Old Yard Dog
Established Member
- Joined
- 21 Aug 2011
- Messages
- 1,823
I should have known I was tempting providence when I posted nice things about ATW on a Ffestiniog round robin fares post a couple of days ago.
Yesterday ATW had to put a 2-car class 150 on the 0820 Holyhead - Cardiff Central instead of the diagrammed 175. This small cramped unit is unsuitable for a 5-hour journey and was seriously overcrowded between Chester and Shrewsbury with many standing passengers. These included a good number of Chester FC supporters setting off early for their defeat at Telford. The conductor was nowhere to be seen until the train quietened down after Shrewsbury (as unfortunately is often the case when trains are overcrowded and reservations cancelled).
The 1721 Cardiff Central to Holyhead was a 3-car 175 but was delayed for an hour at Wrexham. The poor driver was, we were told, unable to continue after narrowly missing a couple of kids south of the station. My sympathies are with him. We had, therefore, to await for a replacement driver to arrive with a number of policemen on the station.
The train was curtailed at Chester (P2) and passengers transferred to the 2100 Crewe - Holyhead.
The 2122 from Chester to Birmingham New Street was also cancelled.
Following on from my previous post, the toilets on the 175 were again disgusting. Are ATW letting their standards slip as they come to the end of their franchise?
Yesterday ATW had to put a 2-car class 150 on the 0820 Holyhead - Cardiff Central instead of the diagrammed 175. This small cramped unit is unsuitable for a 5-hour journey and was seriously overcrowded between Chester and Shrewsbury with many standing passengers. These included a good number of Chester FC supporters setting off early for their defeat at Telford. The conductor was nowhere to be seen until the train quietened down after Shrewsbury (as unfortunately is often the case when trains are overcrowded and reservations cancelled).
The 1721 Cardiff Central to Holyhead was a 3-car 175 but was delayed for an hour at Wrexham. The poor driver was, we were told, unable to continue after narrowly missing a couple of kids south of the station. My sympathies are with him. We had, therefore, to await for a replacement driver to arrive with a number of policemen on the station.
The train was curtailed at Chester (P2) and passengers transferred to the 2100 Crewe - Holyhead.
The 2122 from Chester to Birmingham New Street was also cancelled.
Following on from my previous post, the toilets on the 175 were again disgusting. Are ATW letting their standards slip as they come to the end of their franchise?
.