FGW Main competitors

[butchersime]

Hi All

Looking for a bit of help, I'm preparing answers for possible interview questions and am having a bit of difficulty gathering information on FGW Main competitors. Arrival Trains being a competitor for the Wales area but what about for England? Any advice would be great thanks.

Thanks for reading

 

[gazthomas]

Hi All

Looking for a bit of help, I'm preparing answers for possible interview questions and am having a bit of difficulty gathering information on FGW Main competitors. Arrival Trains being a competitor for the Wales area but what about for England? Any advice would be great thanks.

Thanks for reading

Chiltern Railways
Cross Country
South West Trains

Are the principal ones

 

[Ash Bridge]

Hi All

Looking for a bit of help, I'm preparing answers for possible interview questions and am having a bit of difficulty gathering information on FGW Main competitors. Arrival Trains being a competitor for the Wales area but what about for England? Any advice would be great thanks.

Thanks for reading

For Exeter to London I would say South West Trains, for Devon & Cornwall CrossCountry if that helps.

 

[butchersime]

Thanks gazthomas, I will look into those 3, when you say the principal ones is that because their services cross over, high speed trains, same routes ect and does that also mean Arriva are not seen by FGW as a main comprtitor?

Cheers

 

[gazthomas]

Thanks gazthomas, I will look into those 3, when you say the principal ones is that because their services cross over, high speed trains, same routes ect and does that also mean Arriva are not seen by FGW as a main comprtitor?

Cheers

Spot on, in reality FGW operate a virtual monopoly, but as you say the 3 operators touch parts of their network

And good luck!

 

[455driver]

Not forgetting that XC are the primary (fast) operator between Taunton and Bristol with FGW providing the stoppers.

 

[butchersime]

Thanks both,
455driver if you have a bit of spare time could you give me a quick explanation of stoppers for me ?
As you can probably guess I have not been selected for my knowledge of TOCs but customer service experience

Cheers

 

[455driver]

The stoppers are the Taunton to Cardiffs which call at most of the stations between Taunton and Bristol (missing out Weston Milton, Parson St and Bedminster, with the Weston super Mare to Bristol Parkway train stopping at all stops.
The 2 are arranged so they form a roughly half hourly service between Weston super mare and Bristol Temple Meads during the day.

Down here (Exeter) we have an hourly service on the Barnstaple and Paignton branches and half hourly to Exmouth, FGW are looking into increasing the frequency on all 3 routes when more units become available, there will also be a new service on the Portishead branch when units become available.

There are going to be a lot of changes over the next few years!

Some more info-

The main depot is at St Phillips Marsh (Bristol) which mainly deals with the HSTs and some West units (150/2s and some 150/1), a smaller maintenance depot at Exeter for the rest of the West fleet (143, 153 and some 150/1s) and another depot at Plymouth laira dealing with the rest of the HSTs.
Major exams on units are done at Bristol as is tyre turning.

A lot of the (former) HST maintenance will be going up to Bristol Parkway (Hitachi) depot when the IEPs are introduced. The remaining HSTs will be maintained at Plymouth Laira unless they are replaced by bi-mode IEPs.

 

[butchersime]

Thank 455driver that is real helpful. If I have any more queries I know where to come.

 

[NX]

Which role you going for mate?

NX

 

[butchersime]

Swansea Train Manager, know I would love the role so working hard on the practice materials and interview answers

 

[pdeaves]

Chiltern Railways
Cross Country
South West Trains

Are the principal ones

In terms of 'using the same track/stations' competition, London Midland is also a competitor in the Worcester/Hereford area.

 

[butchersime]

I work for one of the big 4 supermarket, so its easy for me to talk about the competition. When I look at TOCs its not such an easy discussion for me. When I asked myself the question I got myself into a bit of a mess. Would FGW see another operator being a competitor through the routes they operate, price, service they provide or a bit of both.

As a customer who in the past has book a train ticket from a 2 b at a certain time of the day. I have never given much thought to the TOC for that particular journey.

Would you guys mention competition for the franchise in their area, as I understand it Nation Express and Stagecoach were interested in the same franchise when it was up for tender.

I have been to a few interviews of late and the question has come up one way or another.

 

[theironroad]

It's not just about rail competition and the tocs.

Think road, either coach or personal car and also air.

I think London to Newquay had flights, at least in summer though check current availability.


National express, megabus etc for coaches and a family of 4 travelling by train or car?

Rail wise, certainly from London to Exeter SWT ( to waterloo) is a lot cheaper, though a fair bit slower as well.

 

[NX]

Have you had your assessment yet mate?

NX

 

[Greenback]

It's not just about rail competition and the tocs.

Think road, either coach or personal car and also air.

I think London to Newquay had flights, at least in summer though check current availability.


National express, megabus etc for coaches and a family of 4 travelling by train or car?

Rail wise, certainly from London to Exeter SWT ( to waterloo) is a lot cheaper, though a fair bit slower as well.

Spot on. If I was asked that question I'd refer to both the rail competition eg ATW on Swansea to Cardiff and Newport, and also to the competition provided by coaches, buses and the private car to carry people between points on the FGW network.