The Railway: First Great Western on Channel 5

[Lockwood]

What line are you commuting on? According to the independent figures, our worst performing lines average around 88% on time, so out of every 10 trains, around 9 will be on-time.

Or do you only notice the ones that are late?

I'll say that as I sit at Portsmouth and Southsea, a common thing to hear is the "We are sorry to announce that the 12:34[sup]*[/sup] First Great Western Service to Portsmouth Harbour has been delayed by zz minutes." announcement.

Yes, I know it's coming from another country and has several junctions that it passes over. It just seems a lot more common to hear that than at 12:34 hearing "The train now approaching platform 2 is the 12:34 First Great Western service to Portsmouth Harbour, calling at Portsmouth Harbour only"

[sup]* I don't think there is actually a 12:34 service. Please don't hit me with a rolled up timetable[/sup]

 

[martybabes]

Tight? Is it even a connection? The Marlow is booked in @ 1729 on platform 5. The HST on 2 is out @ 1730

If a train is due to arrive before another is due to depart, I'd say that was a connection, albeit a bit tight. Of course, it would be helpful to passengers (customers) if the HST could leave just a minute or so later.

Oh, just a moment, what am I saying? Helpful - lol

 

[TheEdge]

Minimum connection time for it to be an official connection is 5 minutes. Nothing stopping people trying to go for tighter ones but for official purposes (compensation, complaints etc) there must be at least 5 minutes between trains.

And I really don't know how many more times it needs to be said that trains cannot just be held at one station for an extra minute with no impact.

 

[Captain Chaos]

But the minimum connection time at Maidenhead is 3 minutes (for branch line purposes). I would never consider a 60 second gap (well, 20 including locking of doors) a connection. I'd see it as a bonus if I catch it.

I hear what you're saying about waiting for another minute or two. The train in question is a HST service from Taunton so it's more a question of whether it can be pathed to run later or if it can dwell at Maidenhead. Though having a HST dwelling at a station during rush hour for a couple of extra minutes may be more problematic than it sounds.

 

[GodAtum]

Considering the Marlow train is every hour and on a shuttle service (i think), having it timetabled a few mins earlier I dont think it would have any impact?

 

[Captain Chaos]

Considering the Marlow train is every hour and on a shuttle service (i think), having it timetabled a few mins earlier I dont think it would have any impact?

You would need to re-time the 1640 that forms it first then. I don't know why it leaves at that time. I think it might be to do with the train from Paddington. Can't remember now. I'm the Guard on it Tuesday anyway. I can make some notes I guess.

It would require a re-time till 1637 and maintain the turn-around of 3 minutes at Marlow instead of the usual 5 minutes I reckon.

 

[Flamingo]

Ok, we've gone from always late to missing a train it's not booked to connect with. As others have said, there is no way services can be held without consequences which may not be obvious, but are present.

 

[Crossover]

Was the mention about the "commuter" who sent lots of emails to the MD for every minute of delay he encountered the same person who published it into a book...or are there 2 nutters out there?

 

[martybabes]

...a train it's not booked to connect with

Can you explain this please? I'm not in the industry so I don't know what this means.

 

[anthony263]

Was the mention about the "commuter" who sent lots of emails to the MD for every minute of delay he encountered the same person who published it into a book...or are there 2 nutters out there?

Yes I think it is the same person
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Can you explain this please? I'm not in the industry so I don't know what this means.

My understanding is there is a certain allowance given at a lot of stations for passengers to connect between different services. At Cardiff Central for example the connection time is 7 minutes and I believe it is the same or close at Bristol Temple Meads.

If a train arrives within that allowance, then it should show as a official connection a godd example if you look to travel from Swansea to say Newcastle via Bristol TM it will show the journey between Swansea and London and then another showing Bristol Parkway to Newcastle.

If the train arrives at say Bristol Temple Meads on time but at 4 minutes before the service to London departs then it will not be an official connection.

I know someone who commutes from Pontyclun to Llanishen. The service from Pontyclun arrives into Cardiff Central (platform 2) at 06:42/06:43 so he then has to get over to platform 6 to get the 06:46 service to Bargoed. If you hurry you can make this connection however Arriva Trains Wales journey check will not show it as an offical connection due to the short time to connect between the two services. The actual connection is with the 06:51 Coryton service

 

[trainophile]

I wonder if any platform allocation attempt is made to have trains arriving within a couple of minutes of the departure of another popular service given adjacent platforms, at least on island-type station layouts. This could be workable at large interchange stations where there are many platforms to choose from, but I imagine the logistics of such an exercise would prohibit it.

Of course one person's connecting train would not be the same as another's, but if it was even viable just for services known for mass interchange connections, and with close timings, that could help unnecessary hanging around for the next one because the aimed-for one is missed by a few seconds.

Also at larger stations there might be a few trains scheduled out all within a couple of minutes of eachother, so which ones get priority allocation of adjacent platforms? Scuppers my idea in that situation.

I haven't put that very well but I hope it makes sense.

 

[Birdbrain]

A useful example of this is at Exeter St Davids. The west of England line train arrives on platform 3 at xx42 and the Plymouth/Penzance XC service leaves at xx43 from platform 4. Only ever missed it once.

 

[Roverman]

You could have a 15 minute gap between two trains and it still wouldn't be enough time to make the connection thanks to some TOCS and their stations operate!

I was on the 19:54 Southern service from WFJ to CLJ last Friday evening and I had 5 minutes to go from Platform 17 to Platform 13 to catch the 20:38 to TBD, it arrived 1 minute late at WFJ and proceeded towards CLJ at what can only be described as a leisurely pace, it stopped several times and at one time all the lights went, which did not help the mood of the passengers on the train! It limped into CLJ at 20:39 with the conductor to busy cracking jokes about leaving prosthetic limbs on board to actually explain or apologise for the delay. He even intimated that the 20:38 had been held back for passengers by suggesting we get over to Platform 13 sharpish. We did and it had not.

 

[1e10]

The first of twelve installments is on 29/8/13 at 20:00

In What's On TV this week the programme was listed as being episode 6 of 8. How sure can we be that there are 12 episodes to this series?

 

[Darandio]

I've seen it listed as only 8 episodes in every publication I have read recently, along with online guides.

 

[martybabes]

anthony263 - many thanks

 

[VauxhallandI]

A tad confused.

If a train is due to leave at x and we have the early door shutting policies etc.

My train arrives normally at the exact time it is listed to leave and shuts the doors in seconds so does that mean it is technically late every day? Should it not arrive a minute earlier than advertised?

I am aware what a TOC calls late is different to the rest of the world.

 

[Trainfan344]

I think the 40 second rule is a guide so that at big interchange stations on the mainlines they can get a train away on time, the idea being that if you advertise doors closing early then people will arrive on the platform earlier and not having to make a last minuite rush for the train.

 

[FGW_DID]

The doors aren't closed early, speaking from my experience, the doors are closed / locked 40 seconds prior to the departure time to enable the platform staff/ guard to perform the necessary safety checks prior to giving the right away to the driver.

If a train is advertised to depart at (for example) 1500 this when the wheels start moving and to do that we need the doors shut, locked and checked. I don't think 40 seconds is too much to ask (especially when you have an 8 car slam door HST to check)!

Bottom line is someone's life (and the staff's liberty) depends on those checks being carried out!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

A tad confused.

If a train is due to leave at x and we have the early door shutting policies etc.

My train arrives normally at the exact time it is listed to leave and shuts the doors in seconds so does that mean it is technically late every day? Should it not arrive a minute earlier than advertised?

I am aware what a TOC calls late is different to the rest of the world.

Depends what the station dwell time is, my previous station, most services were allowed 2 mins so for example the 1947 departure should arrive at 1945. If the train arrived at 1947 the station work would be completed as quickly as possible to ensure a departure as near to 1947 as possible.
So technically it would be departing late but if it was within the two minutes at least we wouldn't cop any delay minutes for it.

Hopefully that makes sense.

 

[455driver]

In What's On TV this week the programme was listed as being episode 6 of 8. How sure can we be that there are 12 episodes to this series?

They were filming this week at Exeter and that is going to be broadcast in 3 weeks time, that is the last episode according to the film crew.

 

[anthony263]

I heard somewhere that it was originally going to be 12 episode sthen it was decided to cut it to just 8 episodes.

I suppose it could be that they could make a 2nd series if this series is as popular as it looks to be based on what I have seen on this and other railway forums.

Mind you it does have a good following from Non-railway enthusiasts so that helps

 

[bnm]

The production company say on their website that it is 8x 60 minutes. Having made and edited the episodes I guess they'd be best placed to know!

 

[maniacmartin]

I couldn't work out why at the customer complaints/feedback centre in Plymouth they were tryign to work out if a connecting flgiht was to Spain or through to Chile and talking about the cost of that and of refunds, given that they don't refund consequential loss anyway.

 

[Darandio]

I couldn't work out why at the customer complaints/feedback centre in Plymouth they were tryign to work out if a connecting flgiht was to Spain or through to Chile and talking about the cost of that and of refunds, given that they don't refund consequential loss anyway.

I can only imagine that it was a result of the day in question, people stuck on trains for 6 hours+ etc. As the guy said 'we ruined their Sunday'.

 

[455driver]

I couldn't work out why at the customer complaints/feedback centre in Plymouth they were tryign to work out if a connecting flgiht was to Spain or through to Chile and talking about the cost of that and of refunds, given that they don't refund consequential loss anyway.

Because in exceptional circumstances they will!
The day in question was exceptional.

 

[Harbon 1]

Is there a massive event on EVERY week in the south west?

 

[GodAtum]

Is there a massive event on EVERY week in the south west?

I was thinking the same thing! FGW only seem to deal with large events lol

 

[martybabes]

The doors aren't closed early, speaking from my experience, the doors are closed/locked 40 seconds prior to the departure time to enable the platform staff/ guard to perform the necessary safety checks prior to giving the right away to the driver.

Excuse me for being thick but doesn't early mean prior to?

 

[TheEdge]

I was thinking the same thing! FGW only seem to deal with large events lol

Today a day passes by unremarkably at Tiverton Parkway wouldn't make for good TV!

The "choas" at Castle Cary however is much more sporting.

 

[stut]

Really? Personally I can't, and even before I became rail staff I could never understand how people could turn up less than a minute before a train and become frustrated that the doors had closed. By all means chance it but if you cut it that fine then you should be half expecting to get the next one. If the connection is that tight then you either need to start with an earlier train or seriously consider how practicle your commute actually is!

Because you cannot control every aspect of your journey to the station, and there's only so much contingency time you can reasonably leave. The woman in question had a journey of well over an hour to reach the station, and there's a lot can go wrong in the time - and after a long journey with multiple things going wrong (an accident on the motorway, stuck behind a tractor, no parking spaces were there are usually plenty, etc) then you're going to be frustrated if you just get to the platform on time and see the train already locked.

I don't think she was right to take it out on the platform staff, but his patronising "should get out of bed earlier" speech was extremely rude. He has no idea what her journey consists of and why she is late.