From a correspondent in Dilton Marsh

[whole diary]

[Timmer]

Wasn't a good day at all yesterday on the Cardiff-Portsmouth line with numerous cancellations and short workings. The worst it's been for quite sometime.

[grahame]

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?

A pledge and plan for all daytime services to be 5 cars made some time back, and never to my knowledge revoked.  We were told that it was delayed because delivery of 769 units was late - not sure how we're doing on that, but I note it was a statement that linked it to their delivery, and not their entering service though that would have been more logical.   All the 8 trains on the service are supposed to be a 3 car 166 coupled to a 2 car 165, with longer distance passengers (as I recall) encouraged to use the 166 part of the train as those units are longer distance ones.  All a bit hazy - yes - it was some time back.

I have no problem with trains running shorter than 5 carriages, provided they can cope with the passenger numbers wishing to travel.  Sadly, there are numerous stories of the trains on the Cardiff-Portsmouth line being full and standing, and even that they're so busy that people can't get on. To my knowledge, none of those "denied boarding" stories has related to a 5 car train.

[IndustryInsider]

Perhaps time to seek an official update on whether that is still the plan when 769s eventually release more turbos? 

It’s clear there isn’t the stock for it currently and the pandemic and massive delays to the 769s have muddied the waters and we’ve had three changes of contract since COVID hit.

[grahame]

Quoting back 'upthread' ...

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?

Yes, and old commitment - but part of it still very much there in today's Journecheck feed that acknowledges shortforms to this day, even if the reason feels odd and has us all scratching our heads and wondering if someone has plonked in the wrong code.

11:23 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central due 14:48
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 a shortage of train crew.
Will be formed of 3 coaches instead of 5.

[Clan Line]

Perhaps time to seek an official update on whether that is still the plan when 769s eventually release more turbos? 

Will yet another "official update" throw any more light on the subject ? On past performance the answer has to be a resounding NO !  It is more than 5 years since we were promised "more seats"  (disingenuity or lies ?) on this route with cascaded 165/6s - don't hold your breath................

Today's pathetic effort by GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) shows just 4 five car calls at WMN^» (Warminster - next trains). There do also appear to be 4 four car calls - but these all accounted for by a reversing service from WSB^» (Westbury - next trains) crossing over. ALL the remaining services are 2 and 3 cars.......................disgraceful !!!

Update: On closer examination even the (solitary) 5 car train appears to be a 158 ...................

[IndustryInsider]

Perhaps time to seek an official update on whether that is still the plan when 769s eventually release more turbos? 

Will yet another "official update" throw any more light on the subject ?

I’d have thought it would be very important to seek clarity given the seismic changes to rail travel and life in general that we have seen over the last few years.  The only constant during that time is the failure to get 769s into service!

[IndustryInsider]

Yes, and old commitment - but part of it still very much there in today's Journecheck feed that acknowledges shortforms to this day, even if the reason feels odd and has us all scratching our heads and wondering if someone has plonked in the wrong code.

I’ll have a look at the planned formations for each train in detail later if I get chance.

[IndustryInsider]

I’ll have a look at the planned formations for each train in detail later if I get chance.

From what I have unearthed...
...the following are currently booked as 3-car throughout:  15:23 and 16:23 PMH-CDF^» (Cardiff - next trains)
...the following are currently booked as 4-car throughout:  10:23 and 17:23 PMH-CDF
...the following are currently booked as 5-car throughout:  12:23 and 14:23 PMH-CDF
...the following I am unsure about:  11:23 and 13:23 PMH-CDF

The return gets complicated.  For example it looks like the 14:30 CDF-PMH is booked as a 4-car throughout, yet today it was a 5-car from CDF-BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) and then a 3-car forward. 

I guess that evens itself out?!  I now have a headache!

[grahame]

I’ll have a look at the planned formations for each train in detail later if I get chance.

From what I have unearthed...

Very interesting, thank you.  Very interesting to take a look at where the 3 car sets are at peak times - which of these diagrams is consistently "contraflow" in rush hours and so can be gotten away with.

[grahame]

Here's today's cycle of 8 trains, 4 declared as shortformed by GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) on JourneyCheck:

Facilities on the 11:08 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central due 14:40.
Will be formed of 4 coaches instead of 5.

Facilities on the 13:08 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central due 16:41.
Will be formed of 4 coaches instead of 5.

Facilities on the 16:08 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central due 19:44.
Will be formed of 3 coaches instead of 5.

Facilities on the 17:08 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central due 20:30.
Will be formed of 3 coaches instead of 5.

According to Real Time Trains, other departures from Portsmouth Harbour:
12:08 - 5 cars
14:08 - 5 cars
15:08 - 5 cars
18:08 - 5 cars

34 carriages on the services out of 40 which by the rail industry's own systems there should be; actually much better than it has been of late, though half the trains shorter than they "should" be is hardly good news.

[Clan Line]

Thought I'd have a count of the 5 cars trains at Warminster again today - just in case they have found some more ..................FOUR !  Pathetic.............

[grahame]

Thought I'd have a count of the 5 cars trains at Warminster again today - just in case they have found some more ..................FOUR !  Pathetic.............

From PHM today - 4-4-2-5-3-4-3-3 carriages according to Real Time Trains (hourly from 09:23).  12 carriages short from the 40 needed for full 5 car. So I suspect that's 4 services at Warminster again.

[grahame]

Follow up at http://www.passenger.chat/26809 - I have split the topic which has gone a lot further than Dilton Marsh.  Looking at the whole issues of the future of the Wessex Main Line's services and rolling stock.