387 used instead of 800/802

[AdamWW]

They don’t, the reservations on this service are just counted place reservations, which exist for advance tickets.

No, they do. I was sold one a few weeks ago.

And I just did this for a service which was stated above to be 387 operated and which GWR are only selling standard class tickets on.

 

[RJ]

Its only the 0950 from Cardiff that's booked for a pair of 387s. All other services, including ones that start at Cardiff, are IET booked.

Thanks for that, good to know!

 

[AdamWW]

Thanks for that, good to know!

You should be able to check by seeing if they sell first class tickets or not on the service.

Of course in principle they could change it on the day - but they could equally well replace an IET from Swansea with a 387 from Cardiff if necessary so I don't know you'd gain much assurance by sticking to Swansea services.

 

[RJ]

You should be able to check by seeing if they sell first class tickets or not on the service.

Of course in principle they could change it on the day - but they could equally well replace an IET from Swansea with a 387 from Cardiff if necessary so I don't know you'd gain much assurance by sticking to Swansea services.

That’s not business as usual though - I’m up and down three times a week and not come across that yet - at the moment it’s only a fraction of the chance of being caught up in a delay of at least 30 minutes.

Thanks for the tip on first class.

 

[Benjwri]

No, they do. I was sold one a few weeks ago.

And I just did this for a service which was stated above to be 387 operated and which GWR are only selling standard class tickets on.

View attachment 133193

Odd, the 0950 in weekdays is definitely counted place.

Looking at it I believe this had mistakenly been put in the system as an IET. There isn’t a coach J on that service, there are only 8 coaches and on an electrostar they are numbered rather than lettered. Not to mention there are only 56 seats per coach, so 72 is impossible.

 

[AdamWW]

Odd, the 0950 in weekdays is definitely counted place.

Looking at it I believe this had mistakenly been put in the system as an IET. There isn’t a coach J on that service, there are only 8 coaches and on an electrostar they are numbered rather than lettered. Not to mention there are only 56 seats per coach, so 72 is impossible.

But it is in the system as standard class only. Interesting.

I don't suppose anything can be done. As a non staff member I don't think I can raise this with someone who could take action, and in any case staff on the train must have had people complaining that their reserved seats don't exist.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

But it is in the system as standard class only. Interesting.

I don't suppose anything can be done. As a non staff member I don't think I can raise this with someone who could take action, and in any case staff on the train must have had people complaining that their reserved seats don't exist.

You’d be surprised how wide the readership of these forums is…

I‘ve brought it to the attention of a contact within the industry and it appears to be a data error which is now being corrected. When you travel you won’t find the seat numbered so I would recommend just boarding and finding a good seat. Nobody else will find their reservations either. It’s amazing how long it can take some of these sorts of things to get flagged up, as it’s likely been wrong in the system since December!

 

[AdamWW]

You’d be surprised how wide the readership of these forums is…

I‘ve brought it to the attention of a contact within the industry and it appears to be a data error which is now being corrected. When you travel you won’t find the seat numbered so I would recommend just boarding and finding a good seat. Nobody else will find their reservations either. It’s amazing how long it can take some of these sorts of things to get flagged up, as it’s likely been wrong in the system since December!

Well that's great if it's going to be fixed! My experience with GWR "customer service" suggests that I wouldn't have got very far with them.

The reservation I showed was just a test booking that I didn't go through with.
When I did travel on one I knew my reservation would be worthless and indeed did just find a decent seat.
I'm glad I wasn't getting on further down the line though. It did get a bit full.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

Well that's great if it's going to be fixed! My experience with GWR "customer service" suggests that I wouldn't have got very far with them.

The reservation I showed was just a test booking that I didn't go through with.
When I did travel on one I knew my reservation would be worthless and indeed did just find a decent seat.
I'm glad I wasn't getting on further down the line though. It did get a bit full.

It’s always worth flagging these things up. Sometimes even a seemingly generic response from a customer service team doesn‘t mean the issue hasn’t been raised internally

 

[AdamWW]

It’s always worth flagging these things up. Sometimes even a seemingly generic response from a customer service team doesn‘t mean the issue hasn’t been raised internally

I take the point but my recent encounter with GWR customer service was utterly depressing and the plan was pretty clearly just to say something - anything - no matter how ridiculous, in the hope that I'd go away.

And it is rather a while since I raised an issue with any TOC and saw them actually take any action.

 

[Benjwri]

I take the point but my recent encounter with GWR customer service was utterly depressing and the plan was pretty clearly just to say something - anything - no matter how ridiculous, in the hope that I'd go away.

And it is rather a while since I raised an issue with any TOC and saw them actually take any action.

To be fair they sorted the issue I raised with their PAYG system very quickly last month, they aren’t always bad.

 

[AdamWW]

To be fair they sorted the issue I raised with their PAYG system very quickly last month, they aren’t always bad.

I'm glad to hear it.

Unfortunately no matter how far up I got up the chain - including taking them to the Ombudsman - they stuck to a ridiculous position and wouldn't budge so it has rather put me off the idea of trying again, when I have nothing personally to gain.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

I think with any organisation there will be good and bad elements. I can’t speak for GWR customer service personally as I have no experience with them, but I doubt they're much different to any other TOC in the grand scheme of things, in average terms.

 

[Benjwri]

I'm glad to hear it.

Unfortunately no matter how far up I got up the chain - including taking them to the Ombudsman - they stuck to a ridiculous position and wouldn't budge so it has rather put me off the idea of trying again, when I have nothing personally to gain.

Fair enough, and to not give them too much credit I was reporting an issue which could’ve lost them a significant amount of money in fare evasion if it wasn’t fixed and people caught on.

 

[twitch7443]

To be fair they sorted the issue I raised with their PAYG system very quickly last month, they aren’t always bad.

it's a mixed bag with them. In the past they've been incredibly quick and helpful via Twitter, however via phone is a very different story... It is good to see that some issues that may get lost internally are seen here and brought up.

 

[AdamWW]

I think with any organisation there will be good and bad elements. I can’t speak for GWR customer service personally as I have no experience with them, but I doubt they're much different to any other TOC in the grand scheme of things, in average terms.

Unfortunately, on the two occasions I have pushed a complaint to a TOC up as far as I could - including taking it to the Ombudsman or Passenger Focus, at no point did anybody seem to be treating my complaint seriously. There seems to be a mindset that they must never back down even when they have come out with complete rubbish.

All organisations will have the bad elements. What distinguishes the good from the bad organisations is how they deal with them.

I have had good customer service when making complaints about transport - quick, non form responses that explained what had gone wrong and apologised for it. They have all been from bus companies - including one of the biggest in the UK. Make of that what you will.

 

[Flinn Reed]

Are 387s still used on any Mon-Fri services to Bristol/Cardiff?

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Are 387s still used on any Mon-Fri services to Bristol/Cardiff?

07.13 from Paddington to Cardiff and the 09.50 return on Mon-Fri.

 

[AdamWW]

Are 387s still used on any Mon-Fri services to Bristol/Cardiff?

Yes,

9:50 Cardiff to Paddington. Not sure when the incoming service leaves.

 

[The exile]

07.13 from Paddington to Cardiff and the 09.50 return on Mon-Fri.

Interesting - seem to remember that that was roughly the timings of the remaining loco-hauled service back in the early 90s (parcels 47 IIRC).

 

[ValleyLines142]

Is Bristol TM even possible for electric?

No, electrification is only to Chippenham.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Are 387s still used on any Mon-Fri services to Bristol/Cardiff?

My mid afternoon train on Saturday from Newport to Cardiff was a 387. I’d been looking forward to an IET hop too

 

[hexagon789]

My mid afternoon train on Saturday from Newport to Cardiff was a 387. I’d been looking forward to an IET hop too

The 1213 London Paddington (PAD) - Cardiff Central (CDF), 1404 off Newport, and 1441 CDF-PAD return on Saturdays are booked 387s. They have a lightning bolt symbol in the header column in GWR's own London/South Wales, they use to illustrate an 'Electrostar' operated service.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

The 1213 London Paddington (PAD) - Cardiff Central (CDF), 1404 off Newport, and 1441 CDF-PAD return on Saturdays are booked 387s. They have a lightning bolt symbol in the header column in GWR's own London/South Wales, they use to illustrate an 'Electrostar' operated service.

Yes, I know. Not great when you forget about them.

 

[RJ]

That 0950 train is always busy, one to avoid.

 

[theageofthetra]

That 0950 train is always busy, one to avoid.

I caught that at Newport yesterday and it didn't seem particularly busy, well not the rear coach anyway.