Does the 8.51am from Maidenhead to Paddington ever arrive on time?

[whole diary]

[johoare]

This is the 7.52am from Oxford. Yesterday it was about 15 minutes late and today 20. I can remember whole weeks where it has not arrived at Paddington on time.. zero percent puncuality!!

I asked FGW^▸ (First Great Western) a while back for  the statistics for this particular train and was told in no uncertain terms that they would not take people away from "improving the train service" to provide me with statistics. Well it didn't work. The train is still as bad as ever.

FGWs solution to this particular problem is to remove it from the December timetable. So it won't be late at all after that. What then worries me is that I will already be arriving at Paddington 15 minutes later each day from December, and what if that new later train is late every day too?

I hope my boss in understanding!

[martyjon]

This is the 7.52am from Oxford. Yesterday it was about 15 minutes late and today 20. I can remember whole weeks where it has not arrived at Paddington on time.. zero percent puncuality!!

I asked FGW^▸ (First Great Western) a while back for  the statistics for this particular train and was told in no uncertain terms that they would not take people away from "improving the train service" to provide me with statistics. Well it didn't work. The train is still as bad as ever.

FGWs solution to this particular problem is to remove it from the December timetable. So it won't be late at all after that. What then worries me is that I will already be arriving at Paddington 15 minutes later each day from December, and what if that new later train is late every day too?

I hope my boss in understanding!

Get in touch with your MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) which I think is Teresa May, let FGW tell her they are too busy.

[johoare]

Thanks for that but she already knows all about my experience with FGW^▸ (First Great Western), including this one!

[martyjon]

Thanks for that but she already knows all about my experience with FGW^▸ (First Great Western), including this one!

Well what is she doing about it then.


Try this one, a similar worked for me.

1. Have a clear credit card.

2. Have a 'safety net' credit card for other purposes.

3. Pay for your ticket (presumably for you its a season) by the clear credit card.

4. Keep a log of the journeys undertaken and the arrival times during the validity of the season ticket in your diary.

5. Ignore the late arrivals less than 10 minutes late, these are within the charter for being on time.

6. Work out possible journeys on your season ticket at 2 (1 out and 1 back) per day.

7. Deduct x/56ths of the cost of the season ticket and pay balance in full. (Assumption 4 week season, x being no of arrivals over 10 minutes late for the duration of the season)

8. Write to credit card company and enclose log of lateness, highlighting the services which comprise the x in 7 above, and state that you aren't paying the deducted amount (x/56ths) under the consumer credit act as that is the proportion of journeys you wished to make but the merchant had NOT provided the advertised service which you had paid for bringing their attention to the fact that although in your log an additional y services were late, they come within the allowance for being classified as being on time.

9. The credit card company, well mine did anyway, will note the disputed amount and place this on your statement as a disputed amount, will investigate and recover (as mine did) the disputed amount from the merchant.

I didnt have to fall back onto my "safety net" credit card.

I took that action as a result of the reclaims made by agents who paid by credit card, customers payments / savings into the failed FAREPAK last year.

If you know of a friendly solicitor put a word in their ear and sound them out as to whether it would work in your case but I say nothing ventured, nothing gained.

My case worked, I've had no comeback, my train was cancelled so I decided not to travel on my advance purchased ticket but a refund was not forthcoming even though the letter from the TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) confirmed the train had been cancelled. It was not FGW by the way.

[johoare]

She is doing all she can, but has the same problem as the rest of us, it's a bit like banging your head against a brick wall. In fact it's very like banging your head against a brick wall..

E.g. We tell FGW^▸ (First Great Western) they need to improve reliability, they say it's improving, it doesn't, we tell FGW they need to improve reliability, etc, etc ,etc

Thanks for the credit card tip. My season ticket is up for renewal in December. If I have to renew it (I'm seriously tempted to start driving!) then I will use the tip!

[martyjon]

31/10/2007

07:52 Oxford to London Paddington due 09:12
This train has been revised.It will no longer call at: Cholsey, Goring & Streatley, Pangbourne and Tilehurst.This is due to over-running engineering works.

Should be ROOM on it this morning with 4 station stops missed but whether it runs to time is another story.

I thought the Ghosts and Gouls were supposed to be out tonight, not last night.

[martyjon]

31/10/2007.

Sussed it.

With all the chaos this morning due to overrunning engineering work at Pangbourne, the 0752 Oxford - Paddington left Oxford on time. With the 4 station stops between Didcot and Reading withdrawn this morning, the service was able to depart Reading on time, keep to time departing Twyford but as the pampered people of Maidenhead dont hurry themselves the service lost 4 minutes on station duties here which led to an arrival at Paddington at 0914.

Cant grumble at that, just af ter get the folks at Maidenhead not to dawdle too much when gettin on ther train.

[johoare]

Although I was fortunate enough to not have to get the train this morning, I can assure you that the people of Maidenhead do not generally dawdle. We usually get on the train (dead fast), and sit there for several minutes (most mornings) while we wait for a much more important (late running) long distance train to pass through the fast line before we get a green signal!  If however I am wrong and my fellow Maidenhead commuters chose this morning to get on the train really slowly for once (were you there then?), then I apologise!

[martyjon]

31/10/2007.

Sussed it.

With all the chaos this morning due to overrunning engineering work at Pangbourne, the 0752 Oxford - Paddington left Oxford on time. With the 4 station stops between Didcot and Reading withdrawn this morning, the service was able to depart Reading on time, keep to time departing Twyford but as the pampered people of Maidenhead dont hurry themselves the service lost 4 minutes on station duties here which led to an arrival at Paddington at 0914.

Cant grumble at that, just af ter get the folks at Maidenhead not to dawdle too much when gettin on ther train.

johoare.

The above post was also made tongue in cheek by the way, was going to add at the end of the post ;-

Dont make me laugh and tell me you didnt use the train this morning.

Guess you had the last laugh on me this morning.

By the way when I used to work in Slough, before the advent of the turbos, trains serving Maidenhead from Reading and Paddington were
more often than not a 6-car DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) (2 x 3-car sets) and there was even a 7-car combo (4 + 3) that ran through to Paddington from Westbury. When they started to introduce the turbos, 2 cars replacing 3 cars I thought then that they (BR^▸ (British Rail(ways))(NSE^▸ (Network South East))) were brewing trouble for the future. What is the stock used normally for your 0851 service, a 2-car turbo, 2 x 2-car, 1 x 3-car, 2 x 3-car a 2 + 3 car or is it a case of whatever is serviceable and had received its overnight drink when the stock is due off depot.

Anyway, onto CROSSRAIL, you pampered people will so-oo-oo-oo-on
have brand new electris trains, a spanking new Maidenhead depot with all the latest technology to house the trains and then you will all be moaning that you get a seat every morning, the trains all run to time and you all miss your little daily lottery to see who can be closest in guessing the number of minutes late the service is daily and finally the bookworms wont be able to concentrate on their reading on the journeys because its so quiet.

Well its such a nice pm where I am in Yate I think I'l toodle off upstairs have a wash and then dawdle over to the pub and sit in the smoking shelter with mates (I dont smoke myself) and have a nice pint or four of best ale.

Regards.

Martyjon.

[johoare]

Cool, I should have guessed it was tongue in cheek too!!

It's usually an adelante which is very claustrophobic and trys to make all us standing people fall over as it crosses the tracks.. Occasionally it's a three car turbo which is usually a lot emptier than the adelante so I can only assume people closer to OXford have a choice of trains (most likely Reading) so don't get on it when it's a turbo..

As for crossrail, I've been commuting for 20 years, and crossrail has been talked about for most of them. So yes I agree it sounds like we'll really benefit, but I'll wait until it really happens!

Oooh, a few pints sound nice... Pity I've got to work so no pub visits for me.

Lucky I'm working at home as I was in Bracknell this morning (hence the non commuting day!).. lovely...

[martyjon]

Arrived at 0915, according to my information, this morning after departing Oxford 4 down.

johoare.

Ah, Adelantes, I hate them but your comment regarding the tendancy to want to make the passengers fall over is interesting.

I noticed the same phenomenom about the second time I travelled on one. Its not particulary the track condition that gives rise to the tendency to make the passengers fall over, its more the engines being used as brakes.

Next time you are on one and you are unfortunate to have to stand, note the coincidence of an increase in engine noise (revs) and the tendency for you and the other passengers to be thrown forward as opposed to fall down.

The Adelantes are the only trains that I have come across which use their engines power by dropping down through the gearbox for braking assistance. This is akin, when driving your car, to using a lower gear when descending a steep hill.

Now you've learnt something reading this and next time your on an Adelante you can tell all your fellow passengers of why the train tries to make them all fall down.

[devon_metro]

It actually arrived at Paddington at 0931 19 minutes late!

5 late from Maidenhead

[martyjon]

It actually arrived at Paddington at 0931 19 minutes late!

5 late from Maidenhead

Disappeared off my screen at 0915.

I'll keep a watch tomorrow.

[johoare]

Yep 19 minutes late. Most of those were spent sitting just outside Paddington.. So a 25% punctuality rate this week so far. Not good! I hope FGWs^▸ (First Great Western) statistics don't come from the site you were looking at if you think it got it at 9.15 though!!! I wonder what will happen today!

[devon_metro]

Only 4 late today - very impressive!

1L19 was early as well.