theironroad
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I'd imagine only Fratton will sign them and not all links either.
Link 2 at Fratton signs the road to Poole, all they would have to learn is the depot at branksome.
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New South Western franchise: Awarded to First/MTR
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I'd imagine only Fratton will sign them and not all links either.
Link 2 at Fratton signs the road to Poole, all they would have to learn is the depot at branksome.
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HarleyDavidson
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It depends on how FG want to run things, hopefully it won't be as shortsighted as the pervious incumbent.
I'd have thought Guildford would too as it has more Portsmouth work than Woking, it also has more opportunities to divert and platform trains for crewing purposes than Woking too.
SpacePhoenix
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Once the Portsmouth-Weymouth services eventually start, will they primarily be run by link 2 at Fratton, once they've learned and signed between Poole and Weymouth?
I'd agree with the suggestion that link 2 at Fratton will do the 442s, as they also sign the new line, but I'd be surprised if they were the only drivers to get their hand on them? Guildford would be the logical choice surely?
Id imagine Weymouth and Bournemouth will hand over these new service to Fratton crew at either Bournemouth or even Southampton.
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bb21
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Andrew Mellors, Engineering Director and Deputy MD at GWR, unveiled as MD for the new franchise.
Mainline421
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Final set of SWT timetables now available https://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/plan-your-journey/planned-improvements/wswupgrade/faq2/ (except WoE services).
Interestingly still SWT branded despite the franchise changeover.
Interestingly still SWT branded despite the franchise changeover.
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Bletchleyite
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Probably just the cheapest option to use the existing templates.
swt_passenger
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Always the most likely scenario, I'd have thought. But the main thing is, being based at Fratton is a fairly good sign that they aren't going to be used on the Weymouth route - as some posters have been frantically speculating about...
godfreycomplex
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All of Fratton, Guildford, Woking, all of Bournemouth, Northam, Wimbledon Link 1 drivers and Waterloo commercial guards as a bare minimum to cover existing work over the Direct. Ideally Basingstoke and Farnham as well, as Basingstoke have work via Tapnage and Farnham work to Haslemere at present.
From a lever-pulling point of view, the sooner Fratton Links 3 & 2 have their route knowledge harmonised (and I don't mean harmonised downwards) the better.
Very tentative rumours have been heard of Weymouth getting a modest increase in complement, and the small number of GWR guards there being TUPEd to SWR; with SWR crew working to Westbury. Likewise rumours of Guildford taking over Redhill's Reading line work seem to be gaining traction
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Suraggu
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A wise choice if you ask me. The man deserved an MD position and glad he is leading the team.
swt_passenger
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Good that he's an engineer too, with the bulk of changes in the first few years going to be to the train fleet...
fairysdad
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Well, given that the existing franchise is still running the services until near the end of the work, I'd be more surprised to see them branded by the the new franchise.
What I'm wondering (and, to be fair, not just about these timetables but most) is why make them available to download, but not in a usable printable size?
HarleyDavidson
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Waterloo Link 3 is the only link to have Portsmouth work and then it's only 2 trips AM & last ones back (excl 2319).
In regards to the 442, although it makes sense in a flexibility aspect to have all of those crews sign the traction, do you think the business will financially justify it? I'm not asking whether they SHOULD or not, more WILL they or not?
Agreed Fratton link 3 need the New line, not so sure on Poole though.
Good news about Weymouth.
theironroad
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I'd take all that with a massive bunch of salt.
It's unlikely anyone but Fratton will sign them. The 442 proposal is only to replace fast on the Pompey direct to solve the heavy 450 problem on the direct. The proposal isn't to run them via Eastleigh or to Bournemouth, though as Fratton sign via Eastleigh then that route can be used for emergency and engineering diversions.
The Weymouth getting work to Yeovil has been around for at least 15 years and unlikely to change anytime soon.
godfreycomplex
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Fratton do about 70% or so of Portsmouth fasts. 20% or so are Guildford so they're more than likely going to sign them as well. As for the others they fill in the rest of the gaps. At the very least (with substantial re-timetabling) Guildford need to sign the traction as running the last up and first down by crew taxi-ing Fratton-Guildford is expensive and, frankly, rather daft. There needs to be spare crew at the London end of the network who sign the traction for all manner of reasons (which is why Waterloo link 1 sign 159s, for example), Fratton are definitely going to be short of crew at some point because all depots are, and all of Guildford sign the new line. So yeah, at least Guildford (as I say, only with substantial alteration of diagrams to get other crews off the diagrams). Probably a London depot as well, very possibly Wimbledon (Waterloo already have 159s and Poole work so it's only fair lads c'mon) In terms of business case it's mainly for service resilience I.E. avoidance of vast numbers of delay minutes when anything goes slightly awry. GWR have traction on cards all over their network that crews only see on a couple of jobs a day (HSTs at Gloucester, 153s at Fratton, 150s at Redhill) so there's a precedent, so I'd say it's likely to happen
Plus it's one extra traction, it's not exactly the WCML
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Goldfish62
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For anyone not going in via this link they're practically impossible to find on the website.
Suraggu
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After seeing the presentation carried out by the new franchise. They are renaming to South Western Railway with a new brand (Livery, Uniform etc)
Goldfish62
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Thanks for the update. Always seemed the most obvious new name.
It's a shame. I will be late to work during that period. They have got rid of the 0752 fast from Clapham to Guildford and moved it to 0808
And the fact they've been calling themselves 'South Western Railway' since it was announced that they won the franchise :roll:
But as a company name, not as a brand. The existing franchise isn't branded "Stagecoach South Western Trains", but that IS the name of the company.
Now, not the most important question, but I wonder if they'll edit together clips of Phil Sayer saying "South West Trains" and "Great Western Railway", or if they had enough foresight to get him to record "South Western Railway" before his passing, or if they'll just get rid of the TOC altogether (or do a large-scale overnight replacement of Phil in his entirety
).
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It's a shame. I will be late to work during that period. They have got rid of the 0752 fast from Clapham to Guildford and moved it to 0808
You wouldn't be late if you got the 0739.
3141
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But as a company name, not as a brand. The existing franchise isn't branded "Stagecoach South Western Trains", but that IS the name of the company.
Now, not the most important question, but I wonder if they'll edit together clips of Phil Sayer saying "South West Trains" and "Great Western Railway", or if they had enough foresight to get him to record "South Western Railway" before his passing, or if they'll just get rid of the TOC altogether (or do a large-scale overnight replacement of Phil in his entirety
I like Phil Sayer's voice, but when First/MTR were putting together their bid I doubt that the question of whose voice would be making the announcements was very far up their priority list. They could patch "South Western Railway" for announcements from the takeover date, since the timetable will be largely unchanged, but once they make major timetable changes I expect they will re-record the lot.
You wouldn't be late if you got the 0739.
Unfortunately I cannot get to the station that early from East Croydon.
That's awkward. I hope you have an understanding manager.
Firesprite
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Noted at Ely today, Only six 442's remain in the sidings.
Presumably they've moved ready to be refurbished? Though surely there'd be a song and dance about this and the company's involved.
That depends, it could be that it is better to move them quietly now, get one ready (external) for the launch of the franchise and then make a big thing of the work being done when the press can be shown around the inside of one.
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