Ascot races 15 Oct

[Steve Bray]

What size of crowd attending Ascot races determines whether SWT adds extra trains?

For several days beforehand, the expected attendance was said to be 25,000 and whilst not everyone racegoer was going to be travelling by train from Waterloo, I feel that SWT badly underestimated demand. There was engineering work at Barnes which complicated matters, but trains were leaving Waterloo full and standing.

At least after the races, SWT made some attempt to provide extra seats by sending 4 carriages (off a Windsor line train?) from Staines to Ascot. This then returned as a 'Staines only' service at 1750 (though it left at 1801) from Ascot which then joined another unit at Staines. This must have been hastily arranged as the platform displays at Ascot station were finding it difficult to keep up or display correct information.

In my opinion, SWT could have done better.

 

[Matt Taylor]

With the line from Barnes to Clapham blocked by NR all traffic from Windsor and Reading had to use the Kingston loop in addition to the loop services and the Shepperton service, the stretch between Twickenham and New Malden was at full capacity handling the diverted traffic, there was no option of running more trains and those that did run were eight cars which is the maximum permitted.

I'm not sure what more SWT could have done.

 

[swt_passenger]

With the line from Barnes to Clapham blocked by NR all traffic from Windsor and Reading had to use the Kingston loop in addition to the loop services and the Shepperton service, the stretch between Twickenham and New Malden was at full capacity handling the diverted traffic, there was no option of running more trains and those that did run were eight cars which is the maximum permitted.

I'm not sure what more SWT could have done.

The real question should be asked of Network Rail. It isn't as if Ascot has races every weekend, however there may be other reasons why the engineering work had to happen on the relevant date. But not really fair to criticise SWT...

 

[87015]

The real question should be asked of Network Rail. It isn't as if Ascot has races every weekend, however there may be other reasons why the engineering work had to happen on the relevant date. But not really fair to criticise SWT...

Its the TOC's responsibility to contest engineering work if there are events going on, not NR. A major factor is the notice - by the time its got to DPPP at T-34 it really is the last chance to officially contest the possession and anything after that requires an accomodating NR person to change the block.

 

[swt_passenger]

Its the TOC's responsibility to contest engineering work if there are events going on, not NR. A major factor is the notice - by the time its got to DPPP at T-34 it really is the last chance to officially contest the possession and anything after that requires an accomodating NR person to change the block.

The other possibility is that 'ordinary' racing at Ascot isn't considered a major event - so NR and SWT don't plan to avoid it.

Clearly the 'Royal Ascot' dates are given special treatment, with extra trains being run...

 

[michael769]

The other possibility is that 'ordinary' racing at Ascot isn't considered a major event - so NR and SWT don't plan to avoid it.

The 15th of october was the inaugural British Champions Day an event that does not qualify as an ordinary racing day. The event was announced last year and the largest prize pot ever in British Racing history should have given a pretty clear indication of the scale of the event.

So is planning around major events like this is normal practice someone dropped the ball on it.

 

[swt_passenger]

The 15th of october was the inaugural British Champions Day an event that does not qualify as an ordinary racing day. The event was announced last year and the largest prize pot ever in British Racing history should have given a pretty clear indication of the scale of the event.

So is planning around major events like this is normal practice someone dropped the ball on it.

Planning round major events is normal practice, but major closures of places like Clapham Jn are planned much longer than a year in advance. It might have been announced just too late...

 

[Matt Taylor]

Indeed, the work currently going on at Putney is part of the 10 car railway project on the Windsor lines from Waterloo, this work was planned well over a year ago.

 

[455driver]

Slightly off topic but still relevant-
Talking about "special events", what about SWT and NR telling Twickers about the dates of engineering work, only for Twickers to decide to have a rugby international on that very weekend despite being given 12 months notice!

Engineering dates ARE given to major event establishments as soon as they are known but if they then decide to hold events who gets the blame? It isnt always the railways fault!

 

[SWT_USER]

SWT were slightly unlucky on Saturday as in addition to Ascot races Harlequins were at home to London Irish and people like me who won't get replacement buses were using the Reading trains to get to Brentford via Feltham. Events conspired against them somewhat but it made for some very crowded trains - my only criticism was that some of the trains were only 4 coaches rather than 8 which is poor.