Saturday HST to Weymouth

[whole diary]

[PhilWakely]

Is it an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) today?  I'm just off to Maiden Newton in expectation!

[JayMac]

I fear you were disappointed Phil.

I saw a post on Facebook this morning that said it was five car 158+150.

I was aware of this thread and had intended to post the info, but lost signal on phone while stuck in traffic near Yeovilton. Then I got completely sidetracked by a Vulcan, Sea Vixen, Red Arrows, Spitfires, Apaches, Hueys, the Vulcan again, Rafeles, Super Etendards and a Typhoon.

Sorry.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Being distracted by Spitfires is an acceptable excuse, in my opinion. 

[PhilWakely]

I ended up stuck in traffic at Chideock on the A35 and would have missed it in any case, so am rather thankful it didn't run

Better luck next weekend as I have tickets for a family day out in Weymouth, returning on the HST^▸ (High Speed Train)   

[bobm]

Being distracted by Spitfires is an acceptable excuse, in my opinion. 

Without wishing to divert this thread unduly, there is a Battle of Britain flypast due over Swindon in September and an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) power car due to be named after a Battle of Britain pilot who is buried in the town.

[PhilWakely]

Not good start for the Wizard today! Well done to the TM^‡(resolve) and her team for spotting the long swing link bogeys in the rostered set and swapping so quickly with another set meaning just a 5 minute delay. And just for info bobm and grahame - first class NOT declassified. 

[bobm]

And just for info bobm and grahame - first class NOT declassified. 

That's interesting, I wonder what first class fare they would charge.  As far as I am aware the only first class fare from Swindon is "Via Reading".  Standard class has the "Via Yeovil" option.

There is the Weekend First upgrade, so I guess they would sell the Standard "Via Yeovil" and the ^10 upgrade.

[JayMac]

They really shouldn't be charging any extra in 1st Class. The service is shown in timetables as Standard Class Only.

Something worth doing for future Saturdays this month if FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are insistent that the service is not declassified and you wish to sit in the posh seats. Buy your Day Return from Bristol if you are travelling from Chippenham and Swindon. Yes, the Standard Class fare is ^1 more, but the Weekend 1st Upgrade is only ^5.

If you are travelling from Trowbridge, there is no Weekend First fare listed at all. So again, a ticket from Bristol may be best.

I can see FGW (and their usual apologist on this forum) arguing that because the service is diverted it passes through two Weekend First zones, so passengers from Bristol in August should pay ^10.00. Not that I believe there should be 1st Class supplements at all.

[Adelante_CCT]

Not good start for the Wizard today! Well done to the TM^‡(resolve) and her team for spotting the long swing link bogeys in the rostered set and swapping so quickly with another set meaning just a 5 minute delay.

Yup, only appears to have left BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)) 2 minutes late with it's swapped set being the 08:10 to Bath which left just the 10 late. As you say good work from the onboard team, but once again bad planning from the people 'upstairs', this happened with the Waterloo diversions back in April didn't it?

[JayMac]

As you say good work from the onboard team, but once again bad planning from the people 'upstairs', this happened with the Waterloo diversions back in April didn't it?

It did indeed. I was on the offending set with LSL^‡(resolve) bogies. Apparently this was spotted by a member of the public as we passed through Westbury but it took some time for the message to get through to the train. We were eventually stopped at Andover and the service was terminated there.

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=15602.0

[Timmer]

And just for info bobm and grahame - first class NOT declassified. 

What was offered if you wanted to sit in First? The chance to upgrade with a Weekend First ticket?

I agree with BNM that because it's advertised as Standard class only First should be declassified, unless someone can point me to a ruling in the conditions of carriage that says otherwise.

[grahame]

And just for info bobm and grahame - first class NOT declassified. 

A degree of confusion and mixed messages.   The highest authority I spoke to suggested "declassified".

[grahame]

And just for info bobm and grahame - first class NOT declassified. 

A degree of confusion and mixed messages.   The highest authority I spoke to suggested "declassified".

Very senior message from FGW^▸ (First Great Western) to me:

"I saw the Coffee Shop entry on First Class upgrades nobody should have been charged" ... if you were (any readers), please let me know and I'll get it corrected.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Thanks for that very welcome update, grahame - and thanks to First Great Western for providing that official confirmation.

I'll now mark this topic as a 'sticky' one, for the time being - simply to make sure as many of our readers as possible have the opportunity to read this latest news.

CfN. 

[grahame]

Lots to do in Weymouth ... via http://www.wellho.net/mouth/4513_Yesterday-Weymouth.html for pictures

Admiring old buildings
Amazing at the local artwork
Arriving at your destination
Being rowed in a boat
Breaking quietly from all the other activities
Burying your friend
Catching the Sun
Checking your messages
Chuckling as you watch others hunting for a parking space
Clicking pictures like this one
Climbing the steps
Crabbing in the harbour
Deciding what to do!!
Digging in the sand
Dreaming of buying a "fixer upper"
Eating fresh traditional Fish and Chips
Enjoying the Jurassic Coast
Exercising the dog (and the family)
Explaining what a shop sells to the children
Fearing the spider - for just a moment
Gazing at shops in the Old Brewery
Gorping at the birds
Having a beer at the town's oldest pub
Hearing (perhaps) about your future
Hiring a scooter to get around
Imagining how the Fort was many years ago
Journeying on a land train
Keeping an eye on the time
Leaning on the railings
Learning about the town's history
Leaving the train at the end of the day
Licking an ice cream
Looking out to sea
Observing at the Nature Reserve
Paddleboating and doing other things on the water
Planning your journey home
Playing "what if" at the Marina
Relaxing in the park
Riding the gallopers
Saving car parking charges
Seeing the craft workshops
Shopping
Shouting in support of Mr Punch
Sitting in the sun with a pint
Spending family time in the open air
Taking in the view
Trainspotting
Walking the old railway line trail
Watching the world go by
Wondering at some people's taste (or perhaps it's yours?)
Working out the best way up.

To give you a taste: