Train GraphicClick on the map to explore geographics
 
I need help
FAQ
Emergency
About .
Travel & transport from BBC stories as at 15:35 29 Mar 2024
* Delays at Dover as millions begin Easter getaway
* A view from inside ship that hit Baltimore bridge
- Attempted murder charge after man stabbed on train
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
15:14 Swindon to Westbury
15:22 Newbury to Bedwyn
15:28 Weston-Super-Mare to London Paddington
15:50 Bedwyn to Newbury
15:54 Cardiff Central to London Paddington
16:15 Newbury to Bedwyn
16:23 Westbury to Swindon
16:55 Bedwyn to Newbury
17:24 Newbury to Bedwyn
17:36 Swindon to Westbury
18:04 Bedwyn to Newbury
18:26 Newbury to Bedwyn
18:37 Westbury to Swindon
18:55 Bedwyn to Newbury
19:02 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads
19:24 Newbury to Bedwyn
19:55 Bedwyn to Newbury
20:13 Swindon to Westbury
20:49 Newbury to Bedwyn
21:16 Westbury to Swindon
21:16 Bedwyn to Newbury
21:53 Newbury to Bedwyn
22:25 Bedwyn to Newbury
22:30 Swindon to Westbury
22:47 Newbury to Bedwyn
Short Run
13:10 Gloucester to Weymouth
13:42 Exeter St Davids to London Paddington
13:55 Paignton to London Paddington
14:36 London Paddington to Paignton
15:28 London Paddington to Weston-Super-Mare
15:42 Exeter St Davids to London Paddington
16:35 London Paddington to Plymouth
16:50 Plymouth to London Paddington
17:03 London Paddington to Penzance
17:36 London Paddington to Plymouth
18:03 London Paddington to Penzance
18:29 Weston-Super-Mare to London Paddington
18:36 London Paddington to Plymouth
19:04 Paignton to London Paddington
19:30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour
20:03 London Paddington to Plymouth
21:04 London Paddington to Plymouth
23:17 Bedwyn to Reading
Delayed
10:04 London Paddington to Penzance
10:20 Penzance to London Paddington
12:03 London Paddington to Penzance
12:15 Penzance to London Paddington
13:03 London Paddington to Plymouth
13:15 Plymouth to London Paddington
13:50 London Paddington to Great Malvern
14:03 London Paddington to Penzance
14:15 Penzance to London Paddington
15:03 London Paddington to Penzance
15:15 Plymouth to London Paddington
16:03 London Paddington to Penzance
16:15 Penzance to London Paddington
17:29 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington
etc
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, 15:50:06 *
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
[199] 2024 - Service update and amendment log, Swindon <-> Westbury...
[62] Infrastructure problems in Thames Valley causing disruption el...
[46] Who needs a travel agent these days?
[34] Travel for free on the m2 metrobus - Bristol - 4,5,6 April 202...
[26] would you like your own LIVE train station departure board?
[25] West Wiltshire Bus Changes April 2024
 
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] 2
  Print  
Author Topic: Farewell, GWR?  (Read 3988 times)
TonyK
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 6435


The artist formerly known as Four Track, Now!


View Profile
« on: November 07, 2017, 10:38:12 »

The Sunday Times Business and Money section has an article headed "Rail network overhaul to bring strike-hit Southern into line". Included in that is a statement that DafT officials are "also considering splitting the Great Western route, which runs between London and south Wales". The article suggests that GWR (Great Western Railway) could be split between regional and inter-city services.

My initial thought is "Why?"
Logged

Now, please!
ChrisB
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 12334


View Profile Email
« Reply #1 on: November 07, 2017, 12:32:53 »

Because of the difficulty finding bidders for mega-franchises.

Quote
From the article - "Train companies are also wrestling with an unexpected fall in passenger numbers.

This is eroding the finances of several franchises and putting off potential bidders. Ministers are also trying to counter Labour’s popular pledge to renationalise train companies.


Officials are understood to have discussed reducing bidders’ risks on franchises at the private meeting held in a London hotel last month.

Under controversial proposals the government could pay train companies if their revenue undershoots forecasts — but insist on close financial monitoring.

Breaking up big rail franchises into more manageable chunks would also mean bidders have to stomach less risk.

There's a link here with a pass through.

Mods, remove this line if you consider its wrong to post such links on a subscriber-only webpage.
Logged
Timmer
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 6293


View Profile
« Reply #2 on: November 07, 2017, 13:49:59 »

Should never have been joined in the first place. The West regional routes have always been the poor relation of this franchise because it probably doesn't make much money for the franchise holder. Sure Wessex Trains wasn't a great franchise but it was better than what we have had to put up with since 2006.
Logged
ChrisB
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 12334


View Profile Email
« Reply #3 on: November 07, 2017, 13:57:03 »

The DfT» (Department for Transport - about) wanted to save money. Wessex couldn't work on its own without (big) subsidy - roll it into FGW (First Great Western)/GWR (Great Western Railway) and no subsidy needed for those services.
Logged
ellendune
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 4452


View Profile
« Reply #4 on: November 07, 2017, 16:32:26 »

With Crossrail doing most of the Reading Padington Stoppers I presume they won't try and reinvent Thames Trains.
Logged
JayMac
Data Manager
Hero Member
******
Posts: 18897



View Profile
« Reply #5 on: November 07, 2017, 16:35:54 »

Here's just hoping that, whatever the shape and scope of the next franchise, it's not FirstGroup running it.
Logged

"Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for the rest of the day. Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."

- Sir Terry Pratchett.
Fourbee
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 672


View Profile
« Reply #6 on: November 07, 2017, 16:44:04 »

With Crossrail doing most of the Reading Padington Stoppers I presume they won't try and reinvent Thames Trains.

Previous incarnations still live on in the depths of the internet:
https://web.archive.org/web/20040101002843/http://www.thamestrains.co.uk:80/
https://web.archive.org/web/20041106085812/http://www.thamestrains.co.uk:80/
Logged
Tim
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 2738


View Profile
« Reply #7 on: November 07, 2017, 17:21:39 »

The DfT» (Department for Transport - about) wanted to save money. Wessex couldn't work on its own without (big) subsidy - roll it into FGW (First Great Western)/GWR (Great Western Railway) and no subsidy needed for those services.

yes, but the overall cost to the DfT is the same regardless of whether the cross subsidy is visible or hidden within a single company.  There is an argument that not hiding it will focus the minds on reducing it. 

The problem is that no Government has ever really been able to decide if they want integration or competition.  Hence, flip flopping all over the place. 
Logged
Timmer
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 6293


View Profile
« Reply #8 on: November 07, 2017, 17:30:24 »

It’s becoming clear there just isn’t the money to be made in running the railways hence we are seeing bidders walking away not submitting a bid. Not only that the strife companies are having to face with the unions.

How much longer will it be before Stagecoach hand back the keys to the East Coast franchise?
Logged
Chris from Nailsea
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 17865


I am not railway staff


View Profile Email
« Reply #9 on: November 07, 2017, 23:32:24 »

Quote
Train companies are also wrestling with an unexpected fall in passenger numbers.

Eh??  Where's that happening??   Shocked

Quote
Ministers are also trying to counter Labour’s popular pledge to renationalise train companies.

That's the Labour Party's firm commitment now, when they are in Opposition, compared with their rather more watery commitment to the idea when they were in Government, with a substantial majority, for the ten years 1997 to 2007.

Hmm.  Time will tell.  Unfortunately, in the meantime, any real progress in developing the UK (United Kingdom) rail system is ... well, suspended, somewhat.  Undecided

Logged

William Huskisson MP (Member of Parliament) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner."  Discuss.
Trowres
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 751


View Profile
« Reply #10 on: November 08, 2017, 00:02:15 »

Quote
Train companies are also wrestling with an unexpected fall in passenger numbers.

Eh??  Where's that happening??   Shocked

Not a full answer, but interesting nevertheless:
http://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/25719/passenger-rail-usage-2017-18-q1.pdf
Logged
Chris from Nailsea
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 17865


I am not railway staff


View Profile Email
« Reply #11 on: November 08, 2017, 00:11:14 »

London and South East maybe - and even there it was down by only 3.1% - but that's not our general experience down here in the South West.  Roll Eyes

Logged

William Huskisson MP (Member of Parliament) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner."  Discuss.
devonexpress
Sr. Member
****
Posts: 294


View Profile
« Reply #12 on: February 06, 2018, 19:23:49 »

Here's just hoping that, whatever the shape and scope of the next franchise, it's not FirstGroup running it.

First Group might not be the holy grail, but they are lot better than the mess some other franchises are in East Coast, TSGN for example?

Logged
Timmer
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 6293


View Profile
« Reply #13 on: February 06, 2018, 20:14:50 »

Here's just hoping that, whatever the shape and scope of the next franchise, it's not FirstGroup running it.

First Group might not be the holy grail, but they are lot better than the mess some other franchises are in East Coast, TSGN for example?
Might want to hold that thought. I keep seeing in various places that things aren’t too great at Transpennine Express either.
Logged
TonyK
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 6435


The artist formerly known as Four Track, Now!


View Profile
« Reply #14 on: February 07, 2018, 09:19:01 »

How much longer will it be before Stagecoach hand back the keys to the East Coast franchise?

You prophet, you!
Logged

Now, please!
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] 2
  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