Problems with the Night Riviera sleeper - December 2014 onwards

[whole diary]

[Timmer]

If it wasn't clear a couple of years back, it is now, time for the 57s to be replaced by new locos. Class 68s perhaps? And yes someone is going to ask 'who is going to pay for them?'

[Billhere]

Problems again last night at Padd, rolling stock problems this time, the complete train had to go back to OOC^▸ (Old Oak Common (depot)) to have the defective coach taken out of the train. Seemed to take an absolute age and I think it was 205 mins late departing, and came past Kintbury about 180 late with only six coaches on. It looked like it was the seating coach that was missing, the one at the back of the train.

[LiskeardRich]

If it wasn't clear a couple of years back, it is now, time for the 57s to be replaced by new locos. Class 68s perhaps? And yes someone is going to ask 'who is going to pay for them?'

Funny you should mention class 68s today. Guess what's running to Penzance today on route learning activities. Yep a class 68s first visit to Cornwall.

[phile]

If it wasn't clear a couple of years back, it is now, time for the 57s to be replaced by new locos. Class 68s perhaps? And yes someone is going to ask 'who is going to pay for them?'

This point crops up from time to time but GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) resist it.   Apart from the cost of driver training.   If DRS^▸ (Direct Rail Services Ltd) locos, they would want their drivers to drive them, a point GWR are resisting.

[IndustryInsider]

If DRS^▸ (Direct Rail Services Ltd) locos, they would want their drivers to drive them, a point GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) are resisting.

I'm not sure that's the case.  Chiltern drivers driver their 68s.  It's probably down to the additional leasing costs/training of staff.  And possibly a little stubbornness.

[TaplowGreen]

If DRS^▸ (Direct Rail Services Ltd) locos, they would want their drivers to drive them, a point GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) are resisting.

I'm not sure that's the case.  Chiltern drivers driver their 68s.  It's probably down to the additional leasing costs/training of staff.  And possibly a little stubbornness.

.............an attitude which hardly fits in with the much trumpeted "Building a Greater West"...............I wonder how much providing a reliable sleeper service by leasing a couple of locos would cost compared to the multiple paint jobs, advertising campaigns and new uniforms?

[LiskeardRich]

Tonight's down cancelled due to the incident at Paddington, so can assume we will see a daytime ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) to get the stock in the right place for Friday night up,

[LiskeardRich]

Down sleeper was reinstated, nearly 2 hours late from Paddington, just passed Newton abbot barely 30 late. It went via Bristol bath etc, making calls to set down passengers at each.
Realtime trains suggest it will be barely 10 late time it reaches Liskeard.
I Wonder if I might see a HST^▸ (High Speed Train) and not a 57 this morning if it's been used as a Bristol stopper to get people moved, 2 seated sleeper coaches just don't seem sufficient from the crowds I understand were stuck at Paddington

And for maybe another topic, where does GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) journey check pull its info from. It's saying 103 late for the entire journey, we all know the sleeper makes up lots of time, and won't be 103 late for the whole way. Fortunately I know to check other places as have seen this before where it doesn't allow for the prolonged stops at Reading, Exeter and Plymouth.

[grahame]

And for maybe another topic, where does GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) journey check pull its info from. It's saying 103 late for the entire journey, we all know the sleeper makes up lots of time, and won't be 103 late for the whole way.

Not so much a question of "where does it pull its information from" but "what information does it pull?".  It routinely takes a stated delay and carries it on through the journey, only  (it appears) changing the lateness at if a fresh delay is entered along the route.  Brighton to Great Malvern train leaves Brighton 5 late ... usually shows as being 5 late at Great Malvern too!

[LiskeardRich]

I've Just got to liskeard only 9 late now! Still the 57 with beds, (according to the CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) boards) but via Bristol calling didcot, Swindon Cheltenham bath and Bristol.
Can't imagine it having been a comfortable night sleep with it pushing along that quick. Aprox 4 hr 45 Paddington to liskeard via Bristol is only around 15 mins slower than the via Bristol HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) do it in!

Edit- if CIS was to be believed Hst set led by 43028 has gained a number of beds at the rear 

Edit 2- arrived in Truro on time so can't use that as an excuse to be late for work 

[ChrisB]

And for maybe another topic, where does GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) journey check pull its info from. It's saying 103 late for the entire journey, we all know the sleeper makes up lots of time, and won't be 103 late for the whole way.

Not so much a question of "where does it pull its information from" but "what information does it pull?".  It routinely takes a stated delay and carries it on through the journey, only  (it appears) changing the lateness at if a fresh delay is entered along the route.  Brighton to Great Malvern train leaves Brighton 5 late ... usually shows as being 5 late at Great Malvern too!

On services I watch across TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company), it does seem to know where 'catch-up' minutes are embedded in the timetable, so reduces the incurred delay by these as the planner shows subsequent stops. On Chiltern, eg, a 10 minute delay on a Kidderminster service can be shown as still arriving on time.

[phile]

Both Up and Down Sleepers tonight will be HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) and calling at various stations in lieu of cancellations and service disruption.

[ChrisB]

I hope they get compensation....won't be getting much sleep.

[broadgage]

Both Up and Down Sleepers tonight will be HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) and calling at various stations in lieu of cancellations and service disruption.

,

Why ? I appreciate that there is still serious disruption after the mishap yesterday, but by the time that sleeper runs, services are less frequent and finding a path for the sleeper should be easy.

For seated passengers who might otherwise be stranded, either attach a couple of extra seating coaches to the sleeper, Even the wretched 57s should be able to handle another few coaches, remembering the relaxed timings. Or perhaps run an additional late evening HST. Much later than usual, but well before the sleeper.

[ChrisB]

and where do they get extra Mk3 seated coaches from?