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

[whole diary]

[Fourbee]

Saw a 166 with propper First class at both ends yesterday in old dynamic lines livery and a 166 with "properly" declassified First class (no gold stripe, no antimaccassars, no "1" window decal).

Maybe it's all going to be sorted out at the weekend ready for the changes on Monday.

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

From what I can see all rates from Cholsey through Tilehurst ^ Paddington seasons are the same price as Reading ^ Paddington so effectively our local turbo journey, in whatever class, is free.  I assume this is why I have not received any letter from FGW^▸ (First Great Western)/GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) and there are no notifications up at affected the stations.

Fair point, but the fact is that if your season ticket states Pangbourne - Paddington First Class that is what you are entitled to expect.  I'm not sure that FGW could defend a claim on the basis of how the season ticket is priced.   

[Thatcham Crossing]

Pangbourne is of course posher than Thatcham

As a resident of the latter, and knowing the former, you are probably right Gordon, but I still like my home town, and it's environs even more.

I am sure you will therefore be even more disappointed to hear that apparently our semi-fast Bedwyn/Paddington services (which all stop here) are due to get a trolley service!

I wonder if that will continue when the Turbo's are banished once the wires go up?

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

I am sure you will therefore be even more disappointed to hear that apparently our semi-fast Bedwyn/Paddington services (which all stop here) are due to get a trolley service!

Yes, I^d seen that, and I don^t begrudge you your trolley at all.  Really I don^t.  Not one little bit^...

[Oxonhutch]

So the letter has finally arrived to those of us northwest of Reading ^ thank-you Mark.  Dated 7th September, it is one day after the start of the new timetable: were we perhaps an oversight?

I must say, its contents create more confusion than questions answered. The timetable, with Standard Class only trains came into force on Monday 6th, yet the letter states that first class is to be removed from Sunday 20th September.  As I see it, from now until the 20th, all 1st Class provided on 165s is now unenforceable even though the antimacassars are still in place, stickers still on the windows and closing compartment doors ^ when they can;  all a bit of a mishmash really.

Just as well I suppose for yesterday 2N52, the first evening down service with 1st Class accommodation, was served by a super-rammed 2-car unit 165 that got increasingly late towards Didcot ^ probably due to extended dwell times. ^ though looking back at RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) it lost time between stops all the way to Oxford, so presumably it was a sick substitute too.   I assume the allocated 166 (that ran on Monday) either failed or was borrowed for a more prestigious service.

[NickB]

The 07.18 Maidenhead to Paddington is set 1P08 from Didcot ?!?!?
Oh hallelujah!  The return of the HST^▸ (High Speed Train) that disappeared in 2011.

This has made my year - another peak time HST AND an extra 10mins in bed. 

It would appear that word of the enhanced 07.17 (as it is now) form Maidenhead to Paddington has not reached my fellow passengers...   

[NickB]

Whilst I do love the fact that my 7.17 Maidenhead to Paddington service carries only myself and one other chap I am slightly disappointed with the fact that it contains no refreshments nor staff.
The buffet remains closed throughout, there is no trolley nor any means of buying a drink, no papers, and no train manager. It is like travelling on a train destined for the sidings.
Can anyone in the know shed any light upon the lack of facilities? Much obliged.

[Chris from Nailsea]

There is a certain irony in any train passenger complaining about 'serious undercrowding' ... 

[IndustryInsider]

Whilst I do love the fact that my 7.17 Maidenhead to Paddington service carries only myself and one other chap

Is it still that quiet?  Presumably the 07:08 is still packed solid in First Class?  I'm surprised more of Maidenhead's first class passengers haven't elected to wait nine minutes to guarantee a seat with comfort, even if they don't get a paper or poor quality free coffee, as I would have expected word-of-mouth to have reached them by now.  Perhaps a poster on display at the London end of the platform the 07:08 leaves from might help to get the message across - otherwise you can't blame GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) from pulling the HST^▸ (High Speed Train) off that train and putting it somewhere it will be used.

[a-driver]

Can anyone in the know shed any light upon the lack of facilities? Much obliged.

Comes off Old Oak in the morning into Paddington, then leaves Paddington with driver only at 0430 (presumably before any catering crews book on), sits in Kennet Bridge Loop outside Reading for about 40 minutes.  Then into Reading Station to pick up a Train Manager before continuing empty to Didcot.

[NickB]

I've mentioned to the despatch crew at Maidenhead that they would be wise to 'sell' the 7.17 to the 7.08 crowd, epsecially as many of the 7.08 crowd joined that service after the downgrade of the 7.17 in 2011 thereby causing the overcrowding but no luck so far. 

I've also mentioned it on board the 7.08 last week and no one really believed me as to how wmpty the 7.17 is.  I fear that until the 7.08 is cancelled/delayed for a day no one will cotton on.  The 7.17 doesn't help itself by being late every day (TM^‡(resolve) today explained it is due to the manual operation at short platforms at Cholsey etc) so is generally a 7.25'ish.

The 7.02 from Maidenhead would have been a better beneficiary of an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) in terms of passenger numbers but I'm not going to get in to that discussion.  The TM even announced today that there were 64 empty seats in A & B  so this isn't specifically a First Class issue.

Thanks for the route info a-driver.  That explains the lack of facilities.  Its a shame, but I'll take my (50) seats in deferrence to standing with a tea.

[Oxonhutch]

I've used it once or twice since the reversion to an HST^▸ (High Speed Train).  Regarding lateness, it does seem rather sensitive to freight movements at Didcot and the short platform issue did cause some delay once when the driver forgot he had 7 on, rather than the usual 8 coaches and ended up at the wrong stop board with the TM^‡(resolve)'s door off the platform.  Took a couple of minutes for the TM to work his way back two coaches (buffet door blocked) and ended up with a lot more people squeezing in through one rather than three.  'Tis pleasantly quiet though. I must have been the other bloke Nick.

In general, timekeeping in the early peak seems to have suffered with the latest timetable change on the 7th. 1P06 was often early and averaged only 1L over the year.  It is now well down with some seriously late arrivals, Monday it was 26L.

[lordgoata]

It seems to be the same every year, the time keeping improves gradually during the summer holidays, then as soon as they are over they are mysteriously delayed again.

The logical answer is more people using them after the holidays, which may well be true, but certainly Goring and Tilehurst numbers don't seemto vary that much (to an untrained eye), during the holidays.

[NickB]

I used the opportunity of today's delayed and standing 7.08 service to sell the 7.17.  I even show passengers the photo of the desolate First Class.

A buffet/coffee service is a deal breaker for some but I might have tempted a couple to try the luxury of First Class travel without a gladiatorial fight for a seat.

[IndustryInsider]

Good work, Nick.  Let us know if your campaign bears fruit!     The 07:08 ex Maidenhead was delayed at Oxford waiting a driver to come off the delayed 05:13 Paddington to Moreton-In-Marsh.