Connections at Swindon

[whole diary]

[John R]

Twice in the last week or so my regular service from Nailsea to Swindon (arrive 0840) has been running around 14 mins late. So it has arrived just as a Cheltenham bound HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) is due to depart (0854).

In both instances, the Cheltenham service has had the doors locked just as the incoming train draws to a stand, leaving connecting pax^▸ (passengers) an hour to while away the delights of Swindon station.

Now it's enough of a connection that the TM^▸ (Train Manager, or Ticket Machine, or Temple Meads (Bristol), depending on context) announces as we approach Swindon that pax wishing to travel to Glos and Ch Spa should change. But not enough of a connection that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) can be bothered to hold it for 1 minute. It's not as if the single line stretch to Kemble is the problem - there's a 12 minute leeway before the next eastbound train is due.

As we got off the train I asked one of the FGW management today why they couldn't hold it, and he blamed Network Rail for not allowing them to hold the train. That struck me as a bit of a cop out - I'm sure if FGW want to hold a train for 1 minute then they could do so.

Any thoughts? Thankfully it doesn't affect me, but it seems to display a complete lack of customer focus by the one operator that runs both trains.

[smithy]

holding trains is always a difficult one,the person you spoke to is correct to a certain degree.if FGW^▸ (First Great Western) hold the train for a couple of minutes then Network Rail do have something to say and also charge FGW for the delay minutes although the couple of minutes delay would not impact on any other services.

if the chelt service was a west dmu then you stand more of a chance of getting a hold as the delay charge is a lot less than a HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)).

[grahame]

if the chelt service was a west dmu then you stand more of a chance of getting a hold as the delay charge is a lot less than a HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)).

Why?

If the Network Rail delay charge is because of the inconvenience caused to others (not sure who it inconveninences in this case) then surely the inconvenience isn't significantly different however long the late train is.