New South Western franchise: Awarded to First/MTR

[adrock1976]

I'm trying to work out what training would be necessary for someone who works on the south western rail network in an important job compiling information for the public, but cannot spell at least two of its major destinations, doesn't know where Clapham is in relation to Waterloo and Woking, and doesn't check their work before it goes to be printed and distributed. I think such a person is so far away from what the job requires that training would be an unrealistic waste of time.

But I agree with you that being customer assistant at Vauxhall might also tax this person's abilities and commitment. Can you suggest a more suitable station to which they should be re-located?

If it had not transferred to London Underground in 1994, how about relocating to "The Drain" for a few months?

Oh yes. Operationally it would make things a lot more flexible.

Mind you binning the ACs and replacing them with TCs would improve things considerably too.

Could it be explained please what the bolded abbreviations/acronyms are? I believe it is mentioned among the "Forum Rules" section that abbreviations and acronyms are not to be used without first saying what they mean.

 

[Kite159]

The Managing Director of SWR was talking to employees at London Waterloo in relation to the launch event and a lot of the employees didn't know who he was until he introduced himself

You will probably find that in other businesses in the country, the front line staff have more important things to do than to remember the name of the MD.

If my employer's CEO walked around the place I worked most of us 'minions' will have no idea who he is.

Anyhow with the big launch tomorrow, I'm guessing some more details about the proposals about cutting journey times will come out?

 

[bb21]

Looks like the new franchisee have acted quickly.

One extra peak service to/from Reading each day (2C87/2C88) already implemented since the blockade.

 

[ModernRailways]

 

[bb21]

...

You may want to credit the photographer accordingly.

 

[spark001uk]

I'm guessing this and this is the above unit arriving/leaving?

 

[antharro]

Interesting pics, thanks for posting. Pleased they used 040 - it's about my favourite 444 unit. Intrigued what the interior looks like - guess I'll have to wait until later! Unfortunately I won't be able to make it to the event so I'll miss out on the goody bag!

edit: No changes to the interior, at least not for tomorrow. (See here).

 

[eman_resu]

Oh yes. Operationally it would make things a lot more flexible.

Mind you binning the ACs and replacing them with TCs would improve things considerably too.

I'll take a punt;

Axle Counters
Track Circuits

 

[TEW]

Looks like the new franchisee have acted quickly.

One extra peak service to/from Reading each day (2C87/2C88) already implemented since the blockade.

Been planned for a long time, not connected to the franchise change.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Can't decide if I like that or not, but the diagonal stripes do remind me of NatEx coaches. Needs a yellow stripe for 1st.

 

[Schweir]

I see they have launched some offers on their website:

- 5x nectar points (i.e 10 points per £1):
https://www.southwesternrailway.com/destinations-and-offers/offers/5-x-nectar-points

- Half price advanced tickets
https://www.southwesternrailway.com/destinations-and-offers/offers/launch-offer

 

[Goldfish62]

Looks like the new franchisee have acted quickly.

One extra peak service to/from Reading each day (2C87/2C88) already implemented since the blockade.

I think you'll find they would have come in any way.

They're only three years late. The second of the two pairs that DfT announced in 2011 would be introduced in 2014. I believe that P20 has to be permanently open to provide suffice capacity, which it is now.

 

[infobleep]

So what goody bag have they been have been handing out this morning?

I see there are five signalling; track or train fault issues this morning and not one of them explained a why the 8.12 Clapham Junction to Weymouth service used platform 11 today. A train to Portsmouth via Basingstoke did pass through platform 9 shortly after so that was still being used.

The Weymouth train wasn't the only service on the board diverted to use platform 11.

Hopefully these issues won't overshadow the launch too much. I know they are not all SWR faults but that some people ignore such minor details.

 

[Goldfish62]

So what goody bag have they been have been handing out this morning?

I see there are five signalling; track or train fault issues this morning and not one of them explained a why the 8.12 Clapham Junction to Weymouth service used platform 11 today. A train to Portsmouth via Basingstoke did pass through platform 9 shortly after so that was still being used.

The Weymouth train wasn't the only service on the board diverted to use platform 11.

Hopefully these issues won't overshadow the launch too much. I know they are not all SWR faults but that some people ignore such minor details.

My train has just run wrong line through Ashford, which we'd previously passed over an hour ago. Glad it's the first day of Delay Repay.

 

[Clip]

ooh I do like that livery.

 

[bb21]

I think you'll find they would have come in any way.

They're only three years late. The second of the two pairs that DfT announced in 2011 would be introduced in 2014. I believe that P20 has to be permanently open to provide suffice capacity, which it is now.

You try and put a positive spin on something, nevertheless...

 

[43096]

Been planned for a long time, not connected to the franchise change.

Correct. It was a Stagecoach plan that they couldn't implement as they lost Platform 20 at Waterloo. AIUI P20 remains open during the next phase of the Waterloo ex-International rebuild with access via P19.

 

[spark001uk]

So the 30min delay repay starts today, and the network has descended into complete chaos in the very same morning rush.

Could not make it up.

I'm just off to WAT to see the new unit. WHEN I get there.
Compensation anyone? Form an orderly queue.

 

[Kite159]

I see they have launched some offers on their website:

- 5x nectar points (i.e 10 points per £1):
https://www.southwesternrailway.com/destinations-and-offers/offers/5-x-nectar-points

- Half price advanced tickets
https://www.southwesternrailway.com/destinations-and-offers/offers/launch-offer

Looks like I shall have to double back to Salisbury in order to take advantage of those advance fares...

I can see some of the more dodgy characters of Andover buying advances to Salisbury and then 'breaking' their journey to save some money.

 

[spark001uk]

Looks like I shall have to double back to Salisbury in order to take advantage of those advance fares...

I can see some of the more dodgy characters of Andover buying advances to Salisbury and then 'breaking' their journey to save some money.

And perfectly legally they can.

I wouldn't say they were dodgy, it's not the pax fault that the fares system is full of these quirks.

 

[Kite159]

And perfectly legally they can.

I wouldn't say they were dodgy, it's not the pax fault that the fares system is full of these quirks.

Breaking a journey on an advance ticket? (when there is a clear financial benefit).

I wonder if SWR will re-introduce availability for VTWC + connection tickets for the early morning services on Saturday which only get busy-ish at Basingstoke due to the service from Southampton turning into a stopping service after Basingstoke.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

3Z00 is on it's way to Waterloo for the unveiling. I expect that the formal reveal of the new livery will feature on South Today and whatever the local BBC news shows are for London and the West Country

 

[infobleep]

And perfectly legally they can.

I wouldn't say they were dodgy, it's not the pax fault that the fares system is full of these quirks.

One is not allowed to break a journey on an advanced purchase ticket.

I did a search for Guildford to Poole and no advances found. I wonder how many stations get advance tickets for sale vers number of stations SWR serve? Waterloo to Poole had advanced tickets so they did exist. One could travel to Waterloo first, if they happened to hold a season ticket and then travel down. Only another 40+ minutes onto the journey time but still cheaper.

In fact even without a season ticket to Waterloo it might be cheaper. I've not checked though.

 

[spark001uk]

Well I'm 45min down so far, so well into repay time, and just been informed of more possible hold up at the inevitable bottleneck into Waterloo! What a wonderful start to their launch, and repay scheme!

Just seen the SWR unit waiting in the wings at Wimbledon for its cue.

Edit: Left now, via point pleasant.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Just seen the SWR unit waiting in the wings at Wimbledon for its cue.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/Q24956/2017/09/04/advanced

That's it there, 3Z00

 

[spark001uk]

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/Q24956/2017/09/04/advanced

That's it there, 3Z00

I got a poor photo of it at Wimbledon pk, see above

 

[Bletchleyite]

Well I'm 45min down so far, so well into repay time, and just been informed of more possible hold up at the inevitable bottleneck into Waterloo! What a wonderful start to their launch, and repay scheme!

Just seen the SWR unit waiting in the wings at Wimbledon for its cue.

Edit: Left now, via point pleasant.

On balance, I think the shape of the livery looks fine, but it looks incredibly dull being basically only grey.

The colour scheme includes light blue. While it'd look a bit like the old Southeastern livery, I think light blue doors instead of grey would make it look decent.

 

[spark001uk]

Just passed it, it's stuck in p1 at vx now amongst the congestion.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Just passed it, it's stuck in p1 at vx now amongst the congestion.

I'm I'm interpreting the map on OpenTrainTimes correctly 3Z00 is waiting for 2C24 to move out of the way, which in turn is waiting for 2V27 to depart from platform 20

 

[waterboo]

On a side note, does anybody know why platform 9 is shut according to open train maps?
EDIT : Sorry, I typed the wrong platform in originally