refurbishing all of their other stock?

Most TOC's are looking at NEW stock, hence you don't waste money doing up the C**p.

It's a simple FACT FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are proving more stock than the franchise requires but THERE ARE LESS SEATS THAN WESSEX PROVIDED.
SO WHO IS TRYING TO SQUEEZE MORE BUMS INTO LESS SEATS

...the dft...

[vacman]

What would nationalisation bring. We are likely to be soon a conservative governement if this Gordon Brown carry on continues.

Besides, what is it saying about bad stock, don't get me wrong, the pacers are awful, but what other TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) is refurbishing all of their other stock?

Most TOC's are looking at NEW stock, hence you don't waste money doing up the C**p.

It's a simple FACT FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are proving more stock than the franchise requires but THERE ARE LESS SEATS THAN WESSEX PROVIDED.
SO WHO IS TRYING TO SQUEEZE MORE BUMS INTO LESS SEATS

Not strictly true, as a lot of services, particularly in Cornwall that used to be a 2 car unit under Wessex are now replaced by HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s, in Cornwall there is actually more seats than previous.

[Conner]

What would nationalisation bring. We are likely to be soon a conservative governement if this Gordon Brown carry on continues.

Besides, what is it saying about bad stock, don't get me wrong, the pacers are awful, but what other TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) is refurbishing all of their other stock?

Most TOC's are looking at NEW stock, hence you don't waste money doing up the C**p.

It's a simple FACT FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are proving more stock than the franchise requires but THERE ARE LESS SEATS THAN WESSEX PROVIDED.
SO WHO IS TRYING TO SQUEEZE MORE BUMS INTO LESS SEATS

Not strictly true, as a lot of services, particularly in Cornwall that used to be a 2 car unit under Wessex are now replaced by HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s, in Cornwall there is actually more seats than previous.

But the services n the middle of the day are now quite often a 153 when they used to be 158.

[Lee]

What would nationalisation bring. We are likely to be soon a conservative governement if this Gordon Brown carry on continues.

Besides, what is it saying about bad stock, don't get me wrong, the pacers are awful, but what other TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) is refurbishing all of their other stock?

Most TOC's are looking at NEW stock, hence you don't waste money doing up the C**p.

It's a simple FACT FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are proving more stock than the franchise requires but THERE ARE LESS SEATS THAN WESSEX PROVIDED.
SO WHO IS TRYING TO SQUEEZE MORE BUMS INTO LESS SEATS

...the dft...

Again, smoke and mirrors. The DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) will claim that they didnt specify the number of carriages/units, and FGW will claim that they wouldnt have won the franchise if they hadnt included rolling stock cuts in their bid.

[vacman]

What would nationalisation bring. We are likely to be soon a conservative governement if this Gordon Brown carry on continues.

Besides, what is it saying about bad stock, don't get me wrong, the pacers are awful, but what other TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) is refurbishing all of their other stock?

Most TOC's are looking at NEW stock, hence you don't waste money doing up the C**p.

It's a simple FACT FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are proving more stock than the franchise requires but THERE ARE LESS SEATS THAN WESSEX PROVIDED.
SO WHO IS TRYING TO SQUEEZE MORE BUMS INTO LESS SEATS

Not strictly true, as a lot of services, particularly in Cornwall that used to be a 2 car unit under Wessex are now replaced by HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s, in Cornwall there is actually more seats than previous.

But the services n the middle of the day are now quite often a 153 when they used to be 158.

Only whilst we're short of unit's due to the "refresh" programme, there is actually more unit capacity than under Wessex as the busiest unit of the day-the 1557 PLY_PNZ is now booked as a 150+153, under Wessex it was booked as a 150, also, the Fal branch is always booked as a 150 now, under Wessex it was BOOKED as a 153 for the summer months which caused mass overcrowding!

[Lee]

Its probably worth mentioning at this point that Portsmouth-Cardiff services were 3-coach under Wessex but now 2-coach under FGW^▸ (First Great Western).......

I would like to see somebody justify that one.

[vacman]

Its probably worth mentioning at this point that Portsmouth-Cardiff services were 3-coach under Wessex but now 2-coach under FGW^▸ (First Great Western).......

I would like to see somebody justify that one.

Very true! West of Plymouth has been quite lucky really with regards to capacity, the Cardiff Portsmouth situation is a joke!

[devon_metro]

What would nationalisation bring. We are likely to be soon a conservative governement if this Gordon Brown carry on continues.

Besides, what is it saying about bad stock, don't get me wrong, the pacers are awful, but what other TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) is refurbishing all of their other stock?

Most TOC's are looking at NEW stock, hence you don't waste money doing up the C**p.

It's a simple FACT FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are proving more stock than the franchise requires but THERE ARE LESS SEATS THAN WESSEX PROVIDED.
SO WHO IS TRYING TO SQUEEZE MORE BUMS INTO LESS SEATS

Not strictly true, as a lot of services, particularly in Cornwall that used to be a 2 car unit under Wessex are now replaced by HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s, in Cornwall there is actually more seats than previous.

But the services n the middle of the day are now quite often a 153 when they used to be 158.

Cornwall has an HST in each direction every two hours or so, and they are often virtually empty. A 153 is perfectly acceptable for a 2 hour journey. Maybe not enough capacity on its own but Cornwall local jobs don't need fast trains as they can only go 75 anyway, and 158s can do 90 and also they stop at virtually every shack so there is no sustained high speed running. You claim 150s don't have luggage space, but surely the HSTs have loads. I think Cornwall needs to be told the higher capacity trains and encouraged to use them.

[vacman]

What would nationalisation bring. We are likely to be soon a conservative governement if this Gordon Brown carry on continues.

Besides, what is it saying about bad stock, don't get me wrong, the pacers are awful, but what other TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) is refurbishing all of their other stock?

Most TOC's are looking at NEW stock, hence you don't waste money doing up the C**p.

It's a simple FACT FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are proving more stock than the franchise requires but THERE ARE LESS SEATS THAN WESSEX PROVIDED.
SO WHO IS TRYING TO SQUEEZE MORE BUMS INTO LESS SEATS

Not strictly true, as a lot of services, particularly in Cornwall that used to be a 2 car unit under Wessex are now replaced by HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s, in Cornwall there is actually more seats than previous.

But the services n the middle of the day are now quite often a 153 when they used to be 158.

Cornwall has an HST in each direction every two hours or so, and they are often virtually empty. A 153 is perfectly acceptable for a 2 hour journey. Maybe not enough capacity on its own but Cornwall local jobs don't need fast trains as they can only go 75 anyway, and 158s can do 90 and also they stop at virtually every shack so there is no sustained high speed running. You claim 150s don't have luggage space, but surely the HSTs have loads. I think Cornwall needs to be told the higher capacity trains and encouraged to use them.

You've obviously not travelled much in Cornwall?? the 0643 PNZ-PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) 90% full by the time it gets to Plymouth, 0743 PNZ-PAD 90% full by Truro, admittedly most people get off there but it used to be a 158 that went to Portsmouth and since it's become an HST more people have used it! and have you ever tried travelling on the 1000 PNZ-PAD? as it's the last London of the morning it is usually wedged at the quietest of times! The 1140 PNZ-EXD^» (Exeter St Davids - next trains) (unit) is 95% full most of the time, and leaving people behind any time between Easter and October as it connects with the PGN-PAD service at Newton Abbot. All that is just the tip of the iceberg! 

[devon_metro]

Well - I don't travel on early morning services, but evening services are often very quiet. I agree with the 1001 PNZ-PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains), i've had to stand from Totnes before, and that was a cram, let alone stops at Newton Abbot, Exeter, Tiverton and Taunton!

I find when i board high speed services that originate from Penzance they are very hit and miss as to how busy they are at Newton Abbot. Sometimes i've had to revert to my reserved ticket and sometimes I have massive choice of seats.

I obviously travel at the wrong time of the day, usually going down in the morning and back up on the 1557/1600 PNZ-PAD

[vacman]

Well - I don't travel on early morning services, but evening services are often very quiet. I agree with the 1001 PNZ-PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains), i've had to stand from Totnes before, and that was a cram, let alone stops at Newton Abbot, Exeter, Tiverton and Taunton!

I find when i board high speed services that originate from Penzance they are very hit and miss as to how busy they are at Newton Abbot. Sometimes i've had to revert to my reserved ticket and sometimes I have massive choice of seats.

I obviously travel at the wrong time of the day, usually going down in the morning and back up on the 1557/1600 PNZ-PAD

There is a HELL of a lot of local traffic in Cornwall that mostly goes as far as Plymouth, and if you've been on the 1600 PNZ-PAD in school term time then you'll see how many school kids commute on that service from Truro!

[devon_metro]

Personally I think that the 1001 from penzance should revert to being fast from Plymouth to Exeter like it used to be.

1205 Ply
1305 Exd
1450 Rdg
1520 Pad

Then have a unit calling Ivybridge and Totnes to connect at Newton Abbot onto an HST^▸ (High Speed Train), from say Paignton

Calling at: Paignton, Torquay, Torre, Newton Abbot, Teignmouth, Dawlish, Exeter, Tiverton, Taunton, Castle Cary, Westbury, Pewsey, Newbury, Reading and London.

Perfect! 

[vacman]

Personally I think all services from Cornwall should go PLY^» (Plymouth - next trains)-EXD^» (Exeter St Davids - next trains)-RDG^‡(resolve)-PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) as in the summer months these services are usually full by Plymouth anyway! And the Newquay-Pad services should be NQY^▸ (Newquay (Station))-PAR-PLY-RDG-PAD as they are usually full by Newquay lol!

[devon_metro]

The 1511 Newquay - Paddington certainly shouldn't form the 1700 from Plymouth and 1800 from Exeter, as it is full when leaving Newquay!!