FGW 1st Class - ongoing discussion of the benefits and their apparent reduction

[whole diary]

[Oxonhutch]

Would you say that one-and-a-half carriages of 1st Class would be adequate for this train though?  That is what the formation will be for all trains when the refurbishment program is complete, not just the one carriage.

Today, that half carriage would have given the Slough customers a seat.  However, after Didcot, the only free seats were unused reservations. If those with reservations had travelled with us today, a 1.5 formation would not have satisfied demand; a demand that trades at a 100+% premium over the standard rate.

[BBM]

Tonight's 1700 PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)-BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) on P5 at PAD has 2.5 First Class and only 4 Standard. By 1655 Standard was rammed with no one else able to board but there's just been a shout that First is declassified. All viewed from the relative calm of the 1706 on Platform 4!

[IndustryInsider]

Would you say that one-and-a-half carriages of 1st Class would be adequate for this train though?  That is what the formation will be for all trains when the refurbishment program is complete, not just the one carriage.

Today, that half carriage would have given the Slough customers a seat.  However, after Didcot, the only free seats were unused reservations. If those with reservations had travelled with us today, a 1.5 formation would not have satisfied demand; a demand that trades at a 100+% premium over the standard rate.

Peak time reservation no-show's?  Whatever next!     Another peak train that would probably have enough accommodation with 1.5 carriages on most days then.

[Oxonhutch]

Tonight's 1700 PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)-BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) on P5 at PAD has 2.5 First Class and only 4 Standard. By 1655 Standard was rammed with no one else able to board but there's just been a shout that First is declassified. All viewed from the relative calm of the 1706 on Platform 4!

Dodged a bullet there then! My normal down train.

Luckily managed to catch the 1649 PAD-OXF^» (Oxford - next trains) instead - just...

[BandHcommuter]

Tonight's 1700 PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)-BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) on P5 at PAD has 2.5 First Class and only 4 Standard. By 1655 Standard was rammed with no one else able to board but there's just been a shout that First is declassified. All viewed from the relative calm of the 1706 on Platform 4!

I'm currently in a similar situation this evening (possibly the same train) but I'm fortunate enough to be one of the lucky ones to  have turned up 15 minutes in advance and acquired a seat on the 2145 from Paddington to Exeter. All vestibules and aisles were full of people standing for the first 50 minutes of the journey, and only after Didcot have seats become available. There is no evidence that any of the 2.5 coaches of first class have been made available to standard class ticket holders.

The same short train turned up  when I was on the 0605 from Frome to Paddington on Wednesday. 4 Standard coaches, 2.5 First, a shortfall of around 170 standard class seats (two coaches) on a train which is usually full with people standing before it even gets to Reading. The guard rightly declassified most of First class, releasing a further 60 or so seats. Even with this intervention, passengers were left behind at Reading West because there was no room for them to board. No chance at Reading. This morning I had a chat with the same guard on the same train, and he mentioned that this train is reputed to be the busiest HST^▸ (High Speed Train) morning arrival into Paddington.  He clearly cares about his passengers,  and had expressed his concerns to management that such inadequate accommodation was being provided.

Given that maintenance and refurbishment work to the trains is presumably planned in advance, I would expect fgw to make far greater efforts to  mitigate the impacts of this work on passengers, and to protect the busiest trains from overcrowding.

[JayMac]

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have rather made a rod for their own back by agreeing to the DfTs^» (Department for Transport - about) requirement to increase HST^▸ (High Speed Train) Standard Class capacity. The price they've had to pay to keep hold of the keys.

They are doing this in addition to a backlog of scheduled maintenance caused by the major network disruption in February of this year. The assets really have been sweated this year and FGW are still playing catch-up. it's a testament to the skills of the HST maintenance and engineering teams at Old Oak Common, St Phillips Marsh, Landore and Laira that they've been able to (just about) match fleet availability with service requirements.

[Timmer]

Bit unfortunate that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have ended up upsetting both First and Std class passengers recently with sets either missing a First coach or Std coaches. I can see how it has happened with sets being broken up to send coaches away for conversion.

Must be a nightmare for the HST^▸ (High Speed Train) depots on top of everything else they have to do in the few short hours they have with sets at night. It's not like the previous refurb when a whole set was sent away.

[TaplowGreen]

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have rather made a rod for their own back by agreeing to the DfTs^» (Department for Transport - about) requirement to increase HST^▸ (High Speed Train) Standard Class capacity. The price they've had to pay to keep hold of the keys.

They are doing this in addition to a backlog of scheduled maintenance caused by the major network disruption in February of this year. The assets really have been sweated this year and FGW are still playing catch-up. it's a testament to the skills of the HST maintenance and engineering teams at Old Oak Common, St Phillips Marsh, Landore and Laira that they've been able to (just about) match fleet availability with service requirements.

There does seem however to be a huge increase in cancellations/shortforms/breakdowns due to mechanical failure at the moment, not good coupled with the signalling problems which now seem to be virtually out of control and being accepted as BAU by many - another breakdown last night, one of the last trains off Paddington failed at Ealing Broadway, blocked the line and with some lines closed for engineering works the predictable chaos ensued.....

[a-driver]

Short formed services will be more prevalent around this time of year due to the Autumn leaf fall season which I don't think has really started in some areas.
Turbos, HST^▸ (High Speed Train) stock etc will have to be taken out of service if they are found to have wheel flats outside the permitted tolerance.

[bobm]

It's a testament to the skills of the HST^▸ (High Speed Train) maintenance and engineering teams at Old Oak Common, St Phillips Marsh, Landore and Laira that they've been able to (just about) match fleet availability with service requirements.

Not to mention the staff at Long Rock, Penzance, who also do their bit.

[bobm]

From Get Reading

MP^▸ (Member of Parliament)'s petition calling for First Great Western to declassify First Class when trains are packed

Reading West MP Alok Sharma has today launched a petition calling on First Great Western to declassify First Class carriages on overcrowded trains.

Mr Sharma is also calling on the train operator to publish data daily on the number of times it declassifies trains.

His online petition reads: ^We the undersigned call on First Great Western to declassify First Class carriages on overcrowded trains between Reading and London Paddington and to publish data on how many trains are declassified each day.^

The MP has previously held a Parliamentary debate on rail ticketing and overcrowding, lobbied ministers on this issue on behalf of constituents and campaigned for a reduction in the number of First Class carriages.

He was delighted when the Department for Transport announced in March it was providing funding to increase the number of standard class seats on all First Great Western trains by summer 2015.

Mr Sharma said: ^There is nothing more frustrating for my commuting constituents than standing in standard class, packed in like sardines, when there are dozens of empty seats in First Class carriages.

"I welcome the plans to increase the number of Standard Class seats next year, but FGW^▸ (First Great Western) needs to take action sooner and they can do that by declassifying overcrowded trains now.

^I know that commuters also find it baffling, as I do, that First Great Western appear unable to provide data on the number of times they declassify trains.

"As a company providing a public service, we have a right to know how it is meeting the needs of passengers.^

Sign the petition online by visiting www.aloksharma.co.uk/trains-petition

[ChrisB]

Totally pointless - until all formations are complete after refresh....

Politicians, eh?

[chrisr_75]

I'd be interested for this gentleman to show me the trains where people are forced to stand in standard class that have 'dozens' of spare seats in First...I can't say I've ever witnessed that phenomenon. I have witnessed a number of times where people are stuffed in near the centre of the train (to be near the exits at Reading) when there are many spare seats closer to the front.

I'd like to propose a counter petition to drop the Reading stop on all long distance services from Paddington, in order to make life more comfortable to those who are travelling more than 25 minutes from London!  

[bobm]

I'd like to propose a counter petition to drop the Reading stop on all long distance services from Paddington, in order to make life more comfortable to those who are travelling more than 25 minutes from London!  

Or enforce the existing pick up only restrictions.   

[JayMac]

Dropping the Reading stops isn't the answer. There is a significant passenger flow from Reading to points west.

As bobm says, enforcing the pick-up only restrictions is what is needed. A month long carrot and stick operation should educate the Reading commuters.

Devil's advocate here. Maybe, on the odd occasion, run fast to Swindon or Taunton, with a relief service from Reading. Anyone from Paddington over-carried to Taunton or Swindon would then think twice about again boarding a service that isn't advertised to call at Reading.