Chaos on the Cambrian

[merlodlliw]

http://www.nwrail.org.uk/nwnews.htm scroll down for story,sorry I can not take you direct to it.

The header is not mine, but April 30th was it seems from the report, awful for some passengers.


Bob

 

[Simon11]

A couple of weeks ago, I was taking the last train from Tywyn to Watford on a Friday evening. Due to signalling issues, the train didn't leave for another hour.


The poor Train Conductor had a really hard time with passengers complaining- Nothing that he could do. He was looking after a 4coach train and had to make sure he listed the number of taxis for people who had missed the last connection.

Rolled into Wolverhampton and had missed the last connecting Virgin service.

Provide a taxi for the long journey home at midnight. Stuck in a taxi with 3 other strangers and a mad driver. Stopping at Rugby, Watford, Euston, Bow.

Finally got back to Watford around half 2 in the morning.

I did think about complaining with my issues being:
-Driver didn't have a clue where he was going. One of his questions was: Is Watford before or after Euston. And also asking if anyone had a satnav.....
-Being stuck in the middle in the back for 1.5hours wasn't comfortable esp with strangers on either side.
-Was delayed by an hour+half. Poor mum picking me up at 2.30am instead of 1am.

But then my ticket did only cost £10 so not sure.

I've booked tickets again to Wales and I'm travelling on the 2nd last train this time to avoid it happening twice! Train so much better than a taxi!

 

[Gareth Marston]

A couple of weeks ago, I was taking the last train from Tywyn to Watford on a Friday evening. Due to signalling issues, the train didn't leave for another hour.


The poor Train Conductor had a really hard time with passengers complaining- Nothing that he could do. He was looking after a 4coach train and had to make sure he listed the number of taxis for people who had missed the last connection.

Rolled into Wolverhampton and had missed the last connecting Virgin service.

Provide a taxi for the long journey home at midnight. Stuck in a taxi with 3 other strangers and a mad driver. Stopping at Rugby, Watford, Euston, Bow.

Finally got back to Watford around half 2 in the morning.

I did think about complaining with my issues being:
-Driver didn't have a clue where he was going. One of his questions was: Is Watford before or after Euston. And also asking if anyone had a satnav.....
-Being stuck in the middle in the back for 1.5hours wasn't comfortable esp with strangers on either side.
-Was delayed by an hour+half. Poor mum picking me up at 2.30am instead of 1am.

But then my ticket did only cost £10 so not sure.

I've booked tickets again to Wales and I'm travelling on the 2nd last train this time to avoid it happening twice! Train so much better than a taxi!

Simon our take on it - the local rail user group that is is that its not been good but incidences of poor running are getting fewer and further between, we are reviewing it at our early June mtg and would welcome comments from yourselves and any other forum members as to Cambrian PPM post ERTMS installation. Theirs been some non ertms problems as well which have exacerbated matters. The rear carriage of the 4 car 0927 from Salop this Saturday had no engine for instance and was 15 late at Mach.