New South Western franchise: Awarded to First/MTR

[Goldfish62]

Thank you. Was a nice leaving present from SWT to SWR. Especially as SWT had managed to avoid triggering it for (I think) c. 13 years.

Yes, together with declaring ten void days and switching off all the station ticket machines on the last day to secure revenue.

Yes, I certainly think they "managed" to avoid triggering very well. Seems that performance miraculously hung at 0.1‰ above the trigger many times recently, together with a corresponding increase in void days, the latter being cheaper for the company to bear.

 

[Kite159]

Not strictly relevant, but not worth its own thread, is there any plans to in the franchise spec to address the Romsey rocket services?

2 car 158s are completely unsuitable for the service, but where only 3 units are required it's not worth having a micro fleet of more suitable trains....

How would you address it?

Is there any chance GWR might take it back and run 3 car 150s on it?

Am I just being melodramatic?

The only time I've seen those services busy to the point where it can be classed as Full & Standing is during the high peaks on weekdays and on a Saturday during Christmas shopping season when a GWR service has been cancelled/delayed.

An easy way to boost seating availability is to ditch first class and make the services standard class only. The number of genuine First Class passengers on that route must be tiny

 

[bb21]

the latter being cheaper for the company to bear.

... therefore cheaper for the tax-payer. I doubt many people would be thrilled to fund your 5% discount through their taxes.

The only time I've seen those services busy to the point where it can be classed as Full & Standing is during the high peaks on weekdays and on a Saturday during Christmas shopping season when a GWR service has been cancelled/delayed.

An easy way to boost seating availability is to ditch first class and make the services standard class only. The number of genuine First Class passengers on that route must be tiny

All that route needs is strengthening on a couple of peak journeys, perhaps through some rejigging of 159 allocations during that period should availability become better. I wouldn't hold any breath for GWR spares to pick up the capacity.

 

[wibble]

...and switching off all the station ticket machines on the last day to secure revenue.

You'll have to explain that one... Revenue is allocated based on the ticket's issue date, not the sale date. Very few, if any, tickets would've been sold between 00:01 and 01:59 on 20 August.

 

[smilerish]

2 car 158s are completely unsuitable for the service, but where only 3 units are required it's not worth having a micro fleet of more suitable trains....

Interestingly, this service seems to have been exclusively 3-car 159's since the start of the Waterloo blockade. Maybe the stock was spare from reduced West Country services?

While there's plenty of space on the 158s for everyone that uses it, at peak times the dwell at stations is excessive thanks to the end doors. It occurred to me recently that maybe this route would work well with the '230s' (if they ever materialise) - but their top speed might cause problems on the Redbridge - Romsey - Salisbury stretch.

 

[Kite159]

... therefore cheaper for the tax-payer. I doubt many people would be thrilled to fund your 5% discount through their taxes.



All that route needs is strengthening on a couple of peak journeys, perhaps through some rejigging of 159 allocations during that period should availability become better. I wouldn't hold any breath for GWR spares to pick up the capacity.

I'm surprised nobody has had the idea using the rear unit of one of the peak time services which divides at Salisbury to form a through service (i.e. 1720 London - Exeter) mainly for the sake of being able to say "hey Romsey you now have a direct service to/from London"

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Smilerish, I think the 159s were used as the 158s were being used to strengthen Reading services & to allow at least an extra 10-carriage unit to run [when I was at Salisbury last Friday the 15:26 departure to London was being shown as "formed of 10 carriages" however it was only a 9 [with the unusual sight of a triple 158 being attached to the 159 from Exeter]

 

[pompeyfan]

I'm surprised nobody has had the idea using the rear unit of one of the peak time services which divides at Salisbury to form a through service (i.e. 1720 London - Exeter) mainly for the sake of being able to say "hey Romsey you now have a direct service to/from London"

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Smilerish, I think the 159s were used as the 158s were being used to strengthen Reading services & to allow at least an extra 10-carriage unit to run [when I was at Salisbury last Friday the 15:26 departure to London was being shown as "formed of 10 carriages" however it was only a 9 [with the unusual sight of a triple 158 being attached to the 159 from Exeter]

My issues with the stock isn't that it's full and standing, it's the dwell time coupled with the lack of bike space. Passengers certainly appreciated the 159 during the Waterloo block.

 

[MotorcycleAlan]

In my limited experience on this route, a problem is created by the locking out of the door behind the driver thus reducing exits by 25%. Was this an SWT specific policy that the new operator could scrap?

 

[Bletchleyite]

In my limited experience on this route, a problem is created by the locking out of the door behind the driver thus reducing exits by 25%. Was this an SWT specific policy that the new operator could scrap?

No, the 159s have done this since build. It's so they can access the track if necessary without putting passengers at risk. Newer build stock has a dedicated cab door.

 

[smilerish]

No, the 159s have done this since build. It's so they can access the track if necessary without putting passengers at risk. Newer build stock has a dedicated cab door.

And yet, I'm 90% certain that I've been on GWR 159s that don't have this door locked out...

 

[superalbs]

And yet, I'm 90% certain that I've been on GWR 159s that don't have this door locked out...

GWR 158s have their front doors in use, yet SWT 158s/159s, and GWR 150s do not.

 

[pompeyfan]

It's an agreement on the South Western that that door remains out of use because of the high amount of 3rd rail runnng. When GWR borrow SWR diesels the front door will also not work.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

iirc it was also the same with the 442s during their time at SWTs, no idea if it was part of the same agreement

 

[387star]

Yeah my 159 training consisted of being shown how to access the front door ! Useful for Dilton !and not to touch the sdo buttons

 

[Dougal2345]

WiFi on the 159s seems to have been broken with the franchise switch, bringing up "no user" circular errors

I've had no luck with Wi-Fi on the 444s or 450s since the franchise change. I get a revised SWR page (although still with a SWT graphic across the top) which only asks for an email address, no password - but whatever I try I get a 'Cannot login with user details' message. Have tried clearing cached stuff from my 'phone but with no luck...

 

[randompixel]

I've had no luck with Wi-Fi on the 444s or 450s since the franchise change. I get a revised SWR page (although still with a SWT graphic across the top) which only asks for an email address, no password - but whatever I try I get a 'Cannot login with user details' message. Have tried clearing cached stuff from my 'phone but with no luck...

Password has gone. I had a slightly different sign up but works fine for me.

 

[The Ham]

I'm surprised nobody has had the idea using the rear unit of one of the peak time services which divides at Salisbury to form a through service (i.e. 1720 London - Exeter) mainly for the sake of being able to say "hey Romsey you now have a direct service to/from London"

In the past when talking about electrification I have suggested that a 10 coach train (444) is run to Salisbury with half then running onto Yeovil and half going down to Romsey via Southampton (replacing the current Salisbury 6 services).

 

[Goldfish62]

You'll have to explain that one... Revenue is allocated based on the ticket's issue date, not the sale date. Very few, if any, tickets would've been sold between 00:01 and 01:59 on 20 August.

Information from a very senior person in the rail industry. I have no reason to doubt him however revenue might be allocated.

 

[Goldfish62]

Password has gone. I had a slightly different sign up but works fine for me.

Same here. If it gives the error message just tap connect again and it should work.

 

[embers25]

Interestingly, this service seems to have been exclusively 3-car 159's since the start of the Waterloo blockade. Maybe the stock was spare from reduced West Country services?

The 0510 from Exeter has remained 10 coaches vice 9 after the blockade (unusually leaving from Platform 4 at Salisbury today) so I'm wondering if the 159's may have remained on the Salisbury 6 in morning peak meaning extra capacity on both lines. I'm in the back coach of 10 today and exactly half the back coach is off the platform at Grateley, Andover and Overton and three quarters is off at Whitchurch so all these stations definitely don't fit 10 coaches! Not that I'm complaining as it means the back three remain more dead than they ever did until Basingstoke, making for an even more pleasant commute than before!

 

[Tom m]

I noticed that the toilets on the 458 trains don't seem to be locked out as regularly since swr took over

 

[bb21]

Information from a very senior person in the rail industry. I have no reason to doubt him however revenue might be allocated.

Some payment modes were switched off for a period in the final few days of the franchise (especially cash) to allow accounting to be completed and finalised. Nothing to do with revenue allocation.

 

[spark001uk]

I'm surprised they're not making a song and dance about the launch event, I'd have thought there'd been some advertising of it by now? Unless they're putting it back a bit further?

 

[nlogax]

I'm surprised they're not making a song and dance about the launch event, I'd have thought there'd been some advertising of it by now? Unless they're putting it back a bit further?

Are these things usually advertised in advance? My guess is it'll be some banners and giveaways on Waterloo concourse and the press will have some shots of the one newly-liveried 450. I can't see SWR going with a Branson-esque launch a la VTEC, especially on the first major commuting Monday after the summer hols..but let's see.

 

[ainsworth74]

For discussion over the RMT ballot around the role of guards please see this thread.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Has it been confirmed yet which Portsmouth station the new Weymouth-Portsmouth route will terminate at (Portsmouth Harbour or Portsmouth & Southsea)?

 

[moley]

Has it been confirmed yet which Portsmouth station the new Weymouth-Portsmouth route will terminate at (Portsmouth Harbour or Portsmouth & Southsea)?

The Weymouth to Southampton service will continue to Portsmouth & Southsea as the existing stopping service.

The new fast service will run between Southampton Crntral and Portsmouth Harbour.

 

[infobleep]

I'm surprised they're not making a song and dance about the launch event, I'd have thought there'd been some advertising of it by now? Unless they're putting it back a bit further?

Perhaps they have but only to the media as I'm sure that's who they are interested in most for this.

 

[Suraggu]

Are these things usually advertised in advance? My guess is it'll be some banners and giveaways on Waterloo concourse and the press will have some shots of the one newly-liveried 450. I can't see SWR going with a Branson-esque launch a la VTEC, especially on the first major commuting Monday after the summer hols..but let's see.

First group don't do fancy launches like Beardies lot so don't expect dancing girls, a man playing piano etc etc.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

The Weymouth to Southampton service will continue to Portsmouth & Southsea as the existing stopping service.

The new fast service will run between Southampton Crntral and Portsmouth Harbour.

If that's the case then don't know about anyone else but for me it makes it a waste of time as i may as well change at Southampton Central to the GWR service which does goto Portsmouth Harbour, where all the main tourist attractions are ferries (don't know which is best for the channel ferries as have never caught a channel ferry from Portsmouth) and bus station