I am learning a lot of train sets, and journey lengths in this thread.

So why would GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)-DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) agree a franchise deal with inadequate stock for the range of train journeys that they have to do, and why do they have an excess of 5 car IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan))?

Yesterday I was very surprised to board a GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) train at Aschurch (Tewkesbury)  for a stopping service to Bristol.

Stops at Cam&Dursley and then Yate required passwengers to move down to ther first three carriages.

Is GWR short of spare local train sets, or does it have spare IET's that it needs to use occasionally?

Am I right to assume that the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) Government is not offering any extra money, but WECA^» (West of England Combined Authority - about) and NS are making up the shortfall?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce3lqzy5qqdo

Both BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) and Bristol Post are reporting this, with a 2027 date.

Am I confident?

Does the upcoming WECA^» (West of England Combined Authority - about) election in May make this a priority, after the current government cancelled it 6 months ago? I know I am cynical about this but this has been on/off/maybe for nearly 15-20 years.

Bravo, but is she going to stop at Euston? And will she and NR^» (Network Rail - home page)/Great Briish Rail) get the money over 10-15 to plan and implement the fixes needed?

About time.

Since COVID, the number of non-reported cancellations has been tending on the ridiculous.

The total lack of capacity on the Bristol-Birmingham corridor, with frequent standing, probably caused in part by the number of non-show trains (cancelled a day earlier).

I agree with most of this. Currently the law does not reflect the technology/transport opportunities eScooters/eBikes provide. The UK^▸ (United Kingdom) government should license more types of these, and demand insurance and MOTs (for eScooters/eBikes).

On a daily basis I see dangerously fast eScooters/eBikes (Bristol !!!) ridden by people without helmets and protective clothes.

Is it?

The failure of the government to legislate the type of personal e-vehicles

• e-Scooters - low speed, no helmet needed (15kmH
• e-Scooters - higher speed, helmet needed ( 25kmH)
• e-bikes - Cycle assist, helmet needed (25kmH)
• e-bikes - Cycle assist, helmet needed (35kmH)
• e-Bikes - Throttle control, helmet needed (35kmH)
• etc

and the quality of batteries for Scooters/Bikes, with certified Battery Management Systems is probably a big cause of this.

The number of times I see high speed eScooters in Bristol is alarming, and the lack of wearing helmets!

My main uses of Cross Country is travelling to Worcestorshire Parkway ( I have to change at Cheltenham) and Liverpool Lime St (change at Birmingham or Stafford).

Cross country from Bristol to Birmingham needs 8 carriages for many journeys (morning and evening), and adding more 4-car or 5-car trains will stop all the regular, spurious cancellations, but not really address capacity.

A direct stopping service from Bristol to Birmingham Moor St would certainly help (GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)?)!

Direct trains from Bristol to Liverpool stopped about 20 years ago when the WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line) was upgraded, but it would be nice if Cross Country added Liverpool back in the mix every 2-3 hours.

I have nether been an HS2^▸ (The next High Speed line(s)) fan, but I am fully on board to add extra capacity

• to allow frequent express trains
• to allow more local stopping services
• to allow more freight services

The idea from the two City Region mayors is good and should be fast-tracked, along links to Leeds from Birmingham.

I could have gone via Newport, to was still quicker to go via Birmingham/Crewe/Chester

No, I booked two trains one at 08:08 and the other at 18:22 from. and selected Off Peak return ticket as it was the best option. Seats were also reserved on all trains I was supposed to get. 

Shortly before Christmas I booked a Friday morning 08:08 train from Bristol Parkway to Chester.

As I arrived at the station, I found out the train was cancelled, and that I had to get the 08:44 and three connections, or wait several hours for my single connection journey.  Not a great hardship, but I complained by to Cross Country and asked why could they not have messaged me and advised of the cancelled train, after all, the train was booked through their Customer website, and they cancelled the train at least two hours earlier.

Not getting a response, after a month I contacted my local MP^▸ (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post (a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London), depending on context), and he has written twice and also failed to get a response. Why?

In Bristol the vast majority of bus journeys are paid by e-Ticket or contact payment.

Whilst e-Tickets are easy to check, but vulnerable to an approaching bus driving past (bus packed?) and the next bus arrives after 10 minutes to your e-Ticket is expired.

Also, how does an RPI^▸ (Revenue Protection Inspector, or Retail Price Index, depending on context) officer valid a contactless payment?

I have never thought that Cross Country was doing a good job, too many cancellations and too many short trains. This surely is a reflection on the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) rather than the franchise.

So why has he just left? The service has always been the poor Cinderela of rail networks (better trains, more trains, better signalling to reduce delays, etc ar needed)!