FGW Crew at Hereford

[TheEdge]

Something that I've just been wondering.

The last Paddington-Hereford service of the day appears to stay as stock in Hereford overflight but what about crew?

Is there a very small FGW depot it Hereford or is it crewed by Worcester or Gloucester crews who are taxied there and back? Or some other arrangement?

 

[anthony263]

Probably taxied to Bristol or Gloucester.

 

[Greenback]

Isn't it ECS to and from Bristol? That's what I thought, anyway.

 

[Pacerpilot]

No it stables in the Downside siding overnight..

 

[ushawk]

Isn't it ECS to and from Bristol? That's what I thought, anyway.

ECS from Bristol forms the 2nd train of the day to London. The 1st train sits at Hereford from the previous night - so id imagine they get taxied up to Hereford.

 

[Greenback]

Ah, I must have got a bit confused there!

In that case I think Anthony must be right about the taxi.

 

[TheEdge]

I thought it might be the case. I imagine it would be from Gloucester? Or are they really taxied from Bristol?

 

[TEW]

Is there a very small FGW depot it Hereford or is it crewed by Worcester or Gloucester crews who are taxied there and back? Or some other arrangement?

I don't think Gloucester crews sign Hereford, it was predominately a West depot so 15x unit work, but I believe they also have HST work now. I imagine it will be Worcester or Bristol crews who get taxied there.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Out of interest where do FGW have driver depots at?

 

[Pacerpilot]

From the back of my foggy memory....I believe its a Gloucester Driver and Worcester Guard.

 

[anthony263]

Out of interest where do FGW have driver depots at?

Gloucester
Bristol Temple Meads
Westbury (Station)
Reading
London Paddington/Old Oak Common
Oxford
Exeter St Davids
Penzance

Some of these may be wrong and there may be more

 

[221129]

Plymouth and Par also have a crew depot

 

[Greenback]

Gloucester
Bristol Temple Meads
Westbury (Station)
Reading
London Paddington/Old Oak Common
Oxford
Exeter St Davids
Penzance

Some of these may be wrong and there may be more

Laira and Landore as well.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

From the back of my foggy memory....I believe its a Gloucester Driver and Worcester Guard.

Sounds like 2 taxis then. Not very efficient.
Nor is the ECS from/to Bristol.
McNulty would not approve.
Just my 2p.

 

[TEW]

The ECS to/from Bristol also allows crew to retain route knowledge Hereford-Newport, which has occasionally been used for diversions in the past.

 

[Zoe]

Do HSS and West count as separate driver depots at locations like Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth and Penzance?

 

[PHILIPE]

Exeter, Plymouth and Penzance HSS Drivers do DMU work also and this has been discussed elsewhere on the Forum within the last few days on the Paignton services thread.

 

[Zoe]

Exeter, Plymouth and Penzance HSS Drivers do DMU work also and this has been discussed elsewhere on the Forum within the last few days on the Paignton services thread.

Yes but is the HSS still counted as a separate driver depots at these locations? At somewhere like Penzance what is the advantage in having separate HSS and West drivers?

 

[Greenback]

Sounds like 2 taxis then. Not very efficient.
Nor is the ECS from/to Bristol.
McNulty would not approve.
Just my 2p.

Probably more efficient than maintaining a depot for two, or possibly three, services.

McNulty would probably recommend that the services be cut in the name of efficiency, making the on board staff surplus to requirements as a bonus, along with all the station staff at Hereford, Worcester and Gloucester.

 

[TEW]

Yes but is the HSS still counted as a separate driver depots at these locations? At somewhere like Penzance what is the advantage in having separate HSS and West drivers?

There isn't really an advantage operationally. Financially however there is, I know West guards earn less than HSS guards, I'm not sure about drivers. At Penzance though the HSS depot has grown whilst the West depot has shrunk, as the HSS depot has taken crew and work off the West depot.

 

[Rich McLean]

Yes but is the HSS still counted as a separate driver depots at these locations? At somewhere like Penzance what is the advantage in having separate HSS and West drivers?

Simple,

If for example, a HST failed, and it was caped at Newton Abbot, and all that was available for the duration was a 150, an Exeter, Plymouth or Penzance HSS Crew can take the 150 down to Penzance, with minimal delay. This also helps matters at times of disruption, and enables them to move crew around as required.

If this wasn't the case, they would have to find a driver who signs the traction and the Guard who signs the traction at short notice, which could lead to a total cancellation if there was no spare crew.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Probably more efficient than maintaining a depot for two, or possibly three, services.

I remember the days when there was a full restaurant car crew based at Hereford.
They started serving breakfast at Great Malvern where I got on.
A good way to start the day.

LM manage to base trains there, not sure about ATW.

 

[Greenback]

I remember the days when there was a full restaurant car crew based at Hereford.
They started serving breakfast at Great Malvern where I got on.
A good way to start the day.

LM manage to base trains there, not sure about ATW.

Sadly, restaurant cars are extremely rare these days! One of my earliest memories is a meal on a train to London from Swansea. I must have been 4 years old or so and I had boiled eggs and toast for breakfast!

I have often wondered whether concentrating train crew in larger depots is as economical as the TOC's must think. But then again, givne the ability of companies like First to forensically drill down to the bottom line, I usually conclude that it must be!

 

[Zoe]

Simple,

If for example, a HST failed, and it was caped at Newton Abbot, and all that was available for the duration was a 150, an Exeter, Plymouth or Penzance HSS Crew can take the 150 down to Penzance, with minimal delay. This also helps matters at times of disruption, and enables them to move crew around as required.

If this wasn't the case, they would have to find a driver who signs the traction and the Guard who signs the traction at short notice, which could lead to a total cancellation if there was no spare crew.

I didn't ask why HSS drivers signed units, I asked what the advantage of having separate HSS and West drivers and locations like Penzance was rather than just FGW drivers. TEW has now explained the situation.

 

[PHILIPE]

I remember the days when there was a full restaurant car crew based at Hereford.
They started serving breakfast at Great Malvern where I got on.
A good way to start the day.

LM manage to base trains there, not sure about ATW.

ATW only stable overnight in the event of Engineering Work blocking them in there.

 

[TheEdge]

I have often wondered whether concentrating train crew in larger depots is as economical as the TOC's must think. But then again, givne the ability of companies like First to forensically drill down to the bottom line, I usually conclude that it must be!

They probably are. The cost of the ECS workings and occasional taxi's is probably far less than set up and maintain a network of smaller depots.

 

[merlodlliw]

I recall a few years ago,The HST on its way to Hereford also picked up passengers at Abergavenny,not sure how long this lasted

 

[coachflyer]

AM is a Bristol Driver and the TM is from Worcester

PM is a Bristol Driver and TM

 

[TEW]

I recall a few years ago,The HST on its way to Hereford also picked up passengers at Abergavenny,not sure how long this lasted

I'm not sure how long it lasted because I don't seem to have too many of the right timetable in my collections. In December 2007 though there were 2 trains starting back at Abergavenny. 0511 and 0609 services to London Paddington, 0543 and 0643 off Hereford respectively. I seem to remember at least one Abergavenny service running for quite a while.

 

[anthony263]

The services from Abergavenny to London didnt last to long as not many people used the service due to the long journey times via Hereford compared to changing at Newport