The Railway: First Great Western on Channel 5

[NHG66]

Why do the Oxford stoppers need stop at so many intermediate stations between Paddington and Reading? Although they stop at Ealing Broadway, Hayes & Harlington, Slough, Maidenhead and Twyford should this local stoppers terminate and reverse at Reading? In reality, should all Oxford services run nonstop to Reading, or at the very least only stop at Maidenhead and Twyford.

Best you look at the timetables mate, there are indeed stoppers that run just between Reading and Padd as well as the Oxford to Padd (and return) stoppers. There are only so many trains, drivers and available 'paths' to run the services on. Are you saying that we should stop calling at intermediate stations so that those longer distance travellers can get to their destinations without being delayed by some poor person who lives in Radley or Tilehurst and wants to use the service to which they are equally entitled ?

With the section of track between Didcot and Oxford being only one track in each direction and being fully utilised throughout the day by both fast services, stoppers and freight, there is no slack if a train is delayed. The careful planning to manage the flow and interactions between fast and slow services will be compromised and the ops staff have to do their best to keep things going when delays do inevitably occur.

 

[TEW]

Why do the Oxford stoppers need stop at so many intermediate stations between Paddington and Reading? Although they stop at Ealing Broadway, Hayes & Harlington, Slough, Maidenhead and Twyford should this local stoppers terminate and reverse at Reading? In reality, should all Oxford services run nonstop to Reading, or at the very least only stop at Maidenhead and Twyford.

The Oxford stoppers provide 2 of the 4 stopping trains per hour between Reading and London, as stated above there just aren't the resources to separate out the services. Passengers between Oxford and Reading always have the option of changing at Reading onto the already frequent fast service to London.

 

[Muzer]

Why are they rejecting the return tickets? Is it some weird peak restriction or does he genuinely believe the cutoff time is 0329 rather than 0429?

EDIT: Or is the cutoff the journey completion time? That would make more sense, depending on where everyone is going. In my defence, I'm not usually awake that late

 

[David Goddard]

From the National Rail Website:
Anytime Day (Single and Return) tickets must be used on the date shown on your ticket and up to 04:29 the following day.
Anytime Single must be used within 2 days of the date shown on the ticket and up until 04:29 after the last day of validity.

Off-Peak and Super Off-Peak tickets are valid for travel on the date shown on your ticket and until 04:29 on the following day.
Off-Peak Singles and the outward portion of Off-Peak Returns are valid for travel on the date shown on the ticket and until 04:29 the following morning.


Therefore to prohibit travel on the 03:53 ex Reading they were not acting in accordance with the NRCoC. Those girls said they bought tickets from Slough, the 03:53 gets there at 04:15, so would arrive well in time. Should certainly be valid as far as Hayes and Harlington (04:27)

 

[455driver]

I remember the voice over saying something very choice about 'Paddington's Purple girls' that made me think - can't anyone male be a customer ambassador or whatever they're called? God.

No, if you have a look at them (and I have checked this information thoroughly ) they are all women of the 'curvy' figure variety.

 

[Johnny_w]

What would have pulled the sleeper riverea service out of paddington?

 

[Roverman]

From the National Rail Website:
Anytime Day (Single and Return) tickets must be used on the date shown on your ticket and up to 04:29 the following day.
Anytime Single must be used within 2 days of the date shown on the ticket and up until 04:29 after the last day of validity.

Off-Peak and Super Off-Peak tickets are valid for travel on the date shown on your ticket and until 04:29 on the following day.
Off-Peak Singles and the outward portion of Off-Peak Returns are valid for travel on the date shown on the ticket and until 04:29 the following morning.


Therefore to prohibit travel on the 03:53 ex Reading they were not acting in accordance with the NRCoC. Those girls said they bought tickets from Slough, the 03:53 gets there at 04:15, so would arrive well in time. Should certainly be valid as far as Hayes and Harlington (04:27)

I wondered about that. So FIRST are laying down their own terms now? A bit naughty if you ask me.

 

[transportphoto]

Was the filming, per chance, taken before the change between 0230 and 0430?

TP

 

[David Goddard]

More worrying is that the online journey planners (FGW and SWT for example) are also saying the last valid train is at 02:24

Was the filming, per chance, taken before the change between 0230 and 0430?

TP

Filming was during the summer, and certainly no longer ago than Easter weekend (ie when the Western entrance opened).
Didn't the change take place a good while ago?

 

[Darandio]

So FIRST are laying down their own terms now?

They have been doing it for ages! Plenty of threads on here refusing travel out of Paddington on a perfectly valid ticket.

 

[yorkie]

I wondered about that. So FIRST are laying down their own terms now? A bit naughty if you ask me.

Of course they are. They've been doing this for years. Who is going to stop them?

There's no independent ombudsman and no decent regulator.

The DfT just allow the TOCs to run riot (with the occasional ruling to keep them in check, such as not allowing them to wreck Condition 19), Passenger Focus are absolutely clueless and have never provided me with a satisfactory response to any of my complaints ever, and ATOC have to act in the interests of the TOCs, despite holding some powers that look rather like a pseudo-regulator to me!

I've encountered abysmal gateline staff at FGW, and I know people who have encountered abysmal RPIs. Nothing will change, because there's no-one to make them change.

Most passengers will cough up when overcharged, hardly any complain, and those who do have no real way to seek proper redress.

I'm told the person with the entire alphabet after his name, who is in charge of revenue matters is a nice guy, but unfortunately he seems to allow his staff to do what they want.

By contrast to gateline and revenue staff, Guards aren't allowed to do what they want - in fact they can be persecuted by their managers for acting totally correctly and reasonably!

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

More worrying is that the online journey planners (FGW and SWT for example) are also saying the last valid train is at 02:24

Again, who is able to, or bothering to, to enforce that online planners allow all permitted journey opportunities? Absolutely no-one is the answer!

 

[Mojo]

Why do so many FGW staff wear HiVis? I can perhaps understand why it might be useful for train dispatch staff to wear them but it seems that virtually all of them on this show wear them; including the gateline staff. At my former local Great Western station even the guy in the ticket office wore one!

 

[Roverman]

Trying to look important. I've noticed this on the roads as well, people wear them when sat in their car probably because they hope people will think they are the fuzz or something.

 

[FGW_DID]

Trying to look important. I've noticed this on the roads as well, people wear them when sat in their car probably because they hope people will think they are the fuzz or something.

Busted, that's exactly the reason, nothing to do with company policy perhaps, staff being readily identifiable to the travelling public etc etc it's so they can pretend to be coppers and hassle train spotters at the end of the platform for wearing the same colour hi-viz :roll::roll::roll:

 

[Temple Meads]

What would have pulled the sleeper riverea service out of paddington?

Class 57/6.

Decent episode tonight, particularly the Night Riviera segment with some familiar faces.

Continuity went backwards (literally) for me though after improving last week, not that I allowed that to spoil my enjoyment of the programme though!

 

[Captain Chaos]

Trying to look important. I've noticed this on the roads as well, people wear them when sat in their car probably because they hope people will think they are the fuzz or something.

It's not to make staff look important. It's so as we can be clearly identifiable. It can be surprisingly easy to walk past a member of staff on a busy platform without realising, even with name badge etc on. It's company policy, not staff trying to 'look important' or what have you.

 

[Roverman]

To be worn in the office? Do me a favour. I've got one to wear as 'Incident Controller' at my place of work, but I don't need to wear it until an actual incident occurs. It lives either on the back of my chair or at my feet.

 

[Temple Meads]

To be worn in the office? Do me a favour. I've got one to wear as 'Incident Controller' at my place of work, but I don't need to wear it until an actual incident occurs. It lives either on the back of my chair or at my feet.

Use of high-viz in an office certainly seems a bit over the top, but staff visibility on stations can only be a good thing.

 

[TEW]

The policy has changed recently and far fewer staff now wear hi-viz, it is generally only dispatchers now, and they wear orange rather than yellow hi-viz now.

 

[Johnny_w]

Class 57/6.

Decent episode tonight, particularly the Night Riviera segment with some familiar faces.

Continuity went backwards (literally) for me though after improving last week, not that I allowed that to spoil my enjoyment of the programme though!

Thanks TM. Once they did the in-cab shots I worked it out. I know it's an imperfect show but I thoroughly enjoy it.

And I'm booking my first trip on the night riverea following tonights episode!

JW

 

[221129]

Use of high-viz in an office certainly seems a bit over the top, but staff visibility on stations can only be a good thing.

But when you have a member of staff doing both Dispatch and Tickets then it is by no means over the top. I assume that this is the situation referred to.

 

[Captain Chaos]

To be worn in the office? Do me a favour. I've got one to wear as 'Incident Controller' at my place of work, but I don't need to wear it until an actual incident occurs. It lives either on the back of my chair or at my feet.

It's company policy. If the company ask us to wear them then we have to wear them! It's up to the individual if they are indoors or in an office environment and wish to wear it still. I'm not aware of their being a requirement to wear them indoors which could be why some wear them indoors and some don't (back of the chair as you say). What do you want us to do? Refuse to comply with company policy because people might think we are important? We wear the uniform we are supplied to do the job we are asked to do. What matters is that we do our jobs to the best of our abilities and do what's needed to keep things running. We are only important to those who need us. What clothing we wear is irrelevant to that.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

The policy has changed recently and far fewer staff now wear hi-viz, it is generally only dispatchers now, and they wear orange rather than yellow hi-viz now.

I think it's mostly orange for dispatch and mixed for other grades like Passenger Assistance etc. At least that is what it is at Reading anyway.

 

[anthony263]

Thanks TM. Once they did the in-cab shots I worked it out. I know it's an imperfect show but I thoroughly enjoy it.

And I'm booking my first trip on the night riverea following tonights episode!

JW

I do think you will enjoy it since I have used it on a few occasions from Exeter St Davids or Taunton to London. If you are heading towards London the train often especially when I have used it arrived into Paddington a good 22 minutes early.

 

[Michael.Y]

It's like a coat. It's easier to wear it (which is what it's designed to do) rather than take it off and carry it around, especially if you've got walkie talkies, first aid kits etc attached.

 

[Temple Meads]

But when you have a member of staff doing both Dispatch and Tickets then it is by no means over the top. I assume that this is the situation referred to.

In the case of dual roles it's absolutely fine, I was thinking of dedicated ticket office staff.

 

[FGW_DID]

One thing which amazed me from tonight's show - If somebody had just put the windows through on my station, I certainly wouldn't be making them or their partner a cup of tea!

 

[musicking1306]

One thing which amazed me from tonight's show - If somebody had just put the windows through on my station, I certainly wouldn't be making them or their partner a cup of tea!

I would imagine that they would be charged later. For the window and the tea.

 

[Muzer]

More worrying is that the online journey planners (FGW and SWT for example) are also saying the last valid train is at 02:24



Filming was during the summer, and certainly no longer ago than Easter weekend (ie when the Western entrance opened).
Didn't the change take place a good while ago?

That's pretty awful. Has anyone complained to PF/whomever will listen?

 

[TEW]

I think it's mostly orange for dispatch and mixed for other grades like Passenger Assistance etc. At least that is what it is at Reading anyway.

Passenger Assistance etc used to have the mixed ones round here, or sometimes orange (dispatch used to be yellow) but they normally just wear uniform now. Same with gateline staff, they used to wear mixed hi-viz, but now wear none. Obviously if the staff still have a variety of duties which include dispatch they'll normally have a hi-viz.

 

[Flamingo]

One thing which amazed me from tonight's show - If somebody had just put the windows through on my station, I certainly wouldn't be making them or their partner a cup of tea!

Giving First Aid would not be too high on my list, either