FGW Franchise

[Class377/5]

From the consultation into the direct award

It will not be technically feasible to create electrified services over the Maidenhead – Marlow route during the next franchise and retention of Class 16x Turbo trains on the route is now planned. FGW is working on plans to increase the frequency of trains serving the line

Timetable Improvements SLC 1: September 2015 to May 2017

The first period of operation will see today’s timetable, including recent West of England and Cotswold enhancements, maintained. As anticipated, the Greenford services will be replaced by an Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) service between Paddington and Hayes & Harlington from May 2017, with a connecting shuttle services between West Ealing and Greenford.

SLC 2: May 2017 December 2018.

From May 2017, once suburban electrification and delivery of Class 365 and 387 electric (EMU) trains is complete, electric trains will commence operation on Thames Valley to London services. The much higher capacity of the fleet will see up to 32,225 seats and spaces arriving into London Paddington across the AM peak compared to a target of 31,200. Electrification will also enable replacement of peak hour HSTs on the London to Oxford route with EMUs running at 100mph. North Downs services (Reading to Gatwick Airport) will also see strengthening from the current 2 tph to 3 tph. An additional early London to Cornwall service, and Weston-Super-Mare to London service will commence operation. Cotswolds services are further strengthened with additional services to Worcester and Great Malvern. On the Cardiff to Portsmouth regional route, 3 car Class 158 trains are replaced with Class 165/166 trains in 5 car formations on most trains, to provide badly needed additional capacity. This is in response to the well documented and understood crowding issues on this popular route. FGW also intend to revise High Speed diagrams so as to make the West of England a discrete HST fleet and to provide an additional service to Cheltenham at 16.42 and to Bristol at 19.12. Turbo diesel (Class 165) trains that previously served the Thames Valley are then cascaded to the Bristol metropolitan area so that from 2018 a peak capacity of 8,700 seats is provided.

SLC 3: December 2018 to franchise end date In December 2018, the timetable change will see the culmination of all the enhancement work and new and cascaded rolling stock in a recast of the timetable and 110 mph operation, providing additional capacity and faster journeys. London & Thames Valley To build on the enhancements in SLC2, the December 2018 timetable change will see 110 mph operation on the Main (fast) lines enabling faster Oxford and Newbury services as well as additional fast peak hour trains from Swindon and Didcot to London Paddington. EMU trains will operate in 12 car formation on the Main lines and 8 car on the Relief (slow) lines. High Speed (HSS) services. New electric only and bi-mode Intercity Express Programme trains will replace HSTs on the majority of long distance routes with a standard off peak pattern of 4tph from London to Bristol, 2 via Bath and Chippenham and 2 via Bristol Parkway, and 2 tph from London to South Wales. 1 tph operates from London via the North Cotswolds to Worcester/Hereford, with a further 1 tph to Cheltenham as illustrated below:

Can't copy table on my tablet.

West of England services and New Trains In the current timetable proposals, IEP trains will not provide services on the main West of England route (via Castle Cary, Taunton and Exeter). As set out in the previous section, stakeholders from across the South West of the country and Cornish peninsula have lobbied for some time for faster, more frequent services to Exeter, Plymouth and Penzance. The December 2018 timetable provides a regular service of up to 2 trains per hour:  An hourly service non-stop from Reading to Taunton, extending hourly to Plymouth and two hourly to Penzance – resulting in a journey time saving of 13 minutes as illustrated in the table below.  A two hourly, stopping service between Paddington and Exeter.  In addition, Class 158 trains will provide approximately 2 tph via the Cornish mainline from Plymouth to Penzance, with some extensions to Exeter, while also achieving better,more‘clockface’connectionswithCornishbranchlines.Thisagainisbeing provided in response to feedback from stakeholders as it has been one of their long standing aspirations.

39 Due to the need to conclude the Direct Award around a known contractual base, this timetable is currently envisaged to operate with life extended, PRM compliant Class 43 (HST) trains. However it is acknowledged that the HSTs, most of which date from 1975 to 1982, are becoming life expired and do not have the characteristics, capability or environmental performance of a modern train fleet. FGW is therefore pursuing a procurement for a new train fleet for the West and South West of England for delivery in time for the December 2018 (SLC3) timetable change. We expect this to conclude in June and accordingly the Franchise Agreement contains a ‘switch’ to enable the new build fleet option to be taken if the Department determines that the business case for this investment is value for money. At the time of writing, Rail Executive is optimistic that FGW will be able to successfully conclude its procurement and make a strong proposal to the Department. Subject to contract and the Department’s decision to proceed, we could then look forward to having a modern, high quality offering for the South West which is capable of further journey time savings:

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

4-car trains for Cardiff-Portsmouth seemed inevitable, but 5? From Cardiff to London in 1 hour 45 minutes
"Higher capacity five-carriage Turbo trains will replace older vehicles on the popular Cardiff-Portsmouth route from 2017"

That article and the FGW quotes seem to rule out EMUs on the Severn Tunnel route west of Bristol.
That's if the wires reach Cardiff/Swansea by then.
Maybe it's a bit early to worry but it seems to fall short of the "maximise electric working on newly electrified routes" requirement in the aborted 2012 GW ITT.

5-car Turbos seems to mean 165s or mixed 165/166 formations, as there are no 2-car 166s (ie no guarantee of aircon, unlike the 158s).

 

[Class377/5]

And link to consultation

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...tern-franchise-consultation-_web-version_.pdf

 

[iantherev]

Given that most Cardiff - Bristol services are extended to Taunton and further west or Portsmouth which Bristol - Cardiff services would be left to convert to electric operation withou forcing passengers to change at Bristol?

 

[Goldfish62]

I noted in the comments thread about it on FB it seems to be confirmed that buffets will be removed, replaced in both classes by at-seat service.

I very much if that's confirmed at all. It's a political hot potato and the RMT have been conducting a very effective public awareness campaign on this and guards on FGW.

 

[Bletchleyite]

There is no guarantee of aircon on a 166 either. It plain doesn't work.

 

[Rich McLean]

I very much if that's confirmed at all. It's a political hot potato and the RMT have been conducting a very effective public awareness campaign on this and guards on FGW.

There is an official direct aware document that confirms that Buffet's will be removed

Apparantly, 9 out of 10 passengers in a survey said they would prefer an at-seat trolley serivce

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/415721/government-response-to-2014-Great-Western-franchise-consultation-_web-version_.pdf

 

[ScotGG]

Until this morning FGW appeared to be in a worse position than Northern. Now they know exactly how many carriages they are getting, what formations of train they'll be in and approx. when they'll be arriving while Northern bidders are looking at options for 120 carriages and will have to go through the tendering process before an order can be placed.

I don't know how many 377s Southeastern will be getting but I can't see EMT needing all 30 x 375/6s for Corby services considering the service is hourly and takes 1 hour 15 end-to-end.

That's the point though that gets some a bit miffed. With other franchises Passengers have found out what improvements will happen when bids are offered and/or the announcement of new franchises or extensions, as has happened today and recently with Northern, Thameslink, Scotrail and many others.

Southeastern's 4 year extension was announced a few months back with very little concrete details about future stock plans in contrast to most other recent franchise announcements.

Ahhh I see class377/5 has posted future southeastern stock ideas below - SE gains 25x 377/1s but then gives up 20x 375s. A net increase of just 5. Ok there was 6 units recently too but this isn't going to do much long term. I can't really see that being enough across the whole franchise but the recent extension had no firm news on substantial stock additions, and with this FGW announcement another potential source of more stock goes begging.

I'm not saying FGW doesn't need it - Paddington suburban routes badly need improvement. Just that it would have been good to see some plans for southeastern along the lines of other franchises and for the govt to look into ordering more stock - possibly Hitachi along the lines of their new metro offerings if Bombardier and Siemens are at max capacity?

Another night tonight with a 4 carriage peak time train from Victoria on Southeastern which is a bit too common for comfort recently.

 

[Class377/5]

That's the point though that gets some a bit miffed. With other franchises Passengers have found out what improvements will happen when bids are offered and/or the announcement of new franchises or extensions, as has happened today and recently with Northern, Thameslink, Scotrail and many others.

Southeastern's 4 year extension was announced a few months back with very little concrete details about future stock plans in contrast to most other recent franchise announcements.

Ahhh I see class377/5 has posted future southeastern stock ideas below - SE gains 25x 377/1s but then gives up 20x 375s. A net increase of just 5. Ok there was 6 units recently too but this isn't going to do much long term. I can't really see that being enough across the whole franchise but the recent extension had no firm news on substantial stock additions, and with this FGW announcement another potential source of more stock goes begging.

I'm not saying FGW doesn't need it - Paddington suburban routes badly need improvement. Just that it would have been good to see some plans for southeastern along the lines of other franchises and for the govt to look into ordering more stock - possibly Hitachi along the lines of their new metro offerings if Bombardier and Siemens are at max capacity?

Another night tonight with a 4 carriage peak time train from Victoria on Southeastern which is a bit too common for comfort recently.

Actually I'd forgot that those six with go so it's actually a net lose of four carriages compared with today.

Back to GWR, they will be the first to offer 12 car 110mph services.

 

[WatcherZero]

76% of respondents supported a longer DA. Local authorities in the South West, Herefordshire and Oxfordshire, as well as the majority of Local Enterprise Partnerships, and Network Rail, were particularly supportive of a longer second DA.

Government says they decided to go for 3.5 years instead of 5 as it potentially offered better value for money.

44% said they favoured speed over stops, 29% said they valued stops over speed and 27% said they wanted a balance.

Representations recieved for service improvements

Henley branch user group, Additional Henley branch services
Railfuture, Bere Alston - Tavistock
Totnes rail user group, Better frequency to Plymouth
Slough Borough Council, Chalvey new station
Plymouth City Council, Cornish mainline 1/2 hourly
Cornwall County Council, Cornish mainline 1/2 hourly, Cornish branches hourly, Looe Valley service extensions
Peninsula Rail Task Force, Cornish mainline 1/2 hourly
Somerset County Council, Cornish mainline 1/2 hourly
FGW West Customer Panel, Cornish mainline 1/2 hourly
Wiltshire Council, Corsham station reopening
East Devon District Council, Devon Metro
Devon County Council, Devon Metro, Heart of Wessex
TravelWatch Southwest
Devon Metro, TransWilts enhancement
Reading Borough Council, Electrification to Basingstoke
South Somerset District Council, Heart of Wessex
Sherborne Transport Action Group, Heart of Wessex
Bath & North East Somerset Council, Heart of Wessex
Dorset County Council, Heart of Wessex
West of England Local Enterprise Partnership, MetroWest Phase 1 and Phase 2
Saltash Town Council, More calls as Saltash
Ashchurch, Tewkesbury and District Rail Promotion Group, More calls at Ashchurch for Tewkesbury
Lostwithiel Town Council, More calls at Lostwithiel
Torbay Development Agency, New station at Edginswell
Torbay Council, New station at Edginswell
Thames Valley Berkshire, Reading Green Park new station
Jesse Norman MP, Rotherwas new station
Saltash rail users group, Saltash station calls
TransWilts Community Rail Partnership, TransWilts
Worcestershire County Council, Worcester Parkway station

Other commitments from government not mentioned in press releases;

Station car parking spaces
Tiverton Parkway, 185
Goring & Streatley, 40
Didcot Parkway, 810
Gloucester, 240
Castle Cary, 100
Hanborough, 44
Charlbury, 30
Stroud, 74
Taunton, 300
Kemble, 332
St Erth, 650 minimum

At least 56 “customer ambassadors” at stations.
£800 000 of the £3.5m station improvement fund earmarked for St. Erth.

700 cycle parking spaces

Approach to Ongoing challenges

Continue to work on a solution to services at Bedwyn

Thames Valley Branches, we recognise the strength of feeling over loss of through services but believe electrification offers greater service quality and capacity.

Driver Controlled Operation: Negotiations are continuing between the Department for Transport and First Great Western over the detail of the next Great Western franchise Direct Award. As a matter of general policy, the Department does not specify numbers of staff. However, we do support the resilience and efficiency offered by a train fleet and infrastructure which can operate as Driver Controlled Operation (DCO) as set out in the Intercity Express Programme (IEP) Specification which is in the public domain.

Station staffing levels: While this is again a front line matter which the operator is better placed to determine than the Government, FGW has committed to providing more Customer Ambassadors and passenger assistance staff in the new franchise.

Food & drink: FGW’s research demonstrates research that there is a very strong preference amongst customers for an at-seat trolley service in standard class, rather than a standalone buffet bar. This is because they find it both more convenient, and it removes concerns about the security of luggage or personal items.

Unlike the current fleet, there will be a kitchen on every IEP train, which could provide hot and cold food to both first class and standard class customers on all our trains.
During in-service trials last year, FGW reports that 9 out of ten customers believed the trolley improved their journey experience and wanted to see it on more routes. In the same trial more than half of those who bought from the trolley wouldn’t have left their seat to buy something from a buffet car. This is good for customers, and would also have a positive impact on the viability of the food and drink offer, which would give greater security for staff. In this light it would be difficult for us to implement any other solution.

It is anticipated that more, rather than fewer, staff would be needed to operate a trolley service, particularly on a 10 car (2 x 5 cars) formation IEP. For this solution to work effectively FGW would need to recruit additional on-board staff and indeed we currently expect an increase in on board FTE of approximately 100 over the Direct Award period.

Well that answers that, trolleys over buffet car on FGW with First having produced evidence to favour that option.

Whats that.... St Erth (St Ives) is a Lib Dem marginal constituency? More of the marginal pork barrelling from the Budget? You might think that, I couldn't possibly comment.

 

[freetoview33]

4-car trains for Cardiff-Portsmouth seemed inevitable, but 5? From Cardiff to London in 1 hour 45 minutes

"Higher capacity five-carriage Turbo trains will replace older vehicles on the popular Cardiff-Portsmouth route from 2017"




I'd have thought the different door design, the modifications required for use with the current sets and the lack of an on-board generator would all count against their use.

5 seems sensible, as 4 won't help much.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The SLC descriptions in the consultation don't seem to indicate electric IEP services to Bristol/Cardiff before December 2018 (EMUs for Thames Valley May 2017).
And then it all happens at once.
The south west IEP order comes on line then as well.
That's some introduction plan.

 

[Kite159]

If the 165/166s do find themselves on the Cardiff - Portsmouth services, I hope they are refitted to be 2+2 seating rather than the unsuitable for the long-distance 3+2 seating. Will be a step backwards if the 158/9s are replaced. True there will be "more seats" but the refreshments trolley won't like it

 

[Bletchleyite]

If the 165/166s do find themselves on the Cardiff - Portsmouth services, I hope they are refitted to be 2+2 seating rather than the unsuitable for the long-distance 3+2 seating. Will be a step backwards if the 158/9s are replaced. True there will be "more seats" but the refreshments trolley won't like it

If they're 166s, to fix the aircon properly (i.e. replace it completely) or reinstate the window handles.

 

[D1009]

I very much if that's confirmed at all. It's a political hot potato and the RMT have been conducting a very effective public awareness campaign on this and guards on FGW.

Sorry I fail to understand why people are so upset by replacement of the buffet cars by an at seat service. I know I'm more likely to have a cup of coffee on the train if I don't have to walk to the buffet car.

 

[Goldfish62]

Sorry I fail to understand why people are so upset by replacement of the buffet cars by an at seat service. I know I'm more likely to have a cup of coffee on the train if I don't have to walk to the buffet car.

Well, given that you are acknowledging that people are upset, here are some reasons why: you can't get anything when you want - you have to wait for the trolley; no hot food; it can't get through very crowded trains; limited stock which can run out quickly.

By all means have a trolley to supplement a buffet, but not instead of it. Unless you want a 3rd World long distance train service.

 

[physics34]

Sorry I fail to understand why people are so upset by replacement of the buffet cars by an at seat service. I know I'm more likely to have a cup of coffee on the train if I don't have to walk to the buffet car.

you are one of the reasons they are going, lol.

 

[Class 170101]

Wasn't there a staff dispute about the trolleys and as such it was stopped in favour of buffet cars?

In reference to the 375s going to Corby I thought it had been decided that it would be Class 387s (or other trains) with 110mph running to make proper use of the Fast Lines on the MML. Didn't MML come unstuck using 170s on the Midland Main Line with their 100mph top speed and poor acceleration and as a result later ordered the 222s?

 

[Flamingo]

Sorry I fail to understand why people are so upset by replacement of the buffet cars by an at seat service. I know I'm more likely to have a cup of coffee on the train if I don't have to walk to the buffet car.

But will you? The trolley might not make it as far as your seat, the limited stock might have run out long before it reaches you, the people standing or leaving their suitcases in the vestibules might form a barrier that a large trolley can't get past, the trolley will only be doing a limited number of runs up and down the train, the water will be out of a flask not actively heated, there will be nothing cooling the half a dozen or so cans the trolley has, the list goes on.

I can see why anybody would want an at-seat service, but there is no way that a trolley will ever be able to match, in quantity, quality or availability, a buffet car.

 

[Goldfish62]

There is an official direct aware document that confirms that Buffet's will be removed

Apparantly, 9 out of 10 passengers in a survey said they would prefer an at-seat trolley serivce

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/415721/government-response-to-2014-Great-Western-franchise-consultation-_web-version_.pdf

It doesn't say they're definitely being removed. They are listed as an "ongoing challenge".

 

[Class377/5]

Wasn't there a staff dispute about the trolleys and as such it was stopped in favour of buffet cars?

In reference to the 375s going to Corby I thought it had been decided that it would be Class 387s (or other trains) with 110mph running to make proper use of the Fast Lines on the MML. Didn't MML come unstuck using 170s on the Midland Main Line with their 100mph top speed and poor acceleration and as a result later ordered the 222s?

Actually no. What had been discussed is replacing 125mph stock with 110mph isn't ideal and new built 125mp is required.

 

[387star]

I read in the proposals the avantix equipment will be replaced

The 'proposals' listed are going ahead then?

Regarding turbos do they have SDO as Warminster etc struggles to fit a 158+150 5 car combo on the down Salisbury

 

[Flamingo]

There is an official direct aware document that confirms that Buffet's will be removed

Apparantly, 9 out of 10 passengers in a survey said they would prefer an at-seat trolley serivce

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/415721/government-response-to-2014-Great-Western-franchise-consultation-_web-version_.pdf

They probably imagine a team of waiters taking their order and running off to the buffet car to get it for them...

 

[Captain Chaos]

DCO. It states that it is a matter of general policy not to state staff numbers however they support the resilience and efficiencies it provides. I still say OBMs on all IEPs instead of TMs, but why bring job numbers and efficiencies into it? Sounds a bit job cutty to me...?

 

[Rapidash]

I've admittedly not been through the entire thread, but is there any indication of what the Devon Metro stock will be? Will it be the previously thought cascaded Bristol 150's?

If thats the case, what lifespan will they have left? They'll be replacing (by that point) 33 year old Pacers with only slightly younger Sprinters Admittedly, the 150's are in better nick, but still....

Henley branch user group, Additional Henley branch services
Railfuture, Bere Alston - Tavistock
Totnes rail user group, Better frequency to Plymouth
Slough Borough Council, Chalvey new station
Plymouth City Council, Cornish mainline 1/2 hourly
Cornwall County Council, Cornish mainline 1/2 hourly, Cornish branches hourly, Looe Valley service extensions
Peninsula Rail Task Force, Cornish mainline 1/2 hourly
Somerset County Council, Cornish mainline 1/2 hourly
FGW West Customer Panel, Cornish mainline 1/2 hourly
Wiltshire Council, Corsham station reopening
East Devon District Council, Devon Metro
Devon County Council, Devon Metro, Heart of Wessex
TravelWatch Southwest
Devon Metro, TransWilts enhancement
Reading Borough Council, Electrification to Basingstoke
South Somerset District Council, Heart of Wessex
Sherborne Transport Action Group, Heart of Wessex
Bath & North East Somerset Council, Heart of Wessex
Dorset County Council, Heart of Wessex
West of England Local Enterprise Partnership, MetroWest Phase 1 and Phase 2
Saltash Town Council, More calls as Saltash
Ashchurch, Tewkesbury and District Rail Promotion Group, More calls at Ashchurch for Tewkesbury
Lostwithiel Town Council, More calls at Lostwithiel
Torbay Development Agency, New station at Edginswell
Torbay Council, New station at Edginswell
Thames Valley Berkshire, Reading Green Park new station
Jesse Norman MP, Rotherwas new station
Saltash rail users group, Saltash station calls
TransWilts Community Rail Partnership, TransWilts
Worcestershire County Council, Worcester Parkway station

#

Nothing from Exeter Council about Marsh Barton station? How odd.

 

[Clarence Yard]

Sounds like political macho speak to me. Customer service on intercity means bods in trains these days, whoever operates the doors. The DfT closed down the main spec. for the GW build of IEP very early and are now having to finesse the PR to justify their decision. It doesn't look very convincing.

I'm still struggling to understand why people think that SE will be losing any units to Corby. The 25 units going to SE by Dec 2017 was meant to be a net increase for their increased demand. Corby was a 110 mph proposition and now that the 387 fleet are going to GW, something else will have to be proposed by the bidders for EMT. But the usual DfT rules will apply - if you propose something that somebody else uses, you have to show what will replace it on the donor TOC.

 

[iantherev]

I suspect it will be refurbished 150s.

 

[Xavi]

Document says hourly Paddington to Exeter semi-fast from Dec 2018 and later in same document this says 2-hourly! Big difference...

 

[Clarence Yard]

Had it confirmed today that all of the GW turbo fleet will be getting the "Chiltern" air con mod. The DfT has finally seen the light! (or felt the heat!) The 166 fleet will also be going 2+2 seats, except where there are header tanks etc. under the existing seats. The 165 fleet will remain as 2+3 for suburban seat capacity reasons. SDO is also being fitted to the Turbo fleet.

The 150 fleet in the Exeter area will, from 2018 be formed up into 3 and 4 car all day formations. The two 3 car 150/0 units will be moved down from Reading in Dec 2018 to replace the last two 150/1 units. Those will be the the 3 car workings, the others will be 2 x 150/2 units coupled.

Had it also confirmed that the odd two 150/2 cars will be reformed back into a usable two car set by the fitting of a toilet in one of them.

 

[plymothian]

Of course people want an at-seat service.
Either they're too lazy to walk or too frightened of losing their seat.