Chiltern Mainline: Nice & Fast!

[whole diary]

[devon_metro]

Chiltern's 'flagship' 0655 Moor Street - MYB^▸ (London (Marylebone)) 25 mins late this morning. Nice...

[ChrisB]

The AM peak is less flexible on timekeeping than the pm, it seems

[IndustryInsider]

The AM peak is less flexible on timekeeping than the pm, it seems

I think it's far too early to draw conclusions like that.  This mornings peak was pretty good again - all trains under 10 minutes late, and a PPM^‡(resolve) over the 80% mark.  Looks like the timetable is now settling down and hopefully won't have to be substantially altered or the old timetable brought back it, both of which would be pretty humiliating for Chiltern.

[ChrisB]

Even if that's Chiltern's opinion?.....one blip in suburban service will blow the Mainline trains timekeeping away....

I don't consider 80%+ 'pretty good' either - we're not discussing FGW^▸ (First Great Western)! Chiltern were regularly over 92.5% before this timetable, so they're still nearly 10% down into the fourth week. Sorry, but in Chiltern terms, that's ridiculous.

It won't be substantially altered, they have never intended to do that - they consider simply reallocating stock to try & provide seats on overcrowded trains will be sufficient. They expect about a 0.5% deterioration in their PPM^‡(resolve). I reckon it'll be double or triple that. They have to achieve 92.5% PPM per current franchise requirements.

Stacks of Twitter complaints again this morning about overcrowding - even from as far out as BCS.

[IndustryInsider]

I don't consider 80%+ 'pretty good' either - we're not discussing FGW^▸ (First Great Western)! Chiltern were regularly over 92.5% before this timetable, so they're still nearly 10% down into the fourth week. Sorry, but in Chiltern terms, that's ridiculous.

I consider it a pretty good morning peak - let's face it a week or so ago we were questioning whether the timetable was even workable in principle!  Everything since 9am has so far made the 0-4mins mark - keep that up for the rest of the day and they'd be well in to the 90% PPM^‡(resolve) for the day.

If they continue this upward trend then something approaching a regular 90% figure may well be achieved.  Though I agree that I think a 0.5% drop for Phase 1 and a 1.2% drop after Phase 2 (Oxford link) will prove very difficult to achieve.

[ChrisB]

Roger Ford reports that -

After that it is straight on  to the first meeting of the new session of the Fourth Friday Club,. Guest speaker is Adrian Shooter ^ fireworks guaranteed.

http://www.4thfriday.co.uk/

Meetings held at lunchtime on 4th Fridays in Central London

[IndustryInsider]

This mornings peak was pretty good again - all trains under 10 minutes late, and a PPM^‡(resolve) over the 80% mark.

I should point out that those figures were based on the morning peak services via the High Wycombe route, so the actual figure (including more reliable routes like Met Line services, Oxford-Bicester trains and a few other more reliable short distance services) was actually around 88% according to my calculations on all services up until noon.

However, this evening has been another disaster with signalling problems at West Ruislip, so all that good work has been undone again.  One train took 2h30m from Marylebone to Princes Risborough!

[Btline]

http://www.itv.com/meridian-west/fears-of-overcrowding42906/?

[grahame]

http://www.itv.com/meridian-west/fears-of-overcrowding42906/?

"I don't mind standing on a one-off basis, but really this isn't on every day" says one of their customers. "We'll move trains around so that people get what they expect, which is a seat" (I may have slightly paraphrased in both cases) according to the spokesman.

Both of which seem to be perfectly reasonable positions / targets for the rail industry.

[ChrisB]

Last night's chiltern was another disaster! Not omly points at Ruislip again, but more cowson the line at Haddenham and another failed train at MYB^▸ (London (Marylebone)).

Just gone 0600, and they've already had *another* failed train - the 0525 AYS-MYB via HWY sat down at Beconsfield a few minutes ago. Engineering, failed trains are too common a sight.

Oh, one silver train was "having some tlc" yesterday. What they really meant was that no one fuelled the loco on Friday night and it ran out....the tlc eas the refuelling....

[IndustryInsider]

Just gone 0600, and they've already had *another* failed train - the 0525 AYS-MYB^▸ (London (Marylebone)) via HWY sat down at Beconsfield a few minutes ago. Engineering, failed trains are too common a sight.

Didn't seem to cause many problems though.  Another good AM service with 89%* of arrival/departures from Marylebone until noon reaching their destination within 0-4 minutes late (70 trains).  7am-10am services recorded 91%* (115 trains).   Largest delay 12 minutes.  1 part cancellation (the one Chris mentions above) and two trains not reported anywhere, so I presume they were cancelled?

* These are based on the working timetable, and excludes services that don't go from/to Marylebone which are usually very punctual (such as the Oxford-Bicester service), so the actual PPM^‡(resolve) Charter figure will almost certainly be higher.

[ChrisB]

Three trains down in one AM peak - that's really awful....it ought to be less than one per peak.

Three pax counters seen arguing over figures....amazing.

[JayMac]

http://www.itv.com/meridian-west/fears-of-overcrowding42906/?

That spokesperson looked like he was barely out of school. I wonder, if problems continue, whether we'll be seeing Mr Brighouse on the local news?

[ChrisB]

THomas Abelman is Marketing *Director* at Chiltern, having transferred from Wrexham & Shropshire on its demise. He's also in charge of fares.

[JayMac]

A director??? He looked barely out of short trousers. 

I guess, being in charge of fares, he was the killjoy that closed the Haddenham - Wendover/Stoke Mandeville cheap fare loophole.