FGW get it wrong again

[whole diary]

[johoare]

I was at Hard Rock Calling in Hyde Park this evening with thousands of other people.. It shouldn't have been a surprise to any one (other than FGW^▸ (First Great Western) it seems) as it's been planned for ages.. It finished about 22.20 as planned.. So it was bad (but not a surprise as I know FGW don't seem to be that bothered) to see that the 22.59 to Reading was only 2 carriages long.. We just about all squeezed on at Paddington but had to leave people behind at Ealing Broadway.. It was not a pleasant journey at all..

My brother however, travelling north from Kings Cross to Biggleswade, had a nice 8 carriage train..

FGW have got it so wrong again..

[insider]

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are bothered and were aware of events in Hyde Park. The previous two nights (Weds&Thurs),Kings of Leon were on as well.

Services were strengthened where possible.

An additional 4 carriage train to Reading at 2332 was also run Weds-Fri of this week.

FCC^▸ (First Capital Connect) have a lot more rolling stock than FGW.

[ChrisB]

Sorry, at that time of night, 15 carriages were possible if infrastructute had allowed! Certainly 9 should have bern used, and were def available!

And if can be done earlier in week, why not last night?

Oh, if heads up are needed, extra stock will agsin be needed tonight (Bon Jovi 3 hour set) and Sunday (Rod Stewart doing a 2 hour set)

[Ollie]

Unfortunately it seems people got to Pad a bit earlier than expected.

23:29 was strengthened and also had an additional 23:32

[johoare]

Well it was advertised to finish at 22.20 (for 22.30 curfew).. So it didn't surprise me what train I was on.. It's only a 10/15 minute walk after all..

I wish I'd known about the later trains though as I would have waited...

[ChrisB]

Indeed, they weren't mentioned on the websute news/updstes either.

Hyde Park always has a 2230 curfew. Firgotten how many ^000's fine it is per minute over, but it's many....

[JayMac]

Indeed, they weren't mentioned on the website news/updates either.

Now, why doesn't that surprise me? 

[Hafren]

Someone must have known the above, and someone must have noticed the crowds. With a bit of communication and a sense of customer service, perhaps an announcement could have been made on the train and the affected stations to reassure passengers that if they chose to wait, extra capacity would be available later.

(I am assuming there weren't any, unless anyone knows differently!)

[johoare]

Nothing was said on my train..And I heard nothing at Paddington (I was there 15 minutes or so).. The only announcement we had was at Ealing Broadway where the driver apologised for the overcrowding and said he was going to close the doors so we could leave (although it took several attempts to get the doors closed as people weren't happy at being left behind)..

[IndustryInsider]

Is the 22:59 booked a 2-car or did something go wrong?

Even without any special-eventers running a 2-car train on that sort of service out of Paddington on a Friday night is asking for trouble anyway.  The 23:29 is also booked a 2-car and can just about cope Monday to Thursday, but is always a squeeze on a Friday.

I'm afraid FGW^▸ (First Great Western) neglects its late evening passengers from Paddington a little, though to be fair the recent introduction of the 23:42 Fridays Only service has gone some way to correcting issues with the 23:29.

[bobm]

I remember a few months back coming from Marlow to Maidenhead and arriving at about 21:30. The two car unit on the branch was then replaced with a three car for the next branch service and the old unit ran off empty to Paddington.

Is that a regular occurrence or just a one off?  Seems the three car would be better employed on the "main line".

[anthony215]

When i was there around the same time back in november it was a 2 carriage class 165 with the  other 2 carriage class 165 running empty stock before crossing back over to the line heading towards reading.

[johoare]

I haven't emailed FGW^▸ (First Great Western) for a while but I have today...

Here is what I said.. I'm starting to guess which of the many cut and paste replies I'll get....

"I went to Hard Rock Calling in Hyde park last night (Friday 24th June).. Curfew was 22.30 as always is in Hyde Park.. So why oh why was the 22.59 to Maidenhead  not only on platform 14 but also only 2 carriages long?

It was one of the most unpleaant journeys you've created for me, and believe me there have been a few unpleasant ones over the years..

I've heard since that you should may have made trains at approx 23.30 longer and added extra trains in but no one told us that?  I would have waited if  I had known..I had my 12 year old son with me. I wouldn't have put him through what I did had I known...

Please tell me what you are going to do about this?
"

[hornbeam]

My partner was caught up in this from Slough, where it arrived late I recall.

These services tend to be busy at the weekends, and there is no excuse for them being longer as there is the stock. What doesnt help is a few drunk people not moving down inside the train, but doesn't help is the way they are sometimes dealed with. As said its unfair that people are left behind with the attude from FGW^▸ (First Great Western) is ' tough wait for the next one'.

[johoare]

My partner was caught up in this from Slough, where it arrived late I recall.

These services tend to be busy at the weekends, and there is no excuse for them being longer as there is the stock. What doesnt help is a few drunk people not moving down inside the train, but doesn't help is the way they are sometimes dealed with. As said its unfair that people are left behind with the attude from FGW^▸ (First Great Western) is ' tough wait for the next one'.

There was definitely no room left for anyone to move down or anywhere on this train.. Unless we sat on other peoples laps.. I think they might have complained...