Open access GC & WSMR

[devon_metro]

Arrive before 9am... But 8.57am, whilst correctly being before 9am, doesn't give you much chance to get to work for 9am. (Assuming you start work at 9am, of course!)

Better than the 0900 arrival from Plymouth which is a mere 3 hour journey!

 

[me123]

Fair point

 

[Chafford1]

Arrive before 9am... But 8.57am, whilst correctly being before 9am, doesn't give you much chance to get to work for 9am. (Assuming you start work at 9am, of course!)

Not for a regular commute, but fine for a one-off business meeting starting at 9.30am

 

[oxleywolf]

Have travelled down to London from Shrewsbury a number of times now and loadings have been greater on each occasion. I'm sure that when new timetable is introduced and first arrival into London is around 9.00am, it will become the preferred option for most travellers from this neck of the woods going to the city on business. Anything to avoid that 'wonderful New Street' experience.

Oxleywolf

 

[furryfeet]

is there any hope of Wrexham trains being allowed to call at Birmingham International ?

I believe from previous posts that some of their trains do pass through that station.

 

[yorkie]

There should be a rule against Open Access TOCs doing the complete opposite of franchised TOCs when it comes to ticketing.

I can imagine the announcement on the 1650 KGX-SUN "Off Peak tickets are valid on this train, but Grand Central Off peak tickets are not and will be excessed" then on the 0804 KGX-SUN "Off Peak tickets are not valid on this train and will be excessed, but Grand Central Off peak tickets are valid" :roll:

Another problem is that one staff member thinks GC can refuse to accept Any permitted tickets when they are declared as valid at all times by ATOC, and another staff member continually issues York-Hartlepool GC only fares when asked for a York-Hartlepool ticket, in contravention of ATOC policy that the cheaper (Direct) ticket should be offered.

I think that the causes are
1) Lack of understanding of the ticket system by GC - and that goes right to the top, and therefore training is inadequate
2) Crazy ideas such as the supplement idea. I knew, and many others knew, it wouldn't work and was in fact probably illegal and certainly unenforceable (and credit to the train crews who did not enforce it)

It's not the fault of the people who work the trains, who are a great bunch who deserve better, it's management who are to blame.

BTW GC are doing 2 kids free with a fare paying adult via their Mobitix site, but it does not give tickets/reservations for the kids so it will lead to some farces on busy trains when the groups want to sit together. I can foresee problems....

 

[The Planner]

is there any hope of Wrexham trains being allowed to call at Birmingham International ?

I believe from previous posts that some of their trains do pass through that station.

None, even though you would think privitisation encourages competiton, Virgin kicked off big time and refused them access to International and didnt want them stopping at New St. They got their way....
You may find that a couple of the ones that go via International may get moved to Tyseley - Leamington soon.

 

[matt]

None, even though you would think privitisation encourages competiton, Virgin kicked off big time and refused them access to International and didnt want them stopping at New St. They got their way....
You may find that a couple of the ones that go via International may get moved to Tyseley - Leamington soon.

Doesnt at least one service have a pathing stop at Birmingham International at the moment?

 

[Pumbaa]

Doesnt at least one service have a pathing stop at Birmingham International at the moment?

Yes, at around 1310? I'm usually on the 1300 off New Street every other Friday, I usually see the WSMR service as we pull into International.

 

[The Planner]

Yes, they do, one sits there from 1702 to around 1724 I think. They have no rights to load or unload though.

 

[Spaceflower]

None, even though you would think privitisation encourages competiton, Virgin kicked off big time and refused them access to International and didnt want them stopping at New St. They got their way....

Yet the proposed VT Shrewsbury/Wrexham-London service is ok?

 

[87015]

Yet the proposed VT Shrewsbury/Wrexham-London service is ok?

Yes, of course it is as that Virgin and they can do as they please ****ing all over other TOCs let alone open-access outfits.

 

[Guinness]

Good for passenger numbers, especially with the Business Crowd.

What are the current loadings on WSMR trains?

 

[anthony263]

wrexham & shropshire have just published they new timetable which will come into effect from 4th decembers 2008.

also it seems that they have managed to redeuce the journey times by around 30 minutes.

http://www.wrexhamandshropshire.co.uk/news-item.php?id=24

 

[The Planner]

wrexham & shropshire have just published they new timetable which will come into effect from 4th decembers 2008.

also it seems that they have managed to redeuce the journey times by around 30 minutes.

http://www.wrexhamandshropshire.co.uk/news-item.php?id=24

Only with the Virgin VHF coming in and shunting the troublesome trucks about was that possible. It also helps that Chiltern will shift for them.

 

[Proud Salopian]

I'm liking the new timetable - especially the Saturday trains. 8 hours in London.