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johoare
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« on: January 08, 2008, 23:41:50 » |
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Tonight I got to Paddington with more than enough time to get a cup of tea and my train.. I got there about 20.23 for the 20.30...
Except..
...it was on platform 13...
So I had a couple of choices..
I chose a cup of tea, and then running with the cup of tea (and a lot of tea sloshing up my arm even with lid on) to just get the train.
So I ask again, why oh why oh why use platforms 13 or 14 unless they really need to?
As you can imagine, at that time of the evening, a lot of other platforms were empty..
No one from FGW▸ /NR» /anywhere else has ever been able to explain why these platforms are used so much...
So many people must miss their trains because of this....>
Anyone from FGW/NR/anywhere else like to comment?
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Conner
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« Reply #1 on: January 09, 2008, 08:05:24 » |
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Maybe it had been sitting there for a while?
It could have arrived earlier and if there was a fault or something it was fixed and then made available for the 8:30 so they could use it.
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devon_metro
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« Reply #2 on: January 09, 2008, 09:24:49 » |
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We've had this discussion before, platform allocations are totally up to the signal box, who generally aren't bothered how far people have to run.
The train may have arrived at 1800, during peak and been booked to lay over and there probably arent many platform at 1800!
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grahame
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« Reply #3 on: January 09, 2008, 09:54:02 » |
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We've had this discussion before, platform allocations are totally up to the signal box, who generally aren't bothered how far people have to run.
The train may have arrived at 1800, during peak and been booked to lay over and there probably arent many platform at 1800!
Some topics merit repeated discussion  .... the forum has been growing strongly month on month and we have a lot more members - and active members - here now than we did 3 months ago. It'll be the first time they have had a chance to get involved with this as a current issue and they may well contribute something more to the discussion. Question. If "platform allocation is up to the signal box" and it effects customers, what training / instruction do signal box staff get in terms of customer relations and how to do their best for people who, in the end, are paying their wages? |
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Coffee Shop Admin, Acting Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, Option 24/7 Melksham Rep
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devon_metro
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« Reply #4 on: January 09, 2008, 13:56:09 » |
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Signallers have nothing to do with the public. Network Rail pay the wages.
We shouldn't be slagging signallers off anyway, its a very safety critical job and p13 and p1 at Paddington are both the same station, so it no makes no different how far from the exits then are really...
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grahame
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« Reply #5 on: January 09, 2008, 15:47:56 » |
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Signallers have nothing to do with the public. Network Rail pay the wages.
I'm sorry - signallers do have something to do with the public, all be it indirectly. They do a fine job of keeping the public safe and services running for the public. Where decisions they make are subjective (which platform to use, which train to send ahead first) then they should be very much aware of the effects on the public of those decisions ... |
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Coffee Shop Admin, Acting Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, Option 24/7 Melksham Rep
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Ollie
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« Reply #6 on: January 09, 2008, 15:51:01 » |
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According to my Station Working for yesterday it was booked for 13. 20:11 arrival from Reading.
Station Workings if I remember correctly are authorised and sorted by Network Rail. Signallers get a copy. And need to keep to it as much as they possibly can to avoid any confusion with other staff.
If kept on changing the booked platform throughout the day that would be alot of alterations.
Also, platform may be empty, but that might be due to not being possible to use it. For example late morning there was some line possesion outside that stations granted it was temporary, but it makes platforms unavailable.
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Jim
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« Reply #7 on: January 09, 2008, 15:58:09 » |
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To the panel, a platforms a platform! As long as the whole train can fit in it.
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Cheers Jim  AG's most famous quote "It'll be better next week" |
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johoare
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« Reply #8 on: January 09, 2008, 21:19:02 » |
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in which case.. if they insist on using platforms 13 and 14 a disproprtionate amount of time.. I think it should be timetabled that anyone having entered platform 12 with (as an example) one minute to spare, should be allowed to get on the train and it should wait for them (I know people already on the train won't like this before someone says that!!).. I always feel sorry if I run past someone a lot older, or maybe someone who is unable to hurry for other reasons. They must just miss the train? And then have to walk all the way back again...
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dog box
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« Reply #9 on: January 09, 2008, 21:29:24 » |
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in which case.. if they insist on using platforms 13 and 14 a disproprtionate amount of time.. I think it should be timetabled that anyone having entered platform 12 with (as an example) one minute to spare, should be allowed to get on the train and it should wait for them (I know people already on the train won't like this before someone says that!!).. I always feel sorry if I run past someone a lot older, or maybe someone who is unable to hurry for other reasons. They must just miss the train? And then have to walk all the way back again...
So we are now causing delays because of the length of walk to the platform from a given point. the bottom line is you dont get to Gatwick a minuite before your plane takes off so why are trains any different??? |
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All postings reflect my own personal views and opinions and are not intended to be, nor should be taken as official statements of first great western or first group policy
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Jim
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« Reply #10 on: January 09, 2008, 21:30:20 » |
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in which case.. if they insist on using platforms 13 and 14 a disproprtionate amount of time.. I think it should be timetabled that anyone having entered platform 12 with (as an example) one minute to spare, should be allowed to get on the train and it should wait for them (I know people already on the train won't like this before someone says that!!).. I always feel sorry if I run past someone a lot older, or maybe someone who is unable to hurry for other reasons. They must just miss the train? And then have to walk all the way back again...
Why should that happen - just arrive a minute earlier. Lots of stations have platforms like this: Salisbury (6) Exeter (2) Bristol TM‡ (1) Birmingham New ST (4C) and many more, everyone seems to manage there! |
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Cheers Jim AG's most famous quote "It'll be better next week" |
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johoare
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« Reply #11 on: January 09, 2008, 21:36:37 » |
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Arriving on time is in an ideal world.. The problem is, we're at the whim of the tube/bus in London and can't always plan to arrive earlier than we need to for our trains. What is annoying is that, even after the tube/bus has tried to scupper our journeys home, yet we finally manage to arrive at Paddington with more than enough time to get the train, except when it's an extra 3 or 4 minutes walk away on platforms 13/14!
I for one would love to arrive at Paddington a long time before my train is due to leave, but due to my arriving at Paddington late most mornings due to late running trains, I can't always leave work quite when I'd really like to to do this..
I guess only regular users of these platforms know how annoying it can be..
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BBM
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« Reply #12 on: January 09, 2008, 22:16:18 » |
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in which case.. if they insist on using platforms 13 and 14 a disproprtionate amount of time.. I think it should be timetabled that anyone having entered platform 12 with (as an example) one minute to spare, should be allowed to get on the train and it should wait for them (I know people already on the train won't like this before someone says that!!).. I always feel sorry if I run past someone a lot older, or maybe someone who is unable to hurry for other reasons. They must just miss the train? And then have to walk all the way back again...
Why should that happen - just arrive a minute earlier. Lots of stations have platforms like this: Salisbury (6) Exeter (2) Bristol TM‡ (1) Birmingham New ST (4C) and many more, everyone seems to manage there! Yes, but they're much nearer to the main access point to other platforms, nor do they have such an obstacle course to reach them! To get from The Lawn at Paddington to 13 & 14 you either go along platform 9, up the steps to the footbridge, through the ticket barrier and down more steps - or you loop back round the ends of platforms 11 & 12, then walk the entire length of 12 to a narrow passageway (which can get very congested) through to 13 & 14. Try those routes sometime with heavy luggage! However my main issue is not the situation of 13 & 14, it's that there are workings scheduled to go into those two platforms during off-peak times when there is vacant space in 9, 10, 11 or 12 (and sometimes in all four!). For goodness sake why? Can someone from Network Rail please give me an answer other than "it's in the station working books, so there!" or "to the panel, a platforms a platform!" I'm sorry, but those are not satisfactory answers. Someone at Network Rail must have a logical reason why it happens! |
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johoare
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« Reply #13 on: January 09, 2008, 22:22:13 » |
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Yes, but they're much nearer to the main access point to other platforms, nor do they have such an obstacle course to reach them! To get from The Lawn at Paddington to 13 & 14 you either go along platform 9, up the steps to the footbridge, through the ticket barrier and down more steps - or you loop back round the ends of platforms 11 & 12, then walk the entire length of 12 to a narrow passageway (which can get very congested) through to 13 & 14. Try those routes sometime with heavy luggage!
However my main issue is not the situation of 13 & 14, it's that there are workings scheduled to go into those two platforms during off-peak times when there is vacant space in 9, 10, 11 or 12 (and sometimes in all four!). For goodness sake why? Can someone from Network Rail please give me an answer other than "it's in the station working books, so there!" or "to the panel, a platforms a platform!" I'm sorry, but those are not satisfactory answers. Someone at Network Rail must have a logical reason why it happens!
I totally agree.. In the rush hour, when Paddington is full to capacity, it's inevitable.. Howver quite often, late at night, or mid morning/afternoon, when it is not at all full, these Platforms appear to be used more often than necessary? I too would like to have an answer from Network rail as to why this happens so often.. |
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« Last Edit: January 09, 2008, 22:25:25 by johoare »
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gpn01
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« Reply #14 on: January 10, 2008, 00:01:42 » |
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Howver quite often, late at night, or mid morning/afternoon, when it is not at all full, these Platforms appear to be used more often than necessary?
This evening (Wednesday) the 21:00 to Oxford was only a short train and was AT THE FAR END of Platform 13 because there was a longer train already on the platform. Bizarely several other platforms (such as 9 & 10) were unoccupied. It was so far along I'm surprised it wasn't announced as departing from Royal Oak (which was probably nearer than the Paddington main entrance). I would suggest that we stop moaning about the use of Platform 13 because I think somebody who actually controls the allocation is reading the forum and is now just intentionally pushing us to the furthest point possible! I just feel sorry for the old, disabled, those with young children, baggage, etc. |
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