Recent content by irish_rail

And yet I have a normal BMI, not overweight, and find the metal bar highly noticeable and annoying, so not so sure the idea that the heavier you are the more you notice it rings true.

Sorry, that's completely inaccurate (the GWR stuff anyhow). I often overhear complaints whilst travelling about the poor quality seating. Many people I know (with no railway interest other than being punters) always comment on the seats, and especially the metal bar issue. Even Mark Hopwood...

I'd agree that far too many 5 car sets being foisted on the Western is one of the biggest issues (that and the GWR standard class seats!). But overall I think they are decent trains, just need to get the engine reliability up a bit.

My advice, report it to either the guard / driver / or online immediately. My own cautionary tale explains why. Back in Feb 2007, I was travelling to Scotland one afternoon on a Voyager up the WCML. Heading through Lakeland, I went for a quick toilet trip, but whilst standing in the toilet I...

And rumour has it that no more drivers are to be trained on 175s once those currently on courses are finished (at Plymouth anyway, unsure if this applies to all depots). This is totally at odds with what we where told a couple of weeks ago, and so does beg the question are GWR now realising the...

Yes and committed Sundays are awful from the staff's point of view. When we hear that Anglia are getting cushy deals for Sundays within the working week, it inevitably makes those in the West slightly envious.

Well you can be sure GWR drivers are most certainly not failing these for the fun of it. They are being failed with genuine problems. Some may not realise this, but the appalling performance of the 175s has had a really negative effect on some GWR crews. I've spoken to a couple of drivers lately...

No. No one at GWR has Sunday in the working week. The newer drivers have a commitment to have to work them (ie enforced overtime), however in practice it isn't remotely enforceable and to my knowledge no one has ever been disciplined for not coming to work on a sunday.

So, the following do NOT have Sunday in the working week. Avanti WEST Coast Great WESTERN WEST Midlands Railway North WESTERN part of Northern I'm noticing a common theme here. Less a north south divide, but very much an east west one.

Funnily enough Mr Hopwood was very nearly late for said interview, because, you guessed it, he was on the sleepers stuck behind the failed 175111!

Sorry meant to write "HSS contingent at"

Loads of drivers still to train up, all of the HSS continent and Plymouth and Penzance, plus plenty of drivers at Exeter. A long way to go yet. And with 175111 failing yet again today, we are a long way off seeing anything improving unfortunately.

Possible connection to shunters at Laira working to rule.

Which begs the question, why is DFT happy to give this concession to some TOCs but not GWR? Are the GWR customers less important in the DFTs plans?

An offer was made to the DFT exactly one year ago, where GWR drivers (both high speed and former West and LTV) would have Sundays moved into the working week. It was agreed by management and Aslef. Unfortunately (to my knowledge), one year later and DFT are still refusing to authorise it. So to...