Train GraphicClick on the map to explore geographics
 
I need help
FAQ
Emergency
About .
Travel & transport from BBC stories as at 09:55 29 Mar 2024
* Bus plunges off South Africa bridge, killing 45
* Easter getaway begins with flood alerts in place
Read about the forum [here].
Register [here] - it's free.
What do I gain from registering? [here]
 02/06/24 - Summer Timetable starts
17/08/24 - Bus to Imber
27/09/25 - 200 years of passenger trains

On this day
29th Mar (1913)
Foundation of National Union or Railwaymen (*)

Train RunningCancelled
09:00 Gatwick Airport to Reading
09:46 Westbury to Swindon
09:54 Bedwyn to Newbury
10:22 Newbury to Bedwyn
10:55 Bedwyn to Newbury
11:05 Swindon to Westbury
11:29 Newbury to Bedwyn
11:57 Bedwyn to Newbury
12:17 Westbury to Swindon
12:52 Bedwyn to Newbury
13:15 Swindon to Westbury
14:19 Westbury to Swindon
15:14 Swindon to Westbury
16:23 Westbury to Swindon
17:36 Swindon to Westbury
18:37 Westbury to Swindon
20:13 Swindon to Westbury
21:16 Westbury to Swindon
22:30 Swindon to Westbury
Short Run
06:37 Plymouth to London Paddington
07:03 London Paddington to Paignton
08:35 Plymouth to London Paddington
09:30 Weymouth to Gloucester
09:37 London Paddington to Paignton
10:35 London Paddington to Exeter St Davids
Delayed
05:03 Penzance to London Paddington
06:05 Penzance to London Paddington
07:10 Penzance to London Paddington
08:03 London Paddington to Penzance
08:15 Penzance to London Paddington
09:04 London Paddington to Plymouth
09:45 Bristol Temple Meads to Salisbury
10:04 London Paddington to Penzance
11:03 London Paddington to Plymouth
PollsOpen and recent polls
Closed 2024-03-25 Easter Escape - to where?
Abbreviation pageAcronymns and abbreviations
Stn ComparatorStation Comparator
Rail newsNews Now - live rail news feed
Site Style 1 2 3 4
Next departures • Bristol Temple MeadsBath SpaChippenhamSwindonDidcot ParkwayReadingLondon PaddingtonMelksham
Exeter St DavidsTauntonWestburyTrowbridgeBristol ParkwayCardiff CentralOxfordCheltenham SpaBirmingham New Street
March 29, 2024, 10:08:42 *
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Forgotten your username or password? - get a reminder
Most recently liked subjects
[149] Infrastructure problems in Thames Valley causing disruption el...
[64] would you like your own LIVE train station departure board?
[59] West Wiltshire Bus Changes April 2024
[58] Reversing Beeching - bring heritage and freight lines into the...
[52] Return of the BRUTE?
[36] 2024 - Service update and amendment log, Swindon <-> Westbury...
 
News: the Great Western Coffee Shop ... keeping you up to date with travel around the South West
 
   Home   Help Search Calendar Login Register  
Pages: 1 ... 53 54 [55] 56 57 ... 170
  Print  
Author Topic: IETs into passenger service from 16 Oct 2017 and subsequent performance issues  (Read 544120 times)
1st fan
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 402


View Profile
« Reply #810 on: August 15, 2018, 14:00:55 »

I was on a Ryanair flight at the weekend and found myself thinking how the seats were more comfortable than those on the IET (Intercity Express Train) even in 1st. I wasn't a fan of many features of the Ryanair experience but the seats surprised me.
Logged
broadgage
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 5398



View Profile
« Reply #811 on: August 15, 2018, 15:31:07 »

If I owned a budget airline, I would offer a "budget comfort class" as an experiment.
More legroom and a wider seat , for say a 50% higher fare.
If a rather cramped seat can be offered for £50, I see no reason why more space cant be offered for say £75.

No frills or complications, just more space for more money.

I refer here not just to the seat itself, but to the space around it.
Logged

A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
TaplowGreen
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 7749



View Profile
« Reply #812 on: August 15, 2018, 16:19:10 »

If I owned a budget airline, I would offer a "budget comfort class" as an experiment.
More legroom and a wider seat , for say a 50% higher fare.
If a rather cramped seat can be offered for £50, I see no reason why more space cant be offered for say £75.

No frills or complications, just more space for more money.

I refer here not just to the seat itself, but to the space around it.

Would your airline have a buffet? 😉
Logged
broadgage
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 5398



View Profile
« Reply #813 on: August 15, 2018, 16:37:31 »

No, for a budget airline it adds cost, weight and complexity.

For a train though, I feel that a buffet should be provided, thereby illustrating the inherent superior nature of train travel, which is also a lot more expensive than air travel.

The present day trend is to make trains as bad as budget airlines, but with much higher fares.

For a few pence a mile on budget airlines I don't expect a buffet.
For approaching £1 a mile on a train I do expect this.
Logged

A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 40691



View Profile WWW Email
« Reply #814 on: August 15, 2018, 16:39:29 »

No, for a budget airline it adds cost, weight and complexity.

It does for a train too ...
Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Acting Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, Option 24/7 Melksham Rep
broadgage
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 5398



View Profile
« Reply #815 on: August 15, 2018, 17:06:18 »

No, for a budget airline it adds cost, weight and complexity.

It does for a train too ...

True, but considering the premium prices charged for rail travel, I think that the extra costs and weight are worth it.
Or perhaps in view of the money saved by not providing a buffet on the new DMUs (Diesel Multiple Unit), the fares should be reduced to reflect the downgraded facilities offered.

Trains in the 1970s had buffets, so with the country now more than twice as wealthy as it was then, why are buffets now an unaffordable luxury ?
Logged

A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
IndustryInsider
Data Manager
Hero Member
******
Posts: 10096


View Profile
« Reply #816 on: August 15, 2018, 17:14:24 »

Trains in the 1970s had buffets, so with the country now more than twice as wealthy as it was then, why are buffets now an unaffordable luxury ?

As has been said before, it's largely due to the large number of retail outlets available at stations which are generally selling better quality produce at cheaper prices than can be offered on the train.

Back in the 70s you were lucky if you had a Travellers Fare and a John Menzies at your local large station.  Now they all have M&S Foodhall's, Upper Crusts etc. and several quality coffee outlets, and many of the smaller stations now have coffee stalls.  If you buy before you board you won't get let down when you are on the train and have no other option when they don't have what you want.

That being said, I remain disappointed that a buffet has not been chosen for the long distance route down to Penzance as I believe that should still have them.  Other routes?  Swansea perhaps, but otherwise I can see why the trolley has been chosen.
Logged

To view my GWML (Great Western Main Line) Electrification cab video 'before and after' video comparison, as well as other videos of the new layout at Reading and 'before and after' comparisons of the Cotswold Line Redoubling scheme, see: http://www.dailymotion.com/user/IndustryInsider/
mjones
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 408


View Profile
« Reply #817 on: August 15, 2018, 17:27:52 »

5 cars for the 1700 to Bristol! Glad I'm only going Reading to Didcot.
Logged
broadgage
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 5398



View Profile
« Reply #818 on: August 15, 2018, 17:34:28 »

5 cars for the 1700 to Bristol! Glad I'm only going Reading to Didcot.

Not on journey check. A cynic would suspect a plot.
Logged

A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
martyjon
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 1941


View Profile
« Reply #819 on: August 15, 2018, 17:51:54 »

5 cars for the 1700 to Bristol! Glad I'm only going Reading to Didcot.

Not on journey check. A cynic would suspect a plot.


5 cars in the 1715 to Carmarthen too, does this thicken the plot.
Logged
IndustryInsider
Data Manager
Hero Member
******
Posts: 10096


View Profile
« Reply #820 on: August 15, 2018, 17:56:03 »

Very poor again from GWR (Great Western Railway)/Hitachi.  At least it's holiday time I suppose, so there will be fewer commuters.
Logged

To view my GWML (Great Western Main Line) Electrification cab video 'before and after' video comparison, as well as other videos of the new layout at Reading and 'before and after' comparisons of the Cotswold Line Redoubling scheme, see: http://www.dailymotion.com/user/IndustryInsider/
Adelante_CCT
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 1314



View Profile
« Reply #821 on: August 15, 2018, 17:58:13 »

At least the 17:15 is on journeycheck, but it does appear many more are not being recorded.
Logged
mjones
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 408


View Profile
« Reply #822 on: August 15, 2018, 18:12:50 »

Very poor again from GWR (Great Western Railway)/Hitachi.  At least it's holiday time I suppose, so there will be fewer commuters.

It was still rammed. Luggage piled in the cycle racks, so cyclists standing in the vestibule with other passengers and their bags.
Logged
Sixty3Closure
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 501


View Profile
« Reply #823 on: August 15, 2018, 21:30:06 »

5 cars for the 1700 to Bristol! Glad I'm only going Reading to Didcot.

Not on journey check. A cynic would suspect a plot.


5 cars in the 1715 to Carmarthen too, does this thicken the plot.

The Carmarthen train has been 5 coaches fairly regularly since it moved to the IETs (Intercity Express Train). As I've been planning on 'commuting' from West Wales I've been taking an interest while waiting for my often short formed Turbo train.
Logged
1st fan
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 402


View Profile
« Reply #824 on: August 15, 2018, 23:05:03 »

Trains in the 1970s had buffets, so with the country now more than twice as wealthy as it was then, why are buffets now an unaffordable luxury ?

As has been said before, it's largely due to the large number of retail outlets available at stations which are generally selling better quality produce at cheaper prices than can be offered on the train.

Back in the 70s you were lucky if you had a Travellers Fare and a John Menzies at your local large station.  Now they all have M&S Foodhall's, Upper Crusts etc. and several quality coffee outlets, and many of the smaller stations now have coffee stalls.  If you buy before you board you won't get let down when you are on the train and have no other option when they don't have what you want.

That being said, I remain disappointed that a buffet has not been chosen for the long distance route down to Penzance as I believe that should still have them.  Other routes?  Swansea perhaps, but otherwise I can see why the trolley has been chosen.

Whilst I can see what you're saying it can still be bloody annoying. I had to run to catch a Cotswold line IET (Intercity Express Train) to Moreton in Marsh one night. Hadn't eaten a thing all day and had a burning desire to stuff my face. Got on and discovered there was no hot food available to purchase whatever class you were in. Had an hour and a half sitting in 1st having just a can of Coke and a packet of crisps as that's all they had. Very pleased I wasn't going to be on there for twice that going to Hereford.
« Last Edit: August 15, 2018, 23:16:49 by 1st fan » Logged
Do you have something you would like to add to this thread, or would you like to raise a new question at the Coffee Shop? Please [register] (it is free) if you have not done so before, or login (at the top of this page) if you already have an account - we would love to read what you have to say!

You can find out more about how this forum works [here] - that will link you to a copy of the forum agreement that you can read before you join, and tell you very much more about how we operate. We are an independent forum, provided and run by customers of Great Western Railway, for customers of Great Western Railway and we welcome railway professionals as members too, in either a personal or official capacity. Views expressed in posts are not necessarily the views of the operators of the forum.

As well as posting messages onto existing threads, and starting new subjects, members can communicate with each other through personal messages if they wish. And once members have made a certain number of posts, they will automatically be admitted to the "frequent posters club", where subjects not-for-public-domain are discussed; anything from the occasional rant to meetups we may be having ...

 
Pages: 1 ... 53 54 [55] 56 57 ... 170
  Print  
 
Jump to:  

Powered by MySQL Powered by PHP Powered by SMF 1.1.2 | SMF © 2006-2007, Simple Machines LLC Valid XHTML 1.0! Valid CSS!
This forum is provided by customers of Great Western Railway (formerly First Great Western), and the views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that the content provided by one of our posters contravenes our posting rules (email link to report). Forum hosted by Well House Consultants

Jump to top of pageJump to Forum Home Page