GWR Seat Reservations and Train Formations

[Hackneyite]

Book weeks in advance for journey, get to station to find notice that reserved seats have been cancelled on my journey- thus will have to take my chances in the stampede!!

What’s going on?

 

[grumblingalong]

You're going to need to give a little more, in fact any detail, before anyone can answer!

 

[Hackneyite]

Ok, yesterday Paddington-Bristol 12:00.

 

[Robertj21a]

Book weeks in advance for journey, get to station to find notice that reserved seats have been cancelled on my journey- thus will have to take my chances in the stampede!!

What’s going on?

It's happened to me a number of times recently. Breakdowns, failure of the reservation system, substitute unit etc etc

 

[WelshBluebird]

Gwr have an issue with reservations atm. Partly down to issues with the reservation systems on the IET's and partly due to units actually running services being different to what was initially booked (HST instead of IET, or the other way around, or a swap between the 5/9/10 carriages that make up the different IET sets).

 

[FGW_DID]

Ok, yesterday Paddington-Bristol 12:00.

Booked for 2x 800(5)

 

[HORNIMANS]

You can claim compensation from TOC,s for you not getting a reserved seat. Ive done it a few times and received £10 each time.

 

[Intermodal]

What’s going on?

Well clearly, the reservations have been cancelled due to either a technical fault on the train, a change of rolling stock or otherwise common problem.

I'm not sure what you expect us to say? Do you want us to be outraged that they cancelled your reservations and go on some long rant about how the rail industry is going to pot in this country, should be renationalised, how this wouldn't happen in BR days, how the train manager should've allocated seats verbally whilst gin and tonics are handed out - or can you accept that these things happen sometimes and it is an otherwise minor inconvenience on your discounted fare which got you from A to B?

 

[Weekender]

Same thing happened to me this morning on Cross Country. I had a seat booked from Torquay, got on the train indicator said booked from Paignton and occupied. Not the first time on Cross Country.

 

[furnessvale]

A similar thing can happen in reverse. Some years ago I was catching a train from Leeds to Carlisle. The entire train was covered in reserved tickets. On scouring the train I found one coach where the seating pattern did not conform to the template the booking office had used and there were just two seats unreserved.

 

[irish_rail]

The worst scenario is when electronic displays aren't working but TM insists that reservations are valid. I've had this a number of times recently when I'm moved from seat to seat with no clue which are available or not. Not pleasant on a long journey.
In my opinion if displays are not working then all reservations should be void. End of story.

 

[Intermodal]

In my opinion if displays are not working then all reservations should be void. End of story.

I agree, and I have never seen any TOC operate contrary to this.

 

[yorkie]

The worst scenario is when electronic displays aren't working but TM insists that reservations are valid. I've had this a number of times recently when I'm moved from seat to seat with no clue which are available or not. Not pleasant on a long journey.
In my opinion if displays are not working then all reservations should be void. End of story.

Absolutely agreed

 

[yorkie]

I agree, and I have never seen any TOC operate contrary to this.

Sadly CrossCountry adopt this policy

 

[Intermodal]

Sadly CrossCountry adopt this policy

Outrageous.

 

[PHILIPE]

Almost every Tweet to GWR today involves the lack of reservations.

 

[CardiffKid]

Almost every Tweet to GWR today involves the lack of reservations.

This journalist thinks the problem would be solved by reverting to public ownership

https://twitter.com/shiptonmartin/status/1054078069579890689?s=21

 

[Kite159]

This journalist thinks the problem would be solved by reverting to public ownership

https://twitter.com/shiptonmartin/status/1054078069579890689?s=21

I agree, Corbyn State Railways will solve the issue by getting rid of seat reservations all together...

... Other than for the special seats in first class for members of the inner party to sit on

 

[Mag_seven]

In my opinion if displays are not working then all reservations should be void.

That doesn't stop some of those with "reserved" seats insisting that their "reserved" seat should be given up though!

 

[Bletchleyite]

The worst scenario is when electronic displays aren't working but TM insists that reservations are valid. I've had this a number of times recently when I'm moved from seat to seat with no clue which are available or not. Not pleasant on a long journey.
In my opinion if displays are not working then all reservations should be void. End of story.

Personally I can see the arguments for either policy, particularly given that more people reserve these days than used to. So I'm pretty neutral on what it is - indeed, I tend these days towards a view that reservations should be unmarked (just marking fixed reserved/unreserved areas) which would mean they could be done at any time by far more sales channels, reducing the effect of the Euston scrum and its brethren.

But what is needed, and it really utterly beggars belief that not a single TOC has done it yet as it seems a glaringly obvious thing to do to avoid conflict, is clear signage, visible from every seat and the aisle, in all coaches stating:

1. What that policy is (i.e. if the reservation screens are not working/there is dispute if they are showing Available wrongly, that they either apply or they do not)
2. Which is the unreserved coach or area and which way it is (or if you are in it)

Guards announcing doesn't work, as they have station duties to do so they can't announce it at the point when it actually matters (while people are boarding).

 

[DaveB10780]

That doesn't stop some of those with "reserved" seats insisting that their "reserved" seat should be given up though!

If I am on a busy VT train from Manchester to London and get on at Stockport I expect to get the seat I reserved. Can't see why those getting on a stop earlier should really have precedence.

 

[CardiffKid]

But what is needed, and it really utterly beggars belief that not a single TOC has done it yet as it seems a glaringly obvious thing to do to avoid conflict, is clear signage, visible from every seat and the aisle, in all coaches stating:

1. What that policy is (i.e. if the reservation screens are not working/there is dispute if they are showing Available wrongly, that they either apply or they do not)
2. Which is the unreserved coach or area and which way it is (or if you are in it)

A poster? You mean like the ones in quiet carriages that people ignore?

 

[gallafent]

It's happened to me a number of times recently. Breakdowns, failure of the reservation system, substitute unit etc etc

My experience is that that vast majority of IETs I've travelled on (mostly Oxford <-> London, but also the odd Bristol trip etc.) do not have the electronic reservation system working. Sometimes paper tickets are in place instead, which is a lot better than nothing, but often they aren't (when the same services were run with HSTs back in the day, reservations were often not in place too, my impression being that this happened especially often for Oxford starters …). It's now a year since the first IET entered service, and this continued inability to have reservations shown on so many (often very busy) trains is very annoying. When the colour-light+text electronic signs are working, they're excellent, making it even more of a pity they so rarely are!!

 

[Bletchleyite]

A poster? You mean like the ones in quiet carriages that people ignore?

At least people can tap on them and insist people move/insist they refuse to move as per the policy.

 

[Polarbear]

Well I was on the 10:55 from Exeter St David’s today, and despite the reverse formation, the seat reservations were all in place. Just as well as it was pretty busy all the way to Paddington.

 

[ArchieWoodbine]

I can't say I've ever had a guard insist that reservations are valid when there's no seat cards issued - I've found the case to be (quite rightly) the opposite.

GWR do need to either fix the reservation system or have some clear signage & more frequent announcements explaining the process when it doesn't work, though. Almost daily I'm having the persistant debate of "you're sat in my seat" - "I'm afraid there's no reservations, they haven't been put out" - "But I've got a reservation" thrusts travel ticket in-front of face - "I understand, but GWR haven't upheld it by placing a ticket on the seat, hence they're all unreserved" - "No, this one is mine, see:" (repeat etc.)...

If it's someone with children or with a particular need I usually offer it anyway, but it's amazing the number of people who don't see that honouring the reservations without seat cards would end up in a massive game of musical chairs at every station.

 

[Cheeseman]

Until it’s fixed, abandon the whole reservation system imho

 

[Bletchleyite]

I can't say I've ever had a guard insist that reservations are valid when there's no seat cards issued - I've found the case to be (quite rightly) the opposite.

It's usual VTWC policy to insist that they still apply, if any announcement is made it is always this.

 

[ArchieWoodbine]

It's usual VTWC policy to insist that they still apply, if any announcement is made it is always this.

Huh, didn't know that. Admittedly I don't travel by VTWC very often, but when I have I've never noticed the reservation system not working.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Huh, didn't know that. Admittedly I don't travel by VTWC very often, but when I have I've never noticed the reservation system not working.

It normally does work on Pendolinos, but on Voyagers it's decidedly unreliable.

You've also got that the downside of there being no "Manchester Piccadilly scrum" is that it's possible to board before they have downloaded, and thus have to move when you find the seat you are in "becomes" reserved. This situation can be identified easily enough in that the green backlights don't light up behind the reservation screens until they have downloaded (and the screen just says nothing, not "Available", against the seat number), but you have to know that - it's another case where a small sign would help to make the situation easier for everyone.