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Author Topic: Saturday 11th September  (Read 15164 times)
hornbeam
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« Reply #15 on: September 08, 2010, 12:17:05 »

FGW (First Great Western) and the word plan.... don^t go together from what I^ve seen. Then nor does FGW and clean, maintained, polite, and helpful go together from what I^ve seen. As you can tell had another poor service from them today.
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BBM
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« Reply #16 on: September 08, 2010, 18:41:42 »

I've just discovered that on Saturday 18th September some 80,000 people are expected to attend a Prayer Vigil in Hyde Park at which Pope Benedict XVI will be present as part of his UK (United Kingdom) visit. It says here:

http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/papal-visit/itinerary/london.aspx

Quote
Travel to Hyde Park vigil

Pilgrims are advised to use public transport as far as possible. Owing to the likely congestion and extensive road closures, Pilgrims should not attempt to travel into Central London by car, taxi or coach.

So is FGW (First Great Western) prepared?  Huh
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inspector_blakey
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« Reply #17 on: September 08, 2010, 20:26:40 »

You might have "just discovered" this, but it isn't a big secret Wink Given the enormous publicity surrounding the papal visit to the UK (United Kingdom), I suspect FGW (First Great Western) are aware of it, at the very least.
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Ollie
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« Reply #18 on: September 08, 2010, 21:33:38 »

You might have "just discovered" this, but it isn't a big secret Wink Given the enormous publicity surrounding the papal visit to the UK (United Kingdom), I suspect FGW (First Great Western) are aware of it, at the very least.
Yep - GroupSave is barred Tongue
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Btline
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« Reply #19 on: September 08, 2010, 22:17:10 »

Good to see FGW (First Great Western) screwing as much money/ discouraging those pesky passengers. A lot easier than running extra/longer trains and actually running booked HSTs (High Speed Train)!
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Ollie
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« Reply #20 on: September 08, 2010, 22:30:36 »

Good to see FGW (First Great Western) screwing as much money/ discouraging those pesky passengers. A lot easier than running extra/longer trains and actually running booked HSTs (High Speed Train)!
If it makes you any happier it's only for those travelling for "All stations Reading to London Paddington inclusive. Also includes One Day Travelcards" from: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/groupsave_calendar.html
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Btline
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« Reply #21 on: September 09, 2010, 00:23:59 »

Good to see FGW (First Great Western) screwing as much money/ discouraging those pesky passengers. A lot easier than running extra/longer trains and actually running booked HSTs (High Speed Train)!
If it makes you any happier it's only for those travelling for "All stations Reading to London Paddington inclusive. Also includes One Day Travelcards" from: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/groupsave_calendar.html

That makes it better, but the whole "Groupsave" calendar seems to me to be unfair, as well as making the discount complicated. Every time I wish to use Groupsave, I have to check the calendar - not good.
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JayMac
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« Reply #22 on: September 09, 2010, 00:30:51 »

It appears that not only do you have to check the calendar, but you also need to decide whether you are a 'Pilgrim'.

As I'm Agnostic can I still get a GroupSave?  Grin
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"Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for the rest of the day. Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."

- Sir Terry Pratchett.
inspector_blakey
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« Reply #23 on: September 09, 2010, 02:54:12 »

That makes it better, but the whole "Groupsave" calendar seems to me to be unfair, as well as making the discount complicated. Every time I wish to use Groupsave, I have to check the calendar - not good.

You could organize some kind of roster system where by your two or three travelling companions take it in turns to do the checking. But unfair of them to expect you to organize everything Wink

As I'm Agnostic can I still get a GroupSave?  Grin

I reckon I have a stronger case as an atheist (although not, I hope, one of the bumptious and rather noisy Richard Dawkins stable) Grin

Getting back to something like the serious topic though, 80,000 people doesn't seem like it will necessarily have a vast impact on FGW (First Great Western)'s operation. They'll have come from all over the country, with many from or staying in the big smoke itself.

80,000 is less than a full Wembley (cap. 90,000) and more akin to a Millennium stadium (cap. 74,500) which even when two London teams were playing in Cardiff didn't make things impossible. Uncomfortably busy perhaps (with my usual impeccable timing I always seemed to have plans to travel to Bristol or Wales on those weekends) but that was with a significant percentage of people heading to the game using FGW which took them right from home to their destination. The pope's fans will be coming from a hugely more diffuse catchment area.

Of course I stand to be corrected should chaos reign on the day. But something tells me it probably won't.
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Ollie
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« Reply #24 on: September 11, 2010, 02:44:34 »

Okay well Muse were amazing - train was packed. (00:34 from Paddington - Reading) I got off at Twyford, and it was still fairly busy.

Ideally the train could do with an extra couple of carriages (was only a 3 car). But if it doesn't then people on the train need to be more considerate and actually do the decent thing and move further into the train, which they didn't seem to like doing on mine as they had picked the spot they liked and needed to be asked more than once to shift!
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johoare
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« Reply #25 on: September 11, 2010, 10:02:54 »

Thanks for that Ollie.. It makes me cross FGW (First Great Western) didn't put extra carriages on the train though..  Angry

I think there are slightly more trains on a Saturday night (or different timed trains at least) but I'm still dreading the journey home. Last time it was so overcrowded it made me feel ill :-( (and I'm a seasoned commuter so I can deal with most things)..

Oh well at least Muse will be brilliant  Grin
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Ollie
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« Reply #26 on: September 11, 2010, 23:24:11 »

Well I sent off an e-mail to the senior controller letting them know of the experiences of last night - although I am aware it was reported anyway - as it wasn't just my train that went out overcrowded.

Looks like tonight services are being strengthened. But I don't have proper confirmation in the sense that the carriages are being used in passenger service. All based on the observations of an internal system which shows what a trains formation is due to be.

From what I can gather:

23:20 - Reading local is 5 car instead of 2
23:42 - Reading local is 5 car instead of 3
00:05 - Reading local is 5 car instead of 3
00:30 - Reading local is 6 car instead of 3
01:00 - LAST Reading local is 6 as booked.

Addition: Would just like to stress that this is NOT CONFIRMED. (confirmed in the sense of any fanfare from FGW (First Great Western)..maybe FGW alterations section only shows short formed trains)

Addition 2: Confirmed by a colleague to be accurate Smiley
« Last Edit: September 12, 2010, 00:16:38 by Ollie » Logged
Ollie
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« Reply #27 on: September 11, 2010, 23:32:41 »

As an update - I have asked Jo to check when she gets to Paddington Tongue
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #28 on: September 11, 2010, 23:39:33 »

Again: thanks, Ollie!  Wink
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William Huskisson MP (Member of Parliament) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.

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Ollie
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« Reply #29 on: September 11, 2010, 23:43:06 »

Again: thanks, Ollie!  Wink
No problem - I have edited post to add a small disclaimer Smiley
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