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Author Topic: IETs into passenger service from 16 Oct 2017 and subsequent performance issues  (Read 544206 times)
IndustryInsider
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« Reply #1560 on: April 22, 2019, 13:19:45 »

In December there will be a great deal of focus on GWR (Great Western Railway), an opportunity to provide many routes with a better service, and attract new customers that are essential to the business plan going forward for many years, and many franchise awards.

Given the general upward trend of late, if I was Mark Hopwood I would be most keen to ensure everything that I can influence, including the onboard experience, is up to scratch.  First and foremost to impress new customers but also not give the press any easy negative copy.
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« Reply #1561 on: April 22, 2019, 13:53:25 »

Unfortunately, the press have had well over a year of ample opportunities for negative copy.

The first year of the downgrade was marked by a great many half length trains, many passengers forced to stand on lengthy journeys vowed "never again"

The totally inadequate trolley service seems to be getting worse and not better.

The reservation system is still unreliable, as are the toilets. The seats are still too hard.

I have been very critical of the new trains, and the catering arrangements thereon, since before they were introduced.
Advocates of the IETs (Intercity Express Train) felt this was unduly negative and suggested that buffets COULD be installed, even after published drawings showed no buffet.
When the downgraded DMUs (Diesel Multiple Unit) entered service I was critical of the very limited trolley service and considerable reduction in choice and quality. Advocates of the new trains suggested that perhaps the improved trolley service would be provided when more of the new units entered service.

Almost all services are now downgraded, and guess what? the trolley service has got worse not better.
Hot food service has sunk without trace, as predicted.
Trolley in other portion of a 5++5 train occurs regularly.
Trolley static is a frequent feature.

If GWR (Great Western Railway) were serious about making the downgraded trains work, the Easter weekend would have been a good opportunity to start. Instead we got a single static trolley on full length trains.

Is not progress wonderful.

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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.
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« Reply #1562 on: April 22, 2019, 15:53:14 »

Overcrowding, or a long list of other dubious excuses, seem to regularly used by the lazier Customer Hosts (that’s a minority - many are excellent) for setting up a ‘static trolley’ which is one of the stupidest descriptions you could think up and liable to ridicule anyway.

On the busiest of trains passengers can’t get through to the buffet either of course, but was it really so busy it was the depths of Cornwall before it could sensibly get through, or at least get to a point where some sort of service could be provided? After all, storage facilities, and urn heating are available midway through each train to enable some sort of a catering facility to be established.

It’s time management got a grip on this as, if done well, a trolley service is ideal for many routes and services that GWR (Great Western Railway) operate (though not IMHO (in my humble opinion) for journeys over 3 hours like London to Cornwall), but at the moment they are just playing into the hands of the ‘keep the buffet’ advocates, by often providing the worst of both worlds.

The ‘hot food’ trial seems to have come to an end with management claiming they stood to lose £40000 per period IIRC (if I recall/remember/read correctly), however I am going to put on Broadgage’s cynical hat and say it was poorly advertised, patchily provided and almost certainly  designed to give an excuse to take the easy option and just provide the basic trolley service on all trains.

On my way from the platform to the Hammersmith & City line I was talking to somebody who had been on my train in standard. They said if there was a trolley it had gone past them so quick it was faster than the train was moving. They had also boarded from an unstaffed station and would have been a very willing customer.
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« Reply #1563 on: April 22, 2019, 17:57:59 »

To be fair the kitchens on IET (Intercity Express Train)’s are usually stocked with plenty of first class freebies, having much more space for such items than a HST (High Speed Train) buffet car ever did.  Plenty of space for refrigerated items, such as the complimentary items as well.

There just doesn’t seem to be any management impetus to do anything but the bare minimum, and that will soon filter down to the staff as well.

There’s still time to change that though - a launch of an improved service with the new timetable in December for example, but I am starting to think it won’t happen.

One disgruntled passenger in 1st on a previous trip had raided the kitchen because they needed some water to take tablets with. She said it was "Full of everything in there".
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« Reply #1564 on: April 22, 2019, 18:18:53 »

I have signed the "Retain the Buffet" petition.
I've complained to GWR (Great Western Railway) and just received the "We're rather busy at the moment" auto response.
I've also written to our M.P but advised him that it will be a 'It's not our fault gov' from both the DfT» (Department for Transport - about) and GWR.

No, I'm not expecting any form of satisfaction from anyone.
I just want to fire off from a 'dissatisfied of Cornwall'

Rant not really over, but will have to do  Cry Cry
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« Reply #1565 on: April 27, 2019, 19:43:44 »

Odd experience today. Booked last week for the 07.33 Newton Abbot (ex Plymouth)- Paddington and the 16.03 return. Reserved seats and checked my seat planner and I was not sitting with my wife so went back and changed them to agree with the planner.

Train comes (9 coach 802) and the seats for coach H separated us one behind the other. On looking at the seat planner again the coach we were sitting in was configured as coach C. Luckily the wife sat in her designated seat and the seat with her was unreserved.

The trolly service was quite good (no sandwiches) but he disappeared up to coach A and some football supporters went looking for him to get a alcoholic drink and he did not have them, but he left his trolly came to their seats in H took there order and payment went back to the kitchen in coach L (1st class was at the rear today) and brought them their drinks and crisps they ordered.

On the return the 16.03 was a HST (High Speed Train) with a buffet that had no sandwiches or hot food and an at seat service for 1st class. Not much for them.
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« Reply #1566 on: April 29, 2019, 06:21:54 »

Any reason for the high number of 5vice10 in service today? Is it crew issues or Hitachi not able to provide a full fleet for operations today.
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TaplowGreen
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« Reply #1567 on: April 29, 2019, 06:36:32 »

Any reason for the high number of 5vice10 in service today? Is it crew issues or Hitachi not able to provide a full fleet for operations today.

Anything to do with events at West Drayton yesterday?
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« Reply #1568 on: April 29, 2019, 06:42:33 »

A couple more London - Penzance services that were HST (High Speed Train) up to the end of last week are IET (Intercity Express Train) from today, can't help....
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« Reply #1569 on: April 29, 2019, 08:14:15 »

Any reason for the high number of 5vice10 in service today? Is it crew issues or Hitachi not able to provide a full fleet for operations today.

Anything to do with events at West Drayton yesterday?

Perhaps a combination?

Quote
06:29 Swansea to London Paddington due 09:25
Facilities on the 06:29 Swansea to London Paddington due 09:25.
This is due to a fire near the railway suspected to involve gas cylinders yesterday.
Will be formed of 9 coaches instead of 10.

Quote
07:45 London Paddington to Swansea due 10:45
Facilities on the 07:45 London Paddington to Swansea due 10:45.
This is due to a fault on this train.
Will be formed of 5 coaches instead of 9.

But then reasons given are of necessity much simplified.  Trains out of place (e.g. a 9 car in Swansea that should have been in London) and so a ten car slip to 2 x 5 as 10 cars is too long (? please confirm current status someone) for certain destinations.
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« Reply #1570 on: April 29, 2019, 10:32:00 »

Any reason for the high number of 5vice10 in service today? Is it crew issues or Hitachi not able to provide a full fleet for operations today.

It appears to be, in many cases, JourneyCheck once again not being accurate.

I can confirm that 1C76, 10:03 Paddington-Penzance, showing on JourneyCheck as a 5-car, is in fact a 10-car.  That then forms 16:00 Penzance to Paddington.

I suspect looking at the unit allocations, that many others are formed of either 9 or 10 cars, including:

10:56 Cardiff to Paddington and the rest of its diagram of 13:45 Paddington to Swansea and 17:29 Swansea to Paddington.
11:30 Paddington to Bristol and the rest of its diagram of 14:00 Bristol to Paddington and 16:15 Paddington to Swansea.
11:01 Oxford to Paddington and the rest of its diagram of 12:21 Paddington to Worcester SH, 15:22 Worcester SH to Paddington, 17:52 Paddington to Worcester SH and 20:59 Worcester FS to Paddington.
12:03 Paddington to Penzance and the return 17:42 Penzance to Paddington.

I'll try to confirm those later if I can.


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« Reply #1571 on: April 29, 2019, 12:05:44 »

The 10:56 Cardiff to Paddington (1L51) is 9 cars - just seen at Swindon.

The Carmarthen to Paddington (1L42) train seems to be having a few problems today:
Quote
07:30 Carmarthen to London Paddington due 11:32 

07:30 Carmarthen to London Paddington due 11:32 will no longer call at Newport (South Wales), Swindon and Didcot Parkway.
It has been previously delayed, has been further delayed at Bristol Parkway and is now 59 minutes late.
This is due to a fault on this train.
Will be formed of 5 coaches instead of 10.
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« Reply #1572 on: April 29, 2019, 12:20:23 »

Clearly GWR (Great Western Railway) and Hitachi have done some great work since the state of play first thing this morning.  Updates...

I suspect looking at the unit allocations, that many others are formed of either 9 or 10 cars, including:

10:56 Cardiff to Paddington and the rest of its diagram of 13:45 Paddington to Swansea and 17:29 Swansea to Paddington, 21:18 Paddington to Oxford, 23:01 Oxford to Paddington. Confirmed 9-car (800316). Thanks Rob.
11:30 Paddington to Bristol and the rest of its diagram of 14:00 Bristol to Paddington and 16:15 Paddington to Swansea.  Confirmed 9-car (802107).
11:01 Oxford to Paddington and the rest of its diagram of 12:21 Paddington to Worcester SH, 15:22 Worcester SH to Paddington, 17:52 Paddington to Worcester SH and 20:59 Worcester FS to Paddington.  Confimed 9-car (800320).
12:03 Paddington to Penzance and the return 17:42 Penzance to Paddington. Confirmed 10-car (802003/8).

So, not many 5-car trains at all, and more proof that you simply can't rely on JourneyCheck.
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bobm
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« Reply #1573 on: April 29, 2019, 12:36:20 »

http://iris2.rail.co.uk/tiger/ is usually a good, publicly available, source.  Although sometimes best to wait until it has left its origin station to be sure.
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« Reply #1574 on: April 29, 2019, 13:57:30 »

Clearly GWR (Great Western Railway) and Hitachi have done some great work since the state of play first thing this morning.  Updates...

I suspect looking at the unit allocations, that many others are formed of either 9 or 10 cars, including:

10:56 Cardiff to Paddington and the rest of its diagram of 13:45 Paddington to Swansea and 17:29 Swansea to Paddington, 21:18 Paddington to Oxford, 23:01 Oxford to Paddington. Confirmed 9-car (800316). Thanks Rob.
11:30 Paddington to Bristol and the rest of its diagram of 14:00 Bristol to Paddington and 16:15 Paddington to Swansea.  Confirmed 9-car (802107).
11:01 Oxford to Paddington and the rest of its diagram of 12:21 Paddington to Worcester SH, 15:22 Worcester SH to Paddington, 17:52 Paddington to Worcester SH and 20:59 Worcester FS to Paddington.  Confimed 9-car (800320).
12:03 Paddington to Penzance and the return 17:42 Penzance to Paddington. Confirmed 10-car (802003/8).

So, not many 5-car trains at all, and more proof that you simply can't rely on JourneyCheck.

Several formations have been made up to the normal load during the morning as availability increased but amendments are not shown on Journey Check.    The upkeep of this section of Journey Check is just not treated seriously.    In fact, TFW have removed the formation section from their Journey Check altogether claiming that they don't possess the resources to maintain it.   This started in ATW (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC (Train Operating Company))) days and has carried on during the current TFW reign.
« Last Edit: April 29, 2019, 16:08:16 by phile » Logged
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