FGW Night Riviera Variant Path

[1e10]

Taking a look on RTT reveals that the Night Riviera service operated by FGW are booked to run via and call at Bristol Temple Meads.

http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Your-journey/Night-Riviera-Sleeper/Times-and-Prices

As you can see BRI isn't a standard stop for the service and I've never seen it appear on RTT before, though I've not been following it for long.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/sea...0&show_wtt=1&show_var=1&show_stp=1&plushour=1

Both the Paddington to Penzance and the Penzance to Paddington are running through.

Can anyone think of a reason as to why they're running this route tonight?

 

[Qwerty133]

as far as I can see they are not calling at Bristol Temple Meads, just passing through.

 

[louis97]

The FGW sleeper service takes whatever route it needs to do to avoid any overnight engineering works, of which there can be many different possessions on the various routes it can take. Its not that uncommon to go via any route on this service really, you can get a real mixture.

Other routes it can take include Via Honiton and Yeovil Pen Mill between Exeter and Castle Cary although this is generally only on a Sunday night when the sleeper services in both directions do not call at Taunton, so this allows for the service to divert if there is engineering works between Exeter and Taunton.

 

[Eagle]

Routes the sleeper can take between Reading and Taunton:

• Direct via Newbury and Cary
• Via Newbury, Hawkeridge, Trowbridge and Bristol
• As above but also via WSM
• Via Swindon, Chippenham and Bristol
• As above but also via WSM
• Via Swindon, Bristol Parkway and Temple Meads
• As above but also via WSM
• Via Swindon, Melksham and Cary

Which route it takes is entirely dependent on engineering, and all are fairly common.

If there are more severe engineering works, it can exceptionally run:

• Via Newbury, Cary and Honiton
• Via Swindon, Melksham, Cary and Honiton
• Via Reading, Basingstoke, Salisbury, and Honiton
• Via Reading, Basingstoke, Salisbury, Westbury and Bristol
• As above but also via WSM (getting bored of typing that)

There are some even more esoteric ones but as most of them require a run-round they're avoided wherever possible.

 

[Temple Meads]

The up sleeper sometimes stops at Bristol for staff I believe, same with Swindon.

They've been running via Honiton and Yeovil fairly regularly on Sunday nights lately, the reason Monday mornings sleepers don't stop at Taunton is to allow for running on the Southern.

 

[louis97]

Via Reading, Basingstoke, Salisbury, and Honiton
Via Reading, Basingstoke, Salisbury, Westbury and Bristol

These 2 are not an option because of crew knowledge, everything else specified is all signed by the crew and the sleeper is also used as a method of keeping knowledge up, as some of the routes they do are fairly limited during the day.

Of course the option of hiring in people with suitable route knowledge to travel in the cab and with the train manager is possible, but I have never known this to happen, I'd imagine due to cost especially needing to hire in 2 people. Also i'm not sure on the restriction of the sleeper stock over 3rd rail, not sure if theres any long swing link bogies on the stock, which are not permitted over 3rd rail infrastructure.

I'd imagine its avoided to have both routes out of Reading blocked with engineering works anyway.

 

[flymo]

Also i'm not sure on the restriction of the sleeper stock over 3rd rail, not sure if theres any long swing link bogies on the stock, which are not permitted over 3rd rail infrastructure.

Also, remember this sleeper did run into Waterloo for some time in the 90's so this may not be such an issue.

 

[louis97]

Also, remember this sleeper did run into Waterloo for some time in the 90's so this may not be such an issue.

Ah yes, very true!

 

[TEW]

But back then it was using the old MK2 day coaches, which have now been replaced with ex West Coast MK3s.

 

[455driver]

Other routes it can take include Via Honiton and Yeovil Pen Mill between Exeter and Castle Cary although this is generally only on a Sunday night when the sleeper services in both directions do not call at Taunton, so this allows for the service to divert if there is engineering works between Exeter and Taunton.

Edit because I am wrong, its just a pity "they" didnt post first!

 

[richw]

the down train is also booked away from Plymouth later as well (0628 instead of 0543).

That explains why I often see the Down sleeper running alongside the A30 at Scorrier (between Truro and Redruth) on a Monday morning, but never any other morning.

 

[Zoe]

Via yeovil is the default route for Sunday nights/Monday mornings

The WTT suggests otherwise.

 

[455driver]

The WTT suggests otherwise.

So what does the WTT state then?

Dont just say I am wrong, post the correct info if its not too much trouble!

 

[louis97]

Via yeovil is the default route for Sunday nights/Monday mornings so the crews can retain route knowledge over the route, the down train is also booked away from Plymouth later as well (0628 instead of 0543).

Generally not, over the next 3 Sundays it not going down there. Exeter High Speed crew have various turns that allow them to route learn on SWT services, with the sleeper diverting via there when required.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
WTT schedules are here for clarification:

http://opentraintimes.com/schedule/P05584/2013-11-03 < Down Sleeper 1C99
http://opentraintimes.com/schedule/P05519/2013-10-27 < Up Sleeper 1A40

(Ignore the dates, that was just how far ahead I had to go to get the WTT schedule as these services are always VARs generally)

WTT route for the up sleeper on a Sunday can be seen on the window labels which are currently incorrectly showing Bristol Temple Meads and Swindon stops on them.

 

[richw]

Generally not, over the next 3 Sundays it not going down there. Exeter High Speed crew have various turns that allow them to route learn on SWT services, with the sleeper diverting via there when required.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
WTT schedules are here for clarification:

http://opentraintimes.com/schedule/P05584/2013-11-03 < Down Sleeper 1C99
http://opentraintimes.com/schedule/P05519/2013-10-27 < Up Sleeper 1A40

(Ignore the dates, that was just how far ahead I had to go to get the WTT schedule as these services are always VARs generally)

WTT route for the up sleeper on a Sunday can be seen on the window labels which are currently incorrectly showing Bristol Temple Meads and Swindon stops on them.

Those links dont tell us anything about routing. They show nothing between Exeter and Reading.

 

[causton]

Those links dont tell us anything about routing. They show nothing between Exeter and Reading.

Click the spanner at the top

 

[louis97]

Those links dont tell us anything about routing. They show nothing between Exeter and Reading.

You'll need to activate advanced mode, by pressing the spanner.

 

[221129]

455driver is correct here the default is usually Via Honiton. I had this conversation with the train manager on Sunday's Sleeper who said the same as 455driver.

 

[Zoe]

So what does the WTT state then?

I've just cheked and unless if misread the timetable, it shows the down service as running via Hullavington and Bristol until 17/06/2013 and via Chippenham and Bristol from 24/06/2013 (with different timings from 05/08/2013). The up service is shown as running via Bristol and Chippenham throughout.

455driver is correct here the default is usually Via Honiton. I had this conversation with the train manager on Sunday's Sleeper who said the same as 455driver.

This clearly is not the default timetabled route though.

 

[louis97]

455driver is correct here the default is usually Via Honiton. I had this conversation with the train manager on Sunday's Sleeper who said the same as 455driver.

Not according to the WTT path! To say its the default route, its only doing it once over the next 2 months according to Realtime Trains, 31st August!

If you look in the Network Rail Engineering Access summary you can see exactly when its planned to divert. (Just like you can see when FGW HSTs are via Yeovil on weekends in January and February next year, and on Sunday mornings around Easter)