ATW to Rebrand Gerald Premier Service

[merlodlliw]

CDF to HHD.

There might have been cheaper Advances when first released, I should have checked end of Feb. On phone currently so cba to battle with ATW website!

Cheers

 

[Starmill]

Any word on this morning?

5 in First at present.

 

[merlodlliw]

Any word on this morning?

5 in First at present.

You mean business class diner I presume,leaving Cardiff.

I don't think many will have used the the service this morning, as the Assembly closed on Friday to give AMs a months leave.

 

[Starmill]

A passenger upgraded Cardiff - Wrexham, £25.

Another passenger joined for Newport to Hereford.

One occupant of Business may possibly be a member of staff.

Can't remember the last time I had food of this quality either.

 

[trainophile]

Did the Newport to Hereford passenger get fed?

 

[Starmill]

No, but I don't think he wanted to order anything.

The ONLY changes are: the additional of tinsel (presumably temporary!) and, more significantly, the removal of the tablecloths. This seemed to be a source of some embarrassment to them so I didn't press it. I never registered they'd gone (my first time on it) and it was only when it was pointed out to me by another forum member I brought it up.

 

[merlodlliw]

Charlie Hulme Editor of North Wales Rail Forums newsboard tells us the following,with interesting news of the removal of first class branded furniture including the table clothes as mentioned above.

Business Class on the Premier Service By Charlie Hulme

15 December also sees the dawn of a new era on the Holyhead - Cardiff 'Premier Service': First Class accommodation is now branded 'Business Class' to match that on sister company Chiltern Railways. This change has undergone a number of updates since it was first announced, but basically the idea is that passengers can pay a supplement on top of the standard class fare to travel in the former first-class coach and receive the complementary food service, as detailed on Arriva's website. Enquiries by our contributor Bob Hargreaves have elicited some typical supplements: Cardiff – Chester £25.00, Cardiff – Llandudno Jn £30.00, Cardiff - Holyhead £35.00.'

The 'travelling chef' will continue to prepare the meals; at one time it was suggested that breakfast would be a continental style only (Including 'Toast and Preservatives', but it seems that a cooked breakfast will be available as before. Tickets including Business Class can also be bought in advance. In fact, the only real difference would seem to be the change of the name, presumably intended to avoid restrictions on expense claims by politicians for first class travel.

As so often with Arriva, finding information about the service via the website, such as whether meals are sold to standard class passengers, is hard to locate. Some passengers may well still have First Class tickets, for through journeys from other train companies' systems. It is not stated whether they will be entitled to a take-away version of the complementary food - no doubt all will become clear.

Gareth Peate travelled on the last trip with First Class, on Friday 12 January, and reports that
the on-board team were engaged removing all 'First Class' branded items for disposal.

http://nwrail.org.uk/nwnews.htm

Its also now official that Geralds spare stock all paid for by Welsh Government is now used on the other Loco Hauled service in the North,the rent on this stock is paid for at least another two years, so a bit of Open Access is being used on a franchise service,however I understand the rules are "No franchise stock can be used on Open Access services" so it can be done this way,but the supposed DB £millions paid back on the take over of ATW, is a bit clouded in smoke to say the least.
The three Mark 3 carriage numbers give the game away.

 

[Rhydgaled]

Its also now official that Geralds spare stock all paid for by Welsh Government is now used on the other Loco Hauled service in the North,the rent on this stock is paid for at least another two years, so a bit of Open Access is being used on a franchise service,however I understand the rules are "No franchise stock can be used on Open Access services" so it can be done this way,but the supposed DB £millions paid back on the take over of ATW, is a bit clouded in smoke to say the least.

The three Mark 3 carriage numbers give the game away.

Sounds like the case may be that the mark3s intended for the service haven't all been finished yet, so they are using Gerald's spare vehicles in the interim. I've not seen anything about a 4th loco and DVT though, so it sounds like the existing 3x ATW 67 and 3x ATW DVT at least will be shared between 'franchise' and 'open access' services. Although, perhaps the eventual idea is to have three rakes, one Gerald, one for north Wales and one set of spares to cover both services.

 

[merlodlliw]

[QU

OTE=Rhydgaled;2006850]Sounds like the case may be that the mark3s intended for the service haven't all been finished yet, so they are using Gerald's spare vehicles in the interim. I've not seen anything about a 4th loco and DVT though, so it sounds like the existing 3x ATW 67 and 3x ATW DVT at least will be shared between 'franchise' and 'open access' services. Although, perhaps the eventual idea is to have three rakes, one Gerald, one for north Wales and one set of spares to cover both services.

[/QUOTE]

Not sure about four mark 3s being converted,I had presumed this was the case, however North Wales newsboard today tells us

Coach 12179 was to be included, but was left behind due to a fault. Of these, only 12184 is from the batch being newly-converted from first class vehicles for this service; the others are from the fleet already available for the Cardiff trains.

Only time will tell,

 

[berneyarms]

Just to repeat in this thread as well - it is reported elsewhere that the rolling stock that DB has destined for this service is not yet finished refurbishment.

Permission was granted to use the spare WAG stock in the interim.

I think some of the comments here are getting a bit carried way in all sorts of conspiracy theories.

 

[merlodlliw]

Just to repeat in this thread as well - it is reported elsewhere that the rolling stock that DB has destined for this service is not yet finished refurbishment.

Permission was granted to use the spare WAG stock in the interim.

I think some of the comments here are getting a bit carried way in all sorts of conspiracy theories.

Im not sure how long it takes to refurb a Mark3, I for one had not heard that ATW had official permission from Welsh Government to use the spare set that belongs to its open access service.
However better they use the stock on the busy North Wales to Manchester run,than leave it doing nothing in Cardiff.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Not wishing to trawl back some 370+ postings, but if, as thread title states, they want to re-brand Gerald, why not call it Owain?

 

[merlodlliw]

Not wishing to trawl back some 370+ postings, but if, as thread title states, they want to re-brand Gerald, why not call it Owain?

Good Idea, the train passes within a few yards of Glyndŵr University in Wrexham However I think Llangollen Railway will steal the title first for one of its trains into the new Corwen terminus when built.

 

[Starmill]

Anyone got a picture that shows in full what the tablecloths looked like? If they said First Class on them, maybe they're awaiting some tablecloths that say Business Class or similar?

I mean, the outside of the coach says First Class still...

 

[berneyarms]

Anyone got a picture that shows in full what the tablecloths looked like? If they said First Class on them, maybe they're awaiting some tablecloths that say Business Class or similar?

I mean, the outside of the coach says First Class still...

They were plain white with no branding. Seems a tad OTT to remove the table cloths given that they aid in keeping the place clean.

Maybe the cleaning costs for the tablecloths were excessive? I jest!

The only branded "first class" items were the head rest covers.

 

[Rhydgaled]

Not wishing to trawl back some 370+ postings, but if, as thread title states, they want to re-brand Gerald, why not call it Owain?

The re-brand is just 'first class' being renamed 'business class'.

 

[merlodlliw]

The re-brand is just 'first class' being renamed 'business class'.

Paul just meant give it a full makeover while they are at it, with a new name.

A colleague tells me new vinyls have been ordered for the diner replacing first.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

They were plain white with no branding. Seems a tad OTT to remove the table cloths given that they aid in keeping the place clean.

Maybe the cleaning costs for the tablecloths were excessive? I jest!

The only branded "first class" items were the head rest covers.

If the table cloths were plain, I agree its taking it a bit too far.

 

[higthomas]

The re-brand is just 'first class' being renamed 'business class'.

So in essence, have we just spent 377 posts discussing ATW changing one word within their brand?

 

[Rhydgaled]

So in essence, have we just spent 377 posts discussing ATW changing one word within their brand?

Not quite, the title has been changed to reflect what is happening now. At first there were reports that the chef would be scrapped and the catering offer changed, but then the chef was repreived and the title changed to reflect that his/her job is no longer under threat.

 

[Starmill]

We've spent it discussing them removing tablecloths and antimacassars too

In all seriousness I find this bizarre. The ONLY negative I could come up with (apart from being very full!) was the food residue that you had after eating for the remainder of the journey. Not that much of a problem but the tablecloths were functional.

 

[berneyarms]

Not quite, the title has been changed to reflect what is happening now. At first there were reports that the chef would be scrapped and the catering offer changed, but then the chef was repreived and the title changed to reflect that his/her job is no longer under threat.

It's actually "them" - there are two chefs!

 

[merlodlliw]

So in essence, have we just spent 377 posts discussing ATW changing one word within their brand?

When the I started the thread in October there was not the slightest inkling that the business class would emerge, this came about in very late November.
The key player for business class was Darren Millar AM for Colwyn Bay and Clwyd North who started to canvass other North Wales AMs in the summer, one AM told me he laughed at the idea. However Millar gained support from the three North Wales Ministers who always travelled First Class.
Now all AMs can use the business service and charge it on expenses.

 

[Arglwydd Golau]

.
Now all AMs can use the business service and charge it on expenses.

I appreciate that you have the ear of your AM, but perhaps you could ask him what the difference in expenses is between driving down to Cardiff and staying in an hotel, or travelling business class (or indeed even first class) on the Express service. You might also be able to ask him how easy (or difficult) it might be to work sat in an airline seat in standard class, or hold a informal meeting with colleagues whilst sat in such seats.
I realise that it is fair game to attack AM's/MP's/Councillors/Public Sector workers for their expenses (and often fully justified with some of them), but I wish that I had been able to use this service more often. It would have greatly helped my stress levels, as belting down the A470 after a days work certainly did nothing for my health.

 

[merlodlliw]

I appreciate that you have the ear of your AM, but perhaps you could ask him what the difference in expenses is between driving down to Cardiff and staying in an hotel, or travelling business class (or indeed even first class) on the Express service. You might also be able to ask him how easy (or difficult) it might be to work sat in an airline seat in standard class, or hold a informal meeting with colleagues whilst sat in such seats.
I realise that it is fair game to attack AM's/MP's/Councillors/Public Sector workers for their expenses (and often fully justified with some of them), but I wish that I had been able to use this service more often. It would have greatly helped my stress levels, as belting down the A470 after a days work certainly did nothing for my health.

Many AMs from the North travel down on Monday usually middle day trains,having spent the morning in the office.
Most AMs have rented accommodation in Cardiff, to spend Monday to Wednesday evening. Few use the car,except for Ministers who have the WG fleet at their disposal, but the three Ministers from North Wales usually use Gerald. I wont be seeing my AMs for a while has they are all on a Months festive holiday.

 

[Arglwydd Golau]

Many AMs from the North travel down on Monday usually middle day trains,having spent the morning in the office.
Most AMs have rented accommodation in Cardiff, to spend Monday to Wednesday evening. Few use the car,except for Ministers who have the WG fleet at their disposal, but the three Ministers from North Wales usually use Gerald. I wont be seeing my AMs for a while has they are all on a Months festive holiday.

Fair enough...but I would still bet they would find it difficult to work effectively whilst sat in an airline seat! Good that they use the trains anyway!

 

[PHILIPE]

Perhaps somebody could decipher what ATW are trying to say re 17 16 Cardiff to Holyhead on Journey Check in the Train Formation and Catering sections.

States normal number of carriages but no first class. Formed 2 Cars. No catering available. No loco hauled available. Trolley service.
Catering similar, but not loco hauled due to catering staff not available.

 

[berneyarms]

It means that we haven't got a clue!

 

[Erniescooper]

I think it means it's 158838 tonight, Gerald's stock and 67029 have been working between Holyhead and Crewe today with the other loco hauled set has been stabled at Crewe.

 

[PHILIPE]

Perhaps somebody could copy the extracts into the thread so all could see the extent of the ramblings. I'm not quite sure how to do it myself. As the train is due in Holyhead at 21 47 the entries will be deleted at that time.

It now states that trolley service not available.

 

[berneyarms]

As requested:

17:16 Cardiff Central to Holyhead due 21:45

This train will call additionally at Llanfairpwll.
This train will now be formed of the usual number of coaches. First class not available. Catering is not available throughout.
Additional Facilities Information:
This service will be formed of 2 coaches. A catering trolley service is not now available. The loco-hauled coach formation, with restaurant service, is not available. .
This is due to a problem with line-side equipment.

Last Updated :30/12/2014 18:05