New South Western franchise: Awarded to First/MTR

[PudseyBearHST]

Well I'm at Datchet now. And the screen says:
"Goodbye from South West Trains. SWT. 1996 - 2017"

 

[GW43125]

SSWT is older than me. I've grown up with them and always (usually) enjoyed the journeys. They've done a brilliant job in my view, including with my commute which saw only 10 PPM failures in six months at one point (even though about 5 of those weren't their fault-be it a passcomm/egress or someone going for a walk). It's a shame to see them go and I'm not too keen on First taking over. I guess we shall have to wait and see what happens. They've certainly got high standards to meet.

Thank you SSWT. 1996-2017.

 

[Agent_Squash]

I've only had limited experiences in SWT land, but I've always received a good service. They really have tried to go the extra mile in many cases to deliver a better experience from what I've seen - just recently, the guy manning the barriers at Winchester (something I never normally see on SN) really went the extra mile to help my mum, who had just missed her train with an Advance ticket.

That said, you could never imagine GTR having the same send off as SWT...

 

[PudseyBearHST]

5 minutes later... and I'm at Windsor. Train was almost empty. I was on the third coach and no-one came behind me at Windsor (apart from the guard).

The guard made an announcement but unfortunately the PA system was very poor that I couldn't hear most of it. I made out him saying, "on behalf of South West Trains" but that's about it. I was interested to know whether or not the guard would comment about it being the last day for Stagecoach SWT.

 

[Thisisajm]

Keep seeing 1996-2017 on Twitter.
Makes me sad, feels like there's been a death.

 

[PudseyBearHST]

Keep seeing 1996-2017 on Twitter.
Makes me sad, feels like there's been a death.

Very true. Even seeing 'Goodbye SWT' at the station was quite sad ;(

 

[Thisisajm]

I will certainly miss the livery of a 450.

 

[Any_Permitted]

Took the last ever South West Trains service from Portsmouth Harbour to London Waterloo. Left Portsmouth Harbour at 22:19. If anyone is interested in the experience:

-The person announcing departures at the station mentioned that this was the last ever South West Trains service to London Waterloo. Upon alighting at Petersfield, the automated passenger information board also said this.

-The train carriages said "Goodbye SWT 1996-2017" (picture attached below).

-All the departure boards said:

Goodbye from South West Trains
SWT
1996 - 2017

It was actually quite sad! I hadn't planned to travel specifically today; I just happened to be returning home by train from Southampton. As long as I've been alive its been South West Trains. The staff have all been brilliant - never had a ticketing dispute and members of staff often helped me find out which train I needed to get etc. Have been lucky not to have experienced any major delays with them. I shall miss South West Trains, and I hope South Western Railway lives up to the high bar that has been set.

 

[KashmireHawker]

I've only been on SWT 3 times, but each of the trips (the 1st one being for about 5 minutes from Vaxuhall to Clapham Junction on the start of a trip to Labour Conference in 2015) - have IMO been of a good and uncomplainable service. A 21 year run in these days it must be said is severely impressive: a point of which I feel quite a few will accept.

Twitter is an emotional state of passengers and enthusiasts now that the regular daily moaners have probably gone to shut eye, which is a lovely sight.

I won't be for the record however be wishing Govia any wishes though when London Midland dies on December 10th...

 

[theironroad]

As a driver for SWT for the last 16 years and and employed by swt since 1997, I guess 0159hrs, 20 August 2017 is a landmark moment as the official end of this franchise. As 0200hrs, 20 August commences with a new employer, a new era begins.

However, as a believer that the railways should be in full public ownership, I'm not overly excited by a change in parent company.

I can only hope that passengers and staff see improvements in the future......

 

[Monty]

Soon to be a footnote in history, not quite sure what to think to be honest..

 

[AlexNL]

Looks like the changeover process has been started... SWT website is currently "undergoing maintenance" and as a result, it's not possible to buy tickets online.

 

[Thisisajm]

Sorry to be a pain, I've been dipping in and out of the thread.
Do SWR propose any changes to routes via Hedge End?

 

[PudseyBearHST]

Looks like the changeover process has been started... SWT website is currently "undergoing maintenance" and as a result, it's not possible to buy tickets online.

Yup. Some managers will be working a night shift today to oversee the changeover.

 

[theironroad]

I love fact that in the final days and hours that stagecoach swt have given season ticket holders two weeks of refunds via void days and also that next Thursday's service is decimated to the equivalent of the 75% reduction of normal weekday servide ( the planned 25/8 service.)

If you plan travelling on Thursday 24/8 to/from Waterloo, use the date 25/8 in any journey planners to get accurate timings.

 

[AlexNL]

What surprises me is that First/MTR still haven't shared any information about the new operator. With less than 90 minutes to go until the end of the SSWT era, First/MTR haven't even publicly confirmed the name of the new operator yet!

 

[theironroad]

What surprises me is that First/MTR still haven't shared any information about the new operator. With less than 90 minutes to go until the end of the SSWT era, First/MTR haven't even publicly confirmed the name of the new operator yet!

www.southwesternrailway.com will be your friendly rail operator before you know it.......

 

[LOL The Irony]

The 1B01 is at Platform according to Realtime Trains

 

[Thisisajm]

What surprises me is that First/MTR still haven't shared any information about the new operator. With less than 90 minutes to go until the end of the SSWT era, First/MTR haven't even publicly confirmed the name of the new operator yet!

I'm shocked we still don't have a website.

Unless SWT are going to put in a redirect, where are people going to do?

SEO doesn't necessarily happen overnight.

 

[Thisisajm]

deleted

 

[LOL The Irony]

https://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/ This is the website now. Huge banner telling us to come back at 4am for tickets

 

[theironroad]

The 1B01 is at Platform according to Realtime Trains

The latest swt service is the 0142 from waterloo to surbiton

 

[spark001uk]

Last SWT services on the Chertsey branch:
2S80 WYB-SNS 458529 + 458535
2S77 WAT-WYB 458511 + 458519

SWT. They did OK. Put it this way I've been inconvenienced way more on FGW/GWR.

 

[LOL The Irony]

I looked for it but RTT isn't playing ball XD

 

[BestWestern]

Last departure ever, 2K79 the 01.42, is leaving from Waterloo platform 20. Platform 17 for the penultimate, 1B01 the 01.05 to Basingstoke.

 

[PudseyBearHST]

Unfortunately doesn't look like everyone will be missing Stagecoach South West Trains. I've just discovered an anti-SWT twitter account:

https://mobile.twitter.com/swtrains_watch

And here are a list of failures according to them:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DGTNU5fUwAAE7hE?format=jpg

 

[BestWestern]

Good night SWT...

 

[spark001uk]

I looked for it but RTT isn't playing ball XD

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/W36908/2017/08/20/advanced

This what you're looking for?

 

[Thisisajm]

Unfortunately doesn't look like everyone will be missing Stagecoach South West Trains. I've just discovered an anti-SWT twitter account:

https://mobile.twitter.com/swtrains_watch

And here are a list of failures according to them:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DGTNU5fUwAAE7hE?format=jpg

I can't wait to laugh when the new operator does no better.

 

[PudseyBearHST]

"The server is too busy at the moment. Please try again later."

I kept getting this the last few minutes on rail forums. Looks like there's a lot of members online (?)