From a correspondent in Dilton Marsh

[whole diary]

[Clan Line]

Today's score:   ZERO !!!   

[Clan Line]

10 today.
Couldn't believe my eyes at the 0912 - a 5 car 158............. Wonder if it had a trolley too !

[Clan Line]

Oh dear !!!!!  Have I upset/embarrassed GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) by logging the (small) number of 5 car trains passing through Warminster over the past week ?? 

This morning only one train's length is shown - and that is the solitary SWT^▸ (South West Trains) service passing through today.

[grahame]

Looks like 7 carriages down today as admitted on the industry feeds

10:23 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central due 13:46
Facilities on the 10:23 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central due 13:46.
Will be formed of 2 coaches instead of 4.

11:23 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central due 14:48
Facilities on the 11:23 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central due 14:48.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
Will be formed of 3 coaches instead of 5.

14:23 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central due 17:47
Facilities on the 14:23 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central due 17:47.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
Will be formed of 3 coaches instead of 5.

15:23 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central due 18:46
Facilities on the 15:23 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central due 18:46.
Will be formed of 2 coaches instead of 3.

Checking real time trains:
12:23 - 5 cars (only train that long from Portsmouth to Bristol)
13:23 - 3 cars
16:23 - 3 cars
17:23 - 4 cars

So 25 carriages out of 40 if all the trains were to run as the 5 carriages promised from December 2019 as I recall

And the cycle rolls around

18:24 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central due 21:47
Facilities on the 18:24 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central due 21:47.
Will be formed of 2 coaches instead of 4.

[grahame]

Today, starting with the 10:23 from Portsmouth Harbour, hourly to Cardiff
3-5-3-3-4-3-3-4 = 28 carriages out of 40 today
That's the cycle of the 8 trains ... start repeating 3-5-3-3 thereafter

[IndustryInsider]

The cooperation between most TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company)’s and RealTimeTrains with unit allocations now makes keeping an accurate log not only possible, but relatively straightforward.

[grahame]

I remember seeing some "loading along the way" graphics from Cross Country showing how a Plymouth - Glasgow service at 4 carriages could not be increased to 5 just because it was crammed from Taunton to Temple Meads.

How are loadings along Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff?  Are there sections of the route where a single unit would be adequate?    "Obviously", Portsmouth Harbour to Portsmouth and Southsea is unlikely to be crammed, for example - but no point in splitting off 2 carriages for just that short part of the journey.      Would five carriages Cardiff to Salisbury and three onwards to Portsmouth work?   

[grahame]

The cooperation between most TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company)’s and RealTimeTrains with unit allocations now makes keeping an accurate log not only possible, but relatively straightforward.

Yep - here we go today, staring with the 10:23 from Portsmouth Harbour plans are:

3-3-5-3-3-2-3-4 = 26 carriages out of what is supposed to be 40

[froome]

I was on the 08.34 train this morning from Oldfield Park heading to Southampton, which was 3 carriages. It not only had many commuters in it, but apparently there is a festival in Winchester, which explains why it was completely rammed with people with very large rucksacks for the whole journey.

The trains I caught coming back were both 2 carriage trains, and busy.

[grahame]

3-5-5-3-3-?-3-4 today (12.8.2022)

"?" not yet defined. The incoming train starts off as a 2 car from Cardiff to Bristol (165130) but ther's no report beyond Bristol.  I suspect a late decision as to whether or not 165130 continues, is strengthened, is replaced, or the service terminates.  So probably somewhere between 28 and 31 carriages out of 40.  In context, looks like it will be zero tomorrow.

[grahame]

From the 11:08, hourly off Portsmouth Harbour, Sunday 14th August 2022
2-5-5-cancel-4-5-cancel-cancel
No "short formation" reports on JourneyCheck
Following train (the 19:08) also 2 carriages like the 11:08 - same little train going round

After the 16:08 Portsmouth - Cardiff, 4 more trains in the timetable but the 19:08 is the only one running - the other three all cancelled.  Our guests were looking for a day out to the seaside this weekend; relieved we didn't ...

[grahame]

Today (15.8.2022) scheduled off Portsmouth Harbour hourly from 10:23 as 3-5-4-3-2-2-3-4 carriages. (2 cars also on the 06:01, 07:21 and 20:23).  Only one cruise liner today at Southampton (AIDAPRIMA) so should not be too crowded because of that.  Saturday with Iona, Ventura, Norwegian Prima ans Sky Princess should be fun!

[bobm]

Today’s 16:08 from Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central is six coaches!  Only the last coach is locked out. Not sure if it’s a fault with the internal doors or the aircon.

It also left five minutes late which was handy as my catamaran from the Isle of Wight arrived on time at 16:08 but I was able to catch the train with a couple of minutes to spare!

[grahame]

5-3-3-3-3-3-3-3 today ... 26 carriages on a service that should have 40.
(Portsmouth Harbour departures for Cardiff every hour from 10:23)

I suspect the 6th carriage was locked out yesterday because some of the platforms along the way can only take 5 these days, and I'm not sure that 166s have selective door opening?

[IndustryInsider]

5-3-3-3-3-3-3-3 today ... 26 carriages on a service that should have 40.

Is that a ‘should’ that’s based on…

1) A pledge from GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) post-pandemic?
2) A pledge from GWR pre-pandemic?
3) The current unit allocations as per the plan?
4) An aspirational number based on daily demand?