2012's most overcrowded trains

[whole diary]

[Network SouthEast]

I am split between posting this thread here or in the Wider Picture section of the forum, as there are overcrowded trains on services not operated by FGW^▸ (First Great Western) too!

Spring 2012
7:44am service from Henley on Thames to London Paddington ^ load factor 184%
7:14am service from Didcot Parkway to London Paddington ^ load factor 173%
4:48pm London Euston to Birmingham New Street ^ load factor 166%
6:08pm London Bridge to Wimbledon ^ load factor 159%
6:13pm London Euston to Birmingham New Street ^ load factor 158%
7:14am Alton to London Waterloo ^ load factor 156%
7:17am Banbury to London Marylebone ^ load factor 154%
7:10am Haslemere to Waterloo- load factor 152%
6:18pm London Paddington to Oxford ^ load factor 150%
7:32am Woking to London Waterloo ^ load factor 149%


Autumn 2012
8:27am Heathrow T1, 2, 3 to London Paddington ^ load factor 165%
6:13pm London Euston to Birmingham New Street ^ load factor 165%
6:23am Manchester Airport to Middlesbrough ^ load factor 162%
6:00pm London Waterloo to Portsmouth Harbour ^ load factor 161%
7:17am Banbury to London Marylebone ^ load factor 158%
6:19am Birmingham Moor Street to London Marylebone ^ load factor 155%
7:32am Tattenham Corner to London Bridge ^ load factor 154%
6:15am Portsmouth Harbour to London Waterloo ^ load factor 150%
7:09am Henley-on-Thames to London Paddington ^ load factor 149%
7:10am Haslemere to London Waterloo ^ load factor 149%

More information on the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) website: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/operators-urged-to-tackle-crowding-on-busiest-services--2

Some commentary regarding the overcrowding from the DfT in respect of FGW for Spring 2012...

07:44 service from Henley-on-Thames to London Paddington (load factor 184 per cent,
190 passengers in excess of its capacity of 225)

Capacity is based on seats only. Service has first class.
First Great Western was aware that this service was very busy, so strengthened it with an additional
carriage so it now offers 340 standard class seats. This is an increase in capacity of just over 50 per
cent since this count was carried out.


07:14 service from Didcot Parkway to London Paddington (load factor 173 per cent, 278
passengers in excess of its capacity of 381)

Capacity is based on seats only. Service has first class.
First Great Western recognised that this service was busy. During the last year, as part of its
agreement with the Department for Transport for additional carriages this service was strengthened with
one of these carriages, adding an additional 18 per cent Standard class capacity.


18:18 service from London Paddington to Oxford (load factor 150 per cent, 225
passengers in excess of its capacity of 450)

Capacity is based on seats only. Service has first class.
First Great Western has recognised that this service was particularly busy and has now changed the
rolling stock used to offer a 10 per cent increase in seating capacity.

Some commentary regarding the overcrowding from the DfT in respect of FGW for Autumn 2012:

07:09 service from Henley-on-Thames to London Paddington (load factor 149 per cent,
217 passengers in excess of its capacity of 440)

Capacity is based on seats only. Service has first class and train is at maximum length.
First Great Western recognises this service is busy and operating at maximum capacity. The train
operator is currently looking at options to mitigate crowding on this service.

Elsewhere on the DfT website:

First Great Western had the highest level of PiXC of any London & South East operator in 2012
with 7.1 per cent PiXC across both peaks. This represents First Great Western^s lowest PiXC
percentage since 2008 and follows an increase in capacity provided on services at London
Paddington. Despite having a high PiXC figure, the proportion of passengers standing on First
Great Western peak services is lower than for a number of other operators. This is partly
because a large number of passengers commute between Reading and London using longdistance services on which standing is not allowed in the PiXC measure, so every passenger
standing on these services is in excess of the capacity.

[Chris from Nailsea]

I am split between posting this thread here or in the Wider Picture section of the forum, as there are overcrowded trains on services not operated by FGW^▸ (First Great Western) too!

Thanks for posting, Network SouthEast. 

I've only moved this topic to The Wider Picture because it relates to train services in a wider context than just the Great Western area.

[ChrisB]

I think it does show that the TOCS have worked at sorting the Spring 2012 services out. In the Henley case moving pax around their services it seems. But the Oxford services don't feature now.

I think Henley can only be sorted by providing an extra service. More suitable stock is the only way to sort, so probably remaining a problem until Crossrail / electrification starts.

[IndustryInsider]

I think it does show that the TOCS have worked at sorting the Spring 2012 services out. In the Henley case moving pax around their services it seems. But the Oxford services don't feature now.

I think Henley can only be sorted by providing an extra service. More suitable stock is the only way to sort, so probably remaining a problem until Crossrail / electrification starts.

Yes, an extra service at the intermediate stops on the mainline rather than an extra service from Henley itself.  Those two Henley trains remain principal commuter services from Twyford and Maidenhead too and that's where the problem lies.  Though if you stop another long distance HST^▸ (High Speed Train) at either then that causes its own problems!

[eightf48544]

Why was a Heathrow Connect  Shown as the most overcrowed train in Autumn 2012?

When the Dft expalnation more or less says it's a one off

1.08:27 service from Heathrow, terminals 1, 2 &3 to London Paddington (load factor 165
per cent, 310 passengers in excess of its capacity of 476) Capacity includes seats and a standing allowance. Service does not have first class.
This service is operating at its effective upper capacity. For the snapshot count period this service was late running and therefore picked up passengers arriving at stations for the following service.

[IndustryInsider]

They're all 'one-off' counts though, aren't they?

That's why they shouldn't be treated particularly seriously - but the 'busiest train in the Country' headlines will still be published.  No doubt all those top ten trains are exceptionally busy though, it's just that others might be just as busy on days when the count doesn't take place.