The passengers are BACK!

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Sunday, 17th October 2021, all between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.





















09:04 ex MKM^» (Melksham (Station code) - next trains) ... + 10, -6.
Around 25 in the centre carriage of a 3 car 16x - estimate then 60 to 65 passengers on train
2 late off Melksham, 4 late into CPM^» (Chippenham - next trains)

Exeter 'connection' at platform as we pulled in, but dispatched before passenger could cross over ...  I Rejoined the TransWilts train - lots of others joining too.

Around 100 off the train in Swindon (due 09:30, actual 09:33)
Doors already closed on the Swansea train due out at that time; had to wait until 09:34 but no chance to walk across ...

Waited in front lounge at Swindon ... 3 other passengers and a dis-interested customer host; no mask, no friendly smile.

Train has turned up in reverse order ... waiting at front (I have a 1st class pass just for the day) and boarded coach "A" at the front where I had been "told" to wait - almost whole coach showing "resevred" but no more that a dozen it it. I guess the rest of the train may be much busier judging by the number who were waiting in the stanard class area.

Refeshemnt trolley helpful - gave me my complementaries! Cheerful and engaging - first staff of the day who were (no TM^‡(resolve) seen on TransWilts train, dispatch staff ignored passengers crossing over - not even a smile and a sorry)

On time into PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) ... platform 2, barriers open, no ticket checks
Fire alarm test alerted ahead - "Will inspector Sands please report to the country end of platform 1".
Busy!
Left on 11:03 to(wards) Plymouth. Suspect main train busy (train manager "on bust services such as this") / First had a sprinkling.  Also recommended face coverings. Train manager Mike.

On time into EXD^» (Exeter St Davids - next trains) and it looked very busy. Sunday lunchtime, almost as a normal weekday but loads of heavy bags and trains buzzing in and out.  158 (2) to EXM, 158 (3) to BNP^▸ (Barnstaple), 2xVoyager towards Edinburgh.  My 19:29 166 (3) towards PGN

166 to Dawlish Warren
802 to Dawlish
HST^▸ (High Speed Train) to Exeter St Davids ... all uneventful, no ticket checks

But then ... 15:40 to Padington cancelled; 16:11 to make extra calls at Westbury, but they will miss the Melksham Connection.  Customer Host Xxxx - nice guy, told me it was cancelled which I could read for myself, told me that Melksham is a difficult place to get to (yes, I know) and sent me to the ticket office, where advice was to catch the 15:53 and change at Swindon.  17:39 to 17:45 there feels a bit tight.  I asked "could I change at Chippenham". "The 15:53 doesn't call at Chipenham". "Are you sure". "Oh yes it does - yes, you could change there".  We'll see ...

Took the 15:15 instead ... to Reading, but about 5 late at EXD and 7 late into Reading - so 17:05 arrival tight and heartstopping for the 17:09 Swansea train which pulled in while I was on the transfer deck.   15:15 was 2 x 5 car IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train), First Class shown as in the middle, but turned up at the front of both units. Fairly busy, standard looks very busy. Goodness knows what the 17:09 is - I just got on when the lady who was blocking the escalator with her cases got off, releasin a flood of late arrivals for the South Wales train.

No ticket checks on 15:15 (but there were freebies in First)
No ticket checks on 17:09. Don't recall a trolley, but I only did RDG^‡(resolve) to SWI^» (Swindon - next trains)

Swindon - chaotically busy. TransWilts train arrived with 38 passengers (I counter them off the platform). 2 car shuttle from Cheltenham came in full and standing. Probably a darned good job I did NOT take the initial advice offered in Exeter, as the 17:39 arrival was held outside and only came into the platform as the doors of the 17:45 to Westbury closed - and that would have been the third such failed connection of the day.

Front coach of 3 towards MKM as it's likely to be very much the quietest; not sure how other coaches are loaded. Circa +14 at CPM . -7 +6 at MKM - rough guess train left with between 40 and 50 passengers. No ticket checks.

MKM-CPM; CPM-SWI; SWI-PAD; PAD-EXD; EXD-DWW; DWW-DWL; DWL-EXD; EXD-RDG; RDG-SWI; SWI-MKM

[Lee]

We definitely need to find you a harder assignment next time.

[broadgage]

We definitely need to find you a harder assignment next time.

How about to Minehead ! Not only are there no trains, but road transport is seriously disrupted by road works.

[Bmblbzzz]

On a smaller scale, the Sunday midday (can't remember exact time) train I took from Temple Meads to Keynsham (a Parkway to Portsmouth train) was full when it arrived at BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) and full and standing thereafter. My first train journey since last February! 

[grahame]

On a smaller scale, the Sunday midday (can't remember exact time) train I took from Temple Meads to Keynsham (a Parkway to Portsmouth train) was full when it arrived at BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) and full and standing thereafter. My first train journey since last February! 

It is horrendous at times at the moment - horrendously busy and horrendously quiet.   Lots of rebalancing needed, but they have to know what to balance. A number of us were at the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Community conference today, and various things of interest on this subject and others.

[DaveHarries]

I have been continuing to use the train for work (as I was through the lockdowns as a key worker) and I have noticed the return of passengers too. The 0805 Sea Mills - Bristol Temple Meads (0754 from Severn Beach) is once again very busy by the time I join it and I have noticed busy trains in other areas(South Wales, for example) too.

Dave

[TaplowGreen]

On a smaller scale, the Sunday midday (can't remember exact time) train I took from Temple Meads to Keynsham (a Parkway to Portsmouth train) was full when it arrived at BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) and full and standing thereafter. My first train journey since last February! 

It is horrendous at times at the moment - horrendously busy and horrendously quiet.   Lots of rebalancing needed, but they have to know what to balance. A number of us were at the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Community conference today, and various things of interest on this subject and others.

Overall however, a lot less horrendous for the vast numbers of people who no longer have to endure it 5 (or more) days a week 

[grahame]

On a smaller scale, the Sunday midday (can't remember exact time) train I took from Temple Meads to Keynsham (a Parkway to Portsmouth train) was full when it arrived at BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) and full and standing thereafter. My first train journey since last February! 

It is horrendous at times at the moment - horrendously busy and horrendously quiet.   Lots of rebalancing needed, but they have to know what to balance. A number of us were at the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Community conference today, and various things of interest on this subject and others.

Overall however, a lot less horrendous for the vast numbers of people who no longer have to endure it 5 (or more) days a week 

Indeed - two coins with two sides.

Rail fare box income is down to 65% of what it was pre-covid (source - Mark Hopwood and Andrews Haines at yesterday's GWR Community Stakeholder meeting in Cardiff) and the Government is continuing to support to the tune o f £70 million per week. I note carefully that it's not passenger numbers or passenger miles that are being quoted, but income.

Passenger NUMBERS are all over the place - very thin indeed in the "peak", especially in the Thames Valley / outer suburban / commuter trains and up to 130% of what they were in summer 2019 in some places - the St Ives branch being quoted as an example of this.

But you have classic "double speak" now, where what is called the "peak" is no longer the peak time for travel, and "off peak" and "super off peak" tickets - at lower prices to encourage travel at the quieter times of day and in fact encouraging travel on the trains which under a normal description would be described as the "peak" ones because they are now naturally the busiest.  It's a mess!

Listening carefully to Andrew, fares will be set by GBR^▸ (Great British Railways) and changes have moved from "important" which they have been for years to "very important indeed" and also "urgent". I could speculate as to some of those changes, but I note "affordable" is the key word rather than "low", "cheap" or even "attractive" to attract people out of their cars ...

[TaplowGreen]

On a smaller scale, the Sunday midday (can't remember exact time) train I took from Temple Meads to Keynsham (a Parkway to Portsmouth train) was full when it arrived at BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) and full and standing thereafter. My first train journey since last February! 

It is horrendous at times at the moment - horrendously busy and horrendously quiet.   Lots of rebalancing needed, but they have to know what to balance. A number of us were at the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Community conference today, and various things of interest on this subject and others.

Overall however, a lot less horrendous for the vast numbers of people who no longer have to endure it 5 (or more) days a week 

Indeed - two coins with two sides.

Rail fare box income is down to 65% of what it was pre-covid (source - Mark Hopwood and Andrews Haines at yesterday's GWR Community Stakeholder meeting in Cardiff) and the Government is continuing to support to the tune o f £70 million per week. I note carefully that it's not passenger numbers or passenger miles that are being quoted, but income.

Passenger NUMBERS are all over the place - very thin indeed in the "peak", especially in the Thames Valley / outer suburban / commuter trains and up to 130% of what they were in summer 2019 in some places - the St Ives branch being quoted as an example of this.

But you have classic "double speak" now, where what is called the "peak" is no longer the peak time for travel, and "off peak" and "super off peak" tickets - at lower prices to encourage travel at the quieter times of day and in fact encouraging travel on the trains which under a normal description would be described as the "peak" ones because they are now naturally the busiest.  It's a mess!

Listening carefully to Andrew, fares will be set by GBR^▸ (Great British Railways) and changes have moved from "important" which they have been for years to "very important indeed" and also "urgent". I could speculate as to some of those changes, but I note "affordable" is the key word rather than "low", "cheap" or even "attractive" to attract people out of their cars ...

Perhaps - but there was no need for the railway to wait until a crisis like this came along to attempt, in a meaningful way, to "attract people out of their cars", however it was always easier to sit back and count the revenue generated by commuters/business travellers money.

People look at the way leisure travellers are treated, especially at weekends, and understandably choose the car instead.

Years of missed opportunities to put this right have been frittered away - it could well be (if you'll forgive the mixed metaphor!) that Messrs Hopwood etc are chasing after a ship that has already sailed.

[Lee]

On a smaller scale, the Sunday midday (can't remember exact time) train I took from Temple Meads to Keynsham (a Parkway to Portsmouth train) was full when it arrived at BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) and full and standing thereafter. My first train journey since last February! 

It is horrendous at times at the moment - horrendously busy and horrendously quiet.   Lots of rebalancing needed, but they have to know what to balance. A number of us were at the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Community conference today, and various things of interest on this subject and others.

Overall however, a lot less horrendous for the vast numbers of people who no longer have to endure it 5 (or more) days a week 

Indeed - two coins with two sides.

Rail fare box income is down to 65% of what it was pre-covid (source - Mark Hopwood and Andrews Haines at yesterday's GWR Community Stakeholder meeting in Cardiff) and the Government is continuing to support to the tune o f £70 million per week. I note carefully that it's not passenger numbers or passenger miles that are being quoted, but income.

Passenger NUMBERS are all over the place - very thin indeed in the "peak", especially in the Thames Valley / outer suburban / commuter trains and up to 130% of what they were in summer 2019 in some places - the St Ives branch being quoted as an example of this.

But you have classic "double speak" now, where what is called the "peak" is no longer the peak time for travel, and "off peak" and "super off peak" tickets - at lower prices to encourage travel at the quieter times of day and in fact encouraging travel on the trains which under a normal description would be described as the "peak" ones because they are now naturally the busiest.  It's a mess!

Listening carefully to Andrew, fares will be set by GBR^▸ (Great British Railways) and changes have moved from "important" which they have been for years to "very important indeed" and also "urgent". I could speculate as to some of those changes, but I note "affordable" is the key word rather than "low", "cheap" or even "attractive" to attract people out of their cars ...

Perhaps - but there was no need for the railway to wait until a crisis like this came along to attempt, in a meaningful way, to "attract people out of their cars", however it was always easier to sit back and count the revenue generated by commuters/business travellers money.

People look at the way leisure travellers are treated, especially at weekends, and understandably choose the car instead.

Years of missed opportunities to put this right have been frittered away - it could well be (if you'll forgive the mixed metaphor!) that Messrs Hopwood etc are chasing after a ship that has already sailed.

Don't worry, they are in hot pursuit!

[PhilWakely]

Perhaps - but there was no need for the railway to wait until a crisis like this came along to attempt, in a meaningful way, to "attract people out of their cars", however it was always easier to sit back and count the revenue generated by commuters/business travellers money.

People look at the way leisure travellers are treated, especially at weekends, and understandably choose the car instead.

Years of missed opportunities to put this right have been frittered away - it could well be (if you'll forgive the mixed metaphor!) that Messrs Hopwood etc are chasing after a ship that has already sailed.

There is always the mentality of the British public to consider. Ever since the demise of the loco-hauled relief trains in the South West, the weekend situation has been pretty much 'full and standing' most of the time. Those that have always used the train for their leisure getaways consider this as 'twas ever thus' and just put up with it. True, some folk will have been put off, but the 'regulars' will still be there. Those that run the railways know this and just trot out the same excuses..... 'Not enough stock'; 'not enough staff', yada, yada ..... and leave the status quo.

[eightonedee]

It's been my first conventional "9 to 5" commute today.

I have now done number of journeys later in the day.  What is clear today is that even on a Tuesday the peak period traffic is well down on the pre pandemic level especially on the Thames Valley services. The North Downs line seems closer to the old  normal.

I can only assume that there are more flexible working patterns generally emerging in the centres served the Thames Valley services as the car parks at Goring, Pangbourne and Tilehurst were notably less full at 8 to 8-10 am than I have seen them later in the day. Indeed Twyford's main car park looked full when I passed mid afternoon last Wednesday.

I had the slightly odd experience of being the only person on coach 6 of 12 when I joined 8.03 at Goring this morning.  How long will this last?

[Timmer]

I’m seriously beginning to wonder how much longer it will be before the government bring back the decree to WFH^▸ (Working From Home).

Covid rates for the Points West region have shot up to rates last seen in January and very quickly so. In some places almost double the national average.

[IndustryInsider]

My hunch is that we’ll probably just about get through winter without any restrictions being re-introduced - though I’ve already said it’s a fools game to make predictions, so draw your own conclusions! 

[TaplowGreen]

Had to work in London today, got an early TfL^» (Transport for London - about) service from Taplow to Ealing Broadway, then Central Line to White City - it was still very quiet on train and Tube, but there were a lot fewer people wearing masks, both on train and Tube.

Same story on the way home.

There was a BT Police officer at White City Tube station pulling non mask wearers over but they were all saying "exempt mate", and of course there wasn't much he could do - a lot of them seen to be laughing as they walked off.

Why do we share the planet with so many morons?