Train GraphicClick on the map to explore geographics
 
I need help
FAQ
Emergency
About .
Travel & transport from BBC stories as at 10:55 29 Mar 2024
* Attempted murder charge after man stabbed on train
- 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
09:30 Weymouth to Gloucester
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
08:35 Plymouth to London Paddington
09:37 London Paddington to Paignton
10:35 London Paddington to Exeter St Davids
13:10 Gloucester to Weymouth
Delayed
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
10:00 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads
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, 11:13:57 *
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
[132] Infrastructure problems in Thames Valley causing disruption el...
[56] would you like your own LIVE train station departure board?
[52] West Wiltshire Bus Changes April 2024
[51] Reversing Beeching - bring heritage and freight lines into the...
[46] Return of the BRUTE?
[32] 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]
  Print  
Author Topic: Slippery Announcements  (Read 3305 times)
trainer
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 1035


View Profile
« on: October 17, 2017, 22:06:57 »

Today I arrived at Yatton (YAT) intending to board the local 10:50 to Temple Meads (BRI» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains)).  I was advised at the ticket office to board the first train as things were not running to time.  Good advice.

I boarded the late running train from Paignton to Paddington, due off YAT at 09:40 some 40 minutes down. Before boarding the CIS (Customer Information System) showed that the train was to be terminated at BRI and one senior lady at least was somewhat miffed that she was not going to be able to go through to Reading, but I assured her that there would be a reasonable connection at BRI - I did this in hope rather than certainty.  The conductor clearly informed us that the train was to be terminated early because of the late running due to poor rail conditions between Torquay and Torre: very precise and welcome information.  He went to give very clear details of what would happen on arrival at BRI.

He told us very helpfully:

We would arrive on Platform 5
Passengers for stations to Paddington (PAD» (Paddington (London) - next trains)) should go through the subway to Platform 13, where the 11:00 service would be waiting.
He also gave info for other trains.
Clearly a conscientious employee.

As we approached BRI and slowed the train gently passed across the station throat veering to the right through the points and to me it was obvious we were not landing on Platform 5.  However, everyone was preparing to leave the train by the time it was clear that not only were we arriving on Platform 13, but that the CIS was showing that this was indeed the 11:00 service to PAD.  I alighted and could see the bewilderment of some of my fellow passengers (none of whom had looked through the window to see the CIS as I had) as they passed by the people on the platform getting on their 'cancelled' train.

I guess someone decided to route the late train into the next diagram to help those on board have a smoother journey and that person may have been a route controller.  Some discussion must have taken place between NR» (Network Rail - home page) and GWR (Great Western Railway) to arrange such a thing.  Those staff clearly thinking of the passengers also tried their best.

Sadly the efforts of one conscientious member of the railway staff were wasted by the lack of accurate information from some other equally dedicated staff resulting in confusion.  Possibly it all happened at the last minute and it was too late to tell the on board staff of the change: who knows?  What I do know is that it doesn't add to one's confidence in being able to rely on the information given by even the most genuine staff.
Logged
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 40692



View Profile WWW Email
« Reply #1 on: October 18, 2017, 07:02:17 »

It sounds like a window of opportunity was grasped that's outside the norm (probably because it doesn't work out, what with crew diagrams to consider too) to drop a set back by an hour.   Real Time Trains shows it arriving into platform 15 at 10:45 and leaving at 11:00, with something else standing in as a special - 1Z12 - at 10:00.

The railways / incidents / operational changes are far more dynamic than many of us realise, and an announcement or piece of advise is usually a probability, but sometimes just a possibility.  Announcements tend to be held back until they become probabilities, but it doesn't always work out. Having had the odd occasion where I'm more aware than others as to what's going on, everyone's working to ease the passengers through changes. Part of that being because it's the right thing to do, but the selfish motive may be there too - "I really don't want me or my colleagues to be left with a load of unhappy people on my / their hands"; I mention that latter in passing though - the main driver for the vast majority of operational folks is to do the best for the paying customer.
Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Acting Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, Option 24/7 Melksham Rep
stuving
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 7156


View Profile
« Reply #2 on: October 18, 2017, 09:14:01 »

The announcement, as described, could have been based on quite limited information: your train is so late it will terminate and onward services are running as normal. Re-platforming the late-running train is to be expected, and might simply be not mentioned - it's not an onward service, is it?

In that case the TM(resolve) may have been a bit too keen to fill in helpful details and not stopped to think about whether that incoming platform would change, and the implications. A more cautious "we may arrive in a different platform from our usual number 5; do check when we arrive" would, as you say, have been more helpful.
« Last Edit: October 18, 2017, 09:37:07 by stuving » Logged
phile
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 1382

Language spoken Welsh as well as English


View Profile Email
« Reply #3 on: October 18, 2017, 09:26:58 »

Just baffled how you could have arrived on Platform 13 from the West,
Logged
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 40692



View Profile WWW Email
« Reply #4 on: October 18, 2017, 09:39:55 »

Just baffled how you could have arrived on Platform 13 from the West,

Real time trains confirms the arrival on the face opposite 13 - i.e. 15  Grin ... note that in my earlier reply  Wink
Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Acting Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, Option 24/7 Melksham Rep
phile
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 1382

Language spoken Welsh as well as English


View Profile Email
« Reply #5 on: October 18, 2017, 10:29:30 »

Just baffled how you could have arrived on Platform 13 from the West,

Real time trains confirms the arrival on the face opposite 13 - i.e. 15  Grin ... note that in my earlier reply  Wink

Missed your comment but would appear RTT» (Real Time Trains - website) was correct this time as very often the booked platform is still shown in retrospect even if it was a different one on the day.
Logged
John R
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 4416


View Profile
« Reply #6 on: October 18, 2017, 10:42:07 »

It's not unusual for this to happen to a late running service from the west, with the spare HST (High Speed Train) at Temple Meads stepping up if available (and crew) to maintain a right time departure from there eastwards. What is unusual is it doesn't appear that the TM(resolve) was advised, as on previous occasions they have made passengers aware of this.

It appears to have been slick work, with the inbound service only arriving from PAD» (Paddington (London) - next trains) at 0952, yet returning east on time at 1000.  Because of the long delay to the train from Paignton it also meant the 1030 departure had to be stepped up, and again that seemed to work without a hitch. 

So good operating practice, but shame the communication wasn't a bit better.
Logged
trainer
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 1035


View Profile
« Reply #7 on: October 18, 2017, 12:54:25 »

I am culpable in misreading the Platform no.  Apologies.  At least I didn't say Platform 14!  Roll Eyes

I agree much deft footwork by many and only let down by the communications.
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]
  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