143620 to Plymouth

[Aldaniti]

Next time they can cancel then and leave you no service?

I refer you to the post I posted above some hours ago.

 

[TEW]

So where are FGW going to magic this HST up from then to start the service on-time at Plymouth?

 

[Eagle]

I refer you to the post I posted above some hours ago.

What, the one about magicking a locomotive and carriage stock from thin air with an hour's notice?

You go ahead and keep on believing that would have been possible even under BR.

 

[Aldaniti]

What, the one about magicking a locomotive and carriage stock from thin air with an hour's notice?

You go ahead and keep on believing that would have been possible even under BR.

Here we go, send three and fourpence....:roll:

With the greatest respect, I've made my point, you either agree or disagree, no problems.

 

[Rich McLean]

If there was spare stock at Laira (LA), then a replacement HST could of been arranged, but only if it was booked for Plymouth HSS and a crew change was due. If there are no spare HST's at LA, which their often isn't during the week, then the only option is to either sub a unit from Exeter, or cancel it West of Plymouth altogether

The late HST would then of course end up as the spare, but this has its own issues, due to maintenance millage

 

[TEW]

That pair of services does have a crew change at Plymouth AFAIK, with a Plymouth crew getting off and another working the return. But as you say, there isn't normally a spare HST at Laira on a Weekday.

 

[irish_rail]

Re the above post, a Penzance crew work it in, with a Plymouth man taking it out at 15.00

For the record, im 99 percent sure there wasnt a spare HST on Laira that day, ready for quick activation, nor a spare driver to fetch it.....

 

[1e10]

Waffle! I was on platform 5 at Exeter St Davids at the time when 143620 arrived from Plymouth fully expected the worse and I was not disappointed, its was DANGEROUSLY overloaded. When the 143 stopped at Exeter there were so many people and their luggage crammed inside the doors and along the length of the 2 carriages that because of the internal pressure against the trains centre door it wouldn’t open when activated and I saw one of the passengers force one half of the door open with his hand and the passengers behind him then literally fell out through the half opened door. This was a serious health and safety issue believe you me.
Its no wonder that the conservative MP for Devonport Oliver Colvile yesterday called for a full debate on transport links to the South West in the House of Commons yesterday.

http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/Ply...nsport-links/story-20237106-detail/story.html


Two days earlier

Patrick McLoughlin today told the same Plymouth newspaper that the loss of the cities airport may mean inter-city rail connections need to be improved.

http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/x12/story-20223288-detail/story.html?afterReg=Y#ixzz2m0mM7jYm

I know First Great Western and their staff do the best they can with the limited resources they have but whether some posters on this thread like to admit it or not there are some very big ongoing issues with rail services west of Exeter to Plymouth and Cornwall now that need addressing which the government is now being made increasingly well aware off thanks to growing political pressure. Sweeping these problems under the carpet is no longer an option in the 21st century.

The service was dangerously overloaded you say?

- Did you alert a member of platform staff about the issue and raise your concerns about it with them?
- Did you take a picture to backup your fabricated claims after you'd frantically rushed home to alert the internet about the 'DANGEROUS' overcrowding of this service?
- Did any passengers actually on-board service complain about how they were travelling in dangerous conditions? If they were in so much danger why did they decide to remain on the train and continue with their journey?
- What could potentially happen that would cause harm to passengers on the train that could be directly attributed to the cramped conditions on the train?

This kind of stuff happens on the tube everyday. Despite the concept being alien to many, there is no danger in having to stand close to another human being on public transport. Heck I've seen this sort of thing a few times on XC services, I've never heard of someone getting injured because of the crowded service.

You have to laugh, this is how passengers on the privatised railway are now treated. British Rail would probably have taken their passengers all the way through to Plymouth and if the delay looked to become more significant, summoned a rake of stock to provide the return service. This isn't about minimising delays to passengers, its about maximising shareholder value. Unfortunately some people have become so used to the farcical railway we now have that they see FGW's actions here as positive! Its the system that's wrong.

Where do you want FGW to pull a HST from during the middle of the day? If they did have one they'd need to get crew to the station in a small space of time if they could ensure getting the replacement train away on time. They don't have spare train sets and crew hanging about and if they did, people would complain about them keeping a train in the depot doing nout all day when it could be out running additional services.

Sometimes trains become delayed and services have to altered/cancelled. If you get stuck in traffic in a car the Highways Agency don't have spare lanes/roads waiting that they can open. It would cost a fortune just like it would cost a fortune to keep spare trains, crew and paths on standby. The roads can't do miracles so why expect a miracle from the railway?

 

[Darandio]

so why expect a miracle from the railway?

They already said why, because 'BR did it!'

We all know they didn't of course, because they didn't have any stock lying around either. They were apparently so good that on the first sniff of the delay, they would procure, design and build a new train to provide cover, all in a couple of hours.

Staggering to see that when something pro-active is done, it still ain't good enough.

 

[YorkshireBear]

At least once a week serious BR Rose Tinted glasses appear.

 

[455driver]

I wish I hadnt started this thread now! :roll:

FGW had a train failure, managed to get a unit off maintenance early, a spare driver had just signed on and worked the unit to Plymouth and back to help the passengers and it still isnt good enough.

I bet if FGW just said "sod it you will have to wait an hour for the next train" nobody on here would have moaned but because they did everything possible to cover for a failure you are all bloody moaning about it!

As for "dangerously overloaded", have a look at any suburban train arriving on platform 10 at Clapham jn between 0800 and 0900 on a weekday (they are roughly every 3 minutes) and tell me this 143 was any worse than that! :roll:

 

[YorkshireBear]

I wish I hadnt started this thread now! :roll:

FGW had a train failure, managed to get a unit off maintenance early, a spare driver had just signed on and worked the unit to Plymouth and back to help the passengers and it still isnt good enough.

I bet if FGW just said "sod it you will have to wait an hour for the next train" nobody on here would have moaned but because they did everything possible to cover for a failure you are all bloody moaning about it!

As for "dangerously overloaded", have a look at any suburban train arriving on platform 10 at Clapham jn between 0800 and 0900 on a weekday (they are roughly every 3 minutes) and tell me this 143 was any worse than that! :roll:

Northern regularly get pictures saying dangerous overcrowding on the train this must be illegal and unsafe.

To their credit the tweeters are now allowed to reply with comments saying this is what happens everyday on the tube and it is considered okay. Then using the hashtag #ThinkTubeTrain

Trains are very rarely dangerously overcrowded.

 

[Goatboy]

Kudos to FGW. At least they bother, when XC turn a Voyager at Exeter or Newton they provide nothing at all.

 

[1e10]

Kudos to FGW. At least they bother, when XC turn a Voyager at Exeter or Newton they provide nothing at all.

To be fair XC don't have the stock to lay on extra services. They just about make do as it is..

 

[Goatboy]

They could provide taxis for those customers who arrive 2 hours 20 minutes late when they do it due to missing the last direct connection to Great Malvern each time it happens. Not that I am bitter or anything.

 

[1e10]

They could provide taxis for those customers who arrive 2 hours 20 minutes late when they do it due to missing the last direct connection to Great Malvern each time it happens. Not that I am bitter or anything.

Have you ever spoken to XC directly asking if a taxi would be available?

 

[bb21]

They could provide taxis for those customers who arrive 2 hours 20 minutes late when they do it due to missing the last direct connection to Great Malvern each time it happens. Not that I am bitter or anything.

Delay repay?

You will get all your money back.

 

[Goatboy]

Have you ever spoken to XC directly asking if a taxi would be available?

Yes - each time Cheltenham have rung XC control and had the request denied. It's happened three times now.

Delay repay?

You will get all your money back.

Nope, I use a Rover for the journey.

 

[bb21]

Nope, I use a Rover for the journey.

You should still get at least something.

 

[Goatboy]

You should still get at least something.

It's hardly with the bother though, last time I was in 7 in 15 which I used for just two return journeys meaning I'd have got about £9 back. It's annoying but then I guess thats the risk you take when you use alternative tickets to save some money over the ridiculously priced XC through fares.

That said I'd be in credit had I simply bought the comedy priced XC fares and used Delay Repay. Never mind.