Broken down train - an example of explanation and minimisation of issues

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Cancellations to services between Truro and Falmouth Docks

Due to a broken down train between Truro and Falmouth Docks fewer trains are able to run on the line.
Train services running to and from these stations will be cancelled. Disruption is expected until 10:00 18/07.

Customer Advice

One of the trains planned for use on the Truro to Falmouth Docks service this morning has broken down, with a spare not immediately available.

One has been found, but is not currently in the area to operate the service, therefore until it is, the service is reduced from half hourly to hourly.

During this time, customers can use their tickets on local buses if they prefer. Details below:
Go Cornwall Bus route 32A: Falmouth (The Moor), Penryn, Truro (Bus Station), Truro (Station), Go Cornwall Bus route 32: Falmouth (The Moor), Penryn, Truro (Bus Station), Go Cornwall Bus route 33, 33A: Falmouth (The Moor), Penryn (Station), Redruth (Station) and Go Cornwall Bus route 36, 36A: Truro (Bus Station), Perranwell (Station) are conveying passengers via any reasonable route until further notice. Arrangements have been made for Great Western Railway rail tickets to be accepted for these journeys.

1. Good description of the issue

2. It seems reasonable that there isn't a spare train on each line (and heaven help us if reliability was so poor that was needed)

3. This shows the robustness of a two-train service over a one-train one; worst wait is half an hour.

4. Good to offer the bus alternatives.  IMHO^▸ ('in my humble opinion'), rail and bus tickets for the same journey should be interchangeable at all times - who cares whether there are rubber or steel wheels on the vehicle?

[REVUpminster]

Only half an hour if you came for that train; 59 minutes if you just missed one. Barnstaple has a 2 hour gap tonight
and has become unreliable on Saturdays lately.

I saw at Paignton they were loading up the local trains with bottled water for customers. They keep a shed load at Paignton.

Last night because of trespassers (sheep and humans) on the track near Dawlish that stopped everything for nearly 75 minutes. A 175 working Penzance-Exeter with two sets from Plymouth was forced to curtail a training run from Exeter-Paignton-Exeter-Exmouth-Exeter-Laira to just Exeter-Exmouth-Plymouth. Both units stayed in the platform until one went off to Penzance and the other Newquay today. Reliability of some units has improved. If they can do the same with all of them there will be spare units.
They have been to all parts of the "Devon Metro" except Exmouth siding and Goodrington Sidings; a previous run there was cancelled because the train wasn't available. Paignton Sands Road is manually worked; pushing the buttons.

[TaplowGreen]

Cancellations to services between Truro and Falmouth Docks

Due to a broken down train between Truro and Falmouth Docks fewer trains are able to run on the line.
Train services running to and from these stations will be cancelled. Disruption is expected until 10:00 18/07.

Customer Advice

One of the trains planned for use on the Truro to Falmouth Docks service this morning has broken down, with a spare not immediately available.

One has been found, but is not currently in the area to operate the service, therefore until it is, the service is reduced from half hourly to hourly.

During this time, customers can use their tickets on local buses if they prefer. Details below:
Go Cornwall Bus route 32A: Falmouth (The Moor), Penryn, Truro (Bus Station), Truro (Station), Go Cornwall Bus route 32: Falmouth (The Moor), Penryn, Truro (Bus Station), Go Cornwall Bus route 33, 33A: Falmouth (The Moor), Penryn (Station), Redruth (Station) and Go Cornwall Bus route 36, 36A: Truro (Bus Station), Perranwell (Station) are conveying passengers via any reasonable route until further notice. Arrangements have been made for Great Western Railway rail tickets to be accepted for these journeys.

1. Good description of the issue

2. It seems reasonable that there isn't a spare train on each line (and heaven help us if reliability was so poor that was needed)

3. This shows the robustness of a two-train service over a one-train one; worst wait is half an hour.

4. Good to offer the bus alternatives.  IMHO^▸ ('in my humble opinion'), rail and bus tickets for the same journey should be interchangeable at all times - who cares whether there are rubber or steel wheels on the vehicle?

To be honest the Cornish branch lines (especially) have been so hopelessly unreliable recently that I would imagine more people are opting for rubber wheels, whether attached to a car or a bus.

[FarWestJohn]

From next week the 32 bus Truro to Falmouth will run hourly daytime via Perranwell station and Ponsanooth.
The 32A will run hourly Truro to Falmouth via Devoran with last buses at 2245 from Falmouth and 2340 from Truro.
There is a large gap on school day afternoons from Truro though.
This should help out while the trains are unreliable.

[Chris from Nailsea]

There is a large gap on school day afternoons from Truro though.
This should help out while the trains are unreliable.

Hopefully, those trains will be fixed during the next six weeks of school holidays?